As with so many other travel buys, like the best hotel booking sites and the best airfare booking sites, to find the very best car rental deals you’ll need to cast a wide net. Still, some places tend to do better than others, at least some of the time.

The Best Car Rental Booking Sites in the U.S. and Europe

Here’s a quick roundup of the candidates for best car rental booking sites, based on detailed car searches in both the U.S. and Europe. (Find more details below on the perks and downfalls of each.)

• AutoRentals.com
• Hotwire
• Rentalcars.com
• Priceline
• Expedia
• Low-cost car rental booking sites Alamo, Payless, and Thrifty
• Sixt Car Rentals
• AARP’s discount with Avis, Budget, and Payless
• Auto Europe
• Rentcars.com
• Kayak
• CarRentals.com
• Autoslash

I tested base rental car rates by searching only for economy or compact cars, for a rental period of one week, and only for picking up and returning the car at the primary airports for a number of city destinations in both the U.S. and Europe. All quoted rates (except for opaque rates that hide car specifics until after you purchase their lower-priced deal) are fully cancellable, although some require an advance payment with the option of a refund given upon cancellation. Some vendors offer lower non-refundable rates. All rates include air-conditioning and all U.S. rates include automatic transmission; European rates are for manual since automatic comes at a premium there.

For the most part, the search-and-buy sequence is roughly the same for all car rental booking sites. No one rose out of the mix as especially easy or dropped as especially difficult. Therefore, my comparisons are based almost entirely on my ability to locate the best deals.

AutoRentals.com

Overall, AutoRentals.com is an excellent place to start a search. It’s a metasearch system that displays a matrix of prices for up to 25 model options available through more than two dozen different sources, including a mix of other metasearch car rental booking sites, online travel agencies, and rental company home pages.

Price displays include both the posted daily rate and the all-up cost of the requested rental. The display also indicates which rental locations, if any, are off-airport—which is important. This matrix feature is especially helpful in comparing options quickly.

Pros: Coverage of major cities is worldwide. Once you select an option to check, AutoRentals links you through to the vendor’s web pages to make your booking, and it includes many rental companies and search systems you’ve probably never heard about, let alone would find on your own.

Cons: Some of the “best deals” reported are not actually the true total price; they exclude some taxes and fees. And some are not fully cancellable—they’re either nonrefundable or entail a cancellation fee. This information is not disclosed until well into the booking process, and even then you have to dig for it.

Hotwire

Car rentals on Hotwire offered some of the lowest rates by way of “opaque” rates in most of my U.S. tests. Opaque means that you don’t find out about the rental company until after you pay the nonrefundable price. Given the sameness of cars, however, you risk very little disappointment with an opaque rate. The option to filter by “free cancellation” also gives peace of mind when booking. 

Pros: Hotwire’s leadership in low rates is confirmed by the AutoRentals matrix, where it shows up as the best buy on a regular basis.

Cons: I did not find as many opaque rates for Europe on Hotwire.

Rentalcars.com

Rentalcars.com consistently yielded good prices for my searches, though it didn’t always win every test. The site covers rentals in 163 countries worldwide, with more than 55,000 pick-up spots to choose from. Offering an “I’m flexible” option in the travel dates field gives customers who don’t yet know when they’d like to travel the ability to peruse rental deals within a wider date range, although this functionality may be less important to a car rental search than a search for flights or hotels. 

Pros: As with AutoRentals.com, Rentalcars.com is a metasearch system that makes it easy to compare offers. In some cases it offers opaque rates for lower prices if you don’t mind not knowing the exact car type.

Cons: Because some of the booking sites Rentalcars.com works with may be unfamiliar to you, the site shows user ratings for each so you can decide whether you’re comfortable booking. Unfortunately, some of them don’t have particularly high ratings (in one search, many of the results on page one were from providers rated just 5.9 out of 10).

Priceline

Like Hotwire, Priceline car rentals list opaque rates as the lowest options in many U.S. cities. Although Hotwire posted lower ones more often, Priceline was a winner in some cases. So if you’re looking for the lowest, you have to try both. The search results page has a summary of the best deals across the top for easy browsing. Customers can sort the page by recommended, lowest total price, or car type and refine results with a robust selection of filters from fuel type to cancellation policy.

Pros: The chance of it having the true lowest price. If you already use this site for hotels or airfare, it’s also easy to add on a car (as with the other big search engine booking sites).

Cons: I didn’t find any opaque rates for Europe in my Priceline searches.

Expedia

Expedia consistently offered or matched the lowest or near-lowest rates as frequently as Priceline and Rentalcars.com did. Plus the option to bundle with your airfare or hotel is easy and could save you money (as with other price comparison engines), if you already use Expedia for those, as many do. Like Priceline, Expedia’s search filters are extensive. Toggle on the “great deal” feature to see the lowest priced car currently on offer in each category.

Pros: In almost all cases, rates were the same as through the rental company’s own system. And if you already use this site for hotels or airfare, it’s easy to add on a car.

Cons: Expedia doesn’t seem to offer opaque rates, which is only truly a con if you’re looking for them.

Low-Cost Car Rental Booking Sites

In general, prices directly from low-end renters such as Alamo, Payless, and Thrifty were always less expensive than the top-name rental companies, usually with a difference of $100 or more per week. If you’re just looking for the cheapest car rental website, these are the sites for you.

Pros: The obvious benefit is you’re paying a lot less. But…

Cons: The trade-off is that the low-end outfits and third-party agencies generally don’t include the bells and whistles that top-end company loyalty programs provide. I also sometimes found lower rates on metasearch sites such as AutoRentals.com or Rentalcars.com than I did when booking directly through the low-cost car rental booking sites.

Alamo

Alamo has over 1,000 locations in 92 countries. Although owned by Enterprise, there’s not much resemblance between their initial search pages. If searching by city, Alamo will direct customers to an interactive map that allows them to see all nearby Alamo locations. If customers search for a specific Alamo location, the site brings them directly to the vehicle selection page. My search surfaced a “fits your search” option for an economy vehicle, but also a “recommended for you” option for a midsize SUV that didn’t completely match my search criteria.

Alamo offers a Pay Now and a Pay Later option. Pay Now is typically the cheaper option (about $15 cheaper in a search for Boston economy car rentals) but it comes with a stricter cancellation policy. If you cancel more than 24 hours in advance, you incur a $50 fee—any cancellation with less than 24 hours’ notice will cost you $100. Coupons are also only valid on Pay Later rentals.

Pros: Having the most locations in the most countries of the budget booking set means you’ll be able to find deals at more destinations.

Cons: The free cancellation and coupon policy incentivizes customers to pay the more expensive Pay Now rates.

Payless

Owned by Avis Budget Group, Payless rental cars has 120 locations in 35 countries including the United States. Although laid out similarly to other booking sites, it offers bare-bones filtering options. There’s no option on the initial search page to filter by what type of car you want, and no further filtering options on the search results page.

Payless also offers Pay Now and Pay Later rates, showing higher savings than Alamo—a difference of $38 dollars on an economy car rental. However, the cancellation policy for Pay Now is once again stricter, with customers forfeiting the entire prepaid amount if they cancel their reservation within 48 hours of intended pickup.

Pro: Payless Perks Club members get discounted car rental rates and access to exclusive promotions.

Cons: Lack of filter options makes it difficult to refine search results.

