Best Museums And Cultural Attractions In Denver, Colorado
Denver is a vibrant city, and there are so many great things to do there other than winter activities. We often think of going to Colorado in the Winter when the ski resorts are in the full swing, but the summers in Colorado are amazing as well. You can hike, bike, camp, and if you’re staying near the city center, you can check out these great museums and attractions.
1. Denver Art Museum
The Denver Art Museum opened its brand new wing, the Hamilton Building, in October 2006. The spare, modern space contrasts with the medieval fortress of the old museum, now referred to as the North Building. The two buildings are connected by a bridge. The North Building contains the museum’s collection of pre-Impressionist art, while the Hamilton Building has Impressionist art through modern art. World-renowned architect, Daniel Libeskind, designed the Hamilton Building. The museum is FREE to Colorado residents on the first Saturday of every month. Otherwise, it is $10 for adults and $8 for seniors and children.
2. Denver Botanic Gardens
Denver’s dry climate is a challenge for many gardeners around the state, but they gain a lot of ideas and inspiration from the Botanical Gardens. The Denver Botanic Gardens has 32,000 types of planets, and it also has xeriscaped gardens that require hardly any water. The cost for the Botanic Gardens is $11.50 adults, $8.50 seniors, and $8.00 for children in the Winter. In the Summer, the price goes up a $1.00 for each type of ticket. Don’t miss their great concert series that they have every year, it usually sells out quickly!
Note: The Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield is FREE on the first Friday of every month!
3. Denver Museum of Nature and Science
Formerly known as the Natural History Museum, the Denver Museum of Nature & Science offers educational fun for all ages. The Museum was founded in 1900 by Denver naturalist Edwin Carter. Today, the collection houses more than one million objects from around the world. You’ll find the popular Expedition Health exhibit which is an interactive way to measure your physical fitness. And don’t miss the Egyptian Mummies on the 3rd Floor! The admission is $11 for adults and $6 for children. You can also view IMAX moves there for a separate price.
4. The Denver Zoo
Kids always love the zoo, and Denver has a great one! This zoo covers more than 80 acres and has over 4,000 animals. It got a renovation in 2004 with the opening of its Predator Ridge exhibit that showcases some of Africa’s favorite animals. The zoo is $12 for adults, $9 for seniors, and $7 for children in the summer.
If you’re renting a discount rental car from E-Z Rent-A-Car, you’ll have the flexibility to visit any of these great museums and attractions in Denver.
Tags: denver airport rental car, events in denver, free museums denver, museums in denver, the denver botanic gardens, the denver zoo
Miami International Airport’s New Rental Car Center
In an effort to de-congest and connect the various different modes of transportation to Miami International Airport, they have a massive new transportation hub being built. The first component which was recently complete, the car rental center, is just the start. If you watch the video below, you’ll see our logo in the video! We plan to be a part of that new car rental center, and we’re glad that it will help to better serve our loyal customers!
A rental car center will be operational then, for the first time bringing under one roof all the major and many of the smaller car rental companies that offer vehicles at MIA.
The opening of the rental car center will mark completion of the first major phase of the $1.7-billion Miami Intermodal Center travel hub, which by 2015 will connect in one site virtually all county modes of transportation: aircraft, cars, Metrorail, Tri-Rail, Amtrak and perhaps in the future high-speed rail.
Read more: Miami Herald story
Tags: Miami airport car rental, Miami cheap rental car, Miami discount rental car, Miami International Airport
5 iPhone Apps To Improve Your Summer Road Trip
Do you have an iPhone? If you do, then you know how valuable their iPhone apps can be, especially when you’re traveling on vacation or for business. If you’re about to go on a summer road trip, here are 5 iPhone apps that will help you while on the road!
Ever been in an unfamiliar area and have no idea where the next exit is to go to the bathroom or grab a snack? This iPhone app helps you locate rest areas on major highways so you know how many miles you are away from one! This app could be a lifesaver if your kids or pet can’t hold “it” any longer!
