Category: Vacations

How To Get Your Car Ready For A Summer Roadtrip

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driving

If your family loves a summer road trip, you should always know how to get your car ready. With this, you can be assured that your car is in good condition and won’t cause any inconvenience or ruin your summer road trip experience.

Below are some of the things you should take note are the following:

Don’t Forget about Car Maintenance

If your vehicle is old and you are worried about whether it is up for a trip far from your home, consider taking your car to a professional mechanic for inspection and maintenance. Spending time at a mechanic shop is worth it and if you do not know a reliable mechanic, you may hire a third party inspector to inspect your car’s condition.

Check Your Car’s Tires

You should always pay attention with proper tire inflation, especially during summer. Aside from cutting your fuel mileage, underinflated tires will run hotter. According to experts, heavily loaded car combined with sun-baked roads can result to a blowout.

Make sure to follow the listed tire pressures on your car, whether on a car’s decal or in the owner’s manual, not the value on the tire’s sidewall, which is the maximum safe pressure of the tire. The recommended pressures are for the cold tires and not for the ones that are driven on for several miles or have sat under the sun. If you need to fill hot tires, you should go for a few pounds higher and check them again if they are cold.

You’re definitely not going to want need a flat tire change or any type of roadside assistance during rush hour on a busy expressway or road.

Load Up Your Things Properly

Regardless if your tires are inflated properly, there are some limits on how much your car can carry. Once you fill up each seat, you might have only some pounds or so left for luggage. Ratings differ widely by vehicle. Therefore, you have to consult the user’s manual to see what you could safely haul. Overloading cars can make it handle poorly or break the suspension parts. The way you load your things for summer road trip matters a lot. Put the heaviest ones low and to the middle of your car to avoid making your vehicle feel tippy.

Keep the Engine Cool

Every car depends on liquid cooling for its engine. Some call the liquid antifreeze, but it is chemically structured that will keep your car’s engine from overheating. Ask your car expert when it is time to change your car’s coolant to ensure that your vehicle will work in optimal condition regardless of how hot the summer is.

Tune Up the Car’s Headlights

It’s always a great idea to get the most light during night time. However, if you are headed out of town to unlit and unfamiliar back roads, it is more critical. Thus, if your headlights have grown hazy and yellow with age, you should get a restoration kit. This will help you improve the total output of your headlamp by 30%, which is beneficial on summer night road trip.

If you encounter troubles on the road this summer get in touch with Best Aurora Towing Service for help.

10 Places to See While Visiting Houston

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The beautiful Houston, Texas skyline.

If you’re searching for dining, culture, shopping, fun experiences, and unique attractions, you will love Houston so much. It’s the 4th biggest city in the US and home to renowned chefs, Space Center Houston, beautiful green spaces, and inspiring museums. You can also enjoy the Livestock Show and Rodeo, which is a signature event in Houston. However, it depends on your travel dates.

Below are some of the places you can see while visiting the beautiful city of Houston:

Museum District of Houston

It is one of the greatest cultural attractions of Houston with a total of 19 museums, which reside in this downtown area. Among these 19 museums, 11 of these can be accessed for free of charge. Majority of the museums are walking distance. But, Rothko Chapel and Menil are a bit farther out.

Space Center Houston

It’s the official visitor center of Johnson Space Center of NASA, which is a must-see Houston’s attraction. This is a big complex where you may walk through the space shuttle and enormous shuttle carrier it is mounted on. At the visitor center, you may wander in a replica of Skylab and touch the rock from the moon.

Buffalo Bayou Park

It is beautiful green space running throughout the city and it has 160 acres. Its centerpiece is Buffalo Bayou’s slow moving waters. This park is home to different sculptures, biking and walking trails, dog park, and lots of shady areas where you can relax for a while.

Houston Zoo

It is one of the star attractions in the city, famous with visitors and locals. Houston Zoo is home to thousands of indigenous and exotic animals and contains a children’s zoo and education center. If you happen to suffer a car breakdown in Houston, in front of the zoo would be an ideal place for it to happen.

Houston’s Street Art

Gonzo247 is Houston’s street art’s unofficial curator. He’s one of the popular street artists of the city and the man behind the giant mural located at Travis and Preston Streets’ corner, which is called Houston Inspired.

Have a Trip to Galveston

Galveston takes pride from having beautiful beaches and you can reach this place within less than an hour away from the city. If you want a quick break, Galveston will give you a memorable experience.

19th Street in The Heights

If you are looking for vintage items, you should visit 19th in The Heights. It’s a funky area where you can find various quirky shops selling everything vintage.

Gerald D. Hines Waterwall Park

It highlights an exceptional multistory sculptural fountain that sees water sheets cascading over huge sculptures and concrete walls. This is an attraction that you must not miss during your visit in Houston.

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

This is the biggest annual event in Houston. For those who don’t know about it, this 19-day event will give you a fun experience and usually celebrated in March or February.

Rice University Campus

It’s an oasis in Houston’s downtown area and a popular outdoor space for a lot of Houstonians. Running and walking trails, lots of mature trees, as well as beautiful old buildings are spread over this campus.

If you happen to be out and about in the suburbs south of Houston in the Sugar Land area and need roadside assistance, count on the towing company in Missouri City, Texas.

10 Places to Visit in Michigan

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Michigan autumn foliage
Michigan autumn foliage

Michigan is a great vacation destination for people during all seasons. There are so many great places to see and things to do.

