Cedar Point introduces fastest roller coaster

This one just might be over the top.

Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, home to 15 roller coasters, opened its 16th scream machine this month. Top Thrill Dragster, a $25 million steel investment, is the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world.

The new ride features a 420-foot-tall first hill at a 90-degree incline, with speeds of 120 mph over 2,800 feet of track. It is the first roller coaster to break the 400-foot-tall milestone.

Cedar Point was the first park to introduce a roller coaster more than 200 feet tall with the 1989 debut of the Magnum XL-200. Information: www.cedarpoint.com.

Jazz Vermont is ‘camp’ for adult musicians

Don’t worry about fellow campers short-sheeting your bunk bed at Jazz Vermont, a music camp for adults.

Now in it 19th season, Jazz Vermont is set for July 20-25 at the five-star Killington Grand Resort Hotel. Staff members rehearse, encourage, cajole and groove with participants, preparing them to perform for an audience of more than 300 people by the end of the week.

Participants, who must be able to read music at an intermediate level, will be assigned to one of five bands, ranging in size from eight to 18 pieces. Trombone, trumpet, piano, bass, sax, drum, and guitar players and vocalist spots are available.

Spouses and guests can toot their own horns with a lineup of activities. Information: (800) 242-8785; www.jazzcamp.com.

Michelin Europe site offers driving directions

Michelin, the century-old expert on European travel, has gone online in a big way. Its Web site (www.viamichelin.com) lets travelers plan driving trips with directions, plus more, reports Gemutlichkeit, a travel newsletter specializing in Germany, Austria and Switzerland (www.gemut.com).

The Michelin site includes details for every city on your planned route that has rated hotels and restaurants. It also includes tourist attractions. All can be saved to a customized mini-guide.