What to Check Before Going on a Road Trip

 Road trips are surreal, believe it or not.  With the right car, it could be the most memorable experience of your life. If you are an enthusiastic traveler with a great group of travel buddies and live in Spain, you must consider a road trip. If you have already planned for one, great!  

As road trips primarily involve a car, it should be your priority to ensure the car you are driving is up to scratch to serve you without falling apart. 

And to ensure that it makes your trip fun-tastic, we have laid down a perfect checklist that you can follow.

Checklist for Car Road Trip 

For a smooth journey,  your car should be in tip-top condition. If you don’t want to take your own car, you can always rent a car at Mahon Airport in Menorca.

Binicars offers a wide range of cars for hire. Do check their website for more details. You can book your vehicle online too.

Make sure your Car Battery is new or completely charged, and in good condition. Even if it is not new, it shouldn’t be more than three years old. Also make sure the electrical charging points are functioning well and there isn’t any corrosion.

The Tyres are very important and there are two vital things you must check – air pressure and treads. The tyres should be neither overinflated nor underinflated. They should be just right. Also, the treads should be deep enough so the tyres don’t wear out. Don’t forget to carry a Spare Tyre. 

Change the Air Filters to prevent dust, bugs and dirt from entering the filters and maintain better air quality inside the car. Air filters should be changed after every 20000 kms.  

Check the Engine Oil level.  If it needs refilling, do it without hesitation.. 

Inspect all The Car Fluid Levels, including brakes, windshield, transmission, power steering, radiator etc...

Check the Brakes and their accessories, like hose, drums, rotors, brake fluid and brake pads. 

Ensure the HVAC system is working properly for proper air circulation and adjust the steering, mounts, suspension and shocks before you hit the road. 

Test drive a day or two before to ensure all things are in perfect shape. 

If you are looking for car rental at Menorca, you can browse Binicars’ exceptional fleet of cars. 

Tips for Car Camping with Kids

 Car camping is a great, fun summer activity for kids. In fact, it can be a great weekend getaway for the entire family. If your kids enjoy hiking, biking, and trekking and don't mind sleeping under the stars, you should give them a car camping experience. However, bringing the little ones for a road trip will require some good planning, starting from the car rental service in Menorca to food and sleeping essentials. In this blog, we will share tips on car camping with kids in Menorca.

              

1. Plan with Friends who Have Kids 

Camping with a big group will make your adventure memorable and fun. Kids need more kids. They will eventually get bored of you. So, make sure they have plenty of friends to camp with. Camping with friends is also a good way to detox your mind. You can divide the responsibilities between you all and have a good weekend's fun. 

2. Choose a Good Car Hire Service in Menorca

The kind of car you travel in makes a lot of difference. So, consider a spacious car with a big bunk to accommodate camping gear. You can check Binicars Renault Trafic, a perfect rental car for the whole family. Binicars is a leading car hire company in Menorca that allows pre-booking and online booking of cars and scooters. You can book your hired car from Mahon airport and return it at the same place. For more details, you can talk to us here.

3. Pick a Good Camping Ground

Although most parts of Menorca are wild or beaches, there are two excellent camping spots where you can take your kids - Son Bou and S'Atalia. Both have activities, supermarkets, bars, and restaurants. Son Bou is a modern camping site with more urban options like chalets, pre-set tents, and bungalows. S'Atalia is rawer and more classic and will give you a proper camping feel. You can rent tents here. If you are not camping in Menorca, then choose a ground that's near to your house, probably within a 3-hour radius, which offers scope for family activities, such as bike trails, a swimming pool, playground, hiking spots, etc. 

4. Remember to Plan for the Weather 

Hope for the best. Plan for the worst. The weather can turn worse anytime, although the chances are slim in Menorca. However, if your camping location is elsewhere, it is suggested to be prepared with rain jackets, tarps, and boots for the kids. Even if it rains, Menorca has plenty of local sites with good indoor activities for kids and adults.

5. Pack Early and Double-Check Your Gears

Camping with kids could turn into a nightmare if your kids realize that you haven't packed their favorite softball. Whether a week-long trip or weekend camping, plan early and create a list for your kids - supplies, food, gear, activities, toys, first aid kit, clothes, and cooking. Pre-pack your car a day before so you can get out of the house or hotel on time. If you have doubts about something, then pack it. Portable chairs, sleeping pens, picnic tables, etc., can come in handy for appeasing toddlers.

