Looking for a fun day out with family and friends this Spring and Summer? Well, ladies and gents, step right up! We’ve got a great list of carnivals, state fairs, and county fairs that will surely razzle and dazzle you. We’re dishing up plenty of fun, excitement, and delicious foods with our lineup on today’s blog.
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Get ready for warm weather weekends and plan those Summer Vacation itineraries! We’re coming at you with another fantastic travel guide to help you make the most of your adventure excursions. With one of the country’s largest concentrations of freshwater lakes, it’s easy to see why it’s such a popular destination for anglers and outdoor aficionados.
If standing and waiting patiently for something to swim by and take the bait isn’t your idea of excitement, you can leave the fishermen to their moment of zen and pursue some adrenaline. There’s also a plethora of outdoor excursions and adventures to be had besides fishing!
Read the rest of this entry »Gearhead Guru Guide: Different Vehicle Body Styles and How To Choose the Right One For You
We’re bringing you even more educational car content today as part of our gearhead guru guide series! For today’s edition, we’re explaining the different types of vehicle bodies and the qualities and characteristics of each one. We want to help you be better equipped to make the right choice for your needs and driving style when buying or leasing a car from our dealership. We’ll break down the look and functionality of each basic type and category to help you better differentiate between them, and how it may fit your driving style. Let’s get started!
Read the rest of this entry »5 Stunning Sculpture Parks of the Midwest
Writing travel guides for our readers is one of our favorite things to do! We love sharing inspiring places for your road trip itineraries. (And, of course, we also have plenty of guides on our blog for how best to prep your car and pack for the drive!) Today, we’re sharing our picks for must-see midwest sculpture parks for an unforgettable road trip experience. What better way could there be to celebrate the growth and beauty of Springtime than taking gorgeous nature walks through sprawling grounds dotted with larger than life artwork against a scenic backdrop? Exactly.
We love that many of these parks are also free and open to the public year round, making them a wonderful option for a budget-friendly road trip stop. Who says you can’t have fun while watching your wallet? Not us, that’s for sure.
(Image from Skokie Northshore Sculpture Park Website)
Here are some of our picks for incredible Midwest Sculpture Parks to visit this Spring and Summer!
Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park at University Park in Illinois – Situated in the tallgrass prairie and sprawling across more than 100 acres, 30+ sculptures stand tall and impressive on the grounds of Governors State University. It’s open 365 days a year with free admission, making it a fantastic destination for families without breaking the bank. The park also runs a schedule of selected programs, lectures, and workshops for both adults and children focusing on the integration and relationship of art and nature. The enormous sculptures feature everything from carved stone, sculpted metal, to a 30-foot tall larger than life Paul Bunyan! It’s absolutely beautiful to behold during the Spring and Autumn seasons especially. 29 of the sculptures are permanent collection pieces, and a variety of limited-viewing and rotating temporary pieces are available to view each year.
Skokie Northshore Sculpture Park in Skokie, Illinois – Located just north of Chicago, this park especially highlights local Chicago artists and other creators through four different sections of park area. Artworks here are created from a variety of media including resin, metal, wood, clay, wire, and more. It’s worth a visit during each season, as the dynamic and aesthetic of the sculptures in its natural environment changes with each season and type of weather! Hop on a free tour with a volunteer docent, or walk the grounds on your own accord. Got a pet in tow? Well-mannered and leashed pets are allowed on the property, just remember to clean up after your dog and be respectful of the landscaping, sculptures, and other guests. It’s a great space as well for picnic lunch, a leisurely bike ride, or a change of pace for your usual running routine! Be sure to check the calendar of events to find out if there are any hands-on workshops, artistic activities, or guest lectures during your visit. There are more than 60 large-scale installations and sculptures on display, and the park is divided up into four sections, each about a half-mile long, with different creations in each sector. Be sure to check out the venue’s “Art in the Park” event if you can!
Goldman-Kuenz Sculpture Park in Mount Vernon, Illinois – This sculpture park is one of the largest in the Midwest, with more than 70 sculptures, each lovingly crafted by a variety of both local and regional artists, and placed across the park’s 80 acre grounds. It provides an immersive experience seamlessly blending nature with art created from bronze, steel, stone, wood, concrete, and mixed media materials. You can walk through the grounds’ three trail options, or enjoy the unique “Art After Dark” driving tour experience. The sculpture park is open all year round, and offers an interesting experience with a “Seek and Find” directory of different sculptures to find and identify in Spring/Summer or Fall/Winter through their downloadable materials. It’s a wonderful option to engage with the artwork in a new way! The garden is open on from 10AM to 5PM Tuesday through Saturday, and Sundays from 1PM to 5PM; it is closed on Mondays and on National Holidays, so be sure to factor that in to your schedule. Check out their recent calendar of events and you may be able to catch a special guest lecture, hands-on activity, or the Art and Craft fair event.