Thrifty

Operating over 1,000 locations in 77 countries, Thrifty is another top budget car rental option. Similarly to Payless, Thrifty offers a member discount if you sign up for an account. Their Blue Chip rewards program comes with perks in addition to discounts, including an additional authorized driver and quicker reservations. 

The search results page shows the daily rate and estimated trip total, where Payless and Alamo only show trip totals. Like some of the major rental dealerships listed above, Thrifty offers opaque rates. Their “Managers Special” rate offers a rental of a “wildcard or similar” at a promised discount price. Opaque rates on electric vehicles are specially flagged.

Pro: Opaque rates can save you even more on top of Thrifty’s already budget prices.

Cons: The opaque rates surfaced in my search were not that much cheaper than the regular deals, and only came up during domestic car rental searches.

Sixt Rent a Car

For European cities, the Sixt booking site is proof that higher-end companies occasionally offer specials better than any other source. At the time of my search, the German company was running a “special” found to be the cheapest option in some cases, but didn’t specify the rental company. Sixt also offers car rental deals in the US, with locations at dozens of major airports across the country.

Pros: Another strong chance of finding the lowest price.

Cons: The grid layout and dropdown details panels on the search results page is not as easy to navigate as the results pages on other sites on the list.

AARP Partners

If you qualify for them, AARP’s car rental partnership with the Avis Group (Avis, Budget, and Payless) promises discounts up to 35 percent as well as a 3% credit toward your next car rental, and in some cases I did find prices lower than those I’d seen anywhere else. The age requirement to join and access these benefits is lower than one may think—anyone over 18 years old can become an AARP member and take advantage of the savings. 

Pros: AARP rates could end up saving you money over all your other options.

Cons: Even with a “discount,” you might not be getting the lowest rate, so you still have to shop around.

Auto Europe

In Europe, Auto Europe generally matched all other sources, including self-described “discounters,” for offering the lowest rates. Think of it as the AutoRentals.com or Rentalcars.com of Europe. Their grid-style search results page makes it easy to compare prices from different rental companies at a glance, highlighting the cheapest deals in each category. However, there’s no option to scroll through all the search results together in one page. 

Pros: I’ve used Auto Europe in the past, and found its customer support to be outstanding. It can also help with difficult rentals, such as finding a rental agency in Ireland that accepts drivers over age 70. It’s a good place to start any European rental search.

Cons: As you’d expect from its name, Auto Europe is best for bookings in Europe. This car rental booking site does offer rentals in the U.S. and elsewhere, but usually won’t get you the best price for them.

Rentcars.com

Rentcars.com is another metasearch system that raises similar results to those search engines that were included in my original tests. Like the others, it manages to dig out some good deals. Like Hotwire, a summary of the best deals in each category is easily accessible at the top of the results page. Customers can also open the interactive map to see all Rentcars.com locations in a given area, making it easy to confirm you’re picking up and returning your rental at the most convenient location. 

Pros: It scans more than 300 rental car companies and confines the search display to the most useful prices.

Cons: As with many other sites, the best prices it finds are sometimes pay-in-advance, including full or partial non-refundability, meaning you need to know ahead of time that your plans are concrete unless you want to lose prepayments.

Kayak

Kayak is best known for airfare metasearch, but it offers a good product for car rentals as well. It searches numerous car rental agencies and booking sites and came up with some of the best prices in my tests. It includes opaque options advertising a “surprise agency” if you’re willing to take a risk.

Pros: The site has lots of handy filters, including “pay now” and “pay at counter” as well as an option to show only hybrid vehicles.

Cons: Kayak works with a wide variety of booking sites, which means you’ll sometimes be pointed to companies you’re not familiar with. Search for reviews before booking with vendors you haven’t used before.

CarRentals.com

CarRentals.com is owned by Expedia, but it didn’t show the exact same results as its parent company in the tests I ran, so it’s worth checking both. (Neither one came out consistently ahead of the other.) However, the search results page is formatted similarly to Expedia’s, with the same extensive set of filters and option to sort by lowest deals on the website. 

Pros: The site has some interesting filter options, including customer rating and the option for online check-in.

Cons: Making a booking through this site automatically signs you up for emails about “special offers,” with no way to opt out until the first email arrives.

Autoslash

Autoslash is a one-stop shopping site for discounts. When filling out your dates, you also check off any rewards programs or memberships you have, and let Autoslash do the searching for you. Within minutes, you will get an email with a link taking you to your best rate.The initial search is broken down into steps, taking customers through a flow of screens asking about their pick-up and drop-off dates, car preferences, frequent flier memberships, credit cards, and more. Unfortunately there is no way to select multiple preferences for your vehicle at the same time (for example, searching for deals on economy and compact cars), so if you want to compare deals across specific categories you will have to run separate searches.

Pros: Ability to search all rewards programs and membership discounts at once. If you’ve already booked through another site, you can enter your confirmation number, and they will let you know if there is a better deal available.

Cons: You may have to pay in advance for the best deal, and you may have to book with a lesser-known car rental company.

The Car Rental Booking Site Gotchas to Avoid

No matter where you rent, you have to check out the terms and conditions of any rental before you make your final purchase. Among them:

• Great-looking deals that are nonrefundable or entail a stiff cancellation penalty.
• Cancellable deals that require upfront payment rather than payment at the end of a rental.
• Best deals that apply to tiny “economy” or “mini” cars that are not practical for anything other than running errands around town.
• Occasional deals with a mileage cap instead of the unlimited mileage you normally expect.
• Supposedly all-up prices that exclude some local taxes and fees.

How old do I have to be to rent a car?

In the United States, you must be at least 21 years old to rent a car in most states. However, many spots in Europe allow car rentals starting at age 18. If renting in Europe, check the policies of your specific car rental service. 

Renting a Car if You Are Under 25 Years Old

Drivers under 25 years old are typically charged an extra daily surcharge and potentially subject to restrictions on what types of cars they can rent. The fees vary by car rental site and can be waived in certain scenarios—for example, AAA member under 25 years old renting with Hertz can have their young renter fee waived.

Rental Car Insurance

Purchasing a Collision Damage (or Loss Damage) Waiver from your rental car provider is the one way to guarantee you won’t be held liable for any damages incurred during your rental period, but it can be expensive. Alternatives include sourcing your own insurance from your credit card or a third-party provider, but gaps in this coverage could leave you in trouble. Read our comprehensive guide on car rental insurance to learn what type of coverage is right for your situation.

Always document existing damage when first picking up your rental car. Fill out a damage from if provided by the company and take photos and video of any notable damage. 

Book a Stay With SmarterTravel Hotels

Now that you’ve found the perfect rental car, you’ll need to find the perfect place to stay. Search SmarterTravel Hotels for great deals wherever your drive takes you.

Book Now

Consumer advocate Ed Perkins has been writing about travel for more than three decades. The founding editor of the Consumer Reports Travel Letter, he continues to inform travelers and fight consumer abuse every day at SmarterTravel. Carol McPherson contributed to this story.

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in 2019. It has been updated to reflect the most current information. Sarah Schlichter contributed to this story. Some of the links featured in this story are affiliate links, and SmarterTravel may collect a commission (at no cost to you) if you shop through them. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

The post The 16 Best Car Rental Booking Sites for 2024 appeared first on SmarterTravel.

“I’m interested in finding a complete bumper-to-bumper, ‘drop off the keys at the counter’ car rental coverage when I travel. I recently thought I had complete coverage though a credit card, but when my car suffered a small dent, the car rental company flat-out refused to document that it actually lost income from having the car rental in the shop (which took three weeks to repair a small dent). I was left with responsibility.”

