Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
When parking on the street, read all posted regulations and restrictions (eg street-clean-
ing hours, permit-only residential areas) and pay attention to colored curbs, or you may
be ticketed and towed.
You can pay municipal parking meters and sidewalk pay stations with coins (eg quarters)
and sometimes credit or debit cards.
Expect to pay $30 to $50 for overnight parking in a city lot or garage.
Flat-fee valet parking at hotels, restaurants, nightclubs etc is common in major cities, es-
pecially LA and Las Vegas, NV.
Rental
CARS
To rent your own wheels, you'll typically need to be at least 25 years old, hold a valid
driver's license and have a major credit card,
not
a check or debit card. A few companies
may rent to drivers under 25 but over 21 for a hefty surcharge. If you don't have a credit
card, occasionally you may be able to make a large cash deposit instead.
With advance reservations, you can often get an economy-size vehicle from around $30
per day, plus insurance, taxes and fees. Weekend and weekly rates are usually the most
economical. Airport rental locations may offer lower rates, but have higher fees; if you buy a
fly-drive package, local taxes may be extra. City-center branches sometimes offer free
pickups and drop-offs.
Rates generally include unlimited mileage, but expect surcharges for additional drivers
and one-way rentals. Some rental companies let you pre-pay for your last tank of gas; this
is rarely a good deal, as prices are higher than at gas stations and you'd need to bring the
car back almost on empty. Child or infant safety seats are legally required; reserve them
when booking for about $10 per day.
If you'd like to minimize your contribution to California's polluted air, some major car-rent-
al companies now offer 'green' fleets of hybrid or bio-fueled rental cars, but they're in short
supply. Expect to pay significantly more for these models and reserve them well in ad-
vance.
To find and compare independent car-rental companies, as well as to search for cheaper
long-term rentals, try
Car Rental Express
(
www.carrentalexpress.com
).
Alamo
( 877-222-9075;
www.alamo.com
)
CAR RENTAL
Avis
( 800-633-3469;
www.avis.com
)
CAR RENTAL
