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Roanoke, the Star City of the South, is the largest metro area in Western Virginia. The city is a hotspot for tourists because of attractions like the Taubman Museum of Art, Booker T. Washington National Monument, and the Hopkins Museum. Aside from these attractions, the city is an excellent place to shop for the holidays. Here’s why. Valley View Mall The mall is a one-stop-shop to eat, shop, and have a holiday experience. It is the largest indoor mall in the area, and there are lots of places to shop, including Old Navy, Bath and Body Works, and Barnes and Noble. City Market This open-air market, located between the old railroad station and Market Square, is home to a multitude of restaurants and shops. There are several vendors and fascinating wares to choose from. It gets busy during the holiday season with special holiday events, and a monthly Art by Night event. Antique Mall The antique mall is an antique lover’s dreamland. Covering over 25,000 square feet, it could take hours to browse through the various shops. There are at least 130 dealers who offer all kinds of souvenirs and collectibles, including pottery, jewelry, books, clothing, toys, and furniture. The Candy Store If you want to give your kids or grandkids a treat, the Candy Store is a must. From jellybeans to the biggest selection of gummies you can find anywhere, the store has just about any candy you can think of. Right in front of the store, you’ll see a signpost with the inscription “four steps to happiness.” The steps are: Grab a utensil Grab a bag Get your candy Smile The VR Center The center is a virtual reality arcade that has all the major platforms including the Sony PlayStation, and Oculus Rift. You can enjoy VR roller coasters and adventure rides. They have racing games and popular games such as SuperHot, Beat Saber, Call of Duty, Fortnite, and Black Ops 4. They host an exciting monthly ESPORT event. The VR center is a great place to host birthday parties and team building events. With adjacent shopping centers, you can get some holiday gifts on your way out. The Gift Niche Located in the city’s downtown, this gift and specialty shop is the ideal place to find a gift for yourself or a loved one during the holiday season. They have gifts and souvenirs for women, including hats, purses, clothes, and home decor items. The shop has collectors in mind with a store of collectibles like Jim Shore collectibles and Collegiate Sports items. Chocolatepaper If you are a sweet tooth or you have kids who love chocolates, this is the place to go. The shop is a candy shop with lots of offerings – chocolate offerings in particular. You can get everything from chocolate covered pretzels to chocolate-covered potato chips. They also have a unique collection of books, stationery, and gift cards. The star city of the south has a wide range of shops, boutiques, and malls to choose from. Visit one – or all! – and find your new source for gifts!

Keep your investment looking new and dashing for as long as possible with the tips listed below! By protecting your paint job, you'll increase your vehicle's resale value. Find out how easy it is to take care of your car's paint job below! Get it Pressure Washed Salt and road dirt build up on the undercarriage of the car when you drive on snowy, icy roads during the winter months. This is nearly impossible to see but can break loose as you're driving and move around to other parts of the car. If this occurs, it can cause significant damage to your vehicle. When there is a break between snowstorms, head to a car wash for a pressure wash service. Make sure to add the undercarriage wash to get rid of salt and grime, since this area is hard to reach. Washing your car regularly is another easy way to protect the paint, especially throughout the colder months of the year. Apply a Protective Layer When the temperatures drop, many people put on gloves to protect their hands from the harsh conditions. Your vehicle needs similar protection from the elements, and a coat of wax is the perfect option. There are several choices on the market, from wax products that have a glossy, shiny finish to those that offer a matte look, spray-on to wipe-on, and everything in between. Find the product that works best for you and that you'll actually use since it won't do you much good sitting in your garage all winter. A coat of wax helps to protect the paint from sleet, rain, snow, salt, and other grime on the roads. Reconsider Your Ice Scraper Getting ice off your car is a safety concern that must happen before you drive, but hard plastic scrapers can cause damage to painted areas if your hand slips. Instead of one of these, opt for a soft-bristled or foam brush to gently wipe away snow and ice. In order to melt the ice, turn on the defrost system in the car to get the