Looking for a car to hire at Mahon Airport? Don't forget to pre-book your car at Binicars.  

6. Carry Enough Kid-Friendly Food

You will need food for the car drive as well as for the camping. Therefore, carry plenty of kid's food, including finger foods, snacks, crackers, PBJ sandwiches, biscuits, muffins, and marshmallows. Carry ingredients and cookware for pizza, mashed potatoes, pasta, rice, and other one-pot meals. 

7. Divide the Work and Stay Organized 

Camping works best when each has a role and a duty to fulfill. If dads are in charge of pitching the tents, moms can get the fire started, and kids can set the table or help the parents. Also, staying organized is mandatory at a camping site. Do dirty dishes immediately, teach your kids to put things back where they belong, and eat & sleep when they are asked to. Also, no fighting or pulling hair. 

8. Don't Worry About the Dirt

Camping is all about embracing the dirt. And it will be hard to keep your babies clean. Don't fret about basic hygiene. While washing hands before mealtime and cleaning their face and teeth before bed is a must, set your kids free for the rest of the time. Make sure to carry extra pairs of socks and clothes for the dirty brats. However, don't forget to keep insect sprays, mosquito repellents, first-aid kits, sunscreen, and band-aids in case of small accidents. 

Binicars offers premium car rental at Menorca airport. Pre-book for amazing discounts.  

Tripping Menorca? Don’t Miss to Visit Here

 If you like adventure, hiking, and trekking, Menorca is a beautiful choice. If you also like lazing around beautiful beaches, good food, and fine wine and dining, Menorca will perfectly fill in the shoes. If you are a bit of both, you really shouldn’t miss visiting Cami de Cavalls in Menorca – the most gorgeous trail for hikers and cyclists that offers access to untampered, rustic beaches and calas of the Island. 

Cami de Cavalls is not an ordinary walking footpath – it is a 185 km-long trail that encircles the whole of Menorca, which allows the walkers mystical views of the coastline. 

While the ideal way to explore Cami de Cavalls is by foot or bicycle, you can appreciate the rest of the island by renting a car at Menorca’s capital, Calan Porter. That way, your transportation charges will be much cheaper, and you can use the saved money for something else on your trip. 

History of Cami De Cavalls

Unlike other long-distance paths in Spain and Europe, Cami de Cavalls doesn’t hold any religious significance. It was rather created to defend Menorca’s people from invasion and attacks. The path (Also known as Horse Path or Way of the Horses) was built in the 13th century. 

However, since Menorca was invaded and dominated by the British, Spanish, and French at one point in the 1700s, the trail’s usefulness was discovered and utilized for trading, coastal patrols, and transportation of arms and ammunition and troops. With each invasion, the dusty 20-section network of pathways was widened, maintained, and codified. 

The trail strategically links beach to beach, village to village, and field to field.

More About the Path

Cami De Cavalls is split into 20 sections, and it encircles the city of Mahon, Ciutadella, Lighthouses, and a few of the most popular resorts. 

Each section is signposted with route maps, key information, hiking difficulty level, and average time estimated. At regular intervals, wooden stakes and direction markers are placed to keep walkers on track. 

The trail is car-free, open to the public, self-guided, and free to access so that travelers wouldn’t have any problems.

While you can start and dip in anywhere you want, Mahon's technical start point. If your sole aim of visiting Menorca is covering Cami de Cadall by foot, it will take you 9 to 14 days. 

However, Cami de Cadall is not only for walking but also for reaching various places in Menorca. You can also go horse riding, running, cycling, and hiking. Cala Macaralleta, Cala Pregonda, and Cala Mitjana beaches can be accessed through Cami de Cavalls.

Before you start your hike, do check the weather. The best time to hike in Menorca is April, May, October, and November when the temperature is cooler and the routes are devoid of holiday traffic. 

When looking for affordable car hire services in Menorca, don’t forget to check Binicars in Calan Porter.

Fun Beach Games for Kids and Adults

 Summer is just around the corner, meaning now is the perfect time for a beach vacation.