This experience is uncommon, but not unique. Car rental companies desperately want you to buy their collision damage waiver, or CDW (sometimes also known as loss damage waiver, or LDW), and will go to great lengths to make you pay for even the smallest damages if you don’t. Here’s what you need to know before you shell out for car rental insurance on your next vacation.

Car Rental Insurance: What You Need to Know

The One Way to ‘Drop the Keys and Forget It’

When you buy a CDW, the rental company surrenders its rights to charge you for damage to a car rental—with a few exceptions, such as tire damage or gross negligence. (CDW terms and conditions vary by car rental company, so you’ll want to read them carefully before committing.) But otherwise, no matter how banged up the car could be, you’re off the hook: Just turn it in and be on your way. No other approach—your own insurance, your credit card, or a third-party policy—is as comprehensive or convenient. If you want that full flexibility and peace of mind, pay for CDW.

CDW Insurance Is Ridiculously Overpriced

Typically, a CDW starts at around $30 per day and can go higher. The actuarial cost to the rental company—the amount it would allocate toward a damage pool based on risk experience—is probably just a few dollars a day; the rest is theirs to keep. No wonder the agents push it so hard: It’s clearly a lot more profitable than the car rental alone.

You’ll Pay Up Front for All Damage

You can cover your major damage responsibility by relying on your own insurance, a credit card with insurance, or a third-party policy. But in all of those cases you have to pay a damage claim up front, then recover as much as you can (all of it, you hope) by filing a claim afterward. That means signing a credit card bill for hundreds or even thousands of dollars when you return the damaged car, and not knowing if you’ll get that money back.

That’s why some rental companies won’t accept rentals via debit card, or a credit card with a small limit. If you can pay the initial rental fee with a debit card, you may still need to provide a credit card to cover a possible damage claim, which would be filed before you can leave the return counter.

‘Damage’ Is More than Fixing a Dent

If you don’t buy CDW, rental companies can charge for more than just fixing the damage. They may also charge for:

• “Loss of use,” meaning the potential revenue lost while the car is out of service being fixed, even if the company had lots of other cars available. And they generally figure that daily loss at the full retail rate.
• Towing charges, if you are unable to drive the car back to the return station.
• “Diminished value,” or the potential loss of the car’s resale value (because of your damage) when the rental company disposes of it, usually within two years.
• Administrative fees associated with the claims process.

Most non-CDW car rental insurance will cover those extras. But, in some cases, coverage depends on cooperation from the rental company—and it may not be forthcoming, as our reader’s above wasn’t.

You Need General Liability Protection

You should never get behind the wheel of a car—or lawnmower, for that matter—without liability protection. But you don’t buy that from a car rental company: It usually comes with household, homeowner, or tenant insurance, and it covers far more than a car rental. And if your net worth is in six figures, you probably need an “umbrella” liability policy that covers a million dollars or more.

Car rental companies in most countries are required by law to include liability insurance. In the U.S., required coverage can be ludicrously small (usually only the minimum required by the state)—it’s usually much better in Europe. If you don’t have substantial liability insurance, you might consider buying the rental company’s offering. Still, your best bet is to make sure you’re covered 24/7 with your own insurance so you can forget about the rental company’s overpriced insurance.

Alternatives to Rental Company Collision Damage Waivers

Alternative #1: Pay with Your Existing Car Insurance

In many cases, if your regular auto insurance covers collision damage to your insured car, it also covers damage to a short-term rental. But this coverage is generally limited to driving in the U.S. and maybe Canada, and won’t cover car rentals in Mexico, Europe, or anywhere else. So, before you plan on using your own insurance, check its coverage. If it does cover rentals, you can place a claim on it. Still, you must typically pay your policy’s deductible, and any claims may cause your rates to go up.

Alternative #2: Use Credit Card Benefits

These days, most credit cards provide “free” collision coverage for car rentals, provided you use the card to secure the rental. A sample credit card benefits statement describes coverage as:

“Physical damage and/or theft of the covered rental vehicle. Valid loss-of-use charges assessed by the rental company while the damaged vehicle is being repaired and is not available for use, as substantiated in the company’s fleet utilization log. Reasonable and customary towing charges related to a covered loss to take the vehicle to the nearest qualified repair facility.”

Note that this typical Visa card’s benefits do not cover diminished value or administrative costs. A few premium credit cards offer primary collision coverage, meaning the card takes full responsibility for the payment. But coverage on most cards is secondary, meaning the card picks up only what you can’t first recover from your own insurance. And you still have to pay the rental company up front, then file for reimbursement from your card issuer.

Another gotcha in the above fine print: This card (and many others) pays for loss of use only if verified by the rental company’s log. Unfortunately, some rental companies don’t cooperate with credit card issuers in providing this type of documentation in a timely manner.

Alternative #3: Third-Party Car Rental Insurance

If you rent a car through one of the big online travel agencies (OTA) such as Expedia or Priceline, the agency normally offers you the option to buy collision coverage for around $10 a day. That coverage is provided by a third-party insurance company such as Allianz. The cost is a lot less than the rental company’s CDW, but, as with credit card coverage, if you damage the car, you have to pay up front and claim later.

Typical third-party collision coverage includes about the same contingencies as credit card coverage, but because it’s grouped with the booking you won’t have to make any other claims. You can also buy collision coverage independently: Bonzah, for example, sells coverage at around $10-$20 per day.

You should never get behind the wheel of a car—or lawnmower, for that matter—without liability protection. But you don’t buy that from a car rental company: It usually comes with household, homeowner, or tenant insurance, and it covers far more than a car rental. And if your net worth is in six figures, you probably need an “umbrella” liability policy that covers a million dollars or more.

Car rental companies in most countries are required by law to include liability insurance. In the U.S., required coverage can be ludicrously small (usually only the minimum required by the state)—it’s usually much better in Europe. If you don’t have substantial liability insurance, you might consider buying the rental company’s offering. Still, your best bet is to make sure you’re covered 24/7 with your own insurance so you can forget about the rental company’s overpriced insurance.

The Uncertainty Principle

The takeaway from all this: No alternative source of collision damage coverage—your auto insurance, your credit card, or a third party—completely isolates you from risk. Lots of travelers successfully rely on lower-cost alternatives to CDW without encountering any problems, sure. Occasionally, however, your own insurance, credit card, or third-party policy may not cover an unusual charge a rental company might impose.

If you’re unwilling to accept any risk at all, you might want to buy that overpriced CDW. For most travelers and circumstances, credit card or third-party coverage is sufficient, and primary coverage is a lot better than secondary.

Consumer advocate Ed Perkins, the founding editor of the Consumer Reports Travel Letter, has been writing about travel for more than three decades.

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in 2017. It has been updated to reflect the most current information.

The post The Truth About Car Rental Insurance You Need to Know appeared first on SmarterTravel.

Get a Better Rate Even After You’ve Booked

When you book a nonrefundable flight and then see a cheaper fare later, you’re pretty much out of luck—but that’s not the case when renting a car. Most car rental companies give you the option to reserve a car without prepaying, which gives you the opportunity to cancel or change the reservation later if you see a better deal.

If you’d rather not spend time continuing to shop around after you’ve made your reservation, AutoSlash will do it for you. You can make your initial booking through the site, or put in your existing reservation code from the car rental company, and AutoSlash will notify you when a cheaper rate becomes available.

