Driving a rental car in the USA for the first time can be pretty daunting and even downright scary as you leave the airport on the wrong side of the road with each and every road looking like the M25 on a busy day. Here I can give you a few pointers from aspects that we struggled with the first time we arrived over 20 years ago. Continue reading
Driving a rental car from Miami to Orlando or vice versa, can be an essential part of your vacation if flights dictate it. If you are not in a rush, then you may want to seek an alternative, and more pleasurable break point to one of the various service plazas along the Turnpike. We landed at Miami International Airport, and collected our hire car from the airport the following morning, spending another day in Miami before heading up to Orlando for the rest of our vacation. Continue reading
Just twenty minutes from the Kissimmee area in Central Florida lies the West Orange Bike Trail, ideal for a half-day excursion into beautiful Florida, away from the theme parks and tourist bustle.
The West Orange Trail is currently over 20 miles long, but a much shorter ride can be had with the reward of lunch in the picturesque, historic town of Winter Garden. Continue reading
The manatee, or sea cow, was chosen as the state marine mammal of Florida by the 1975 legislature. Although the Flamingo, and its tacky plastic impersonators may be more commonly associated with the state, it is the large, slow, gentle manatee that steals most hearts and fascinates both residents and tourists alike. Continue reading
Mardi Gras is known as the greatest free show on earth and this year the parades and fun start on January 19 th, culminating in Mardi Gras on February 12 th. Mardi Gras means ‘Fat Tuesday’ in French and falls on the day before Ash Wednesday, or Shrove Tuesday as we know it. Whilst here in the UK we have our annual indulgence of pancakes and lemons/oranges or whatever your preferred topping is, in New Orleans they are enjoying Marching bands, parades and floats! Far from the boozy, lewd scenes in Bourbon Street often seen on news reports and on the internet of events after the parades, Mardi Gras is a family-friendly celebration that takes place all over New Orleans, outside of the French Quarter. Continue reading
San Francisco is the most popular Californian destination for our US car hire clients and its location in roughly the centre point of California could well be the reason. With its wealth of iconic views like the Golden Gate Bridge and attractions like Alcatraz, San Francisco is the logical place to start or end a US road trip in California and in this post I am going to look specifically at just one of these: the stunning California Academy of Sciences. Continue reading
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Rates for next summers car hire in Canada are now live on our system, with cars from National, Avis and Dollar covering all main tourist locations of Canada, such as Nova Scotia, Alberta and Quebec. The range of cars available to hire in Canada is not as extensive as the USA, with only one – Standard – SUV and no Premium category of car, or 8 seater people carriers available. Some National car hire locations also have additional charges not included within the packages:
Rentals Commencing in:
US car hire customers heading to California in winter often plan a trip into beautiful Yosemite Park. November to March is the stormy season and the park rules are particularly strict about preparedness.
The rules are slightly conflicting when driving a rental car. Such that you must have snow chains present in the vehicle to access parts of the park. But, you are not allowed to put snow chains on a rental vehicle! Chain requirements in the park – and the Sierra Nevada mountains – are very strict. Notices posted on the roads give an indication of the conditions ahead.
This article has been updated and can now be found here:
Here we look at the rental agreement signed when you arrive at the desk of the rental company. The pre-paid rental voucher we provide is not a rental agreement. The voucher is proof that you have pre-paid the costs of the hire of the car, plus insurances required by law to drive in the US or Canada. Continue reading