Month: August 2022

2022-08-08T06:01:01

(BPT) – Your wedding day should be a day to remember, so it’s best to spend a little more to get the very best. While there are many ways to plan a wedding, if you envision a ceremony and reception fit for royalty, you’ll need to seek out high-end luxury brands that reflect true opulence.

Not sure where to start? Check out these five must-have aspects that will make your big day truly extravagant and luxurious.

1. A stunning venue

Picking a venue for your wedding can be a bit daunting. Of course, the venue you pick will depend on your theme, the number of guests and other details. However, don’t settle for just any old place. Pick a location that will look as opulent as you should feel when walking down the aisle.

For those couples looking for a classic and timeless venue, check out historic locations like the Oheka Castle Hotel & Estate in Huntington, NY. This opulent New York Residence has several indoor spaces for your big day, including a grand ballroom, formal dining room and terrace room. The bride and groom will feel like royalty as the castle staff takes care of the entire event, including offering unforgettable entrees, desserts, drinks and photography.

2. Accessories

Wedding jewelry and accessories aren’t just limited to rings. When planning your wedding, think about pieces that will complement your outfits, shine in your photos, and continue to wear long after you’ve said “I do.”

Bvlgari offers an extensive collection of necklaces, bracelets, earrings and more for engagements and weddings. Both bride and groom can find stunning pieces for any style and personality. The wedding party can even find jewelry and accessories to celebrate the couple and have a beautiful reminder of the ceremony. Each piece can be personally engraved to add a special touch.

For a truly memorable wedding accessory, consider purchasing watches for both bride and groom. It will keep you on time on the big day and will be a lovely reminder (paired with your wedding bands, of course) to remind you of your wedding every time you use it.

3. A wedding dress as unique as you

One of the centerpieces of a wedding is the bride’s dress, and you deserve a luxury experience that matches the high-end apparel. OsioMita Signature wedding dresses are bespoke pieces that are indeed one of a kind. Based out of Beverly Hills, this luxury wedding and special occasion atelier house brings designs to your home. The company provides a remote service with their AI 3D technology that takes over 70 measurements to ensure a more than perfect fit every time.

“Co-creation of our designs takes our clients’ dreams and elevates them beyond reality,” said Emalyia Klemmer, creative director and founder of OsioMita Signature. Truly, each piece is custom designed and handmade and created with the highest quality textiles and embellishments, completely worth every penny.

But their services don’t stop at bridal dresses. You can get premier luxury wedding apparel for the reception and dresses for the bridesmaids, the mother of the bride and even the flower girl. Let OsioMita Signature be your one-stop shop for the highest quality and premier designs. To book an appointment visit OsioMitaSignature.com.

4. A sweet treat to remember

A wedding cake is more than just for shoving into your partner’s face. As one of the most important visual details of the wedding reception, the cake should taste good and look even better. When looking for a cake designer, consider ordering from Ron Ben-Israel Cakes, a couture cake studio known as the Manolo Blahnik of wedding cakes.

These trendsetting cakes have been ordered by several famous clientele and featured in numerous films, TV shows and books. No two cakes are the same. Each is custom-made for each event, though there are plenty of ideas to inspire you as you envision your show-stopping wedding cake.

5. A luxe registry

If you haven’t started on your wedding registry, start your list at Artemest, where your wedding guests can find Italian luxury handmade decor to gift you on your special day. From furniture to lighting, to dishware and more, you’ll find all you’ll need as a new couple for your entryway, living room, kitchen, dining room, bedroom and bathroom.

Artemest allows you to customize your registry with photos of the happy couple, and you can even include notes for your guests to let them know precisely what you hope to receive. Not sure what to add to your registry? You’ll find plenty of inspiration from the company’s collections that offer breathtaking interior design ideas and products.

You deserve a wedding as special as you are and that your friends and family will talk about for years to come. Let these five luxury items help you stand out on your wedding day and take the ceremony and reception from good to great.