Menorca is a good choice for a short distance travel, kid-friendly beach island destination in Spain. However, beaches can get pretty dull for kids after the first day. Whilst you may be content under an umbrella reading a book, your kids will require more action than that to be occupied all day.

We have come up with many exciting activities that will keep your children happy for hours at the beach. Rent a car in Menorca so that you can bring the activities along to the shore.

Beach Fun Activities for Kids

Set up a Mini Golf

You will require a set of balls and clubs. Set up a few targets and dig holes into the sand. Let your children aim their golf balls. This game will improve hand-eye coordination and striking rate.

A Game of Frisbee

Substitute your ordinary frisbee game with a frisbee goal – set up tiny targets at different places on the sand using the things you have brought to the beach. Take turns to throw the frisbee as close as possible to the target. You can keep scores and let the winner have a nice cold ice cream.

Fly Kite

Beaches are a great place to fly a kite. They are readily available in beach shops and kids love them.

Beach Bowling

Who needs an aisle and runway when you have the entire beach to play bowling? You can either carry your own set of plastic pins and balls, or make a DIY ball-pin with reusable water bottles and balls.

Beach Style Tug of War

A beach vacation with kids (and ninja grownups) is incomplete without the tug of war. You will need a rope or a few towels or sheets tied together. Draw a line on the sand, divide kids into two teams, stand near the edge of the water, and get ready for the hustle.

Hopscotch

Use a stick or rock to draw the famous hopscotch grid on the sand. You can also use small stones or pebbles to mark them. Take turns to complete the game.

Other games that you could try are rope skipping, volleyball, treasure hunt, sandman/castle, inuksuk building, and limbo.

If you want to rent a car in Menorca so that you can have ultimate fun at the beach, Binicars has some of the best rental car deals.

How to Travel with Pets in Spain

 We all like travelling with our best friends. The fun is double when your best friend is a four-legged furry buddy that loves exploring stuff. Discovering new places in Spain with your pet, particularly when it is a dog, is simply beautiful because of their highly-contagious enthusiasm. But often we don’t take our pets along simply because we aren’t aware of the options and regulations. 

Just so you know, Spain is the most pet-friendly tourist destination globally. But before you take your doggo along, it is essential to check the current regulations. We have listed important stuff in the blog. For more details, you can visit www.spain.info or https://www.mapa.gob.es/ - Spain’s official tourism and government portals. 

Travelling in Spain with Pets – What You Should Know?

The rules are pretty simple in Spain. However, you may want to go through the animal health regulations applicable before booking your flight ticket. General rules include:

• Animals must always be accompanied by their owners.

• Pets must be microchipped and carry an identity tag.

• You must bring along your pet’s animal health certificate, which should also include a copy in Spanish. 

• You cannot travel with puppies less than 3 months old (or if they aren’t vaccinated for rabies). 

• Pets are normally not allowed in restaurants in Spain. However, dogs are allowed on the terrace. You might have to restrain them with a muzzle or leash in certain places.

• Small pets, like cats, rabbits, small dogs, guinea pigs, etc., are allowed to travel with their owners in public transport, provided they are inside a carrier. 

• Dogs weighing over 10 kgs have limited public transport access. You will have to buy a ticket for your pet for local, long-distance, and high-speed trains. 

• There are many pet-friendly beach islands in Spain. Mallorca and Menorca are quite popular amongst pet lovers. 

• You can rent a car at Menorca so that you needn’t worry about local transportation rules and regulations. 

• Don’t forget to check with the airline you are travelling to Spain. Dogs and other pets require a few documentations, particularly if the airline allows the pet inside the cabin. Start planning two months in advance to be on the safer side.

• Gijon is one of the best pet-friendly cities in Spain. It has plenty of restaurants, accommodations, and other facilities where pets are warmly welcomed. 

If you are looking for cheap car hire services in Menorca for your pets, visit BiniCar Rental in Menorca. You can pre-book their cars online as well. 

What is Menorca Known For? – Amazing Things that No One Knows

 While it may not be as sensual as Ibiza or as accommodating as Mallorca, Menorca has an irresistible charm. This less-traveled, less-developed tranquil isle by the Mediterranean Sea outnumbers the more popular siblings when it comes to unknown and cool facts. Here are a few things about Menorca which you probably don’t know about. 

