Archive for the ‘Attractions’ Category

Free Attractions and Things To Do in Atlanta

If you’re like me, then you love FREE stuff. My motto is always, “If it’s FREE, it’s or ME”. Atlanta has a lot of great cultural, historical, and educational things to do for free if you’re visiting on business or for vacation. Obviously, Atlanta’s rich history and instrumental role of civil rights and Martin Luther King, Jr. play a big role in the city and its historical sites. Here are some great attractions to check out for FREE.

free attractions atlanta

1. MLK Jr. Historical Site – Encompassing nearly 35 acres, the free Martin Luther King, Jr. Historic Site is comprised of historic landmarks as well as modern-day monuments and facilities. At this free-parking, no-fee attraction, take a journey through the historical struggles of the South as well as the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Visitors can see Dr. King’s original gravesite and current tomb. Take a tour of his boyhood home, Ebenezer Baptist Church and historic Fire Station No. 6 – one of the South’s first desegregated fire houses, which now serves the community with free exhibits. This is truly a great thing to do, and the history behind it is like no other. Admission is completely free, but donations are always welcome.

2. Centennial Park – This is the park constructed for the 1996 Summer Olympic games, and it remains a great place to hang out, have fun outside, and enjoy warm Southern weather! On Wednesday nights from 5:30 to 8pm from April to September, you might find some great live music including live reggae and jazz!

3. The Governor’s Mansion – Treat yourself to TRUE Southern hospitality, and take a tour of the Governor’s mansion. You’ll get to see how the governor lives and learn the rich history of the great state of Georgia, the last colony of the 13 original colonies!

4. Atlantic Station – If you’re just looking for a cool place to hang out, grab a bite to eat, or window shop, this is the place for you! Atlantic Station’s retail/entertainment district opened in October 2005. It counts a number of well-known names among its tenants, including Dillard’s, Banana Republic, IKEA, Old Navy, Pier 1 Imports, Gap, Jos. A. Bank Clothiers, Ann Taylor and Victoria’s Secret. Atlantic Station in Atlanta is also home to a variety of fine restaurants and casual eateries offering everything from pizza to sushi to strip steaks. You’ll also find a great Regal movie theater here.

About E-Z Rent-A-Car

If you’re flying into Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, consider checking out our great discount rental car rates! We’re now in-terminal at their new rental car center, so it’s very convenient to get off the plane and be shuttled to our facility to pick up your car.

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Top 10 Fun Things To Do In Downtown Atlanta

If you’ve never been to Atlanta or this is your 10th time there, there’s always something fun to do in the heart of the city. Atlanta is one of the biggest cities in the South, and it’s a huge hub for commercial travel, sports, and entertainment. Whether you’re there on vacation or business, check out these top 10 fun things to do in downtown Atlanta.

things to do in downtown atlanta
  1. Georgia Dome – This is the centerpiece for sports and entertainment in downtown Atlanta. You can catch the Falcons playing here in the Fall, and many other huge sporting events such as the Chick-fil-A bowl in January.
  2. Philips Arena – This is the home of the Hawks, Thrashers, and Dream. This is also a hot venue for many concerts and entertainment acts. You can always find something going on at the Philips Arena throughout the year.
  3. Turner Field – This is the home of the Atlanta Braves, Atlanta’s most storied and prized sports franchise. You can catch them hitting home runs throughout the Spring, Summer, and Fall.
  4. Georgia Aquarium – Do you like sharks? You probably don’t want to see one in the wild, but these amazing creatures can be seen at the Georgia Aquarium behind glass and away from you. The Georgia Aquarium was recently built, and it’s one of the hottest attractions in Atlanta. Don’t miss this one!
  5. Centennial Olympic Park – This 21-acre site was one of the most popular spots in the city during the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games. Today, year-round programming featuring concerts, family activities and festivals make the park a gathering place for Atlantans and visitors. The park features the world’s largest Olympic Ring fountain.
  6. The Children’s Museum of Atlanta – Located on Centennial Olympic Park, Imagine It! The Children’s Museum of Atlanta features hands-on, colorful exhibits and activities where children can discover, imagine and explore as they learn how things work in their world. Whether it’s building a sandcastle, painting on the walls, or exploring the latest exhibit, children will discover why it’s the smart place to play.
  7. Sweet Auburn District – The area of Sweet Auburn served as the thriving center of Black enterprise in Atlanta from the 1890s through the 1940s, and is the birthplace of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. At the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site, explore his birth home, visitor center, historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, and The King Center, where Dr. King’s Nobel Peace Prize is on exhibit.
  8. Underground Atlanta – Six city blocks have been transformed into a spirited marketplace that offers historic guided tours, more than 100 specialty stores, Kenny’s Alley, the trendy hangout with exciting nightlife and restaurants, street-cart merchants and annual events. The Peach Drop, the largest New Year’s Eve celebration in the Southeast, St Patrick’s Day Festival, and Heritage Arts Festival are just a few of the special events that take place.
  9. World of Coca-Cola – This is always a fun thing to do, especially if you’re a big fan of Coke! You’ll get to see how it’s made, through a tour of the history of Coca-Cola and their famous ad campaigns, then at the end, you’ll get to sample all kinds of different Cokes from around the world. But beware, some of them are pretty nasty!
  10. Inside the CNN Headquarters – Ever wonder what it’s like inside one of the busiest news centers in the world? Journey into the heart of CNN Worldwide and get an up-close look at global news in the making. Inside CNN is a 55-minute guided walking tour with exclusive, behind-the-scenes views of Atlanta’s CNN studios and an exciting glimpse of news and broadcasting in action from the world headquarters of CNN.