temperature up since this will make it easier to sweep away the frosty parts instead of scraping vigorously. Take Protection a Step Further If a coating of wax isn't doing enough to protect your paint job, you may want to invest in auto paint protection film that covers the exterior of your vehicle. Often referred to as a clear bra, this film goes on transparent and protects the paint from chips, dings, dents, and other damage. The most common areas to apply it are around the headlights and front bumper since these tend to take a lot of abuse when tires kick up rocks and other debris from the road. Keep your car's paint looking nice and new by following these simple tips, no matter what season is coming! Image via pixabay.com | Licensed under Pixabay License

No one wants to waste money - which is why the manner in which you drive can be so important. By following these simple tips, you can improve your car's gas efficiency, saving you money in the long run! Read on for cost-cutting tips. Develop Better Driving Habits Rapid acceleration, speeding, and other forms of aggressive driving are not only a nuisance to other drivers, but they're also costing you big. Stopping gradually and slowly accelerating from a stop can help cut fuel consumption by as much as 30 percent. When driving on the highway, turn on cruise control, as this handy feature will boost your vehicle's gas mileage by a noticeable amount. As long as you take it easy and develop good driving habits, you're already coming out ahead. Download a Mobile App Smartphone apps like GasBuddy and AAA Triptik are designed to help you locate the cheapest gas stations in your area, which makes them invaluable tools to have since prices are constantly fluctuating. You can even save gas by using your mobile phone to check traffic conditions. Waze or even the Maps app for iPhone, for instance, give you a helpful traffic report so that you can plan your route accordingly, avoiding all that gas-wasting idling. Reduce the Weight Hauling unnecessary cargo, especially on the roof of your vehicle, can really cut into your gas mileage. Luggage racks, cargo containers, and other exterior add-ons create more wind resistance, making your vehicle less aerodynamic. Any extra weight in the trunk or cargo space can also be detrimental to your fuel economy. Unless you're setting out on a road trip and require all that extra gear - leave it at home. Turn Off the Air Conditioning Cranking up the air conditioning is a necessity in the summer months, but it really puts a dent in your gas budget. Try wearing lighter clothing and rolling the windows down. If you're commuting in the early morning during the coolest part of the day, you may not even miss the A/C. You'll also want to park your car in a shaded area to help keep it cool. At the very least, try using your A/C less to help save on gas expenses. Time Your Fill-Ups Gas prices tend to rise on Thursdays just before weekend travel, so try to fill up your tank just prior to that on Wednesday or Thursday morning, since 10 a.m. is generally when most gas stations set their prices for the day. Whatever you do, don't buy gas from Friday to Sunday, or even during the holidays, as prices always seem to rise during these periods. Sign Up for a Gas Rewards Card Many grocery stores offer gas rewards cards that allow you to accumulate points with every purchase, which you can put toward gas. If you can get the entire family to share the same card, you can build up points even faster. Sticking to your gas budget is easy when you shop and drive smarter. Try out a few of these suggestions and see just how much you can save! Image via pixabay.com | Licensed under Pixabay License

We've all grown up hearing at least some of these recommendations from older drivers - but with advancements in technology and improvements to the various features of vehicles, they're no longer tried-and-true fact. Read on for 5 of the common car myths that no longer apply: Manual Transmissions Offer Better Gas Mileage This myth persists because it once was true back when automatic transmissions were new, but this is no longer the case. Advances in technology, particularly with options like continuously variable transmission (CVT), offer a broader range of gear ratios, which is where manuals once had the edge. Today, automatic vehicles offer the same (or even better) fuel economy than their manual counterparts. Which one you end up buying all depends on your personal driving preference! Cranking Up the Air Conditioning is Better Than Cracking the Windows This myth is so commonly held that Mythbusters tackled it on the popular Discovery show. There is some basis in the myth, however, because rolling down the windows causes more wind resistance, making your vehicle less aerodynamic. Still, Mythbusters and other experts have found that cranking up the A/C actually