2022-08-08T13:01:00

(BPT) – If you think you’ve been seeing more plug-in cars on the road or hybrid vehicles in the carpool lane lately, you are not imagining it. A recent Deloitte report found that high fuel prices, combined with lower maintenance costs, has EV interest poised for continued growth among U.S. consumers.

Hankook Tire’s latest Gauge Index took a closer look at what’s driving interest in EV and hybrid vehicles:

1. Gas prices play a big part.

Perhaps it is the obvious answer, but the high prices at the pump are among the biggest incentives for those looking to make the switch from a traditional gas-powered or internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle to a hybrid or EV. According to the Gauge, most Americans (51%) find spending less money on gas as the most appealing benefit of EVs.

2. Environmental concerns are rising.

Other drivers are more environmentally minded in their decisions: nearly a quarter (24%) say the environmental impact of an EV is the most appealing reason for them to switch. According to the EPA, electric vehicles typically have a smaller carbon footprint than gasoline cars, even when accounting for the electricity required to charge them.

3. EVs can go the distance.

Technology advancements have given EVs a leg up when it comes to distance — though many drivers (51%) still underestimate how far one can travel on a full charge. On average, an EV can go about 250 miles on a single charge. And considering the average household travels approximately 50 miles on a typical day, according to the Federal highway Administration’s latest National Household Travel Survey, that makes EVs a strong option for most.

4. Maintenance matters for many.

There are specific maintenance considerations for EVs, but the benefit for many is that maintenance typically costs less than for an ICE vehicle — up to 30% lower!

However, Hankook found that many drivers will need to brush up on what those particular maintenance considerations are before they make the switch — only 29% know that EVs have different maintenance requirements to their gas-powered counterparts. Similarly, only 22% of drivers know that if you are aiming for optimum performance, EVs should use tires designed specifically for EVs. (On the bright side, 82% are aware that there is a difference between a hybrid and an EV.)

5. EVs offer plenty of options.

The growing popularity of EVs also leads to growing options — whether you prefer to drive a sedan, coupe, SUV or light truck, there’s an EV option for you. The EPA notes that there are currently more than 50 plug-in hybrid and electric vehicle models on the market, with vehicle class options likely to continue expanding in coming years. So for those seeking alternate options, there are plenty to go with!

And here’s a fun fact for those considering a personalized license plate for their EV — Hankook found the two most popular vanity plates for EVs are CHARGEME (26%) and OUTOFGAS (24%).

With all of the benefits that EVs and hybrids offer for those seeking to lower costs and their overall environmental footprint, it’s no wonder that the Gauge found 60% of drivers either currently own or lease a hybrid or EV, or plan to in the future.

2022-08-08T08:01:00

(BPT) – You know the guidelines: the best way to give your body the vitamins and nutrients it needs is through healthy eating, including consuming lots of fruits and veggies. And while getting vitamins, nutrients and other components from food, such as bioactives to help our bodies perform their best, is ideal, let’s face it … it’s not always feasible.

There are plenty of reasons many of us aren’t getting all we need from our meals and snacks. Maybe it’s a dietary restriction, like a food allergy or following a vegetarian diet. Perhaps it’s a health issue that’s keeping our body from absorbing all the nutrients we need. Sometimes the best foods for certain vitamins, nutrients and bioactives aren’t your favorite (looking at you, liver). Or you are unsure of the amount you should get in your diet for optimal health.

That’s where supplements can come in to help our bodies get what they need to perform their best. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), supplements “may help ensure that you get adequate amounts of essential nutrients or help promote optimal health and performance if you do not consume a variety of foods.”

We sat down with registered dietitian, Wall Street Journal best-selling cookbook author and nutrition consultant Toby Amidor to get her take, and these are the supplements, in no particular order, she recommends adding to your daily routine ASAP:

1. Cocoa flavanols: Cocoa flavanols are bioactives found in cocoa clinically proven to promote long-term cardiovascular and brain health, supporting a strong heart and better memory. Bioactives are food compounds that are not essential nutrients, but are components in foods that an increasing body of research shows can be important to promoting our overall health. While cocoa flavanols are found in cocoa-based products, their levels vary considerably in these products. So, while there may be a temptation to reach for some dark chocolate, you really don’t know what, or the amount of, cocoa flavanols you are actually getting. Taking a daily cocoa flavanol supplement like CocoaVia™ is an easy way to make sure you’re incorporating the recommended amount of cocoa flavanols into your diet. The proprietary extract used in all CocoaVia™ products is the same ingredient used in the recently published COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (COSMOS) – a landmark five-year study, led by investigators at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, an affiliate of Harvard University, that provides unprecedented support for the heart health benefits (and safety!) of cocoa flavanols.
2. Vitamin D: This vitamin helps your body absorb calcium, one of the main building blocks for building strong bones. Plus, according to the NIH, it helps keep your muscles moving, your immune system robust, and your nerves able to carry messages between your brain and body. But according to the 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, most Americans do not get enough vitamin D in their diet — and very few foods naturally contain vitamin D. A quick blood test by your doctor can tell if you are taking in enough vitamin D — if it’s low, a supplement may be recommended.
3. Choline: According to the NIH, most people in the U.S. consume less than the recommended Adequate Intake (AI) for choline. An essential nutrient, choline impacts everything from metabolism to brain and nervous system functions, and a choline deficiency can cause muscle damage, liver damage and even nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Choline-containing foods — like eggs, beef, chicken and salmon — can be added to healthy diets, and choline supplements can be used to fill consumption gaps.
4. Multivitamin: I almost always recommend my clients start their day with a multivitamin. It’s an easy way to add important nutrients to the diet. And with nine out of 10 Americans not eating enough fruits and vegetables, coupling produce intake with a multivitamin is a great insurance policy! With so many different types of multivitamins available, choose the one that meets your life stage needs.

But Amidor says be careful what you put into your body — some supplements can interact with other medications, and not all supplements are created equal! Here’s her advice for consumers:

• Check with a healthcare professional or registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN): They can offer advice on a supplement’s safety, side effects and other considerations you need to know.
• Be careful mixing medications and dietary supplements: Certain supplements can interact with or reduce the effectiveness of medications, leading to unexpected effects.
• Read the product’s label fully, especially the health claims: Do they sound exaggerated, unrealistic or extreme? Additionally, remember that “natural” labeling is not well-defined, nor does it guarantee that a product is safe.
• Visit the product’s website for more detailed information: Look for the manufacturers’ safety testing protocols and research to support claimed benefits. Be wary of products supported only by undocumented reports, testimonials from consumers or internal data that is not shared.

Your body may not be getting the nutrients it needs to perform its best from your daily meals and snacks, but if you follow this advice, you can use supplements to bridge the gap your diet may be leaving!

Toby Amidor is a paid partner of Mars.

† These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

2022-08-08T09:44:23

(BPT) – From a day escape at a local destination to a lengthy cross-country road trip, it’s prime time for summer adventures. And nothing pairs better with summer travel than on-the-go treats.

Every experience is better with a treat that helps make the ride go by quicker. Here are six sensational summer treats you must pack for your next summer adventure:

Make Your Journey Extraordinary with Kinder Bueno

Savor your summer road trips by taking a crispy, creamy Kinder Bueno along for the ride. No matter where you’re headed, with good music, great friends or family, and a chocolatey bite of Kinder Bueno, the journey is sure to be extraordinary. Kinder Bueno is a unique chocolate bar with a thin, crispy wafer beneath a blanket of smooth milk chocolate filled with a creamy hazelnut filling and topped with delicate dark chocolate drizzle. The bar even comes in individually wrapped, shareable packaging – perfect for sharing and creating special moments on the road ensuring your summer gets Bueno.

Playful flavors

Keebler Dip’mmms are a portable, fun and imaginative snack that features bite-sized versions of Keebler’s iconic Fudge Stripes cookies in a single-serve portable tray, along with delicious marshmallow dipping frosting. This fun snack is interactive and playful — the perfect way to pass the time on the road this summer.