Our new in-terminal location at the Atlanta airport makes it very easy and convenient to pick up a cheap rental car from E-Z Rent-A-Car. We strive to be the best value in car rental, and we hope you’ll consider renting from us while vacationing or traveling on business to Atlanta, Georgia!

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The Best Ski Resorts Near Denver, Colorado

ski

Ski season is here, and it’s no surprise that Colorado has the best skiing in North America. World class resorts and great mountains make Colorado the place to be for skiing. Our discount rental car location at the Denver International Airport is a perfect way to get to your ski resort in Colorado. Are you still deciding on what resort to go to? Here is a short list of the best ski resorts closest to the Denver Airport.

1. Breckenridge Ski Resort

website: www.breckenridge.com

Whether you’re looking forward to a day off the slopes or searching for a little alternative adventure, Breckenridge has as much to offer off the mountain as it does on any of its 155 trails. As the largest historic district in Colorado, the town of Breckenridge features a wide variety of shops, activities, culture and attractions to entertain. Learn more about Breckenridge’s History or check out our list of 101 things to do in Breckenridge.

I’ve personally had friends that have stayed at Breckenridge and they loved it. This resort is only 104 miles away from the airport, so it’ll only take you about 2 hours to get there.

2. Winter Park Ski Resort

website: http://www.skiwinterpark.com/index.htm

The mountain opened for the 1939–1940 season as Winter Park Ski Area and was owned and operated by the city and county of Denver until 2002, when Denver entered into a partnership with Intrawest ULC, a Canadian corporation headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, which has operated the resort since then. For nearly 70 years a popular way for Denver residents — many of whom have learned to ski or snowboard at Winter Park over the years — to get there was via the Ski Train, which arrived at the resort’s base area though the Moffatt Tunnel. (The Ski Train was terminated by the railroad in spring 2009). It is home to one of the world’s largest and oldest disabled skiing programs, the National Sports Center for the Disabled. courtesy of Wikipedia.

This resort is one of the largest in Colorado, and it’s also the closest to Denver International Airport. It’s only about 45 minutes away!

3. The Sol Vista Basin

website: http://www.granbyranch.com/ski/solvistabasin.asp

The Sol Vista Basin is a new ski mountain, which is part of the Granby Ranch Resort. Not only does the property have skiing, but when weather permits, you can go fishing, golfing, and bike riding. This resort is only about 1.5 hours away from Denver International Airport, so getting there in your cheap rental car won’t be tough at all!

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3 Reasons To Rent A Car When Visiting Florida

florida-beach

Florida is one of the most popular vacation destinations in the world. When you combine thousands of miles of beaches, warm weather, plenty of sun, Disney World, and some of the most vibrant cities in the U.S., it’s a great combination for tourism. What some people don’t realize is the size of Florida. Florida is a huge state. From top to bottom is about 450 miles, and from Jacksonville to the tip of the panhandle is about another 400 miles. Unfortunately, Florida has no decent public transportation to get around, so car is the best mode of transportation to hope from one city to the next. Here are 3 good reasons you need to rent a discount rental car when you come to Florida.

