Posts Tagged ‘cheap car rental’
How to Make Your Thanksgiving Travel Less Stressful
Millions of Americans travel around the country during the Thanksgiving holiday time period. It seems like a tradition to watch the news with all of the airport delays, bad weather, and traffic jams that go along with Thanksgiving travel. Most travelers think of it as an inevitable chore for their Thanksgiving travel to be long and stressful. However, there are some strategic moves you can make to allow your Thanksgiving travel to be less stressful. Here are a few tips to follow:
Travel on off-peak days
If possible, try to travel on Tuesday night, Wednesday morning, or Thursday morning. The period between 3pm and 9pm on Wednesday evening is always the worst traffic and the worst time to be in an airport. When traveling back, try to leave on Saturday or Sunday morning. Sunday night and Monday morning are typically the busiest travel times to be coming back from your Thanksgiving travels.
Avoid Flying
If you aren’t traveling very far, driving might be a better solution than flying. The nightmares that we all hear about during the Thanksgiving holidays are the snow storms or the overcrowded airports that caused massive delays. If you don’t trust your car or you don’t own a car, consider renting a discount rental car from E-Z Rent-A-Car.
Service Your Car This Weekend
The last thing you want while driving to your Thanksgiving destination is to have your car break down. Get the oil changed, get a maintenance inspection, rotate the tires, fill them to the proper pressure levels, and make sure your fluids are full.
Take a train.
The train is often overlooked as a viable means of transportation, and while it might be impractical to take Amtrak from Florida to New York, it’s not impractical to take the train out of New York City to Boston or Connecticut. There are many other commuter type trains around the country that are cheap and easy to use and they will be less crowded than the roads and airports.
Tags: cheap car rental, discount car rental, traveling on Thanksgiving
Photo Stream Of Our United States Locations
Everyone loves pictures, and pictures say a thousand words. Here are photos of our main United States locations, not including affiliate locations.
Orlando, Florida
The appeal of Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, warm weather, and world-class hotel resorts make Orlando one of the top vacation destinations in the world!
Rent a hybrid rental car at MCO
Miami, Florida
Whether you’re having a night out on South Beach or visiting the many ecological attractions of Biscayne Bay, Miami, Florida has so much to offer. Don’t forget to get a Cuban sandwich or black beans and rice while you are there!
Rent a discount rental car from MIA
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Just up the coast from Miami is beautiful Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. If you are looking for an alternative airport to fly into other than MIA, Ft. Lauderdale is a great choice. Plus, the beaches are nicer and less populated.
Rent a cheap rental car from FLL
West Palm Beach, Florida
Historic Palm Beach, Florida is a great place to vacation. The Breakers is a world-class hotel and resort, and the Flagler museum is a great piece of South Florida history. Downtown West Palm Beach has all the shopping and night life that you can handle.
Rent a discount rental car from PBI
Tampa, Florida
If you’ve ever been to Tampa, you know they love their sports. No matter what time of year you are there, you’ll be able to catch either a football, hockey, or baseball game. Plus, Clearwater, Florida which is only about 20 miles west of Tampa, has some of the best beaches in Florida.
Rent a discount rental car from TPA
Atlanta, Georgia
Stroll along Peach Tree street in Downtown, visit the night life of Buck Head, or visit Stone Mountain just outside of Atlanta. Atlanta is the hub of the southeast for a reason. It’s a vibrant city with a lot of young professionals, and there’s always something going on to keep you busy.
Rent a cheap rental car at ATL
Denver, Colorado
Denver is a beautiful city, and if you love winter sports, Denver is the place to be! Denver is also a huge sports town if you’re thinking about catching a game.
Dallas, Texas
Eat a juicy steak or visit the new $1 billion dollar Dallas Cowboys stadium! You could also travel down to Austin to hear great live music or tour the University of Texas.
Reserve a discount rental car at DFW
Ketchikan, Alaska
Alaska is like one big postcard. If you are a nature buff, then Alaska is the place for you. Go for a hike, camping, dog sledding, or kayaking to take in the beautiful sites and wildlife of Alaska.
Reserves a discount rental car from KTN
Los Angeles, California
The City of Angels is a great destination for vacationing or business. Drive down Sunset Blvd. and maybe you’ll spot a celebrity! The Getty museum is a great place to bring the family. It’s free to the public!
