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Make the Drive to These 4 Local Attractions Near South Salisbury, NC

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If you're in or near South Salisbury, NC, you'll be delighted by the abundance of scenic sights and exciting activities, from historic sites and beautiful natural areas to fun entertainment options. Take a Ford EcoSport for a spin and visit these fantastic local attractions listed below.

Make the Drive to These 4 Local Attractions Near South Salisbury, NC

1. Rowan Museum

The Rowan Museum at 202 North Main Street, in the heart of downtown Salisbury, is situated in the Courthouse built in 1854, one of the best examples of pre-Civil War architecture in North Carolina. The museum tells the story of Salisbury and its people through various displays and permanent and rotating exhibits.

There's always something happening at the museum, from reenactments and History Club presentations to exciting new exhibitions. During the summer, the museum offers educational day camps covering various fascinating topics, including Colonial Life and Revolution, Wagons, Railways, and Reform, and Arts and Crafts in the 18th Century.

2. Eagle Point Nature Preserve

Eagle Point Nature Preserve is tucked away in a secluded area on picturesque High Rock Lake at 665 Black Road in Salisbury. The scenic preserve offers outdoor enthusiasts 200 acres of woodlands to explore on more than three miles of multi-use trails that wind to beautiful isolated coves and various observation overlooks with spectacular views over the lake.

The preserve is a natural habitat for wildlife, so keep your eyes peeled for white-tailed deer, raccoons, bald eagles, barred owls, and kingfishers along the trails. If you enjoy paddling or fishing, you'll love spending time on the lake's shore, that's also ideal for peaceful picnics surrounded by the preserve's natural beauty.

3. Millbridge Speedway

If you need speed, get to Millbridge Speedway, North Carolina's premier dirt track facility, at 6670 Mooresville Road in Salisbury. The speedway provides fast-paced, fun-filled nights of action, where you can watch beginner karters, cadets, and adults battle it out in their classes.

With every ticket serving as a pit pass, you'll have the unique opportunity to get close to the karts, drivers, and the track. Tasty snacks like tacos, hamburgers, hot dogs, and fries are available when you get hungry. 

4. Historic Trolley Tours

Go on a Historic Trolley Tour with a knowledgeable guide and explore downtown Salisbury in an F&M Bank Trolley. The one-hour tour starts at 11 a.m. at the Rowan County Visitors Center at 204 East Innes Street in Salisbury, past the original Cheerwine building, the Salisbury National Cemetery, and the state's only prison site during the Civil War.

In addition to these historical landmarks, you'll visit filming locations of well-known movie and TV shows, various shopping destinations, and theaters and view public art while listening to historical titbits and spooky ghost stories along the route. 
Visit these great attractions to learn more about the city's captivating history and fauna and flora, while having loads of fun at the same time. Also, remember to stop at Cloninger Ford of Salisbury to check out the range of brand-new 2023 models on display.

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Image by Walter Frehner from Pixabay

