Knowning when and where to rent a car can save you hundreds of dollars when traveling. These tips can help you plan out your next vacation.
These days any trip you go on is going to be rather expensive. Between air fair, hotel reservations, and other expenses you are bound to spend a good amount of money. Of course there are some expenses that can be avoided and the trick is determining what you can do with that. One of the easiest ways to cut corners is knowing when to rent a car.
On several vacations I have rented a car just to get from point A to point B only to find out I only needed to go to point A and B once or twice. I could have saved my time, energy, and most importantly, money taking a taxi. Of course the next time it could cost me more taking a taxi instead of driving myself so I had to learn when and where to rent a car.
The first step in figuring out when to rent a car is to determine how much you will really need to drive. In most metropolitan areas there are well-established mass transit systems. In Washington D.C. there is a great metro system and in other cities there are extensive bus lines. Most cities that provide mass transit are prepared to cater to tourists or vacationers and will make maps available. Before going on your trip you can go online and familiarize yourself with the bus system or rail system.
If you aren't one for public transportation you can look into taxis or other car services (limos or sedans). Call around and find out what the usual prices are to get from your hotel to various locations. If you are going to a place far from your hotel you might find that taking a sedan service to and from might be cheaper than a taxi. For close, last minute, trips a taxi may be preferable and easier on your wallet.
Are you staying in a city that is known for tourism? If you are, call the hotel lobby and ask about transportation they offer. In places like Disney World most hotels boast shuttles to and from major attractions. Others will have shuttles going to local malls, shops, and restaurants. Many hotels are willing to cater to the wishes of their guests in order to get repeat business. If there is a fee involved it is usually much cheaper than a taxi or sedan service.
Naturally there are times to rent a car and you will usually be able to tell. If you are going back to your hometown for a visit and know that you are going to be doing a lot of traveling to various spots and friends house a car rental might be appropriate. Or in those cases where you know you're away around the town you are visiting and want the freedom to come and go as you chose then a car rental is ideal.
Regardless of where you are going and what you are planning there is one key thing to keep in mind. If you are renting a car remember you are going to be paying for it everyday whether you drive the car or not. With that in mind, only rent that car if you plan to do enough driving every day to justify the expense.