Cost: Free
Not everyone has portable DVD players or in-dash DVD players in their car. One of the best ways to keep the kids occupied is to have them watch a movie or a video. ZuiTube is like YouTube for kids! There are many different channels available that appeal to kids of all ages and contain videos in categories including Hannah Montana, National Geographic, animals, sports, and many more. It’s great for keeping the kids entertained in a G-rated way.
Cost: Free
Are you not good with directions? Don’t want to buy a $200 GPS system? MotionX GPS Drive is a “super app” that combines the functions of multiple applications into one. First and foremost is the navigation, providing essentially the same service as any standalone GPS system on the market (live voice guidance is free for the first 30 days and is available for a cost thereafter of $24.99 per year). In addition to navigation, this app also identifies the closest gas stations, restaurants, grocery stores, hospitals and more, and gives you the directions for getting there.
Cost: $2.99 (for app only, not including live voice guidance subscription)
I know that many of you have had that moment on a road trip where you’ve run out of ideas to keep the kids occupied and they start to get really annoying, REALLY quickly. This app is perfect for those situations. Family Car Games is a fun, interactive application for the entire family to enjoy on those long car rides. There are 100 options available including guessing games, word games, car radio games, and memory games.
Cost: $1.99
This is a great app for documenting your trip and giving the grandparents and other close relatives a little glimpse into your trip. If you’re like me, then you rarely think about sending postcards when you’re traveling for extended periods of time. This app allows you to take a personal photo, attach a message, and they do the rest! They create a real postcard and send it out for you! You can send personalized postcards out for just $1.99 without ever having to search for a post office box.
Cost: Free ($1.99 per post card sent)
Tags: Family Car Games, iPhone Apps, Motion X GPS, Postino
Florida Beaches NOT Affected By The Gulf Oil Spill
There has been so much news about the Gulf oil spill lately, and none of it is positive. How can it be when we are witnessing one of the worst oil spills in human history? The Gulf Coast states have been affected the most, because states like Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Florida all rely on their beautiful beaches for tourism to fuel their economy. The good news is that the people living in Florida (like us) know that only a small portion of our beaches have been affected by the Gulf oil spill to the point where they should be avoided by tourists. However, we have three picks for beaches that you should still visit and have no signs of being negatively affected by the gulf oil spill.
Miami, Florida
South Beach may be one of the most famous beaches in the world. You’ll find beautiful art deco architecture, vibrant night life, great Cuban cuisine, and a truly unique experience by staying in Miami and South Beach. This beach is on the southeast of Florida on the Atlantic Ocean, so it would be very unlikely that the oil ever traveled over here. Book a discount rental car at Miami Airport.
Tampa, Florida
Tampa definitely rivals Miami for having some of the best beaches in Florida, and it’s also one of the cities in Florida with the most to do. It has three major sports teams, plenty of night life, museums, and Busch Gardens theme park! Clearwater Beach is a beautiful place to stay and it’s only a short drive into the heart of Tampa. Book a discount rental car in Tampa now.
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Ft. Lauderdale is often overlooked when coming to visit Florida, but it has great beaches, and it is centrally located between West Palm Beach, Florida to the north and Miami to the south. You can often find GREAT airline ticket deals coming into Ft. Lauderdale through Virgin Atlantic, AirTran, and Southwest airlines. Book a discount rental car in Ft. Lauderdale now.
Key West, Florida
It was believed that oil tar balls had washed up in The Keys in late May, but those were never confirmed to have come from the oil spill. Still, there have been no reports of oil washing up in the shores of The Keys or Key West, and this is such a beautiful place to visit and escape from reality. Just a 2 to 3 hour drive from Miami International Airport, and you can be in the Keys experiencing true paradise.
The only area of beaches confirmed to be contaminated and should be avoided as of the date of this article being published is the Northwest stretch of beaches from Panama City to Pensacola. This is so unfortunate, because these beaches are often a short drive for people from the Southeast states to vacation in, and they are home to beautiful white, sandy beaches. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t still visit GREAT Florida beaches!