No Good Public Transportation

The rail system is not good in Florida. There’s a Commuter Rail in South Florida that can take you back and forth from Palm County to Dade County, but it’s still pretty slow. Other than that, you have Amtrak, and we all know that Amtrak doesn’t cut it. Orlando’s government just passed a bill to start building a high-speed rail from Orlando to Tampa and back, but that won’t be ready for a while. Florida does have a solid highway system though, and that is why renting a car is important. If you visit Orlando, you may want to check out Busch Gardens in Tampa or a catch a football, baseball, or hockey game. Reserving a cheap rental car in Orlando is essential if you want to experience everything Orlando and Tampa have to offer.

Florida Has Dozens of Appealing Attractions

Orlando has Disney and Universal Studios, but it’s not close to the beach. Daytona Beach and Cocoa Beach are an hour away. Cocoa Beach also has the Kennedy Space Center. Miami has South Beach, but the Keys are a great fishing and water sports destination. Renting a car at Miami International Airport is essential, because Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, and the Keys are close enough to drive to.

Great Deals In Florida For Car Rentals

A great example of this is our Ft. Lauderdale Location. You can find an economy car on non-peak days for $12 to $16 a day! All of our locations in Florida have great rates. You can get real-time updates on Twitter for great deals that our customers have recently booked, and we provide a link to our site to let you try to see if that rate is still available!

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Top 5 Hidden Gems of Central Florida

It’s no surprise that the first thing to come to your mind when you hear the word, “Orlando”, is Disney World. After all, if Walt Disney hadn’t decided to buy thousands of acres decades ago to build his magical empire, Orlando may not be what it is today. However, talk to the locals of Orlando, and you will quickly find out that there is much more to do in Central Florida than just Disney and Universal Studios. If you are flying into the Orlando airport and getting a discount rental car for the week, read on to learn about some of Central Florida’s hidden gems.

Mt. Dora, Florida

Mt. Dora is a quaint little town just 25 miles northwest of Orlando that makes you wonder if you are even in Florida anymore. Mt. Dora is widely known for its wonderful bed & breakfast inns, antique shops, and parks. Visit the Lakeside Inn to experience the 19th century feel of Mt. Dora. It is a bed & breakfast that was built in 1883, just three years after the town was established! If you are in Orlando in February, one of the best months to visit Central Florida, be sure to check out the Mt. Dora Arts Festival which attracts hundreds of artists from around the country.

Deleon Springs State Park

Deleon Springs is located just west of Deland, Florida which is just off of I-4 north of Orlando. This state park has a bubbling natural spring as its centerpiece of the park where you can swim in a cool 72 degree pool of water year round. They also have great hiking trails and picnicking areas for the family. My favorite part of this park is the Old Spanish Mill restaurant. This unique restaurant has griddles right on the table, and you cook your own customized pancakes right on the table! It’s delicious, and you must visit it if you come to this park.

Park Avenue in Winter Park, Florida
parkave
Like to shop? Then, this is the place for you. Nestled between busy downtown Orlando and the suburb of Maitland is Winter Park, Florida, one of the most popular communities in Orlando. Park Avenue is a hip and trendy street lined with shopping boutiques, tasty restaurants, and charming small businesses. For a moment, you’ll think that you are in a neighborhood near Manhattan. Park Avenue also has a great park, and the entire area is dog friendly. Every saturday from 8am to 1pm, Park Avenue hosts the Winter Park Farmer’s market home to a great selection of plants, flowers, fruits and vegetables. It’s also a great place for picking up a light breakfast.

NASA Kennedy Space Center
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There’s nothing hidden about the Kennedy Space Center, but it is often overlooked as a tourist attraction when visitors come to Central Florida. From the airport, the KSC is only about a 45 minutes drive to the east coast. Kennedy space center offers several different tours of their grounds, and their location is picturesque in itself. You’ll love learning about the rich history of NASA, see the space shuttle up close, and maybe even meet an astronaut! Astronauts and rockets, what more could a kid ask for?

Downtown Attractions

Just north of downtown you will find a beautiful botanical garden called the Leu Gardens. Also, there is a great science museum just off of I-4, on the Princeton St. exit. These are both great places to take kids, and the price of admission is reasonable.

So, if you are in the mood for something a little more than Mickey Mouse and roller coasters, check out these attractions near Orlando, Florida.

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