Reserve a discount rental car from LAX
Tags: atlanta airport car rental, cheap car rental, denver airport rental car, discount car rental, florida cheap rental car, Ft. Lauderdale airport car rental, LAX discount car rental, MCO discount car rental, Miami airport car rental, Orlando Discount Car Rental, PBI car rental, TPA airport car rental
Car Rental Fees And How To Avoid Them
Every company has fees associated with doing business, and they can be quite annoying for the customer. These fees serve a purpose, mainly to allow companies to re-coup the cost they incur when a customer does something that costs the company money. Whether a company should charge a fee for this or that is a different debate, but for now, let’s focus on how to avoid fees in the car rental industry.
Be prepared for paying tolls and knowing their location
Some cities such as New York, Chicago, and Orlando have toll roads, especially near airports where tourists will be driving. Many car rental companies are charging fees for toll violations by the customer, because they are also charged a fee when they are issued a toll violation. Before you pick up a car, check Google Maps to see if your route will be taking you on any toll roads. If so, keep a healthy amount of loose change and single dollar bills in your wallet or purse to pay for the tolls. If you happen to run a toll by accident, make sure you immediately call the rental car company. They can supply you with the number you can call to pay the toll before it is sent to the rental car company as a toll violation.
Always fill the gas tank back to the level it was before you rented it
It costs rental car companies extra time and money to be filling the car up with gas, and they will often charge to fill up gas at a rate double the normal gas price. My advice is to pre-pay for filling up the gas tank. When you rent the car, you can offer to pre-pay for gas at a discount rate. Then, you don’t need to spend the time filling up the tank before you drop it off.
Avoid one-way rentals
If possible, try to pick up your discount rental car at the same location you drop it off. It is always more expensive to rent a car as a one-way rental, and you should avoid it, if possible.
Don’t Be Late!
Time is money for rental car companies, and they will sometimes charge a late fee or an extra day of rental if you don’t drop the car off within a certain time period that you said you would. Rental car companies have hundreds of customers coming to get cars at all hours of the day, so if you’re late, they’re losing money.
We understand that this article is coming from the perspective of a rental car company that does charge fees as part of a contract agreement that you agree to, but to maximize your experience as our loyal customer, we want to help you avoid extra fees as much as possible!
Tags: cheap car rental, discount car rental, rental car fees, save money on car rental, saving money on travel
Kid Friendly Attractions In Miami, Florida
Are you planning a trip to the beautiful beaches of Miami, Florida and taking the kids with you? Miami is known for its night life, great beach scene and cultural atmosphere, and many people refer to it as the Los Angeles of the East Coast. But, if you are traveling with children to Miami, you will be pleased to learn that there are many activities to pursue that are geared towards kids.
First, as always, it is important to properly prepare for your trip, and one of the first things to accomplish is to secure your car rental in Miami so that you are able to visit these wonderful attractions. Here are some kid-friendly attractions:
With all these great attractions to visit, grab the best deal you can on your Miami car rental through E-Z Rent-A-Car. One of the best ways to ensure you get the lowest pricing is to sign up for our rental car magic, E-Z Money Club.
Tags: cheap car rental, discount car rental, MIA car rental, Miami airport car rental, Travel, visit south beath miami florida
Take A Vacation To Denver, Colorado
photo credit: LipBomb
Denver is one of the fastest growing tourism hot spots in the United States. With great ski slopes, sunny weather, a thriving economy, and so many other activities to keep you busy, there’s no wonder why Denver, Colorado is the place to be. From anywhere in the city, you’ll have a panoramic view of the snow-capped Rocky Mountains. The summer is the perfect time to visit, because the temperature is in the 70s, and there is plenty of sun to accommodate doing activities outdoors.
Once you pick up your discount car rental in Denver, head on over to Denver’s world class art, natural science, and history museums. Catch a baseball game at Coors Field or check out the beautiful Denver botanical gardens. Do you want to travel green? Denver has many green hotels with high green score ratings.
The nightlife scene is just as active as the natural wonders that make this city so unique. The local bars and clubs are rich in history and some can be recognized by a younger audience who watched MTV’s Real World Denver. The top partying spots include The Shelter, Bull and Bush Pub and Brewery, Pint’s Pub, The Church, Rise Night Club and Gabors.