Tags: best florida beaches, BP oil spill, florida beaches oil spill, gulf oil spill
Best Cheap Restaurants To Eat in Dallas, Texas
Whenever I travel, I love finding out where the locals love to eat. Finding a great, locally-owned restaurant with great burgers or tacos is one of my favorite things to do, and I’m sure some of you share the same love! Dallas, Texas is a booming town, and a great place to visit whether it’s for business or pleasure. Here’s our list of great restaurants that are cheap and delicious!
1. Mi Cocina – This is a local favorite if you’re craving some Tex-Mex! It’s reasonably priced and everyone raves about their margaritas, gaucamole, and queso dip!
2. Original Market Diner – If you want a great, traditional diner atmosphere, this is the place to go. Many people always ask about where they should go for good breakfast when they visit a new town, and this place should definitely be on your list. They’ve got great coffee and great pancakes!
3. Angry Dog – If you’re looking for a great burger or hot dog, according to the locals, this is the place to go! The burger is nothing exotic or special, just a really solid, flavorful, traditional hamburger, and the prices are CHEAP!
4. Hattie’s Restaurant – If you want a true Texas southern atmosphere and the cuisine to back it up, then Hattie’s is for you. You can get fried green tomatoes, pecan crusted catfish, and shrimp and grits! This place can be a little pricey or very reasonable, depending on what you get. We chose to list it because for WHAT you get for the price, it’s definitely a deal.
5. Louie’s Pizza – If you want great pizza, this place is it! It was even featured on the TV show, “Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives”. They have famous thin crust pizza, great burgers, and great salads as well! Try the Greek salad with one of their famous pizzas.
Are you hungry yet? I am just from writing this article! Dallas has some truly great places to eat, and these places have tons of character, relaxed atmospheres, and you won’t break the bank account eating there! If you’re in Dallas and you rented a cheap rental car from E-Z, then make the drive to one or two of these restaurants in Dallas for a great experience!
Tags: cheap places to eat dallas, cheap restaurants dallas, dallas cheap rental car, DFW discount rental car
Safety Tips For The 4th Of July Weekend
Independence Day is one of my favorite holidays. I love the patriotism and the time for family and friends to come together to celebrate our freedom in a world where freedom is hard to come by in many countries these days. I love the idea of neighborhoods coming together to hang out and get to know one another, because after all, it’s middle-class America that makes this country so great. Many of you will also be traveling this weekend, so here are some tips to stay safe over the weekend whether you’re having a party or traveling.
Road Travelers
- Drive on off-peak times. Try to avoid leaving for your destination Friday after work and Sunday night. Those will be the times when people are driving the most for the 4th of July weekend, and it’s the time that you’ll be most likely to get in an accident.
- Avoid speeding! Cops love to pull people over on the holidays for speeding. Make sure you’re obeying the speed limit and keep watch for changes in speed on highways and country roads.
- Be smart when drinking alcohol. It’s obvious that you should NEVER DRINK AND DRIVE. If you find yourself without a designated driver, wait at least 1 hour for every drink you’ve had before getting behind the wheel. Also, eat a heavy meal and hydrate yourself, because that will absorb the alcohol in your system quicker.
Lighting Off Fireworks
I love fireworks, but they can be SO dangerous. Make sure you supervise your children if they are lighting off fireworks, ESPECIALLY if they’re teenagers. Teenagers love to do ridiculous things, and they might push the limits with how they handle fireworks. Make sure you keep a hose or a large bucket of water near you just in case something catches on fire. Also, make sure you always stand at least 50 feet away from lit fireworks.
Grilling Out
Getting behind the grill on the 4th of July is an American tradition. Take the standard precautions when using your grill. Never grill underneath trees or bushes. Always grill outdoors in a well ventilated area without anything surrounding you. Remember to turn off the propane tank when you’re done using the grill!
Boating
Taking the boat out is another fun tradition by many people on 4th of July. However, many people don’t act wisely when they’re out boating on the holidays. Make sure you’re always strapped in or holding onto something when the boat is moving. Also, the SAME RULES apply with drinking and driving in the car as they do on BOATS! You can get in just as much trouble for operating a boat while drinking as you would if driving a car. Make sure you have an emergency plan and a way to communicate with the coast guard and police if you were to capsize or get stranded out in an uninhabited area.