Look for Coupon Codes

Before pulling the trigger on your booking, check the car rental company’s website for discount codes to use toward your rental, and also do a Google search for “[car rental company name] coupon code.” Sites like RetailMeNot and SlickDeals often list codes that can save you up to 25 or 30 percent.

Check Rates on Multiple Versions of the Car Rental Company’s Site

When renting in a foreign country, try both your home country’s version of the car rental company’s site as well as the local version. For example, I tested prices for a three-day car rental in Glasgow, Scotland, on both Alamo.com (the company’s U.S. site) and Alamo.co.uk (the U.K. site). The U.S. site quoted me a rate of $207.71 for a small car with a manual transmission, while Alamo.co.uk offered a rate of 158.81 GBP for the same vehicle, just $199.51 at the current exchange rate.

A couple of caveats: First, if the price difference is very small, it might be canceled out entirely if your credit card charges you a fee to pay in a foreign currency. Second, this car rental hack can be tricky if you’re trying to book on a site in a language you don’t speak. Google Translate and other machine translators aren’t always reliable, and you want to make sure you understand the terms and conditions before you book.

Take Advantage of Group Memberships

Are you a member of a group like AAA, AARP, Costco, BJ’s, or USAA? If so, you’re probably eligible for car rental discounts.

The AARP lists partnerships with Avis, Budget, Payless, and Zipcar in its member benefits, while Hertz offers exclusive deals for AAA members. Hertz will also waive the youth driver fee for AAA members between the ages of 20 and 24. Additionally, Costco, BJ’s, and USAA have search engines where you can look for car rental deals from their partners.

Keep in mind that group memberships are just one possible discount and that other, more generous offers are sometimes available. You probably won’t be able to combine both, so don’t simply default to your preferred group rate without shopping around.

Book Your Car as Part of a Package

You can often save big by bundling your car rental into a package with your flight and/or hotel. For example, I priced out a weeklong trip from New York City to San Diego on Expedia and found that the flight would be $495.30 per person and a car rental would be $267, or $133.50 per person. The total cost of booking flights and car separately: $628.80 per person. But when I tried a flight + car package, the cost was just $461.70 per person—less than the cost of the flight alone.

Get a One-Way Rental for Free

One-way car rentals are notoriously expensive, as the rental company often charges a fee to cover the cost of getting the vehicle back where it belongs. But what if you’re actually doing the company a favor by driving it where it needs to be?

That’s the premise of Transfercar, which lists vehicles that need to be moved from one destination to another; if you’re willing to do the driving, you can snag a car or camper for ultra-cheap—or even free.

For example, Transfercar might have an automatic-transmission compact campervan that needs to be driven from Perth to Broome within the next few weeks. You’d be able to drive it for up to eight days for free (including insurance) to help them get the campervan back to where it needs to be.

Join a Loyalty Program

Become a member of your favorite car rental company’s loyalty program, and you’ll immediately enjoy benefits such as skipping the line at rental counters and access to members-only deals—even if you’re not a frequent renter. Most of these programs have partnerships with airlines and hotels, so you can apply points from your rentals toward future flights or stays.

Check Your Credit Card Benefits Before Buying Insurance

Do you really need the pricey insurance the rental car agent is trying to peddle? Maybe not. Many credit cards offer certain types of rental car insurance as long as you pay for your rental with that card. It’s worth calling your credit card company or digging into your card’s terms and conditions to see what coverage you already have. You might also be covered by your own car insurance policy at home.

To learn more, see 9 Nasty Truths About Car Rental Insurance.

Take Photos or Videos of Your Car During Inspection

During your initial walk around the rental vehicle, take out your phone and snap a few pictures or even a video of any dings or scratches. Note that this doesn’t take the place of reporting these issues to a rental company staffer as soon as you see them—but it gives you documentation just in case your rental company tries to charge you after the fact for damages you didn’t cause. For an easy time stamp that proves dings and scratches were there at the time of rental, text the pictures to someone.

Don’t Overpay for Gas

Most car rental companies expect you to return the vehicle with a full tank, and they’ll often give you the option of prepaying for fuel. This is nearly always a terrible deal. Instead, use an app such as GasBuddy to find the cheapest nearby station and fill the tank yourself. Keep in mind that gas stations right near the airport tend to be quite expensive; you’re often better off filling up about 10 miles away.

Follow Sarah Schlichter on Twitter @TravelEditor for more travel tips and inspiration.

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in 2018. It has been updated to reflect the most current information.

The post 10 Clever Car Rental Hacks That’ll Save You Money appeared first on SmarterTravel.

An estimated 37 million people are planning to travel 50 miles or more from home from May 27 through May 31—a 60 percent increase from Memorial Day 2020. 

However, this is still about 6 million fewer people planning to hit the road than had previously traveled for Memorial Day weekend 2019.

According to AAA, the top five most popular road trip destinations for Memorial Day weekend 2021 are: 

1.       Las Vegas, NV
2.       Orlando, FL
3.       Myrtle Beach, SC
4.       Denver, CO
5.       Nashville, TN

The Worst Times to Travel on Memorial Day Weekend

Planning to leave early to beat the Memorial Day traffic? You’ll probably need to leave earlier than you think. AAA forecasts that travelers will encounter the longest travel delays if they leave between 1pm and 7:45pm on Thursday, May 27th or between 2pm and 6:30pm on Friday, May 28th. 

The Best Times to Travel on Memorial Day Weekend

If you can, leaving in the morning or very early afternoon on Thursday or Friday will be your best bet for avoiding traffic. Delaying your trip slightly, and heading out early Saturday morning might also make your trip faster (and save you the cost of a night’s lodging as well). 

No matter when you choose to travel, be sure to follow all CDC travel guidelines as well as any regulations at your destination. 

The post The Best (and Worst) Times to Travel for Memorial Day Weekend appeared first on SmarterTravel.

Carbon offset companies, ecotour operators, green hotels, hybrid rental car agencies … with so many eco-friendly resources on the internet, where’s a would-be green traveler to start? I’ve cut the confusion by gathering my favorite green travel resources in one convenient spot—so whether you’re interested in renting a hybrid car or offsetting the pollution from your last flight, you can find the info you need right here.

General Ecotourism and Green Travel Resources

Learn more about the principles of ecotourism and green travel by browsing these sites.

• Ethical Traveler
• Green Lodging News
• International Ecotourism Society
• Nature Conservancy
• Rainforest Alliance
• Sustainable Travel International

Carbon Offset Companies

There are a number of companies and charitable organizations that will offset your carbon emissions, not only for flights but also for car travel and household energy use. The range of projects varies widely, so I’ve explained a little bit about each organization to help you decide which offsetter is right for you.

• Atmosfair: German nonprofit organization that donates funds to alternative energy projects
• Carbon Footprint: British company that retires carbon offsets, plants trees, and supports international energy-saving projects
• Carbonfund.org: American nonprofit organization that retires carbon offsets, plants trees, and supports renewable energy and energy-efficiency projects
• The Conservation Fund: American nonprofit organization that plants trees across the U.S.
• GreenSeat: Dutch company that supports renewable energy projects
• Terrapass: American company that funds clean energy, biomass, and industrial efficiency projects

Eco-Friendly Lodging and Green Hotels

Looking for a hotel that takes steps to care for the environment? These green travel resources can help.