If a skiing or snowboarding trip this winter is what you seek, Denver delivers in a big way. Keystone, Copper Head, Breckenridge, Winter Park, Vail, Loveland and Arapahoe Basin are all within reasonable driving distance. All of these resorts are considered among the best in the country, but we suggest that you research which slopes will be best for your skill level.
Renting a car is recommended in Denver, because going just outside the city to experience their outdoor activities is the only way to truly get the most out of your stay in Colorado. You can look for coupons for your Denver car rental right on our website. We have a location at the Denver International Airport to serve your car rental needs.
Tags: cheap car rental, denver airport rental car, discount car rental
Top 5 Hidden Gems of Central Florida
It’s no surprise that the first thing to come to your mind when you hear the word, “Orlando”, is Disney World. After all, if Walt Disney hadn’t decided to buy thousands of acres decades ago to build his magical empire, Orlando may not be what it is today. However, talk to the locals of Orlando, and you will quickly find out that there is much more to do in Central Florida than just Disney and Universal Studios. If you are flying into the Orlando airport and getting a discount rental car for the week, read on to learn about some of Central Florida’s hidden gems.
Mt. Dora, Florida
Mt. Dora is a quaint little town just 25 miles northwest of Orlando that makes you wonder if you are even in Florida anymore. Mt. Dora is widely known for its wonderful bed & breakfast inns, antique shops, and parks. Visit the Lakeside Inn to experience the 19th century feel of Mt. Dora. It is a bed & breakfast that was built in 1883, just three years after the town was established! If you are in Orlando in February, one of the best months to visit Central Florida, be sure to check out the Mt. Dora Arts Festival which attracts hundreds of artists from around the country.
Deleon Springs State Park
Deleon Springs is located just west of Deland, Florida which is just off of I-4 north of Orlando. This state park has a bubbling natural spring as its centerpiece of the park where you can swim in a cool 72 degree pool of water year round. They also have great hiking trails and picnicking areas for the family. My favorite part of this park is the Old Spanish Mill restaurant. This unique restaurant has griddles right on the table, and you cook your own customized pancakes right on the table! It’s delicious, and you must visit it if you come to this park.
Park Avenue in Winter Park, Florida
Like to shop? Then, this is the place for you. Nestled between busy downtown Orlando and the suburb of Maitland is Winter Park, Florida, one of the most popular communities in Orlando. Park Avenue is a hip and trendy street lined with shopping boutiques, tasty restaurants, and charming small businesses. For a moment, you’ll think that you are in a neighborhood near Manhattan. Park Avenue also has a great park, and the entire area is dog friendly. Every saturday from 8am to 1pm, Park Avenue hosts the Winter Park Farmer’s market home to a great selection of plants, flowers, fruits and vegetables. It’s also a great place for picking up a light breakfast.
NASA Kennedy Space Center
There’s nothing hidden about the Kennedy Space Center, but it is often overlooked as a tourist attraction when visitors come to Central Florida. From the airport, the KSC is only about a 45 minutes drive to the east coast. Kennedy space center offers several different tours of their grounds, and their location is picturesque in itself. You’ll love learning about the rich history of NASA, see the space shuttle up close, and maybe even meet an astronaut! Astronauts and rockets, what more could a kid ask for?
Downtown Attractions
Just north of downtown you will find a beautiful botanical garden called the Leu Gardens. Also, there is a great science museum just off of I-4, on the Princeton St. exit. These are both great places to take kids, and the price of admission is reasonable.
So, if you are in the mood for something a little more than Mickey Mouse and roller coasters, check out these attractions near Orlando, Florida.
Tags: cheap car rental, discount car rental, Kennedy Space Center, Orlando Discount Car Rental, visit Mt. Dora attractions, visiting deleon springs florida
Motor Trend Video Review Of 2010 Honda Insight Hybrid
As of June 8th, 2009, our Orlando, Florida location started offering a brand-new fleet of 2010 Honda Insight hybrids. I recently wrote an article about the advantages of renting a hybrid car for your next vacation or business trip. In that article we tried to outline the best features of the Honda Insight, but this video from Motor Trend does a great job at highlighting all of the green features of the car. Check it out:
For all of the extreme green travelers, you can squeeze out about 65 miles per gallon on the Honda Insight, but driving without air conditioning and the windows rolled up would be tough in the summer! The test driver then drove the car without any regard to fuel efficiency, and the car used about 28 miles per gallon. If you calculate the average of these two driving methods, expect gas mileage of about 44 to 48 miles per gallon. I also liked how the video shows you the green features such as Econ Mode and the green bar that lights up if you are driving in a green manner.