Unfortunately, there is always a sad story in the news after the 4th of July weekend, but follow these steps and your holidays will be safe and A LOT of fun!
Tags: 4th of July, discount rental cars, fireworks, safety tips
10 Road Trip Games To Keep Your Kids Occupied
Taking a road trip with your kids can be somewhat excruciating if they easily get bored. If they’re between the ages of 5 and 10, then they are most likely they’re asking you “are we there yet?” about every 5 minutes. Even with all of today’s modern technology to distract kids like portable video games and DVD players, some kids still get bored of playing video games and want their minds to be stimulated in a different way. Here are 10 games to play in the car with your kids that will quickly pass the time, help them learn something, and help you have a more enjoyable road trip.
- The “Are We There Yet?” Game. At the beginning of the trip, give your kids a road map with the route highlighted and other special interests along the way. You can also give them a compass and a small ruler. Every time they ask the infamous question, have them pull out their map and figure out how much further you have to go. This will teach them how to read a map, how to use a compass, and it will teach them some geography.
- The 50 States Game. If you’re a fan of the TV show “Friends”, you might have seen the episode where all of the friends are challenged to write down all 50 states within a certain time period. For a 10 to 12 year old, that might sound EASY to them, but it’s MUCH harder than it sounds, even for adults! Give them 15 to 30 minutes to write down all of the states. If you’ve got multiple kids in the car, make it a competition, whoever comes up with the most, wins. If you’ve got older kids, you can go an extra step and ask them to write down all of the capitals for those states as well.
- The ABC Game. The entire car, even the driver, can play this game. The way it works is you start with the letter “A”, and you have to find either word on a road sign that begins with that letter or find something on the road with a name that starts with that letter. For example, seeing a road sign for Annapolis would qualify or seeing an apple tree on the side of the road would also count.
- The Categories Game. You’ll need at least 4 people in the car to play this game and the little ones will probably have a hard time playing this one. What you do is pick a category like “cereal brands”. Then, one person starts off by naming a brand of cereal, then it goes to the next person in a clockwise motion. If that person cannot think of a brand of cereal within 5 seconds, they are out of the game. You keep going around the circle until only one person is left.
- The Counting Game. Pick a color of a car like “red cars” and tell your kids that you’ll give them a penny for every red car they spot, but they have to keep count on a piece of paper. It doesn’t have to be a car, it could be a certain brand name on a billboard or anything else.
- Spelling Bee. Bring a dictionary with you and give each kid a word to spell. You can sweeten the deal by bringing candy with you and they get a piece of candy for every word they spell right.
- Name That Tune. This works best if you can hook up an iPod to your car stereo so you can go through a large amount of songs. Make sure you have songs that the little ones would know. This is also a great game to play with teenagers. With teens, you could flip through the radio stations and have them name that tune.
- Scavenger Hunt. Make up a scavenger hunt list before you leave and give it to the kids. Here’s a good example of one: scavenger list. Make it a competition. First one to complete it gets a certain prize.
- LEGO creations. Bring a shoe box full of LEGOS, and give the kids certain things to make and see what they come up with!
- Digital Camera Game. Hand the digital camera over to your kids (as long as they are old enough to handle it properly). The best thing about digital cameras is that you can delete the pictures whenever you want. Have the kids take pictures of fun things they see along the way on your trip. You could even do funny faces and snap photos of that.
The more creative you get, the most time will pass by quickly for YOU and your kids! If you’re looking to rent a car for a road trip or vacation this summer, check out the cheap rental car deals at E-Z Rent-A-Car!
Tags: kids car games, road trip games
New Promo Video For Miami Discount Car Rental
Here’s our latest promo video for our Miami location. If you want to get the cheapest price and the best service on a rental car when flying into the Miami International Airport, make sure you consider E-Z Rent-A-Car!
Tags: Miami airport car rental, Miami cheap rental car, Miami discount rental car, Miami International Airport, visit south beath miami florida
Common Airline Fees To Avoid
Airlines continue to add on fees for services and other common features when flying in an effort to generate extra revenue wherever they can. At E-Z Rent-A-Car we strive to help you get the best value for your discount rental car, and many of our customers travel by air first, so we want to help you save the most money possible! Here are some common fees when flying that you can avoid.