• a&o green: Sustainable hostel brand
• B’n’Tree: Plants a tree for each hotel booking that originates on the site
• Design Hotels: Upscale green hotels
• ECOCLUB: Ecolodges across the world
• Element Hotels: Environmentally friendly chain with worldwide locations
• Five-Leaf System: Green hotels around the world rated with up to five “leaves” for eco-friendliness
• Green Getaways Australia: Eco-friendly lodging in Australia
• Green Globe: Certified eco-friendly hotels across the world
• GreenHotels: Green hotels in Greece
• Green Hotels Association: Eco-friendly hotels in the U.S. and worldwide
• Green Vacation Hub: Green hotels and vacation rentals around the world
• ResponsibleTravel.com: Eco-friendly lodging worldwide

Eco-Friendly Tour Operators

These tour operators take a sustainable approach to travel, with some even paying for carbon offsets for their trips.

• Adventures Within Reach: Adventure travel around the world
• AdventureSmith Explorations: Expedition cruises and wilderness trips
• Backroads: Biking, hiking, and adventure trips around the world
• Blue Ventures: Volunteer trips for marine conservation projects
• Context Travel: Small-group city walking tours with an educational focus
• Country Walkers: Walking tours around the world
• Dragoman Overland: Overland tours
• Earthwatch Institute: Research expeditions worldwide
• Ecoteer: Volunteer trips in Asia
• Ecoventura: Carbon-neutral luxury yacht cruises in the Galapagos Islands
• Elevate Destinations: Travel combined with local philanthropy
• Escape Adventures: Biking and multi-sport tours
• Explore!: Small-group adventure trips
• G Adventures: Small-group adventure tours
• Gamewatchers Safaris: Safaris in East Africa
• International Expeditions: Nature-focused tours and small-ship expeditions
• Intrepid Travel: Small-group tours around the world
• Lindblad Expeditions: Expedition cruises around the world
• Mosaic Adventure: Trekking expeditions in Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan
• Natural Habitat Adventures: Wildlife- and nature-focused trips around the world
• OARS: Outdoor adventure tours
• Peregrine: Small-group trips led by local guides
• Rainforest Cruises: Expedition cruises
• REI Adventures: Adventure tours
• ResponsibleTravel.com: Eco-friendly tours worldwide
• ROW Adventures: Whitewater rafting and other adventure trips
• Seacology: Volunteer trips to various conservation project sites
• UnCruise Adventures: Small-ship cruises
• Wildland Adventures: Luxury trips, including family vacations

Hybrid and Fuel-Efficient Rental Cars

Opt for a hybrid or other fuel-efficient car rental on your next trip from one of these providers.

• Alamo: Hybrid rentals at select locations
• Avis: Hybrid rentals at select locations
• CarRentals: Search engine for hybrid rentals around the world
• Enterprise Rent-A-Car: Hybrid and electric car rentals
• Fox Rent A Car: Hybrid rental vehicles at select locations
• Hertz: “Green Collection” of hybrid and fuel-efficient rental vehicles
• National Car Rental: Hybrid rental vehicles at select locations

More from SmarterTravel:

• 6 Easy Ways to Travel Plastic-Free
• 11 Endangered Bucket List Destinations (and How to Visit Them Responsibly)
• What Your Sunscreen Is Doing to the Environment

Follow Sarah Schlichter on Twitter @TravelEditor for more travel tips and inspiration.

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in 2017. It has been updated with the latest information.

The post 60 Green Travel Resources Every Responsible Traveler Should Know appeared first on SmarterTravel.

The Worst Traffic in the U.S. Is In…

INRIX reports that the most traffic-congested city in the U.S. is Boston, where drivers lose an average of 149 hours a year to congestion. Things aren’t much better in Chicago, where commuters slogged through 145 hours of congestion each year.

Which U.S. cities were the worst? According to the 2019 Global Traffic Scorecard, the 10 most congested American cities, and the number of annual hours lost to congestion (read: stuck in traffic), were:

1. Boston – 149 hours
2. Chicago – 145 hours
3. Philadelphia – 142 hours
4. New York City – 140 hours
5. Washington, D.C. – 124 hours
6. Los Angeles – 103 hours
7. San Francisco – 97 hours
8. Portland, Oregon – 89 hours
9. Baltimore – 84 hours
10. Atlanta – 82 hours

Note that the cities were ranked not only by total hours lost to congestion but also other factors such as the cost of congestion per driver.

For travelers, there’s a clear link between congested cities and popular tourist destinations. You’ll want to consider timing your sightseeing to avoid rush hour and using public transportation (or walking) instead of driving while on vacation in these cities.

The Worst U.S. Routes for Traffic Congestion

INRIX also identified America’s most congested roads, and the I-5 in Los Angeles between the I-10 and the I-605 took home this dubious honor. Los Angeles also claimed the number two spot, with the stretch of the 101 between the 134 and the 110. New York City’s Brooklyn Queens Expressway and I-95 claimed the third and fourth spot, and Atlanta’s I-85 rounded out the top five most congested U.S. roads in 2019.

The Worst Traffic Cities in the World

If you think Boston’s delays are bad, you might want to give Bogota and a miss. The Colombian capital was the most congested city in the world, with drivers sitting through a whopping 191 hours of delays a year. Other traffic-choked cities around the world include Rio de Janeiro, Mexico City, Istanbul, and Sao Paulo, with annual hours lost to congestion topping 150 in each.

Do you take local traffic conditions into consideration when choosing trip destinations?

Expecting Traffic? Boost Your Safety With a Car Mount

Navigating foreign cities is difficult enough without the traffic. Having a car mount to deter distractions and mitigate risk of an accident is pivotal for these trips- long or short.

More from SmarterTravel:

• The 10 Cities with the Best Public Transportation
• The World’s 12 Most Walkable Cities
• The 5 Hardest and Easiest U.S. Airports to Reach from Downtown

Follow Sarah Schlichter on Twitter @TravelEditor for more travel tips and inspiration.

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in 2018. It has been updated to reflect the most current information. Tim Winship contributed to this story.

The post The 10 Cities with the Worst Traffic in the U.S. appeared first on SmarterTravel.

Getting around Australia takes a little planning. It’s a huge country, only slightly smaller than Canada and the U.S., with big distances between major cities. Fortunately, low-cost airlines offer competitively priced flights on the main domestic routes, and highways connect most of the country. Long-distance passenger trains (plus buses that connect at train stations for travel to outlying areas) are also available in some parts of Australia. Read on to learn everything you need to know about Australia transportation.

Australia by Air

Getting to Australia is a long haul—approximately 14 to 16 flying hours from the West Coast of North America, and another four to five hours if connecting from the East Coast. Flights from Europe typically connect in Asia and take nearly a full day.

The majority of North Americans will arrive at Sydney International Airport (also known as Kingsford Smith), Melbourne, or Brisbane. Major airlines connecting the two continents include Qantas, United Airlines, Air New Zealand (via Auckland), Virgin Australia, and Air Canada.

Flying within Australia is easy between major cities. The Sydney-Melbourne leg is the busiest with plenty of services, and fares for this 1.5-hour flight are quite competitive. Flights between Sydney and Brisbane also take 1.5 hours, while it’s five hours in the air from Sydney to Perth.

Qantas, its low-cost subsidiary airline Jetstar, and competitor Virgin Australia have most of the country covered. As all three carriers also operate international flights, it’s important to ensure you’re at the correct terminal for the correct flight.