For some smaller-scale but equally beautiful entries into the sculpture parks of Illinois, you may also want to check out The Sculpture Park of Schaumburg, West Street Sculpture Park in Galena, and Scovill Sculpture Park in Decatur, Enos Park Sculpture Garden in Springfield.
Virginia B. Fairbanks Art and Nature Park in Indianapolis, Indiana – This is one of the largest art parks in the US, with 100 acres of wetlands, forests, and beautiful interactive sculptures and public art installations dotting the land around a 35-acre lake, and it’s completely free to visit! It’s also home to the largest native pollinator meadow in Indianapolis, an impressive sight to see. The intent of the park is to inspire visitors to explore the relationship between humans, art, and nature. If you’re looking for an accessible destination, a large portion of the park contains accessible pathways for mobility access, and there is a designated ADA and stroller friendly lot on grounds as well. Visitors will delight in the fact that they’re encouraged to interact and play with many of the features, including relaxing or sitting on the “Bench Around the Lake” exhibit, or enjoy a game of basketball or free-throws at the incredible “Free Basket” sculpture court. This summer, three new sculptures will be added as part of the Home Again Exhibit featuring work by Heather Hart, Mark Dion and Dana Sherwood, and local Indianapolis-based artist Anila Quayyum Agha! It’s the first major activation at the park since 2010, and the first installation of The Hawryluk Sculpture Green outdoor public art installation. Make sure you add this stop to your next Indiana trip so you can witness this historic art event in person!
Minneapolis Sculpture Garden at Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota – This incredible 11-acre garden is filled to the brim with native plants and blossoms, as well as an outstanding amount of stunning sculptures and art installations, and is free to explore and visit from 6AM to midnight! It’s open 365 days a year, offering visitors a chance to explore more than 40 outdoor sculptures in different weather and seasons. There’s even a miniature golf course on site featuring yearly updates with artist-designed holes ($10 to play for guests 7 and up, but 6 and under are free with paid adults) It’s a fantastic place to take the family for an outing, especially during the Springtime and prime picnic weather! Enjoy a stroll around the grounds and observe how art and nature blend together to create a unique viewing experience for each peace. It’s the perfect opportunity to learn how art is in the eye of the beholder, as you find new ways to check out the larger than life 3D sculptures from different angles, distances, times of day, and even repeat visits during different seasons! Plus, with free admission it makes a great family friendly excursion if you’re vacationing on a budget.
Springtime in the Indiana Dunes State Park
With the spring sunshine and lengthening days, we’re hankering to get out there and enjoy nature! Today, we’re sharing a great guide for super springtime sites and activities in the Indiana Dunes State Park. Located along the southern shores of Lake Michigan, you’ll find no shortage of outdoor thrills and activities here all year round! From exploring the sand dunes to hiking the trails to biking and bird watching, there’s something for every outdoor enthusiast. Spring is the perfect time to visit, too, as you’ll avoid the heavy crowds of summer tourism and be able to enjoy a nice peaceful visit.
Read the rest of this entry »Celebrating National Garden Day with Tulip Farms near Waukegan, Local Garden Centers, and more!
We’re so happy it’s Spring, and what perfect timing that today is National Gardening Day! We are very excited to spend our day planning out our gardens and prepping the beds. Or maybe we’ll head out and take a walk through the botanical garden and enjoy some gorgeous flora. Or maybe we’ll explore the local garden centers and select some new house plants for our indoor gardens, too! No matter how you choose to spend the day today, rest easy knowing that gardening and spending time in flowers and plants is great for your health, so there’s never a better excuse to take a day off and tiptoe through the tulips!
Read the rest of this entry »Classic Toyota’s Car Accident Checklist
On today’s blog, we’re sharing a shortlist of things to remember if you’re ever involved in an accident. Here’s a handy checklist you can print out and keep in your vehicle in case of emergency such as an accident or vehicle collision. Our checklist is intended to be merely informational only, but it may help you keep a clear head to gather all of the necessary information if you’re in a tough spot.
