After staying inside all winter to avoid the cold and dodging raindrops in the spring, summer is the time to explore, travel, and spend the day outside basking in rays of sunshine and getting your fill of vitamin D. However, if you find yourself struggling to come up with ideas and activities for summer vacation, AGA has compiled a list of recommendations for some popular hot-dip galvanized (HDG) recreation and entertainment destinations. The amazing fact about these projects is they all have some part or element that has been hot-dip galvanized, which means these projects will be around for a long time for us to enjoy. So, don’t be too upset if you cannot get to all these attractions in one summer.

A popular destination for any summer vacationer is an amusement or water park. Look no further than Volcano Bay at Universal Orlando in Orlando, FL. Underneath the Krakatau Aqua Coaster, which serves as the centerpiece attraction and iconic backdrop to Universal Studios Volcano Bay Water Park, exists an entire support structure that has been hot-dip galvanized. The benefit of using hot-dip galvanized steel is it offers unparalleled corrosion protection and years of maintenance-free longevity. What does that mean for you? It means you won’t have to worry about your favorite ride and attraction at Volcano Bay being closed due to repair or maintenance when visiting the theme park.

For a drier option that is also family-friendly, we suggest visiting the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston, MA. While at the zoo, stop by the Gorilla Grove exhibit to check out the gorillas' strength and how similar they are to humans. The exhibit specified hot-dip galvanized steel due to its durability to withstand impact and abrasion and its ability to blend in with the gorilla's natural environment using a duplex coating system of hot-dip galvanizing, an epoxy primer, and a urethane topcoat.

The New Orleans Botanical Garden is a great recommendation for those looking for a serene and picturesque environment for taking photos to share on Instagram. The Living Green Wall, part of the Arrival Garden when you enter, consists of 3,500 plants grown vertically on the wall and can be extremely heavy, especially when wet. HDG steel protects the wall not only from the humid New Orleans atmosphere but from the drip irrigation system and the mist from the jumping water fountain, making this breathtaking visual possible.

Our next recommended destination is Wrigley Field, where you can attend the many exciting baseball games going on throughout the summer. Wrigley Field is the second oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball after Fenway Park in Boston which also sports HDG. The newly upgraded lighting for the ballpark uses a duplex coating which will help to keep the Wrigley Field in top functional conditions to operate for many years to come.

Located on the Northern Quest Resort & Casino property, where there are plenty of activities for the entire family to have fun, is the BECU Live Outdoor Venue in Airway Heights, WA, known for hosting exhilarating outdoor concerts and live performances. The open-air entertainment venue boasts a 5,000-seat arena to appreciate summer evenings under the stars. Additionally, the complete understructure, stringers, and rail risers of the venue consist of hot-dip galvanized structural steel chosen for its outstanding corrosion protection, added aesthetic appeal, and to ensure the safety of the fans as they enjoy the outdoor venue.

For those seeking an escape away from the city and to immerse themselves in nature, the Sentier Des Cimes Laurentides located in the heart of the Laurentian forest in Mont-Blanc, Quebec could be just the destination for you this summer. This 360-degree, fully wheelchair-accessible treetop lookout view of the surrounding natural beauty of the Canadian Laurentian Mountains is suitably crafted from the natural things you see around you: the wood is drawn from the surrounding forests and the iron and zinc are hewn from the very Canadian Shield on which those forests grow. The combination of the HDG steel and treated lumber in the structure not only complements each other well, but also helps to blend the elevated walkway into its surroundings and will not distract visitors’ attention away from the panoramic and breathtaking views of the landscape.

Camping is a popular activity, but have you tried camping with Turtleback Trailers? Turtleback Trailers builds custom trailers in Phoenix, AZ, for the average to the extreme outdoor enthusiast that delivers anything but an average outdoor experience. The rugged, compact design allows its owners to feel a greater attachment to their environment while still offering a wide range of practical amenities and creature comforts. Every trailer is built specifically to the individual’s needs and designed to go where the owner wants, over whatever terrain it needs to travel to get there for a lifetime of pleasure. Turtleback has chosen to use hot-dip galvanizing together with a top coating of Tuff Coat to give their trailers unprecedented maintenance-free resistance to the environment.

