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It can often be hard to find things to do together with your family, especially in a smaller town like Orangeburg, South Carolina. Still, you don't have to go all the way down to Charleston or north to Columbia to find something to do. Orangeburg has plenty of family-friendly pastimes that kids both young and old can appreciate. See a Play at the BlueBird Theater The BlueBird Theater is an old venue located right along busy Russell Street in downtown Orangeburg. Run by the Orangeburg Part-Time Players, this historic theater is still active and hosts all kinds of plays throughout the year. You can get a season ticket and see all their shows, or you can stop by whenever they have a new play. If your kids are more into acting than they are into watching a show, they can sign up for the group's junior division and take part in a children's play. more Walk Through the Edisto Memorial Gardens The Edisto Memorial Gardens sit right along the Edisto River and have parking available on both Riverside Drive and Seaboard Street. The gardens commemorate a Civil War battle site. However, it's been a hallowed location ever since. Only in the 20th century, people started adding flowers, playgrounds, and greenhouses to the land. A more recent addition is a boardwalk that takes you down by the river so you can admire the natural wetlands environment. Today it's become the perfect place to go for a walk or hold a family picnic, especially during the months when the roses bloom. Go Fishing at Santee State Park Santee State Park is a public access point where anyone can go to visit the vast Lake Marion. The park covers 2,500 acres on the lake's west bank, and it offers two boat launches, two campgrounds with 158 campsites between them, 30 cabins for indoor lodging, and over 10 miles of hiking trails. Park admission costs only $2 for adults and is free for kids 15 and under, although you'll have to pay more to reserve a campsite. However, you won't need reservations if you're from Orangeburg because Santee State Park is just a 40-minute drive away. Read a Good Book at the Orangeburg County Library Located on St. Louis Street, the Orangeburg County Library has books, music, DVDs, Blu-rays, and other media that can keep even a young child occupied for hours. At the same time, it has adult fiction and nonfiction sections where parents can find a gripping story or learn more about a hobby they've always wanted to try. It can be easy to overlook the library as a place where families can have fun, but that's exactly what you can find at the Orangeburg County Library. Orangeburg might not have as much as a bigger city can offer, but you can still find plenty of things that kids and adults can have fun doing in the area. Whether it's going out to the state park for camping or staying indoors at the public library, you can keep your family busy in Orangeburg. Image by SymphonicPoet via CC BY 2.0

The Kia Forte is a compact car that offers drivers an abundance of features. For 2017, Kia gave the Forte some updated styling and added a new sporty trim level. They also made some changes to the features available on the other trims. Here are some of the top features of the 2017 Kia Forte. The LX Trim The LX trim is the base level for both the sedan and the hatchback. It comes with 15-inch steel wheels and power accessories. With this entry-level trim, you'll also get heated mirrors, a trip computer, and a sound system with four speakers. Technology features include Bluetooth, satellite radio, and both a USB port and an auxiliary jack. You can add the Popular Package with Fortes equipped with an automatic transmission for automatic headlights, a rearview camera, and a 4.2-inch touchscreen display. more The S Trim The new S trim level is only available on the sedan models and gives it a sporty look and feel. This adds a sport-tuned suspension, and you'll get 16-inch alloy wheels. It also adds a rear spoiler and a chrome exhaust. The S comes with adjustable drive modes and its own unique black upholstery. Interior features include a leather-wrapped steering wheel and a 7-inch touchscreen compatible with Apple Carplay and Android Auto. You'll also get Kia's Uvo eServices system as a standard feature with the S trim. Add the Technology Package for fog lights, keyless entry, and safety features such as lane departure warning with prevention and blind-spot monitoring with emergency braking. An additional Premium Package added to the Technology Package adds a sunroof and heated front seats, and you'll also get driver memory settings and a navigation system with voice controls. The EX Trim Choose the EX for a larger 2.0-liter engine and 17-inch alloy wheels. This trim will also get you ambient interior lighting and leather seats, LED turn signal indicators right on the mirror housings, and LED taillights. The Premium Plus Package gets you a sunroof, adaptive xenon headlights along with cooled front seats, and a navigation system. The Premium Plus Package also adds the driver assist safety features such as blind-spot monitoring and lane departure warning with mitigation. The SX Trim You can get the SX trim in the hatchback body style and the two-door Forte Koup. This is another sporty trim that adds a sport-tuned suspension along with larger front brakes and larger 18-inch wheels. You'll also get LED taillights, and the rearview mirror has an automatic dimming feature. The SX trim comes standard with Kia's Uvo eServices telematic systems. Optional features available with this trim include keyless ignition, power-adjustable front seats with both heat and ventilation, and a sunroof. You can also add HD radio and a navigation system. All of the Kia Forte models come well-equipped with features and technology. You also get a choice of body styles and engines depending on the trim to help you build the compact car of your dreams. Image via Flickr by jameshamel