While looking for accommodations, do check out BiniCars rental service in Menorca. The company has a huge fleet of vehicles for long and short-term rental. You can now affordably rent a car at Menorca airport through their online pre-booking service. 

‘Did You Know’ Facts about Menorca 

Mayonnaise was Invented in Mahon

We are starting with one of the most interesting facts – mayonnaise was originally invented in Menorca’s capital, Mahon. It was popularized in the 18th century when the French workers presented the condiment in Paris at a victory banquet. 

Cami de Cavalls Pathway Encircles the Entire Island 

Originally developed in the 14th century to provide access during foreign invasions, the 116-mile Cami de Cavalls or the Path of Horses is a track around the circumference of the Island. It was reopened in 2011 after 400 years. Cami de Cavalls offers the best views of Menorca’s beaches, secluded landscapes, and plunging cliffs. You can easily hike around the circumference or ride on horseback, as is the tradition. 

Menorca is home to Europe’s Second Biggest Harbour

After Pearl Harbour in Hawaii and Poole in Dorset, Menorca’s Mahon claims to be the largest natural harbor in Europe– thanks to its rich maritime history. 

Best Bar for Sundowners is Right in Menorca

While Menorca is not as notorious as its siblings Ibiza and Mallorca when it comes to nightlife, neither of them can beat Cova d’en Xorio – the bar that makes Menorca the queen of nights. Set in the sea caves in Calan Porter on the Island’s south coast, the bar offers the most spectacular views of the setting sun, live music, and drinks at just €8.  

Menorca is a UNESCO Biosphere (Decl. 1993)

The Island is referred to as Botanist’s Paradise because it reserves 1000 species of plant, including foxgloves, wild orchids, and wild saffron, breathtaking landscape ranging from valleys, tiny villages, wetlands, dunes, and of course, beaches. Its Natural Park, S’Albufera des Grua is home to amphibian species. 

Did you also know that Menorca has more beaches than the beaches of Mallorca, Ibiza, and Formentera put together? Well, there’s a lot to explore. And using a car rental service in Menorcawill make your vacation worthwhile.

Checklist to Have a Memorable Beach Vacation

 Do you like spending your holiday at the beach? Are you visiting Spain this year? From renting a car at Menorca to protecting your skin, we have covered everything in the following checklist to ensure you have a great time in the sand and sun. 

Tips to Have a Memorable Beach Vacation 

If it’s Menorca, you have made an attractive choice because it is a gorgeous Spanish Balearic Island with numerous mystifying beaches by the Mediterranean Sea. There’s nothing quite like the sound of the waves hitting your senses and warm sand soaking your feet while the sun hugs your skin. 

However, a great beach vacation requires a plan, like transportation, weather-based activities, bringing essentials, and picking other stuff to make the stay easier. Following tips will make your beach vacation far more exciting and memorable. 

Choose the Right Beach 

It is essential to choose the right beach type based on the experience you want to have. For example, if you want a secluded holiday with less crowd or something romantic, Menorca is a perfect choice. 

- Make sure the beach has a lifeguard on duty 

- If you are travelling with an elderly, ensure the location is wheel-chair accessible

- Check if you can bring your grill or can have a cookout

Wear Your Sunscreen and Protect Your Eyes

It is important to protect your skin as well as your eyes. If you don’t want to get a sunburn, use a good quality sunscreen with SPF30+ and reapply it every hour. Look for a sunglass that screens out 70% to 90% of sunlight and blocks 100 percent of UVB/UVA rays.

Bring a Recliner or Portable Chair to Sit 

If you want something closer to the ground and don’t mind the sand, plush beach towels will be enough to make you comfortable. Alternatively, you can carry along a lightweight-portable recliner, lounger, or chair. Also, don’t forget to bring your own umbrella/nylon tent/ or choose a chair with built-in shade. 

Carry Beach Slippers 

Wear comfortable, rubber-based flip-flops (inexpensive) to avoid bruising or burning the soles of your feet. If you want something more uncomfortable, invest in beach-friendly water shoes with good arch support and do not skid. 

Rent a Car at Menorca, Mahon Airport

Avoid carrying your valuables to the beach. Instead, choose a good car hire Menorca and rent a car so that you can leave your stuff in the car and take it to the beach.