Checked Baggage
Many airlines now charge $25 for each checked bag EACH way. For a family of four, that can add up to $200 per trip! This is unfortunate, because some long trips require people to pack a larger bag. If you’re on a longer trip, try to call your hotel or whoever you’re staying with and see if you can do laundry while you are there.
How To Avoid It: The easiest way to avoid this fee is to pack light. You’ll be helping the environment by making the plane lighter, and you’ll have a more enjoyable trip without lugging around a ton of baggage. Another easy way to avoid this fee is to fly with Southwest or JetBlue. They both offer one free checked bag per traveler. Delta is also offering one free checked bag for SkyMiles gold car members.
Food and Drinks
In the early days of flying, it was customary to receive a light meal or snack on trips longer than an hour. Now, you’re lucky to get a pack of peanuts. Many airlines still offer a complimentary non-alcoholic drink, but hardly any of them offer free food. JetBlue offers good snacks for free, but you’re on your own for most other airlines.
How To Avoid It: Pack snacks with you. You won’t be able to get drinks through security (which is why airlines still offer drinks for free), but any kind of dry snack or even a sandwich should make it through security and hold you over if you have a longer flight. You can also try to eat right before you get on the flight, but make sure it’s not too heavy of a meal. As we all know, the airplane bathrooms are not very comfortable!
Reserved Seating
I was buying tickets on AirTran the other day, and I was shocked to see that they charged $6 for every seat that you reserved, and exit rows were $20 to reserve. This is the epitome of tacking on extra fees to gain more revenue.
How To Avoid It: The only way to avoid it is by not reserving a seat and getting to the airport earlier than normal so you can reserve seats at the counter. Also, some frequent flyers get priority seating for free, depending on the airline.
Watch out for fees from extreme discount airline companies. Companies like Allegiant Air will sometimes offer $10 and $20 flights one way, but they’ll charge you $15 to book it online, they’ll charge for seating reservations, checked bags, and they might even charge for a non-alcoholic drink.
Tags: airline fees, airtran, checked baggage fees, how to avoid airline fees, southwest air
Your Guide To The Best Summer Road Trip Ever
There’s nothing better than doing a summer road trip and exploring everything that the great country of the United States has to offer. Ever since cars have become more reliable and stable to travel long distances, road trips have been a great American tradition. At E-Z Rent-A-Car, we know that many of you still love to travel by car and take road trips, but you might not have a car that you trust on the open road. You should consider renting one of our discount rental cars for your trip. If you want to have the best road trip possible, then follow these tips below:
Maintenance
- Check your tire pressure – This will help keep you safe and prevent your tires from blowing out while on the road, and it helps with fuel efficiency.
- Check your fluids – Now is a good time to check your fluids and top off any that are low such as windshield wiper fluid, transmission fluid, brake fluid, power steerin, and coolant.
- Have your brakes checked – Your brakes are obviously essential to your safety, so have them looked at by a mechanic before leaving for the road trip.
- Oil Change and Tire Rotation – It’d be a good idea to have this done even if it has a few miles before it needs to be done.
Saving Money
- Pack snacks, sandwiches, and drinks with you – You won’t need to stop as much, you’ll probably eat healthier, and you’ll save money!
- Use GasBuddy.com – Before you leave, map out your route and check which areas have the cheapest gas using Gas Buddy.
- Bring a GPS or phone with GPS with you – you’ll save time and money if you’re able to create your own detour when you run into road construction or an accident.
Having Fun
- Bring games with you – Being on the road can get tedious, so make sure you’ve got plenty of stuff to do IN the car.
- Burn some mix CD’s or create custom iTunes playlists – I like having fun with these like creating a list of old-school songs from your childhood or good dance music.
- Make some unexpected stops along the way – Being spontaneous during your road trip can be one of the most fun and memorable parts of your road trip.
Got any other suggestions to have the best road trip ever? Let us know! Be safe on the road this summer!
Tags: best summer road trip, discount car rental, road trip, road trip maintenance, save money road trip