Make the Drive to These 3 Best Museums Near South Salisbury, NC

Located in the heart of the Piedmont region and just a couple of miles south of the Salisbury downtown area, South Salisbury, NC, is a great place to stay while exploring the best museums, cultural centers, and historical landmarks that this region has to offer. Whether you are searching for local art or historical exhibits, here are three fantastic destinations you should check out while traveling around the region in your new 2023 Ford Explorer XLT. Make the Drive to These 3 Best Museums Near South Salisbury, NC 1. Rowan Museum Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970, Rowan Museum is dedicated to showcasing the history of Rowan County through a series of permanent exhibits that portray the culture and traditions of the region throughout the years. Located at 202 N Main Street in the building of Salisbury's old courthouse, this museum is open to the public Friday to Sunday between 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm. more Besides the collection of artifacts and the permanent exhibits on display at the old courthouse building, Rowan Museum also manages a series of nearby historical landmarks, including the Michael Braun House, which is considered the oldest dwelling in Rowan County and one of the oldest remaining stone houses in the entire state of North Carolina. 2. North Carolina Transportation Museum Located at 1 Samuel Spencer Road in the nearby town of Spencer and a little over three miles northeast of Salisbury, the North Carolina Transportation Museum boasts a large collection of railway vehicles, aircraft, and automobiles that make it one of the most visited tourist attractions in the region. Established in the early 1980s, this place welcomes more than 80,000 visitors every year. Open to the public Tuesday through Saturday between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm, the North Carolina Transportation Museum is known not only for its permanent exhibits but also for the many events that take place in its premises. This complex also features a heritage railroad that operates excursion rides in historical wagons powered by old diesel locomotives. 3. Hall House Museum A landmark 19th-century house located at 226 S Jackson Street in the Salisbury city center, the Dr. Josephus Hall House is one of the best-preserved house museums in the Southeastern United States and a fantastic place to visit while in the region. Constructed in the 1820s, this house is listed on the National Register of Historic places and showcases a series of artifacts, including original furnishings, wallpapers, and restored artworks. If you are searching for the best car dealership in South Salisbury to buy a new vehicle and explore the most popular attractions in North Carolina and beyond, you've come to the right place. Stop by Cloninger Ford of Salisbury, take a tour around our showroom, and learn about the latest models and custom deals we have available for you.

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5 Tips for Visiting the NC Transportation Museum

The North Carolina Transportation Museum is a must-see attraction for all lovers of planes, trains, and automobiles. Set at the site of the historic Southern Railway's Spencer Shops, it covers more than 50 acres of exhibits and historic buildings. You should plan to spend at least a few hours, and possibly the whole day, visiting the NC Transportation Museum. more Stop in the Back Shop The back shop is most notable for its assuming size: It's three stories high and the length of more than two football fields! This behemoth of a building once housed full overhaul facilities for locomotives. It has been fully restored and is now home to truck, tractor, and aviation exhibits. It is also where you can see the Potomac Pacemaker, a Piedmont Airlines DC3 that is currently being restored in the back shop building Hop Aboard for a Leisurely Train Ride You have two admission options when visiting the museum: with and without the train ride. Go ahead and splurge on the ride if you haven't done it before. It offers an excellent overview of the entire property, and it is a great way to spend about 25 minutes resting your feet between wandering between exhibit buildings. The train is normally pulled by a diesel locomotive. However, on special occasions, the museum offers rides pulled by a steam locomotive. If you see a steam engine pulling the train, be sure to get a ticket. It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that you won't want to miss. Take a Spin on the Turntable Just outside the massive Bob Julian Roundhouse — the largest working roundhouse in the U.S. — is a 100-plus foot turntable. It is by far one of the most unique features of the NC Transportation Museum and well worth the dollar price tag for a ride when it's operating. Be sure to ask if turntable rides are going on the day you visit when you stop in Barber Junction to buy your admission tickets. Visit During a Special Event If your travel dates are flexible and you want to have a truly memorable experience, visit during one of the special events taking place at the museum. A Day Out With Thomas and The Polar Express are perennial family favorites. Buy your tickets well in advance, though, because they can sell out months ahead. Steam locomotive aficionados of every age will delight in seeing the massive Norfolk and Western 611 J-class steam engine. You may even get a chance to climb aboard during special train rides or up-close experiences. The museum also offers special excursions several times a year, so keep an eye out for them in the events calendar. Take Lots of Pictures There is so much to see and do at the museum that you won't be able to keep up with all of. Take lots of pictures so you don't forget all the fun. The Transportation Museum may be the crowning tourism attraction in Rowan County, but it is far from the only great place to visit nearby. Plan to spend a couple of days so you can visit nearby Salisbury for a walk around the historic downtown or contact Cloninger Ford to see our impressive selection of new and used vehicles for sale.

