5 Tips for Traveling After Graduation

Graduation is just around the corner. Many times, grads love to celebrate their accomplishments with a trip or vacation of a lifetime, before they settle into a full time job. If this sounds like you or someone you know, check out our list of travel tips just for grads:

1. Don't be afraid. This is our #1 piece of advice! Jump feet first into your life long dream. You already accomplished graduation [whew!], now it's your turn to have fun!
2. Research your options. Do you know what WOOFing is? Never heard of Airbnb? Maybe it's time to do some research into all the alternatives out there. Traveling somewhere fun and new doesn't have to be a financial burden. Have the credentials? Why not spend a semester in South Korea teaching English? 
3. Save your pennies. No matter what option you choose, travel is going to take some money. Do the hard part now while you finish up school. Take on a few extra hours at work. Eat dinner at home for the next month and forego your daily Starbucks. A penny saved is a penny earned!
4. Get the most bang for your buck. Sure, places like Italy and the UK are popular destinations, but that also makes them expensive. Why not consider Thailand, Belize, or Cambodia? At many of these destinations, you are able to eat on $10 a day and can receive a massage on the beach for just a few bucks! What's not to love?!
5. Wait just a few months. Summer is often the busiest and most expensive time to travel. If you spend a few more months at home and leave for your trip in say, September, you will be able to score fantastic deals! 

Already booked your flight out of Houston International Airport? Don't forget to make your Houston Airport Parking reservation with Rocket Parking. Congratulations to all of the new graduates! 

Safe Driving Tips

Here at Rocket Parking, your safety means the world to us. Whether you are parking in our facility, traveling in our complementary shuttles, or just going about your day-to-day life, we hope that you remain safe and healthy. As a result, we have complied a list of safe driving tips so that you can arrive at your destination in once piece:

1. Don't drive too fast or too slow. "Just Right" is the perfect speed when traveling during busy weekends. What we mean is, stick to going the speed limit, or just a bit over or under, but don't rush through construction zones or speed 20mph faster than you should be. A traffic ticket or unexpected accident will surely ruin your day.

2. Don't hog the left lane. You are being a model driver and proceeding along your route at barely over the legal speed limit. If you are driving in the left lane and a long line of cars starts to form behind you, move over! Obviously, someone is in a rush and drivers often get very upset when they cannot speed by as fast as possible. Who knows, you may see that adrenaline junky down the road with a ticket. Proceed with caution and respect for other drivers.

3. Keep your headlights on at all times. Yes, headlights should be on, even in the daytime! This little trick helps you to be more visible to other drivers and could even help you avoid an accident.

4. Check your vehicle before you go. This includes a simple self performed oil check, battery check, tire pressure check, windshield wiper check etc. Make sure that you have enough wiper fluid in case of the inevitable downpour. It is always better to be safe and prepared!

5. Sharing is caring! Traveling more than a few hours? Have a few safe drivers going along with you? Perfect! Rotating the driving duty is a great way to ensure that no one gets burnt out and everyone has a chance to rest.

No matter where you are traveling, Rocket Parking wishes you a safe and stress free day! Driving to Houston's Bush Intercontinental Airport and then flying to your destination? Don't forget to make your free online reservation so that you can save money on Houston Airport parking!

Traveling with Allergies

With the first day of spring coming soon, allergy season will be on the rise. Do you suffer from allergies related to pollen or hay? When traveling from Houston's Bush Intercontinental Airport to your destination, your allergens may kick into high gear. Here are 5 ways you can plan in advance in order to keep your watery eyes at bay:

• Bring the comforts of home. Do you sleep with a dust-proof pillow case or use allergen-free sheets at home? Roll your pillow case into a small ball and bring it along during your trip. It will take up relatively little space and will help reduce your allergies while you sleep.
• Pack all your medications in your carry-on. Resist the urge to pack your medications in your checked luggage. You will need to access your medications easily and quickly in case of an emergency. Think you need a certain amount of doses during your trip? Double that amount so you don't run into trouble.
• Pack nasal saline spray. Surprise surprise: the air in plane cabins is abnormally dry. Nasal spray doesn't cost much and it will save you tons of trouble in the long run. Use the spray once or twice an hour to keep your nasal passage clear and hydrated from the dry air.
• Book "smoke free" hotels. Even if a hotel has "smoking" and "non-smoking" rooms, the policy is often not strictly enforced and people bend the rules to their advantage. The best way to ensure you won't have to deal with pesky smoke is to book a hotel that does not allow smoking indoors at all.
• Check the pollen count. Check the pollen counts from grass, trees, weeds etc. at your intended destination. This way, you will have a better idea of what you will encounter.

Before you leave out of IAH, don't forget to book your online parking reservation with Rocket Parking! Book online and save big. 