Yum on the go

If you’re traveling and have a craving for Nutella, you and your travel crew will be overjoyed when you pull out Nutella and Go!^®, the fun and convenient way to enjoy everyone’s favorite hazelnut spread. Nutella and Go!^® is available with crunchy breadsticks, crispy pretzel sticks, or hearty multigrain sticks with oat and blueberries. The combination of thoughtful packaging and delicious on-the-go snacking creates the perfect treat for a playful break!

TIC TAC^® – Big flavor, small mints

Whether you need something delicious that fits in your pocket while you wander or you want something to grab quick in the car while you pass the miles, Tic Tac^® mints are small but bring big taste. Plus, there are flavors for every craving! From classic Freshmint to our newest Tropical Adventure and even limited-time flavors, such as Coca-Cola^®, there’s something for everyone and every summer adventure.

CRUNCH Makes Summer More Fun

CRUNCH Bar’s combination of 100% real milk chocolate and crisped rice is the perfect enhancement to summer’s favorite campfire treat, s’mores, and the classic red, white and blue packaging makes for the most festive patriotic décor and party favors all summer long.

Cookies with worldly appeal

While sticking with its bite-sized shape that people know and love, the Famous Amos Wonders From the World feature four new takes on an elevated classic chocolate chip cookie, including chocolate from Belgium, coconut from the Philippines, hazelnuts from the Mediterranean and salted caramel from Britain. Each cookie transports your taste buds to far destinations, even if your summer trip is close to home.

Classic caramel, nougat and peanuts

Baby Ruth contains the deliciousness of dry roasted peanuts, rich caramel and smooth nougat. Baby Ruth’s red and blue packaging will match all your iconic American decor and apparel, perfect for festive summer gatherings. Grab some extras and pass out to all your new friends you meet on your travels.

Peanut buttery perfection

Summertime sweet treat cravings are hard to resist. So don’t! Bite into a crispety, crunchety, peanut-buttery Butterfinger bar. This one-of-a-kind bar has a unique flavor and texture that you simply won’t be able to resist.

2022-08-08T09:01:00

(BPT) – It’s back-to-school season, which means it’s time to gather the essentials for a colorful new year! There are lots of fun things to pick out and purchase, from backpacks to lunchboxes to that special outfit for the first day of school. Making a list is the best way to remember all you need.

Of course, no school year shopping haul is complete without classroom supplies and nothing says back-to-school quite like Crayola! Add these must-have, creativity-inspiring Crayola items to your shopping basket to fulfill all drawing, coloring and note-taking needs this school year.

1. Colors of the World Fine Line Markers

A new addition to the Colors of the World line, Crayola Colors of the World Fine Line Markers provide children with greater variety and representation to color the world they see around them. This pack contains 24 specially formulated, washable colors that represent skin tones from all around the world to celebrate growing diversity. Crayola Fine Line Markers are ideal for adding detail to small, coloring areas and writing or drawing thin lines. While these markers are vibrant, they won’t smudge or bleed through paper.

2. Colors of Kindness Crayons

The Colors of Kindness Crayons were designed to encourage kids, parents and teachers to spread the love. This flip-top box contains 24 crayons and features four new colors: Cool Mint, Crayellow, Powder Blue and Oatmeal.

This unique crayon set also includes special-edition friendly sentiments printed on each crayon, such as Hello Sunshine, Peace of Mind and Heart to Heart, bringing positivity into the classroom. This special set is sure to help kick off a colorful school year and also makes an excellent gift for crayon collectors.

3. Mini Twistables Crayons

Crayola Mini Twistables Crayons never need sharpening — just give a twist to keep the color going! These twistable crayons are compact and come in 24 brilliant colors to get the imagination spinning. The crayons are perfect for projects at home or on the go. Simply twist the barrel ends and creativity can begin. The durable, clear plastic barrels allow kids to see the colors inside while also protecting them from breakage.

Get your child into the back-to-school spirit by fostering their creativity this school year. Any of these products (or all three) are great additions to your child’s school supply list alongside the classic Crayola 24-count crayons and 10-count broad line markers.

Crayola Colors of the World Fine Line Markers, Colors of Kindness Crayons and Mini Twistable Crayons are available for purchase at retailers nationwide. To learn about more Crayola’s back-to-school products, check out all the wonderful classroom supplies available for students and teachers at Crayola.com.

