You can enjoy concerts on the lawn in the Berkshire mountains of Massachusetts, gaze upon a mega-public art work featuring 100-foot-high waterfalls cascading in New York City's East River, treat your taste buds at the world's largest outdoor food fest, watch the world's top golfers and tennis players compete in major tournaments.

That's just a sampling of the hundreds of new or special events on tap over the nation this summer. Factor in anniversary celebrations, renovated attractions and seasonal festivals, and summer travelers will have a wide choice of activities.

In fact, those may be just the thing the economic doctor orders this summer. With talk of recession, high gasoline prices and the declining dollar, more Americans may stick close to home.

So, to give you an idea of what's coming in the next few months, we've put together a selection of family-friendly events across America.

GENERAL

The New York City Waterfalls, New York City, mid-July-mid-October: A major new work of temporary public art will see four monumental, man-made waterfalls installed in the East River this summer. Created by acclaimed Danish artist Olafur Eliasson, the falls will range from 90 to 120 feet in height and will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week; they will be lit at night. Viewers can see the falls from land points in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Governors Island, or by boat on the Circle Line, Governors Island Ferry and Staten Island Ferry. www.nycwaterfalls.org.

Smithsonian Folklife Festival, Washington, D.C., June 25-29 and July 2-6: This year's program on the National Mall will highlight a celebration of Texas music, food and wine; the art and culture of the Asian nation of Bhutan; and exhibits and demonstrations marking the 50th anniversary of NASA, the space Agency. The festival spans over the Fourth of July, which in Washington attracts thousands to a spectacular music and fireworks show on the Mall. www.folklife.si.edu/center/festival.html.

Festival of Sail, San Francisco, July 23-27: More than a million people are expected to welcome tall ships coming to this fete from all over the world. Events include a parade of 15-20 ships under the Golden Gate Bridge, daily ship boardings, waterfront cultural and musical entertainment and educational programs. www.festivalofsail.org.

Gettysburg National Military Park, Gettysburg, Pa., opening April 14: A $125-million new museum and visitor center will display the restored Cyclorama Painting, a museum of Gettysburg in the Civil War, museum store and other facilities. www.nps.gov/gett.

MUSIC

Tanglewood Music Festival, Lenox, Mass., June 23-Aug. 31: At the Boston Symphony Orchestra's summer home in the Berkshire mountains, highlights of the 10-week run include performances by James Taylor, The Boston Pops, all-Beethoven and all-Mozart weekends, a tribute to Leonard Bernstein and world premieres of two works by Elliott Carter. www.tanglewood.org.

Spoleto Festival USA, Charleston, S.C., May 23-June 8: More than 45 productions and 140 performances during the 17 days of this venerable festival. Among them: A new production of Anthony Davis' landmark opera, Amistad; an acclaimed adaptation, The Burial at Thebes, of Sophocles' Antigone by Nobel Prize-winning poet Seamus Heaney; an exploration of the global influence of the hip-hop generation by artist/activist Marc Bamuthiu Joseph; the American premiere of Monkey: Journey to the West, a score that blends Western popular music with Chinese instrumentation, marital artists and acrobats. www.spoletousa.org.

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