leads to a slight decrease in a vehicle's fuel economy, even though using the air conditioner is generally recommended to help keep drivers alert. You Should Change Your Oil Every 3,000 Miles The rule that you should get an oil change every 3,000 miles exists because, like most myths, it was once the truth. Older cars did require more frequent oil changes, but this simply isn't the case anymore. Many modern cars can actually go as far as 10,000 miles without needing new oil. We don't recommend pushing your car to the limits, however, since engine oil gets grimy over time and will stop lubricating your engine altogether. You're better off checking your owner's manual for your specific model's recommendations and sticking to that recommended schedule. Premium Fuel Makes Your Car Run Better It seems like a no-brainer. More expensive fuel should make your run-of-the-mill SUV run like a high-performance coupe, right? Actually, no. Premium gas isn't any cleaner or purer than regular - it's just less combustible, which is necessary for cars with more powerful engines. Using a higher octane gas for your non-premium car offers no benefit whatsoever, so unless you enjoy wasting money at the pump, stick with regular. Let Your Car Warm Up Before Your Drive In the winter months, it's tempting to let your car idle to allow both the engine and cabin to warm up. Not only does this bad habit waste gas, but it's also bad for your car. Unnecessary idling in cold weather causes your engine's moving parts to wear down faster, resulting in the need for more frequent repairs. With so many car-related myths out there, it is difficult to separate fact from fiction. Keep these common car myths in mind so you can make smarter choices when it comes to car care. Image via pixabay.com | Licensed under Pixabay License

Shoppers looking for a capable, refined, fuel-efficient, and practical SUV have every reason to choose the 2020 Honda CRV. It is a well-rounded SUV offering an expansive cargo hold, fuel-efficient powertrains, an upscale cabin, spry acceleration, and loads of creature comforts and technologies. New for 2020 is a hybrid powertrain and a wide range of standard safety technologies to increase CR-V's appeal in the current market. Lively Engine For 2020, Honda ditched CRV's base 2.4L four-cylinder engine. Now the sole engine is a turbocharged 1.5L cranking 190 horsepower and 179 pound-feet of torque, paired with a competent CVT. It has ample power for daily driving and accelerates swiftly. A CR-V hybrid is available for eco-conscious shoppers and seduces with a smooth and unobtrusive ride. Family-Friendly Features The CR-V is a favorite car for family-oriented buyers because of its class-leading passenger and cargo space. It is one of the roomiest SUVs and comes with plenty of head and legroom. Every CR-V features LATCH child car-seat connectors, ensuring that your kids ride comfortably and safely.Your family's cargo needs are varied with this Honda. You get a 39.2 cubic feet trunk to fill with groceries, shopping bags, and suitcases. You can increase the cargo hold to 75.8 cubic feet by folding the rear seats. When it's time for your weekend gateway or vacation, you get more than enough space for your sports gear and travel bags. Class-Topping Fuel Economy Buyers looking for a capable, yet fuel-efficient SUV will love the CR-V. It boasts best-in-class fuel economy of 34 mpg highway and 28 mpg city. The rates drop to 32 mpg highway and 27 mpg city for CR-V models with all-wheel drive. The hybrid powertrain is the most fuel-efficient and returns an estimated 35 mpg highway and 40 mpg city. Handsome Cabin Inside the CR-V, you are treated to an attractive and stylish cabin that offers a tranquil and comfortable environment for your drives. High-end materials and an impeccable layout combine for an elegant look and feel. Features such as a sunroof, heated seats, leather-wrapped steering and a premium nine-speaker stereo take luxury to the next level. Guaranteed Safety Safety is standard in the Honda CR-V, thanks to tons of standard and available safety features. For 2020, CR-V enhances its value by equipping every CR-V with safety equipment such as automated emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and pedestrian detection. Smooth Ride The CR-V strikes an incredible balance between comfort and agility. It features a composed ride with responsive steering and negligible body lean. You get a smooth and gentle ride since the suspension absorbs road flaws well. It's easy to see why the CR-V is Honda's best-selling vehicle. It brings a lot to the table, including a huge trunk, ample passenger room, good gas mileage, and exceptional comfort. The CR-V perfectly combines style, capability, and functionality to wow many SUV shoppers. Do not be left out; stop by Priority Honda Roanoke today to schedule a test drive.