2022-08-05T16:03:00

(BPT) – Who doesn’t love a family camping trip? We all look forward to that time outdoors when you can hike, swim, roast marshmallows and sleep under the stars. However, one of the biggest challenges for campers is dealing with bug bites and rashes. It’s hard to enjoy ghost stories under the stars when you’re focused on a pesky itch.

Check out these five tips that will help you avoid or relieve bug bites and itches commonly experienced in the great outdoors.

1. Strategically choose your campsite area

While a waterfront campsite sounds idyllic, mosquitoes tend to lay their eggs near the edges of lakes and ponds.

Instead, choose a dry, clear area, so you have a less buggy campsite to return to after a day of hiking. Also, keep your campsite clean and as bug-free as possible by properly disposing of any trash, storing food in containers with a secure lid and washing dishes as soon as you’re done eating.

2. Research local plants and avoid rash-causing ones

You may be aware that poison ivy can cause skin rashes, but do you know how to identify it? Find out in advance what plants are at or near your campsite and learn how to recognize them so you can stay far away. Other common plants that can cause rashes and skin irritations include poison oak, poison sumac and stinging nettle.

Also, while hiking or exploring clearings near your site, stay on a designated trail near the center to avoid accidentally brushing up against rash-causing plants.

3. Use bug deterrents

Before you head out on your next adventure, remember to stop at your local drugstore to pick up effective bug and insect repellent sprays or creams. If you plan to hike or swim during your camping trip, make sure you pick a waterproof bug repellent or remember to reapply.

For your campsite, light some citronella candles or invest in a battery-powered bug repelling diffuser to discourage bugs from visiting your area.

4. Pack ointments to soothe bites and rashes

No matter how careful you are, you’re likely to get a few bug bites or brush up against a rash-causing plant during your getaway. Make sure your first-aid kit has a topical ointment you can apply to a bite or rash to soothe the area and relieve the inevitable itch.

Aquaphor Itch Relief Ointment is a great option that’s tough on itch and gentle on skin, combining the maximum strength of 1% hydrocortisone (anti-itch ointment) with other soothing ingredients to immediately relieve itch and provide up to 12 hours of itch relief to help heal the skin.

This hypoallergenic, fragrance and paraben-free ointment relieves itching associated with rashes and skin irritations, including those caused by bug bites and poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac. Having this on hand is ideal so you can spend less time worrying about your itch and more time focusing on enjoying your getaway.

It is available in both 1 oz and 2 oz sizes, and you can find it at most food, drug and mass merchandisers nationwide or at www.Walmart.com.

5. Dress for success

The less skin you expose, the less likely you’ll be to expose it to irritating brush or pesky insects. One of the advantages of late-season camping and hiking is the need for long sleeve shirts and pants that help serve as extra skin protection.

It’s also a good idea to spray your clothing, tent, backpack and other camping gear with bug spray to further discourage mosquitoes and other bugs from crashing your camping party.

Going away for a camping weekend doesn’t mean you have to come back with itchy, irritated skin. Using these five tips, you can enjoy your camping trip to the max and worry less about possible bites and rashes.

2022-08-05T08:09:00

(BPT) – The fashion industry is one of the biggest on the planet, driving culture, commerce and celebrity. Even if you dislike “fashion,” you likely still have a closet with clothes made from all kinds of materials — from cotton, linen, leather, and wool, to nylon, vinyl and polyester … the list goes on. These materials matter. They are a major reason why fashion — an industry that makes over 100B items per year — is amid a sustainability crisis.

Contributing to that crisis is leather, one of the most pivotal materials in the fashion world. In 2020 alone, the five biggest luxury houses sold over $50B of leather goods and that’s in addition to all the non-luxury bags, shoes, belts, furniture, wallets and much more being made. But the challenge with leather is that it requires raising cows, and lots of them, a very resource-intensive process on a resource-constrained planet.