Given the close location of Daytona International Speedway to the Daytona Beach/Atlantic Ocean, inter-state highway systems (I-4 and I-95), and Daytona Beach International Airport, it makes for an ideal destination to recommend for the summer. The proximity to the ocean also made it essential for the speedway to take measures to protect itself against the corrosive surrounding environment. Hot-dip galvanizing played a major role in the overall safety design of the massive grandstands and press towers at the Speedway. William H.G. (Bill) France Sr., the founder of the speedway in 1957, also had an appreciation for the uniformity and visual appeal that hot-dip galvanizing offered to the public.

Having fun during the summer does not always require traveling far. When it comes to families with young children, the local park can provide plenty of summertime amusement without having to spend much money or time travelling. Fortunately for those living in Brooklyn, NY, they get to enjoy Domino Park which is a 5-acre public park located along the East River. The park features many activities but a major draw is the Domino Park Playground which showcases a delightful mix of stainless-steel slides, brightly painted railings, and galvanized steel that not only looks great but will provide kids (and parents) with a safe and fun place to play for many years to come.

The next attraction is for someone who loves challenges and lives to experience wonderous outdoor adventures. Whiteface Mountain, also known as The Olympic Mountain, is the fifth-highest mountain in the United States and was the host of the 1980 Winter Olympic Alpine events. The Stairway Ridge Trail at Whiteface Mountain offers the most picturesque option for reaching the summit. At the mountain’s summit is the historic Whiteface Castle which has become a destination for the most breathtaking views of Lake Placid and the surrounding area. In 2020, the existing galvanized handrails were replaced with new ones after many decades of use. Since Whiteface Mountain is located in a subarctic climate at an altitude of over 4,800 feet with an average precipitation of 46” and an average annual snowfall of 139”, galvanizing had proven to be an effective corrosion deterrent and it was an easy decision to specify hot-dip galvanizing once again.

If you happen to be traveling through Atlanta, GA, definitely visit the art district along the Atlanta BeltLine corridor and see all the amazing art installations and exhibits. The Guide by Phil Proctor is intended to be a spiritual, emotional, and physical symbol to light a way through dark times. Whether you are an art lover or a science-fiction and comic book fan, the sculptural figure is best appreciated and viewed at night when the 16-foot tall acrylic staff is illuminated. All the beams of The Guide have a hot-dip galvanized coating that gives the sculpture a classic gray color complementing the light emitting from the staff at night. Since the figure is located outside in a free exhibition, coating durability, corrosion performance, sustainability, and minimal maintenance were important features that influenced the decision to hot-dip galvanize the steel.

There are many more attractions and destinations to visit for the summer that have been galvanized, but to keep this year’s list of recommendations short, the last suggested place to stop by is the Morris Arboretum "Out on a Limb Tree Adventure" in Philadelphia, PA. The exhibit was developed to give visitors a bird's eye view of the forest. Consisting of a 450-foot-long canopy walk constructed around a 250-year-old chestnut oak tree, the hot-dip galvanized steel structure overlooks the steeply sloped woods of the Wissahickon Valley. Painting the project for corrosion protection was originally considered, but after evaluating the life-cycle cost savings of a maintenance-free hot-dip galvanized steel corrosion protection system, the choice was obvious. In addition, the architect wanted to specify a sustainable structure that would add to the greenness of the trees, rather than detract from it due to the natural environment of the arboretum.

That concludes the list of recommended HDG recreation and entertainment projects to visit this summer. Please leave in the comments any HDG projects you think we might have missed or should be included for next year’s summer recommendation round-up.

If you happen to visit any of the locations listed in this article, make sure to tag the AGA on social media.

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