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How Ford Pro Power Onboard Changes What You Can Do with a Truck

Most trucks have always had a single outlet tucked somewhere in the cab, good for charging a phone or running a small light. Ford Pro Power Onboard is something entirely different. Built directly into the F-150's architecture, it turns your truck into a functioning mobile generator capable of powering tools, appliances, and job site equipment from the bed or cab without a separate generator in tow. For drivers in Rowan County who work on job sites, head outdoors on weekends, or want a truck that does more than haul, this feature changes the equation. more Three Output Levels for Three Different Needs Ford Pro Power Onboard comes in three configurations, and the right one depends on what you actually need to run. The 2.0 kW system is available on gas-engine F-150 models equipped with the 2.7L EcoBoost V6, the 3.5L EcoBoost V6, or the 5.0L V8. It delivers power through two 120V/20A outlets in the truck bed, enough to run a reciprocating saw, hammer drill, jigsaw, or sander, and the truck's cabin outlets provide 400 watts for smaller devices on the instrument panel and center console regardless of which tier you choose. The 2.4 kW system is standard on F-150s equipped with the 3.5L PowerBoost Full Hybrid V6 and adds the capacity to run a microwave alongside the tools the 2.0 kW handles. What makes this tier stand out is runtime: at its maximum load, the 2.4 kW system runs for up to 85 hours on a full tank of gas, making it a serious asset for extended remote work or multi-day camp trips. The 7.2 kW system is the top tier, available as an option on PowerBoost Hybrid models and the F-150 Platinum Plus. It delivers 7,200 watts through four 120V/20A outlets and one 240V/30A outlet. For reference, a typical portable generator produces around 3,500-4,000 watts. The 7.2 kW system can simultaneously power a plasma cutter, TIG welder, chop saw, air compressor, angle grinder, and work light, and it does so for up to 32 hours at maximum load on a full tank of gas. That is a full working day and then some, without refueling or swapping equipment. What Does This Mean in Practice? Is this feature practical only for contractors? Not at all. The Ford truck power outlet system covers a wide range of situations. On a job site without utility power run yet, a single F-150 with the 7.2 kW system can power an entire framing crew's tool setup. At a campsite, it runs lights, a portable heater, a cooler, and speakers from the same truck that hauled the trailer there. During a tailgate, it powers a television, a blender, and sound equipment. Ford also designed the system to operate while the truck is moving, so devices can charge or run on the way to the job site or trail. The truck can be locked while idling in generator mode, providing overnight security when the system is running unattended. Monitoring is handled through the 12-inch center touchscreen or the FordPass app, both of which display real-time wattage draw and alert you if total load approaches the system's limit. The Ford truck power outlet system manages load automatically, and if a circuit is tripped, it can be reset directly from the truck bed's outlet panel on the 7.2 kW system. Find the Right F-150 Configuration in Salisbury Choosing between the three output tiers comes down to how you use your truck day to day. Drivers in Salisbury, Kannapolis, and Lexington who need basic job site capability or a weekend power source will likely find the 2.0 kW system sufficient. Those running a crew or working in remote locations will benefit from the PowerBoost Hybrid and its 2.4 kW or 7.2 kW output. The team at Cloninger Ford on Jake Alexander Boulevard can walk you through which F-150 configurations include Ford Pro Power Onboard and help you match the right output level to the work you do. It is one of the most practical capabilities on any truck in the segment, and Cloninger Ford has the inventory to put you in the right one. Frequently Asked Questions About Ford Pro Power Onboard What are the output levels for Ford Pro Power Onboard on the F-150? The F-150 offers 2.0 kW, 2.4 kW, and 7.2 kW configurations. The 2.0 kW is available on select gas engines, the 2.4 kW is standard on the PowerBoost Hybrid, and the 7.2 kW is optional on PowerBoost models and standard on the Platinum Plus. How long can the Ford Pro Power Onboard system run on a full tank? At maximum load, the 2.4 kW system runs up to 85 hours and the 7.2 kW system runs up to 32 hours on a full tank of gas. At lighter loads, runtime extends further. What does the Ford truck power outlet system actually power? Depending on the tier, the Ford truck power outlet can run circular saws, drills, compressors, microwaves, welders, televisions, and camping appliances. The 7.2 kW system can run a plasma cutter, TIG welder, chop saw, and air compressor simultaneously. Can I use Ford Pro Power Onboard while driving? Yes. The system operates while the truck is in motion, allowing tools and devices to charge or run on the way to a job site or campground.