The good news is that no one loves leather because it comes from a cow. And so, to solve this piece of the fashion sustainability puzzle, one company called Bolt Threads is making leather from fungi, and specifically, mycelium, which for billions of years has been growing beneath our feet and serving as ecological connective tissue to all life on earth. A sprawling, infinitely renewable, interlaced web, it threads through the soil, breaks down organic matter and provides nutrients to plants and trees.

“The fashion industry is not solely functional — it fulfills our innate human drive to reveal our confidence, creativity and self-expression. Fashion is intrinsic to who we are, but it’s simply not sustainable in its current form,” said Dan Widmaier, founder and CEO of Bolt Threads on the main stage at TED. “I believe the answers to this problem are available in nature, and that by tapping into 4 billion years’ worth of knowledge with science, we can transform materials and our environmental future.”

Bolt Threads’ scientists and engineers have found a way to regeneratively harness mycelium (in vertical farming facilities powered by 100% renewable energy) and transform it into a material called Mylo that looks and feels like animal leather. Soft, supple — and less harmful to the environment than other forms of animal leather — Mylo is backed by adidas and lululemon, which have created and released limited edition collections with the material, among other fashion and other industry innovators currently prototyping ahead of future releases.

As Widmaier recently discussed at TED, soon, all the materials in your closets, homes and cars could be made with something designed regeneratively from nature. To get there, it’s up to scientists to engineer those materials, companies to bring them to market, customers to invest in them, and everyone to take note of the clothes they’re buying. In this way, more alternative materials that harness nature, not cows, can be incorporated into our wardrobes.

2022-08-05T10:15:00

(BPT) – Life is messy and full of distractions. How many of us planned to go to bed early only to stay up streaming our favorite shows? What about scheduling time to work out, then getting caught up in work and running out of energy? Even when you’re highly motivated, it’s easy to get sidetracked. That’s OK. The key is finding ways to reset, bring yourself back into balance and set yourself up for lasting success.

Motivation is a driving force for change, but not all motivation is equal. Some motivation is controlled by outside forces like praise, while a powerful one comes from within and is tied to your values. For example, you may choose to be active because you love a certain activity. When a habit is personally meaningful, you are more likely to sustain it.

“Building healthy habits takes time and dedication, but doesn’t have to be overwhelming,” says Alyssa Burnison, MS, RD, LN, and the director of program and nutrition, lead registered dietitian and licensed nutritionist at Profile Plan. “Incorporating just one of the following tips can make a world of difference.”

1) Give yourself a break: The first step in the reset process is to give yourself a break. Life is hard and we all slip up from time to time. Forgive yourself, approach your journey with compassion and don’t waste time on shame, frustration or guilt. You’re here now and ready to commit to yourself.

2) Start the planning process: Prior planning prevents poor performance. Take stock of what condition your habits are in. Have you slipped up on good habits and need to rebuild them, or do you need to start from scratch? Do you have to eliminate bad habits before you can build new ones? Write down your good and bad habits so you can monitor them throughout your process.

3) Make motivation part of your routine: Be sure you’ve defined your “why” — the reasons you want to build new habits. Then, find ways to remind yourself of your why. Put notes on a mirror or a kitchen cabinet. Change your phone background to a photo or quote that motivates you. Find any way that reminds you why your efforts are worthwhile.

4) Start small: Setting a large goal can be intimidating and feel unachievable. Instead, break larger goals into smaller, specific steps that will work for you. You don’t need to hit the gym for an hour every day to see results. Start by finding ways to increase activity throughout the day. Take the stairs more often or park further away from the building. Small changes add up quickly.

5) Link a new habit to an existing one: The easiest way to make a new habit stick is to connect it with an ingrained one. Instead of just walking to get your mail, extend your trip and walk a few blocks as well.

6) Cut comparison: Comparison is your biggest enemy. No two people have the same journey, and you are sabotaging yourself by comparing your progress to others’. Focus on reminding yourself how far you’ve come.

7) Make it exciting: Whether you’re trying to eat better, exercise more or simply build healthy habits like better sleep hygiene, make it exciting for yourself by trying new things. Visit food blogs for recipe ideas. Try a new exercise like rock climbing. Build a relaxing bedtime routine you can look forward to.