Virgin Australia and Jetstar started as as low-cost, no-frills airlines where passengers paid extra for food and beverages (apart from tea/coffee/water). Nowadays Virgin Australia offers complimentary snacks and beverages (as well as meals on select routes), and allows passengers to check a single bag for free. Jetstar is more restrictive, with a strict carry-on baggage allowance (and hefty fees if your hand luggage is overweight) and no food included. Jetstar permits one complimentary checked bag. Fares on most Australian airlines are cheapest when booked online.

A handful of smaller regional airlines also serve country towns and remote Outback areas. Regional Express Airlines, known as REX, flies to towns in New South Wales, South Australia, Queensland, and Victoria, with limited service in Western Australia; Skytrans flies to remote regions in northern Queensland from a base in Cairns; and Par Avion operates in Tasmania. Aircraft on these regional airlines are often quite small, and fares can be expensive, as there may be little or no competition on the route.

Renting a Car in Australia

Car travel is popular in Australia, and most Aussies take to the road over Easter and during the six-week holiday season from mid-December to the end of January. North Americans will find it easier and cheaper to travel outside of peak season, particularly between February and April (before Easter) and in October or November when prices are cheaper and the weather is pleasant.

All the major international rental car brands are based in Australia. An international driver’s license is not required if your own driver’s license is written in English. Prices can be quite high, with lower rates for seven-day hire. Low-cost companies charge less, but they may use older cars and/or restrict the areas of travel. Local company Bayswater Car Rental, which has depots in Sydney and Perth, is popular for its low rates and affordable insurance.

All rental car drivers will incur a charge, called an excess, if they damage the vehicle. This excess can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars, and insurance can be purchased to bring down this cost.

Australians drive on the left side of the road and should only use the right-hand lanes on freeways when overtaking. Speed limits vary from 70 to 110 kilometers per hour (between 43 and 68 mph) on freeways and from 40 to 60 kilometers per hour (25 to 37 mph) on city and suburban streets. School zone speed limits (usually 40 kph) are rigorously enforced. Police regularly carry out random breath testing (RBT) for drivers to detect alcohol levels. If you’re caught with more than a 0.05 alcohol reading, you’re under arrest.

Most metropolitan motorways in Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne charge a toll, paid electronically via an e-tag device attached to a car’s windscreen. Overseas travelers must pay toll costs or be fined. Visitors can pay online or purchase a 30-day toll pass through a service called Linkt. To get a pass, drivers go online, pay a small set-up fee, and register their credit card and the license plate of their rental vehicle. The freeway toll machines detect the vehicle, then charge the toll back to the associated credit card.

Prepare for long distances if you’re driving in Australia. From Sydney it’s a 10- to 12-hour drive to Brisbane and slightly less to Melbourne, although no one should attempt to drive such long distances on unfamiliar roads all in one trip. (We recommend making at least one overnight stop along the way.)

Take particular care when driving in the Outback or other remote regions. A four-wheel-drive vehicle is highly recommended (and some rental car companies won’t let you take other types of vehicles into the region). Bring plenty of water, especially if you’re traveling during the hot summer months. Keep in mind that gas stations are few and far between, so you’ll want to fill up when you can.

Australia Campervans, Motorhomes, and Caravans

Campervans, motorhomes, and caravans can be rented from a variety of outlets (note that it may prove costly to choose a caravan, as you’ll also need to rent a four-wheel-drive vehicle to tow it). Campervans are perfect for a couple without much luggage who don’t mind roughing it. The cheapest versions will simply turn the back area into a sleeping area; other vans have a pop-up enclosed roof where the double bed is fitted.

Motorhomes are more luxurious and usually have a bed above the driver’s cabin, another bed that assembles on the kitchen table, and often a small bathroom with toilet. There are many camping and caravan sites (called caravan or holiday parks) dotted along the coast of Australia and in regional towns, providing bathroom facilities, power, barbecue areas, a convenience store, and often Wi-Fi.

Jucy and Britz are two of the most popular local operators.

Australia by Train

Two of Australia’s most iconic train journeys are the Indian-Pacific (IP) and the Ghan, privately run tourist rail services operated by Journey Beyond Rail Expeditions. They are far from cheap but well worth taking for the sheer experience of traveling the length and breadth of the country in comfort with fascinating stops along the way.

The aptly named Indian Pacific links the two oceans from Perth to Sydney over four days and three nights. The Ghan links Adelaide in the south with Darwin in the north in a journey spanning three days and two nights. You can opt for a longer journey with the Ghan Expedition, which runs over four days and three nights.

Journey Beyond also recently introduced its Great Southern service, which runs between Adelaide and Brisbane over up to four days.

Queensland Rail offers great scenic train journeys on coastal and Outback routes at affordable rates. One of our favorites is the Spirit of Queensland, a 25-hour, 1,044-mile route between Brisbane and Cairns. There are traditional tourist trains as well, providing jaunts on barely used railway lines in remote areas that include tours and stays in country hotels.

In NSW it’s possible to take trains in four directions from Sydney—north, northwest, west, and south—to cities including Brisbane, Melbourne, Canberra, the Blue Mountains, and the Outback towns of Moree and Broken Hill. Economy and first-class cabins with sleepers are available on long journeys such as the 11-hour and 14-hour trips to Melbourne and Brisbane, respectively.

In Victoria trains travel from Melbourne to the gold fields towns of Bendigo and Ballarat, the Murray River town of Swan Hill, and the Great Ocean Road town of Warrnambool, with buses feeding off the main rail arteries.

In Western Australia, Transwa links destinations such as Perth, Kalgoorlie Boulder, and Kalbarri.

Australia by Bus

Traveling long distances is also possible by coach (bus), with some trips cheaper than train travel. Greyhound Australia has the country covered, while smaller companies such as Premier and Murrays operate in certain regions. Greyhound has travel passes for hop-on/hop-off options. Vehicles usually have restrooms, USB charger points, and Wi-Fi. The only way to get around Tasmania without a car is by coach. Tassielink connects most of the state, with services supplemented by regional operators.

More from SmarterTravel:

• 25 Ways to Save on Australia Travel
• 10 Ways to Survive a Long-Haul Flight
• The Best Places to Stay in Australia, from Wilderness Lodges to Beach Resorts

Original reporting by Caroline Gladstone. Sarah Schlichter contributed to this story.

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in 2017. It has been updated to reflect the most current information.

The post Everything You Need to Know About Getting Around Australia appeared first on SmarterTravel.

Not sure if that crazy deal you found is on a reliable booking site? We’ve rounded up the top options for every travel type and weighed their best (and worst) features. From getting a steal on a cruise to securing a vacation rental, here are the best travel booking sites.

The Best Booking Sites by Travel Type

• The 11 Best Flight Search Sites for Booking Cheap Airfare
• The 11 Best Hotel Booking Sites
• The 10 Best Sites for Booking a Cruise
• The 8 Best Travel Package Sites for Booking a Cheap Vacation
• The 17 Best Sites and Apps for Last-Minute Travel Deals
• The 9 Best Vacation Rental Sites for Travelers
• The 16 Best Car Rental Booking Sites
• The 5 Best Ticket Websites for Booking Day Tours and Travel Activities

Check out SmarterTravel’s roundup of the best in booking sites for 2020. Want more expert tips and vacation inspiration? Subscribe to SmarterTravel on YouTube.

Editor’s note: You can find more information here on how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected cancellation policies for booking sites like the ones included in the above stories.