Houston Airport Parking Benefits

Are you a little leery about trying Rocket Parking for the first time because you aren't sure what to expect? Booked your reservation but afraid that the commute from our facility to the airport will cause you to be late for your flight? Banish your airport parking worries and leave your car and your travel vacation in our capable hands. Still unsure? Here are a just a few benefits that you will receive when you use our Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) parking service:

• Expect a cheaper price! When you park at IAH, you will pay high daily parking fees. At Rocket Parking, we charge you a much more reasonable parking price. Check on our coupons and discounts page for even cheaper parking options!
• Don't worry about the time! Guess what? It only takes us just minutes to check you in and shuttle you to the airport! Say what?! If you self-park at Bush Intercontinental Airport you will have to deal with finding a spot and then finding transportation to bring you to the airport and/or walking great distances.
• Your own personal chauffeur! When you park with us, our friendly staff will personally chauffeur you from the door of your car to your terminal entrance. How cool is that? They will even load and unload your bags for you, for free! All you have to do is sit back, relax, and catch up on work or social media.
• You have options! Sure, you have options other places too, but how often do you get the opportunity to do what is best for your car for an affordable price? Thought so!
• FREE online reservations. Gone are the days of endlessly driving in circles looking for a parking spot. With our free online reservation system, you are able to reserve your parking for free in advance. All you have to do is show up and let us do the rest! 

5 Winter Car Care Tips

We can imagine it now: you are sitting on your computer or tablet and you are scoffing at this title. "We barely even get that much snow in Texas," you say! While this may be true, many people travel up north during the winter for work, family, pleasure etc. If you will be driving in the snow this winter, check out these five tips to keep your car in tip top shape:

1. Clean the inside of your windshield with shaving cream. Seriously! Not only will shaving cream clean your window, it will aid in preventing fog and moisture buildup. The less you have to run the defroster, the better!
2. Unfreeze your keys. Sticking your car keys into an almost certainly frozen car door lock will open the door to a whole bunch of potential problems! Keys may break or the lock may be too frozen to even turn! To remedy this, keep a lighter handy and warm your key before trying to insert it. In a pinch, hand sanitizer will help unfreeze as well.
3. Cover your window. Scraping your windshield can be a hassle. Save yourself the trouble by purchasing old drop clothes, a rug, or any type of thick material and placing it over your windshield. When you are ready to leave, simply yank the cloth off your windshield and all of the pesky snow will come off too! 
4. Stuck? Use cardboard! Weather your car is stuck in the slushy mud at home, work, or the grocery store, cardboard boxes should be nearby. Place a flattened cardboard box in front of your wheels and your car will make it to safety a lot easier.
5. Face east. When possible, park your car facing an easterly direction. Since the sun rises from the east, you will have a little help from nature's heat in starting the unfreezing process on those cold winter mornings. 

Leave your car in the care of Rocket Parking as you head for the snowy tundra's of the north! We want to make your Houston Airport Parking experience as hassle-free as possible! 

How to "Dress Like a Local" in Top U.S. Cities

Do you often strive to "look like a local" when you are traveling? Maybe you don't want to be targeted by pickpockets who prey on tourists. Maybe you just. cant. stand. to be seen as one of "those people." Whatever your reason for wanting to dress like a local, our friends from the Orbitz Travel Blog have created this hilarious little graphic: [Do you think the photo is true about Texas locals?]

That was funny, wasn't it? Before you pack your suitcase for your adventure as a "not tourist," remember to make your Houston Airport Parking reservation with Rocket Parking! 

5 "Must See" Travel Destinations for 2015

We are halfway through the first month of 2015, and if you haven't started planning your vacations for this year, you should probably start! Flight options from Houston Airport are continually increasing, and choosing a destination can be quite time consuming! To start your 2015 off right, we have a list of the top five "must see" travel destinations for 2015:

Milan, Italy

Milan, Italy certainly isn't a new, or even an up-and-coming destination, so why does it make our top five for places to travel from Houston in 2015? This year, Milan is hosting a 2015 expo on "the future of food" that will draw over 20 million visitors! This expo brings along with it tons of new architecture unique to Milan and hundreds of cuisines from across the world. 

Singapore

As if you needed a reason to visit Singapore in the first place, this year, the country will celebrate its 50th year of independence with parades and merry making all year. The country is extremely safe and the urban areas are shockingly clean. Tourists can enjoy wide expanses of green spaces, cultural heritage, a national art museum, and world-class hotels and dining.

Oman

Most people have never even heard of this Middle Eastern country, located right next to the United Arab Emirates. Have you always wanted to travel to the Middle East and experience the culture and cuisine of this mysterious world? Oman is the safest Middle Eastern country in 2015 and is a highly anticipated destination to visit this year. 

Durham, North Carolina

8 hour flights and international border crossings not your idea of fun? Durham, N.C. is a lot closer to home and just as interesting as overseas destinations! Durham is boasting all the latest cuisine innovations, from fair-trade coffee shops and micro-breweries, to the best local diners you can find. This year, Durham is debuting a "tree house" hotel, where guests will stay some 20 feet above the ground.

Dominican Republic

If you are okay with a shorter flight [under 4 hours from most USA cities], but still want to visit an exotic destination, the Dominican Republic may be just right for you! Instead of visiting the "usual" high-tourist areas of the Dominican Republic, consider visiting the country's pristine northern shore. The north shore will have much less traffic and the beaches and hotels are a far cry away from "ordinary."

Before embarking on your 2015 trip of the year, don't forget to make your online parking reservation with Rocket Parking. We want to ensure that your Houston International Airport flight experience is a smooth as possible by ensuring we get you to your gate on time so you don't have to worry about airport parking!