8) Don’t give up too soon: It takes time to build a routine. You won’t create healthy habits by doing them once or twice. On average, it takes at least two months, and sometimes up to a year, for a new habit to become routine.

9) Track your progress: To make a new habit stick, you have to build accountability. Make a plan, then track your progress. Habit trackers will help you monitor your meals, build your self-care plan and track your progress toward your healthy habit goals. You can create your own or find one to download online. Profile’s can be found at profileplan.com/profile-planner.

10) Find support: Create your own cheering section by asking friends and family to support you. Make healthy recipes together or go for group walks. If you need even more help, coaches can be an amazing resource for support and guidance.

“Embrace just a few of these ideas and you’ll be headed in a healthier direction,” says Burnison. “You can always add on as you make progress — that’s what our coaches tell Profile Plan members.”

2022-08-05T12:15:00

(BPT) – Just because summer is coming to a close doesn’t mean that your travel plans have to end. Autumn is a beautiful season that has much to offer would-be travelers. If you’re planning a vacation this fall, consider heading to Rapid City, South Dakota.

Known as the “Gateway to the Black Hills,” Rapid City is close to so many historic places and stellar views of natural and man-made landmarks that are enhanced by the color and weather of autumn.

Check out these five reasons why you and your family should visit Rapid City this fall.

1. Events

If you visit Rapid City in the fall, you’ll have plenty of events you can attend. Take the family to the Pumpkin Festival at downtown’s Main Street Square and kick off the season by taking a hayride, playing in an inflatable bounce house or simply enjoying the BH Parent Harvest Market.

For the artists in your family, check out the Custer State Park Buffalo Roundup and Arts Festival or the Wild West Songwriters Festival. Want to get spooky this fall? Head over to the Adams House for some Paranormal Investigations. At night, stop by the Mount Rushmore Evening Lighting Ceremony or the Legends in Light Laser Show at Crazy Horse Monument.

2. Scenic routes

Enjoy the quietness of autumn in and near Rapid City. Whether you like to take long drives or a leisurely day hike, you’ll have so many scenic routes to choose from.

Pack the family into the minivan and drive through the Needles Highway and Badlands Loop Road. Or pack a lunch and hike through Badlands National Park, Custer State Park or Spearfish Canyon. No matter where you choose to go, you’ll be greeted by the changing of the seasons and surrounded by colorful fall foliage.

3. Downtown

Downtown Rapid City has so much to explore. With 26 restaurants, 34 shops and more than 150 events, you won’t have a hard time finding something everyone in the family will enjoy. Head to the heart of downtown to Main Street Square and attend a live concert or family-friendly festivals.

Afterward, head to Art Alley to take in unique murals. Be sure to check out the life-sized bronze statues of past American presidents throughout downtown.

4. National treasure

One of the most attractive aspects of Rapid City is that it’s centrally located near some of the country’s national treasures. Make Rapid City your vacation home base and take in the historic parks and monuments of the Midwest.

Just 12 minutes away, you can visit the Black Hills National Forest and explore canyons, grasslands, streams and deep blue lakes. Or take a quick 30-minute drive and take in the astonishing beauty of Mount Rushmore National Memorial. There’s no end to the educational and inspiring places you can visit in this area.

5. Tribal history

The Black Hills are home to a rich history of seven Native American Tribes, and you can learn and appreciate their sacred stories, lifeways, arts and traditions right here in Rapid City. Head over in October and witness the Black Hills Powwow, a three-day cultural event that displays the talents of hundreds of Native American dancers, singers and artisans.

Take a short day trip to visit the Crazy Horse Memorial, the world’s largest mountain carving in progress, honoring one of the most recognized and revered figures of the Lakota Indian Tribe.

If you need a day of indoor activities, head to The Journey Museum and Learning Center and check out the interactive displays featuring geology, paleontology, archaeology, Native American culture and more.

Mark your calendars, pack your bags and get ready to take in the beauty of the Black Hills this fall. To learn more about Rapid City and surrounding activities and attractions, check out VisitRapidCity.com.