More from SmarterTravel:

• The Ultimate Guide to Travel Insurance
• Everything Travelers Need to Know About REAL ID
• The Ultimate Packing List

The post The Best in Travel Booking Sites appeared first on SmarterTravel.

Here’s a collection of New York apps that can help you stay ahead of the game on your next trip to the Big Apple. This is by no means a comprehensive list because, like New York itself, there is too much to investigate in one pass. But the New York City apps here should cover most of your general needs (and a few specific ones) to help you navigate your Gotham adventure.

The Best New York City Apps for Travelers: Transportation

Citymapper New York

Unless you’re Spider-Man (and if you are, call me), you’re going be using New York’s impressive and sprawling bus and subway system to get around. Even if you’re from a metro area that has a mass transit network, New York’s can be daunting. The New York City app from Citymapper should be your first tool in using and understanding the public transit system. Not only does it have full maps that can be used offline, but it also shows real-time bus and train departures and lets you combine public transit with other modes such as bike shares and cabs.

Cost: Free
Platforms: iOS, Android

Exit Strategy NYC

Sure, Exit Strategy NYC has both a complete subway and bus map for all five boroughs of the city, but as the name implies, its focus is about accessing these options. Exit Strategy also provides the locations to all station entrances and exits, making it easier for you to transition between street and subway. Add to that tips on where to stand on the platforms (a skill some longtime residents of the city still haven’t mastered) and you’ll be in great shape for all your subway hopping needs.

Cost: $3.99
Platforms: iOS, Android

ParkMe

You might be one of the few extremely … let’s say “brave” people who are willing to drive to New York and deal with the cough cough joy of parking there. That means you’re going to pay for parking, be it for a space, for a meter, or to get your car out of impound. ParkMe is one of the best New York City apps for this endeavor. It scans data for lots near your location to show you availability and rates, and lets you prepay and reserve a spot ahead of time. It may sound like I’m overselling how bad the parking is, but trust me: You’ll want to be prepared.

Cost: Free
Platforms: iOS, Android

Citi Bike

Want to zip around New York City on two wheels? Citi Bike is the city’s official bike-share program. The app will help you find the nearest docking station, save your favorite stations, purchase a day pass, and track your ride stats.

Cost: Free
Platforms: iOS, Android

NYC Ferry

Use the ferry app for route maps, ticketing info, and schedules so you can explore NYC by boat and get around sans traffic. The ferries also offer a free Wi-Fi network.

Cost: Free
Platforms: iOS, Android

The Best New York City Apps for Travelers: Attractions

iTourMobile

This app uses GPS technology to locate your whereabouts and provide information on points of interest nearby, like a Sex and the City filming location or famous pizza shop. Download and use it when you’re walking around NYC, because you never know what’s right around the corner in this fascinating city.

Cost: Free or $1.99 per month to access subscriber-only tours
Platforms: iOS, Android

MoMa Audio

Whether you’re at the museum or in your living room, you can get guided audio descriptions of the museum’s latest collections. There are also detailed visual descriptions for the visually impaired.

Cost: Free
Platforms: iOS

TKTS

Millions of people go to New York every year to see shows on and off Broadway. And while there are numerous ways to purchase tickets, few are as useful as the TKTS stands in Manhattan and Brooklyn. This app lets you avoid the lines, check ticket availability, and read reviews of shows. Known for both last-minute tickets and big discounts on day-of tickets, TKTS is a must-have for anyone who wants to take in a show on the Great White Way.

Cost: Free
Platforms: iOS, Android

Statue of Liberty

View the famed NYC landmark through different augmented reality modes and brush up on your history before visiting. You also have access to an on-island audio tour with a map, as well as a podcast miniseries.

Cost: Free
Platforms: iOS

WhyzzExplorer

This app gets the entire family involved on a trip to New York City. Let this app guide you through quizzes, conversations, and food challenges as you and your loved ones get to know the Big Apple.

Cost: Free
Platforms: iOS

The Best New York City Apps for Travelers: Recommendations

Time Out New York

A staple for locals and tourists alike, Time Out New York can show you all the latest concerts, exhibits, events, and everyday happenings at any and all times. Using this New York app, you can check ticket availability, showtimes, and even reviews for those two shows you’re trying to decide between. (If I were you, I’d go for the one that isn’t likely to be touring next year.) If you’re on a budget or have simply spent too much money on Fifth Avenue, make sure to use the “cheap” and “free” filters on this most useful of New York City apps.

Cost: Free
Platforms: iOS, Android

Tripadvisor

Create and share trips with points of interest with your whole group. The new Tripadvisor app is handy for mapping out all of the places that you want to go in one place. P.S. We have our own profile page to follow that has handy, pre-curated trips (and so does the tourism board, NYC Go). Tripadvisor is SmarterTravel’s parent company.

Cost: Free
Platforms: iOS, Android

Yelp

Odds are if you do any traveling or dining, you’ve got Yelp on your smartphone. While Yelp isn’t always the best app for every location, for major cities like New York it certainly proves its value. Besides reviews, listings, maps, and menus for every type of food you can imagine, it’s a great backup for all the other apps on this list. You don’t always have to be a local to find good stuff in a new town.

Cost: Free
Platforms: iOS, Android

More From SmarterTravel:

• New York City Travel Guide
• New York on a Budget: 25 Ways to Save on Travel
• Tipping in New York: The New York Tipping Guide

Jason Flynn is a freelance writer, editor, and geek of all trades. Follow him on Twitter @flynntendo.

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in 2016. It has been updated to reflect the most current information. This article has been updated since the date of its publication with the input of NYC Go.

The post The 13 Best New York City Apps for Travelers appeared first on SmarterTravel.

Don’t Automatically Opt for a Beachside Hotel

When imagining a perfect Hawaii vacation, many people envision a beachfront hotel with an ocean view. But staying off the beach has its advantages, too. First, you’re likely paying a lot less than you’d pay for an ocean view. High five. And second, you’re not going to get stuck in a beach rut.

Have I mentioned all beaches in Hawaii are public? That means that any hotel’s beach is, essentially, your beach as well.

If you don’t have a default, roll-out-of-bed-and-onto-the-sand option, you’re far more likely to push yourself to find those incredible off-the-beaten-path spots that make a Hawaiian vacation truly memorable. And if you’re not holed up in a resort compound, you’ll also likely eat better food and see more of the island. That’s win-win, in my book.

Don’t Forget About Resort Alternatives

There may not be quite as many lodging options as there are grains of sand in Hawaii, but it’s close. With their waterslides and swim-up bars, hotel resorts get most of the attention; however, if you’re looking for great overall value, you’d be wise to consider other options as well.

Like hotels, vacation rentals span the spectrum between affordable and upscale—and they will get you kitchens, living spaces, and often nice extras like grills and washer/dryers, too. Vacation club resorts offer a mix of more space and hotel-like amenities.

Hawaii recently made it onto a list of BedandBreakfast.com’s fastest-growing destinations for B&Bs, and farmstays are increasingly popular as well. Hostels, which sometimes have private apartments and other unexpected extras, should be on the radar of budget travelers who want a beach-friendly location.

Don’t Skip the Car Rental

Unless you really are totally committed to relaxing at your resort and doing nothing more than lounging by the pool, sleeping at the beach, swimming, and eating (not a bad proposition, it’s true), then you need to rent a car.

Hawaii delivers serious splendor beyond resort walls, and you’re going to need a car to visit many of these incredible spots. Hidden beaches, volcanic peaks, wild valleys, and thundering waterfalls beckon from the end of long highways and down bumpy roads, accessible only to those willing to drive (and sometimes hike) for a peek.

