Making a Splash: Jump Into the Summer Preview 

click to enlarge

• Caleb Kenna | Rev. Diane Sullivan

The morning Seven Days published its annual Summer Preview last year, Vermont was walloped by a freak frost that wreaked havoc on fruit trees and crops — and frustrated gardeners who got cute and planted before Memorial Day. This year, the weather gods have been kinder, and the issue hits streets with summer in full bloom — for now. This is Vermont, after all.

With temps creeping into the 80s this week, the pull to get outside has been strong. In Burlington, you could take a peaceful stroll at Rock Point. Long off-limits to casual visitors, the oasis of green in the city's New North End has gradually opened up in recent years.

More adventuresome types will flock to the mountains, where most hiking trails officially open this weekend. Youth conservation crews have been hard at work repairing trails damaged in last year's floods. Thrill seekers may head to Lyndon, where residents hope a new link to the epic Kingdom Trails mountain biking network will revitalize the town.

While you're there, you could pedal over to nearby Greensboro. Our new series, "Three to Six Hours" — a Vermont-scale riff on the New York Times' "36 Hours" travelogue — offers a day-trip itinerary to suit a range of tastes.

If speedboating is more your, well, speed, options abound on lakes large and small. But wakeboarders take heed: Several lake associations are seeking to ban wake boats.

For fitness buffs, marathon season is in full swing. This weekend, the Vermont City Marathon & Relay in Burlington will award its first cash prize to nonbinary runners.

Those who prefer to be spectators should check out our guide to summer events for everything from outdoor concerts to fairs to sports to one festival devoted entirely to garlic. Or you could head to the cineplex to catch the new Disney flick Young Woman and the Sea, in limited release on May 31. Starring Daisy Ridley, it's based on a 2009 book by Vermont author Glenn Stout.

Finally, wind down after an epic summer day at the hot new restaurant Frankie's in Burlington. Helmed by Hen of the Wood alums in the old Penny Cluse Café space, it's one of several new local restos opening this summer.