We are really excited about the new Honda Insight hybrids, so give it some consideration the next time you are renting a car at the Orlando International Airport.
Tags: cheap car rental, discount car rental, honda insight car rental, hybrid rental car, Orlando Discount Car Rental
7 Tips For Renting A Car With A Debit Card
photo credit: Ciaran McGuiggan
Financial institutions have begun to tighten up their guidelines for approving credit card applications, because they are losing money from defaulted mortgage loans and the inability of existing customers to pay credit card payments. In addition to it being harder for people to be accepte for new credit cards, credit card issuers are also raising interest rates, removing rewards programs, and reinstating dreaded annual fees. This is causing some consumers to get rid of their credit cards or just stop using them for now. Debit card transactions are becoming increasingly more popular for flight, hotel, and now rental car purchases.
Rental car companies were one of the last in the travel industry to start accepting debit cards for rental car purchases, because of their interest in the rental cars they are handing out. But, now many companies are accepting debit cards with a few restrictions. Here are a few tips to help you make your rental car purchase with a debit card as smooth as possible:
- Do Your Research. Every rental car company has their own debit card policy, and some policies differ based on different franchises within a particular brand. Call different companies or search their websites for their debit card policies. Find a discount car rental company that suits your needs.
- Keep plenty of money in your checking account. Most rental car companies that accept debit cards will charge the full amount of the rental car booking plus an additional deposit between $100 to $500 at the time you pick up the car. When you return the car, they refund the deposit, but it could take up to 10 business days for that deposit to credit back to your account.
- Use Visa or Mastercard. Almost all debit cards either have a Visa or Mastercard logo on them, but make sure you use a debit card from a major banking institution or credit union.
- Be prepared for a credit check. Some rental car companies will run a quick credit check to make sure you aren’t a complete delinquent when it comes to handling money.
- Be over 25 years old.
- Don’t try to rent a luxury car or SUV with a debit card.
- Keep full collision and liability coverage on your car insurance. Many companies will require that you prove sufficient car insurance coverage in case of an accident. They may also have you verify that car rentals are covered under your auto insurance policy.
E-Z Rent-A-Car is dedicated to great customer service and making your rental car experience as easy and enjoyable as possible. We allow debit card purchases for our rental cars. Our debit card policies differ depending on the location. As an example, here is the link to our debit card policy for renting a car at the Orlando International Airport.
Tags: cheap car rental, credit card policy, Rental Car, rental car company accepts debit cards
Top Five Summer Road Trips Around The Country
Flying is fun and much quicker than driving, but you never get to experience all of the other sights along the way to your destination. My family drove the majority of the time when we went on vacation. I never understood why we had to make an 18 hour drive when we could fly and get there in less than three hours. But now when I look back on those trips, we had a lot of great memories sleeping in hotels, playing games in the car, and passing through cities that we would never visit on a normal basis. Are you itching to go on a road trip this summer with your friends or family? Here are a few road trips we think you should consider!
Pacific Coast Highway – L.A. to San Francisco
photo credit: fogonthedowns
Make the trip from Los Angeles to San Francisco driving Highway 1 (Pacific Coast Highway) for the entire route. You can fly into LAX and pick up a cheap rental car from our convenient Los Angeles Airport location, then hit the road up the coast. Stop in and visit ritzy Santa Barbara, surfer-laden Santa Cruz, and take a look at the mansions near the Pebble Beach golf courses. Watch the surfers try to catch a wave at Steamers Lane, and grab great Mexican food from a local restaurant along the way!
A1A – West Palm Beach to Miami
Fly into the West Palm Beach Airport and pick up a discount car rental from our friendly staff, then drive down A1A (also known as Ocean Blvd), until you get to Miami, where you can fly out of Miami International Airport and drop off your rental car. Along the way, be sure to check out the Breakers Hotel on Palm Beach Island, the Las Olas outdoor shopping area in Ft. Lauderdale, and of course, the restaurants and clubs in South Beach.
I-90/94 – Fargo to Spokane
photo credit: cgaukel
My mother and her brother made this trip a few years back, and my mother never realized how beautiful North Dakota and Montana could be. This route will take you a while and it has long stretches of desolate land. Make sure you gas up whenever possible. The best part of this route is that you are only a small detour away from visiting two of the most beautiful national parks in the United States: Yellowstone and Glacier National Park. This is a great drive to make during the summer, because the weather will be great.