Keep in mind that many car rental companies in Hawaii restrict where you can and can’t bring non-four-wheel-drive rental cars. If you’re planning on venturing down unpaved roads, compare policies by rental agency and car type. And if you’re planning to rent a car under age 25, there are other considerations as well.

Don’t Assume You’ll Speed Through the Car Rental Pickup

You land in Hawaii after a long flight primed to start your vacation. You grab your checked bags and head to the street to grab the car rental shuttle. And that’s when you realize everyone else on your flight (and on every flight that landed around the same time) is headed to one of a few car rental agencies at the airport, too. And then you wait. And wait.

Patience is key, but there are certain steps you can take to expedite the process. Join the rental agency’s loyalty program before you go; that will likely entitle you to stand in a shorter line or skip the line altogether and head straight to your car.

And whatever you do, don’t make anything complicated. On a recent trip, I tried out third-party car rental insurance and wanted to add my spouse to the contract. Thirty minutes later we were still discussing the finer points of car rental policies with the branch supervisor. Never again. Remember: Patience, preparation, simplicity. Repeat this mantra as needed while standing in line.

Don’t Eat Out All the Time

What happens when you take a loaf of bread (or simply the flour to make the bread) and ship it 2,000 miles? The person who eventually eats the bread pays a long-distance markup. There’s no getting around it—eating out in Hawaii is expensive. It’s not just fancy spots, either; local spots (and even the grocery store, frankly) seem pricier than their mainland counterparts.

Even if you feel like it’s just not vacation unless you’re dining out regularly (I am familiar with the phenomenon, being married to a person with this affliction), you can still save hundreds of questionably spent dollars by insourcing some of your meals. Breakfast is an easy one: Head to the local market, pick up some cereal and milk, and occupy the mini-fridge.

If you’re a bit more ambitious, keep sandwich fixings and snacks on hand and make some of your own lunches. After all, a picnic lunch pairs perfectly with a day at the beach.

Don’t Underestimate Hawaiian Food

I’ll admit I was guilty of this. I don’t like Spam and I’m not a huge fan of finding surprise pineapple in my food. But there’s so much more to Hawaiian food than potted meat and hidden tropical fruit. Over the last decade, Hawaii has done its local bounty proud, finding new and better ways to showcase the incredible interplay of agricultural abundance and rich cultural influences.

How do you unlock the culinary delights of the Hawaiian Islands? By getting out there with an appetite. Hit up a farmers’ market on any island for a taste of what’s freshest. Try some local vodka made with sugar cane and deep-ocean mineral water. Stop at a roadside shack for smoothies. Explore a coffee plantation, then enjoy a fresh cup of the local brew. Stand in line at a food truck for shave ice. Feast on furikake chicken at a local joint, and eat every malasada (a Hawaiian-Portuguese donut) and manju (a bun filled with coconut, sweet potato, and other delights) that dares to cross your path. Try a plate lunch, saimin, poke, and other local specialties you find.

And bring an extra suitcase to fill with local candies and cookies from local candy producers such as Big Island Candies on the Big Island and Nisshodo Mochiya on Oahu.

Don’t Skimp on Sunscreen

When my dermatologist found basal-cell carcinoma on my face a few years ago, I was surprised. I had a few bad sunburns when I was young, but for decades I’ve been dutifully applying sunscreen and wearing hats. But she said that most people (including me) weren’t applying adequate sunscreen, and weren’t reapplying often enough.

If a thick initial application and top-ups every 90 minutes in the sun seem like a vacation buzzkill, try reframing it this way: You’re on vacation. That means you’re not spending days replying to work emails (if you are, we need to have another conversation), running errands, reorganizing the kitchen cupboards, or commuting. Most of your time is dedicated to fun and relaxation. So consider this the one thing on your to-do list.

And come on, if “apply sunscreen” is the main thing on your to-do list, you are winning at life.

Don’t Stick to the Same Beach

All beaches in Hawaii are public. Even if they’re at a fancy resort, or surrounded by a gated community, or bordered by private property, beaches must be accessible and open to anyone. And each of Hawaii’s beaches offers a slightly different twist on paradise: calm lava pools and lolling sea turtles, stunning black sand, vivid blue water, wide resort beaches dotted with chaise lounges, and everything in between. No beach is quite the same, which means you’ve got your work cut out for you if you’re harboring beach-expert aspirations.

Don’t Forget There’s More to Hawaii Than Beaches

Yes, Hawaii is best known for its beaches. Yes, people come from all over the world to bask on its shores. But a trip that ends at the beach misses out on the rich culture and diverse natural beauty of the islands. Learn about Hawaii’s complicated history and strong cultural identity at historical sites and cultural centers. Explore its natural beauty at botanical gardens and along hiking or biking trails. Enjoy the rhythms of local life in its small towns. Your curiosity will be rewarded.

Don’t Rent Snorkels in Hawaii

Let’s talk about snorkel rentals. Yes, of course they’re cleaning them, but snorkels go inside your mouth. Would you share a partially eaten Lifesaver with a stranger? What if I cleaned it really well first? See what I’m getting at here?

All the germs aside, there’s the issue of cost. If you just want to rent a snorkel for an hour or two to check out some cool turtles, or stingrays, or brightly colored fish, then it might be cost-efficient. But let’s face it, snorkeling in Hawaii is pretty addictive, and after you’ve done it once you’re probably going to feel like swimming without snorkel gear is like going to an amazing museum with a blindfold. You’ll still be in the museum, sure, but you’re not going to truly enjoy what makes it beautiful.

So what do you do instead? Head to a larger town and find a Costco, Target, or other big box store. In a pinch, you can even head to a well-stocked grocery store. There, you’ll find snorkel gear starting from about $20 for the mask-snorkel combo. Alternatively, you can bring your own from home.

Don’t Speed

While stuck in a marathon-based traffic jam on the Big Island, I noticed regular cars equipped with flashing lights cruising along the shoulder, bypassing the gridlock. At the time, my husband and I half-joked that some savvy locals had bought stick-on sirens (the marathon creates long lines of stopped traffic every year), but I soon discovered that these totally normal-looking, nary-a-Crown-Vic-in-sight cars make up a significant part of the police fleet on Oahu and the Big Island. Since officers can opt to use their own cars for work, any car can be a cop car. And that means drivers can’t fall back on the keeping-an-eye-out-for-cop-cars approach to pushing the speed limit. So stick to the speed limit and enjoy the scenery.

Don’t Dismiss Warning Signs

Strong current. Sharp coral. Stinging jellyfish. Wastewater bacteria. You’ll find signs covering these dangers and others at beaches around Hawaii. And let’s put it this way: They’re not just for show. The sand may be soft and the water warm, but these and other beach dangers are real and can be life-threatening.

So on your way from parking lot to beach, take a minute to read the signs so that you know what to look out for. And if what you read makes you think twice about entering the water, consider another beach. That, after all, is one of the great things about Hawaii—there are always more beaches to try out.

More from SmarterTravel:

• 10 Best Things to Do in Hawaii
• What to Wear in Hawaii
• What’s the Best Island in Hawaii for You?

Christine Sarkis does not rent snorkels. Follow her on Twitter @ChristineSarkis for more advice about making every vacation the best vacation.

Editor’s Note: This story was first written in 2015. It has been updated to reflect the most current information.

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