Ways to Be Prepared In Case of a Collision or Car Accident:
Keep an Emergency Car Kit in Your Trunk or Backseat with the following:
- Bottled Water
- Basic First Aid Kit
- Flashlights
- Blankets
- Jumper Cables
- LED Flares
- Blanket/Towels
- Note Pad and Pen/Pencil
Always make sure you have the following items in your glove compartment or on your person:
- Updated license and registration
- Copies of your insurance ID cards
- Emergency contact information of friends/family
What to do if you’ve unfortunately been in an accident or collision with another vehicle:
Take a deep breath, stay calm, and assess the situation. You’ve just been involved in a stressful and frightening situation, so emotions will be running high! Do your best to stay calm and collected, and assess the scene and safety of your passengers.
Stop your vehicle, turn on your hazards, and turn off your engine. Assess the situation as best you can, and determine if it is safe to exit your vehicle. If the vehicles pose a threat to traffic or other drivers, and it is safe to do so, get your vehicles moved to the side of the road and out of oncoming traffic. Take photographs of the situation as best you are able before moving any vehicles; this may be helpful to insurance/law enforcement’s ability to assess cause/fault.
Get yourselves to safety if you are unable to move the vehicles; find a safe space in the median, the shoulder, or other safe distance from oncoming traffic or dangerously damaged vehicles.
Contact 9-1-1 or local law enforcement and let them know that you have been in an accident. The operator or local police will arrange for an ambulance and officer to arrive on-site and assess all parties.
Stay calm, avoid getting into arguments, and be sure to have a clear exchange of information with the other party/parties involved:
Their name, age, address, phone number, work number/employer info if possible
Car insurance company and policy number and policy expiration date
License plate number for the driver/owner of each vehicle
Thoroughly document the situation (for use with your personal injury lawyer and insurance claims agent):
Note the date, time, and weather at the time of the incident.
Take photos with your cell phone or camera.
Create a simple diagram of the incident and the vehicles involved and direction of travel.
Document the condition of each car
Document any injuries to all involved persons/pets and note if the person is a driver, passenger, pedestrian, or member of the other party
Request medical assessment and seek medical help. If you feel you have been seriously injured on site, request transport to a hospital or local emergency room. If you do not feel immediate transport is required, call and schedule a doctor’s appointment ASAP and let them know you’ve been in an accident.
File an accident report, and pick up a copy at the police station or via the Department of Motor Vehicles website. Report the accident to your insurance company, even if you think the other driver is at fault.
Let’s Visit the Mid West Music Fest in Winona Minnesota!
We’re getting ready to take the first road trip of the season! We’re headed out to Winona in Minnesota for the MidWest Music Fest for two jampacked days of incredible music with more than 100 different artists! It’s the perfect spring celebration for music lovers, because you can enjoy all of your favorite genres from folk to indie rock to funk and more.
Read the rest of this entry »Gearhead Guru Guide: Common Car Problems and How to Stay Ahead of the Game with Maintenance
We love to impart our knowledge of cars to our friends, clients, and readers so they can be better prepared in any situation! Improve your knowledge of car care with our latest series, the Gearhead Guru Guide. Our guides are chock full of helpful tips, tricks, and things to look for so you can head off large, costly repairs before they happen! Learn how to diagnose those strange noises, how to prevent those pesky warning lights from popping up too often, understand who to contact for professional assistance, and save yourself a lot of headaches along the way.
On today’s blog we’re going to go over some common car problems and what to expect. While these may seem like obvious choices, for a first time car owner, sometimes even the small stuff can seem overwhelming! With our latest guide, we’ll help you stay calm in a sticky situation. Let’s talk about common car issues and how to avoid them.
Read the rest of this entry »National Car Care Month Tip: How to Maintain and replace Your Headlights, Brake Lights, Tail Lights
It’s National Car Care Month! All month long during April, we’re sharing our tips and pointers for car care basics so you can ensure your vehicle is running smoothly and maintained in top condition for years to come. Today’s topic is about headlights, turn signals, brake lights, and parking lights!
Read the rest of this entry »Connect with us
- Fantastic Fairs and Festivals This Spring and Summer in Illinois and Wisconsin
- Fun in the Sun and Fresh Air: Your Travel Guide to Minocqua Wisconsin!
- Gearhead Guru Guide: Different Vehicle Body Styles and How To Choose the Right One For You
- 5 Stunning Sculpture Parks of the Midwest
- Springtime in the Indiana Dunes State Park