Valentine's Day is quickly approaching, so what better way to celebrate the occasion than with a new vehicle? With that in mind, take a look at five reasons why a Kia should be at the top of your list. Stylish Exterior The standard exterior amenities you can expect to find with Kia models include HID headlights, LED taillights, red brake calipers, chrome alloy wheels, and a panoramic sunroof — to name a few. The 2016 Sorento, in particular, adds to these stylish amenities with its heated outside mirrors, sound-absorbing windshield glass, solar control glass, variable intermittent windshield wipers, and oval exhaust finisher, for a modern and sporty appearance. more Impressive Power and Performance If you're looking for a special Valentine's Day treat, you'll find plenty to love with the 2017 K900 V8 Luxury. It comes with a 5.0-liter DOHC 32-valve V8 engine with Dual Continuously Variable Valve Timing. Featuring an eight-speed automatic transmission, this vehicle reaches 420 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 376 pound-feet of torque at 5,000 rpm, for excellent acceleration and control. The 2016 Soul EV is another impressive option. It features an EPA-estimated MPG of 120 in the city and 92 on the highway across all trims and offers five convenient charging options. And every new Kia comes standard with the brand's signature 10-year/100,000-mile warranty program, which offers excellent coverage for unexpected services and repairs. Luxurious Interior Kia has also equipped its vehicles with plenty of interior comforts that are designed to please any driver. These include Nappa leather and genuine wood trims, Slide-N-Stow seating, and heated and ventilated seats. The 2017 Optima adds to these amenities with a tilt and telescopic steering column, front and rear cup holders, a rear camera display, dual illuminated vanity mirrors, and the Active ECO driving mode, to improve fuel efficiency. Advanced Technology Features To increase comfort and convenience in your Kia, there's no shortage of high-tech features available, including the UVO eServices system featuring vehicle diagnostics and roadside assistance. If you're looking for a tech-savvy vehicle this Valentine's Day, the 2017 Forte LX features steering-wheel-mounted audio and phone controls, Bluetooth connectivity, a four-speaker audio system, and optional 4.3-inch touchscreen display. Meanwhile, the Forte S and EX trims feature a 7-inch touchscreen display, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and optional voice-command navigation capabilities. Burns Safety With NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings and IIHS Top Safety Pick awards for Kia models, you'll drive with peace of mind no matter your destination. Standard amenities include blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, cruise control, forward collision warning, and lane departure warning. For added protection, the 2017 Cadenza is packed with impressive safety features, including a driver's knee airbag, seat belt pretensioners, front and rear crumple zones, traction control, and the Anti-Lock Braking System. Additionally, parents will appreciate the rear child safety door locks and LATCH child anchors designed to keep your little ones safe on the road. If you're in the market for a new vehicle this Valentine's Day, a Kia would be the perfect purchase! Which one will you choose? Image via Flickr by Automotive Rhythms

Buying a car is a huge financial commitment, so you want to make sure you know exactly what you are getting. Unfortunately, a lot of people make mistakes when they shop for new and pre-owned vehicles. The next time you visit a dealership, make sure you avoid these three common car-buying mistakes. Doing so will help you pick a car that really meets your needs. more Not Making the Most of Their Test Drives The test drive is your chance to really experience a vehicle. All the research in the world can't compare to half an hour behind the wheel. Unfortunately, a lot of people don't seem to know how to test drive vehicles. When you take your next test drive, make sure you: Drive the car in a variety of environments, including winding roads and Interstates like I-26 Focus on performance and comfort instead of worrying too much about fancy gadgets Pay attention to how much road noise you can hear in the cabin Take notes so you can compare vehicles objectively Give yourself at least one day to make a decision Focusing too Much on Monthly Payment Amounts Buyers obviously need to choose vehicles that they can afford. In most cases, the dealership will try to make cars affordable for you by giving you several payment options. Just because you get an inexpensive monthly payment, however, doesn't mean that you are getting a better deal on the car. Long-term loans usually have higher interest rates than short-term options. Even if you get the same rate, spreading payments out over a longer period means that you will pay more interest. If you use a 36-month loan with a three percent interest rate to borrow $15,000, you will repay a total $15,703.92. If you get the same interest rate on a 60-month loan, then you will pay $467.88 more. Make sure you pay attention to the total amount so you can get the best overall deal. Forgetting to Think About Cost of Ownership Just because a car's price fits your budget doesn't mean that it is an affordable option for you. The cost of owning a car is much higher than the sticker price. Over the lifetime of the car, you will spend money on: Repair parts Maintenance services Insurance Fuel Taxes This makes it important for you to consider how these costs will affect the vehicle's affordability. You may find that you need to focus on cars that cost less. You can use a cost to own calculator to get a rough estimate of how much you will really spend on the vehicle. Of course, if the monthly payment barely fits your budget, you should already know that it isn't a good option for you. By the time you finish paying other expenses, it will become too expensive. Finding the right car requires some effort, but you need to take steps that will help you choose an option that truly matches your needs. By following these three tips, you are already ahead of most buyers.