Tips for Travelers Renting a Car
♦ Routes (free): Detailed travel itineraries in USA
Renting a car in the US has a major advantage: you receive a reliable, modern, and well-maintained car at a relatively cheap price compared to Europe. In the US, they also won't bother you as much as in Europe over every minor scratch on the vehicle. Do not forget car insurance with appropriate coverage. It is recommended to rent a car from a large and well-known company that has many branches and service stations everywhere throughout the US. In all these companies, you can rent a car via phone and the internet 24 hours a day.
Here is a list of recommended sites for car rental:
♦ Car rental from the reliable and convenient Booking site: Booking.com
Expedia
A good and reliable site for hotels, flights, and cars
Travelocity Order car, flights, and hotels
Auto Shay - Car Rental
Israeli car rental company - 10% discount for site users:
Navigation and Maps
Another source for maps and precise trip planning, which has essentially replaced paper maps, including driving times, distances, and much more information, is of course the recommended Google Maps. This site presents you with the best routes for driving between two destinations with a high level of detail, including consideration of traffic congestion.
And of course, the popular application Waze, which will find you the fastest route to your destination given the traffic load.
Please note: it must be taken into account that an internet connection is required for navigation and that there isn't always cellular reception. It is recommended to download the route maps to Waze and/or Google Maps at the start of the drive while there is reception or Wi-Fi, so that you can navigate if there is a cellular reception failure because there is satellite reception and the map of the entire route is saved as long as you haven't stopped the navigation. In Google Maps, you can also download in advance (when there is internet) the map of the entire area you will be driving in (takes up a lot of space on the phone) and use it even when there is no internet connection. Full explanation on the Google website.
Some of the large car rental companies rent out, for an additional fee, a satellite navigation device, GPS, to assist with navigation, usually built into the car's screen. The device must be ordered in advance!
Some roads are toll roads—usage fees are collected at special barriers at several points along the road. Prepare small change in advance. Over the years, the use of cash has decreased and billing is performed by electronic means similar to Highway 6 in Israel. Therefore, when renting a car, purchase a device or sticker used for this purpose.
In most US highways, there is a Carpool lane, which is a lane designated for cars containing more than a certain number of passengers, usually at least two passengers. The lane is marked throughout with "diamonds"—white rhombuses, and at every entrance to it, the minimum number of passengers in the vehicle allowed to drive in it is stated. Families should definitely take advantage of this lane, which saves driving time, especially in large and congested cities.
The road system in the US is very large and branched, but there is no need to worry; it is easy and convenient to navigate them. The roads are numbered and well-signposted. Before every intersection, large signs are placed indicating the upcoming exits from the highway or the name of the intersecting street.
Vehicle Type
For a family of 4-5 people, it is recommended to rent a car from the Full Size category and above. The car has 5 seats and a trunk sufficient for two medium suitcases and several bags. The price difference between this type of car and smaller cars is quite minimal and does not justify the crowding you would experience. In smaller cars, even if you can sit comfortably, you will have luggage problems. If you are willing to pay about 30-40% more, you will greatly enjoy renting a minivan. It has 7-8 seats and plenty of space for luggage. Children can sit comfortably in the two rear rows and even switch seats occasionally, and perhaps fight less among themselves.
A weekly rental rate for a car is cheaper than a daily rate. Usually, the cost of renting a car for 5 days is the same as the cost for an entire week. Most car rental companies require the renter to be at least 25 years old and have a valid credit card. If you do not meet these criteria, check from your home country what you need to do. A young person aged 21-25 can drive the vehicle for an additional insurance fee. Young people under 21 are not allowed to drive a rental car. If one of your adult children who likes to take the wheel joins your trip, prepare them in advance for the fact that they will have to refrain and won't be able to drive during the trip.
Usually, the price includes unlimited mileage, but it is important to verify this to avoid unpleasant surprises at the time of payment.
In most companies, there is an additional fee for returning the car at a different destination from where you picked it up. This fee is called a Drop Off Charge. Inquire whether it is already included in the price you paid from your home country or whether you will have to pay it when renting or returning the car.
The additional fee for renting a car between different destinations varies from company to company. Usually, the greater the distance between destinations, the larger the addition. Return fees between distant destinations can be high and reach $300 or even more.
For those traveling with small children: The age at which children must sit in a special safety seat varies from state to state. Check if your children must sit in a safety seat. If so, take into account an additional daily fee to the rental company for the use of the safety seat. If you are renting a car for a period of more than a week, it might be cheaper to buy a new seat than to pay for its rental.
When should you drive between destinations or fly?
Take into account that the US is a huge country! The distance on roads from New York to Los Angeles, for example, is about 4,500 km! Do not waste your trip days on exhausting drives. Plan the trip in one or two regions in the US and take a flight between them if they are very far apart. However, if the distance to the next destination is less than 6 hours of driving, it is better to drive and not fly. This is because flying also consumes a lot of time: driving to the field, returning the rental car, taking a shuttle to the field from the rental, arriving two hours before the flight, flight time, waiting for luggage, renting a new car, and driving to the hotel. All these take at least 5-6 hours.
Timing and Duration of the Drive
If your children (especially the young ones) fall asleep easily during a car drive, take advantage of the hours they are used to sleeping (noon, late evening hours) for a long drive. If you set out when they are fresh and have just woken up from sleep, you will lose a quiet and calm drive.
Try not to drive many hours in a row. Children get bored on the roads (no matter how beautiful they are) very quickly. it is not pleasant at all to hear constant complaints about boredom or: when will we arrive??? For cases where you are forced to take long drives anyway, here are some practical tips:
Equipment for the road:
Set out with a reasonable stock of food and drink so that you don't have to stop at every opportunity. It is recommended to stock up on snacks and fruit (not chocolates which will melt on the way). Bring drinks in small, unbreakable bottles. It is important to bring plastic bags for trash, wet wipes, napkins, and toilet paper. If you are traveling with small children, take a folding stroller with you in the trunk. It will be very useful on long walks or in huge amusement parks.
Take tablets with movies, songs, and games, papers, crayons, books, etc. into the car with you. Don't be upset if at the end of the drive your car looks like a trash can, the main thing is that you passed the drive quietly. For children who already know how to write, it is recommended to bring a notebook in which they will describe the experiences they went through.
Fuel:
At gas stations, you can refuel at Self Service or a gas station attendant can help you—Full Service. The difference in the rate is significant, so try to refuel yourself and save money. Fuel prices vary from station to station, from city to city, and of course, there are significant differences between states. There are several types of octane. Check in your car's manual which type you should fill. American cars have large engine displacements.
Differences in Traffic Laws:
Every state in the US has its own traffic laws, however, for the most part, the laws are quite similar. A site where you can find the traffic laws in the different states in the US.