Here are some of the top ten places to visit during your Michigan vacation:

  1. Spend a day on Lake Michigan. The third largest of the Great Lakes, Lake Michigan offers something for everyone. You can spend a day sailing, fishing, swimming or just dipping your toes in the clear blue waters on a nice spring or summer day.
  2. Visit Mackinac Island. This is one of the more popular tourist destinations in America. It harkens back to a simpler time before most of our modern technology. You can take a scenic drive across the Mackinac Bridge to get there, or you can take a ferry if you wish. Explore the shops, buy some fudge, enjoy the majestic view or take a tour of the island on a horse-drawn carriage.
  3. Take in a game. You have many options, depending on your sport of choice. You can visit Comerica Park to watch the American League Central’s Detroit Tigers play on a beautiful summer day. If football’s your game, you can visit Ford Field to watch the Detroit Lions in action. Basketball fans can cheer on the Detroit Pistons at the brand-new Little Caesars Arena. College sports enthusiasts can watch live competitions on the campuses of Michigan and Michigan State Universities.
  4. Go back in time at the Henry Ford Museum. Car historians will enjoy traveling back in time at the Henry Ford Museum. They can view and admire many classic cars, trucks for movers in Detroit, and read about automotive engineering pioneers. Factory tours are also available.
  5. Listen to live music at the Machine Shop. Located in Flint, the Machine Shop hosts dozens of rock, metal and country concerts every year. They draw fans from across the state and around the country. One of the must-visit destination for many music fans.
  6. Visit Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland. Billed as the world’s largest Christmas store, this heralded store is a favorite destination for winter travelers. They can take their time shopping as they stroll through the building that’s larger than a football field.
  7. Enjoy the Electric Forest Festival. This summer festival held in Rothbury boasts one of the largest light shows in the nation. Several musical acts perform every year against the backdrop of majestic trees that are showered in electric light. An amazing experience for people of all ages.
  8. Spend time in nature at the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. You can camp, hike, canoe or simply admire the natural beauty that surrounds you at this tourist stop in Munising. There are waterfalls, cliffs, beaches and many more attractions to enjoy.
  9. Admire creative talent at ArtPrize in Grand Rapids. This fall festival offers the opportunity to view various works of art from dozens of talented individuals. Their works are spread across three square miles in the city. Artists from around the world gather to display their works during this 19-day event.
  10. Spend a day at the Detroit Zoo. The Detroit Zoo is home to many different animal species. They have exhibits for everyone to enjoy. You can ride the Tauber Family Railroad or just spend the day visiting the animals.

These are just some of the many things to see and do in Michigan. You can find out more online or by talking with your local travel agent or you move their with help from a local moving company. Michigan offers so many incredible vacation possibilities!

10 Ranch Vacations For Families

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ranch

When it comes to family vacations you want something fun, exciting, and perhaps even a little different. Ranch vacations can be quite the experience for the whole family. Here is a list of the top ten ranch vacation spots!

Triple Creek Ranch

Triple Creek in Darby, Montana is a fantastic ranch getaway spot! This luxury ranch has striking surroundings, log cabins, passing horses, almost everything from right out a movie or a book. The activities span from hiking, fishing, and even helicopter tours of Glacier and Yellowstone national parks.

The Resort at Paws Up

Located in Greenough, Montana, The Resort is another amazing family vacation spot! Not only is it surrounded with beautiful nature, but this resort offers activities for everybody, including; archery lessons, pony rides, and even fire pits and camping. No matter what your age here, The Resort at Paws Up is a lot of fun for the whole family.

Devils’ Thumb Ranch

Devils’ Thumb in Tabernash, Colorado is another fun family ranch spot! This old, historic ranch has quite a fun and unique story behind it that you can learn all about. The resort offers ice skating on the frozen lakes and zip-lining during the Summers.

Tanque Verde Ranch

Tanque Verde in Tucson, Arizona is a fun and adventurous ranch spot! This unique desert ranch celebrates being off the grid. They do not have TVs, and offer only outdoor activities such as fishing, horseback riding, hiking, and adventurous type activities. The saloon here also offers some delicious BBQ and homemade chocolate truffles that are sure to leave your mouth watering.

Paradise Ranch

Paradise Ranch in Buffalo, Wyoming is truly in the middle of nature itself! It is surrounded by lush meadows, breath taking scenery, and snow-capped mountains. They host chicken chasing games, a kid’s rodeo, and more! Also, you can make s’mores by a fire and even camp too.

Rawah Ranch

Rawah Ranch in Northern Colorado is a beautiful mountain/river escape, along with horseback riding, fly-fishing, hiking, and plentiful children’s programs, there is so much to do here and it’s in such a lovely, serene area.
-Stagecoach Trails in Yucca Arizona, is full of fun and exciting things to do! They have a moonlit wagon ride through the trails, a petting zoo, archery, fishing, and so much more!

Mountain Sky Ranch

Mountain Sky Ranch in Emigrant, Montana is another beautiful spot for a ranch vacation. From horseback riding, art and crafts, scavenger hunts, fishing, and great food, it’s a blast for the whole family. It is also close to some museums and amazing restaurants that you should experience while you’re there.

Rankin Ranch

Rankin Ranch in California is yet another fun spot! They have hiking, fishing, biking, and for the kids they have talent shows, boat races, scavenger hunts, and so much more!

Gros Ventre

Lastly, there is Gros Ventre Ranch in Moose, Wyoming. This ranch offers a special mountain cuisine for its guests. There is plenty to do here too, such as; fishing, hiking, horseback riding, and many children’s activities too, including a park to play at.