I-95 – Boston To New York City
My wife and I are doing this trip in December. It won’t be the most ideal time to do it, but she has a conference to go to in Boston during that time. Visiting Boston and New York speak for themselves, but along the way you’ll pass Martha’s Vineyard, Newport, Rhode Island, and New Haven, Connecticut. Do you love the Cape Cod lifestyle? Then this trip is for you.
I-15: Las Vegas to Salt Lake City
Pick up your cheap rental car from our affiliate at the Las Vegas Airport, do a little gambling, hit up a show, and head on up to Salt Lake City! Utah is a beautiful state with a lot of great mountains, and it’s famous for world class ski resorts. You can get nature and the excitement of Las Vegas all in one trip.
There are dozens of other great stretches of highway in the United States, and we want to hear your suggestions for great road trips. Make a comment below with your suggestions!
Tags: cheap car rental, discount car rental, LAX discount car rental, Los Angeles airport car rental, MIA car rental, Miami airport car rental, PBI car rental, Rental Car, Travel, West Palm Beach airport car rental
Advantages of Renting A Hybrid Car
photo credit: Fristle
When gas prices reached an a high last August at more than $4.00 a gallon, the hybrid car became the center of attention for Americans searching for fuel efficiency. Oil has become a scarce commodity, and the United States is now realizing that we must make every effort to conserve energy and fuel. Here at E-Z Rent-A-Car, we responded to the desire from our customers to offer green, hybrid car rentals. As of June 8th, the Orlando, Florida locations will carry a fleet of new 2010 Honda Insight hybrids. We are very excited about this new fleet of hybrids, and we believe that it will benefit our customers and the environment. Why should you rent a hybrid from E-Z Rent-A-Car? Here are a few reasons:
Save Money On Your Vacation or Business Trip.
The Honda Insight averages 40 mpg in the city and 43 mpg on the highway. You will spend less time filling up your gas tank and spend more time on your vacation or doing business. The average mid-size rental car will offer about 20 to 25 miles per gallon, so you are automatically saving money at the pump with the Honda Insight. Gas prices hit a low in December and January at $1.50 per gallon, but since March, they have risen back to between $2.50 and $2.75 per gallon. Given the price track record of oil, we can expect to see gas prices continue to rise throughout the summer.
Helping The Environment.
The Honda Insight is a hybrid, so it combines gasoline and the charge of the battery to power the vehicle. The result is less carbon emissions and better fuel efficiency. By renting a hybrid for your next vacation or business trip, you are contributing to reducing our carbon emissions on the environment. The Honda Insight has a built-in feature called “Eco Assist”, which helps you drive in a more environmentally friendly manner.
Increasing Demand For Hybrid Car Rentals.
Consumers drive our economy, and if rental car companies see an increase in the demand for hybrid rental cars, more companies will offer hybrids as a rental car option. When the demand for hybrid car rentals goes up, the price to rent them will eventually go down. Your desire to rent a hybrid car will directly affect the car rental industry and the products and prices they offer for hybrid car rentals.
Features of the 2010 Honda Insight
- Fuel Efficiency: 40 mpg in the city / 43 mpg on the highway.
- Engine Type: 4 cylinder, 1.3 liter i-VTEC
- Safety Features: Front and side airbags, ABS brake system, and traction control system.
- Econ Mode: At the touch of a button, you can control the way your Insight’s transmission and engine operate. When Econ Mode is disabled, the Insight boasts a little better performance, when activated, it runs more efficiently by sacrificing a bit of performance.
- Econ Assist: The Insight comes with built-in feedback features that assist you in driving more environmentally friendly. When the lights on the speedometer are blue, you are driving the car hard, when they are green, you are driving it for optimal fuel efficiency. The Insight even awards you with green leaves for consistent, efficient driving.
E-Z Rent-A-Car is committed to being good stewards of our planet and offering you discount car rentals with great customer service. We believe that offering you a hybrid car rental option will improve your experience as a customer with us.
Make a reservation today for a hybrid car rental in Orlando, Florida.
Tags: cheap car rental, discount car rental, environment friendly rental cars, green rental car, hybrid rental car, Orlando Discount Car Rental