Rental Cars Blog and Resources

“While most know Austin as the live music capital of the world first and the capital of Texas second, there is so much more to this thriving city than just music. If you have never had authentic Texan BBQ from Opies, then I don't know what you've been doing with your time! Lake Travis is just a one-hour drive from downtown and is a great place to watch the sunset. If you are a party animal, Sixth Street is the place to be.” — Kieran White, Photojournalist Reasons to get out of Austin Though Austin is known as the Live Music Capital of the World, there are many reasons for you to take a day and get outside of the city. Within just a couple hours drive there are a number of towns and cities that you won’t want to miss. The following are some of the places that A Taste of Koko, Timeout, Austintexas.com, and Texas Hill Country recommend that you visit.  Important Note: Drive times may differ depending on time of day, traffic, weather, etc.  Under an Hour Drive The Cathedral of Junk (15 minutes) It is unlikely that you have ever heard of a religious building being made from garbage. The Cathedral of Junk has been created using scrap metal. For many, it is the perfect example of the phrase “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” The Natural Gardener (24 minutes) The Natural Gardener is a garden providing visitors with a panoramic picture of beauty complete with stunning flowers, winding trails, and thick green foliage. No matter the season, you will love what this garden has to offer. Make sure that you take some time to visit the butterfly garden found here as well. Dripping Springs (36 minutes) Dripping Springs is home to the Hamilton Pool Preserve swimming hole. Here you are surrounded by a beautiful oasis with numerous trees and a variety of wildlife. Other attractions that you can enjoy in Dripping Springs include the Hills of Milk and Honey farm where you can learn about bees, livestock, and land practices; Rolling in Thyme Dough where you can try some seasonal bread, croissants, or sandwiches; or the Twisted X Brewing Company where you can taste handcrafted craft beer.  Lockhart (37 minutes) Lockhart is considered “The Barbeque Capital of Texas.” One of the best known restaurants here is The Original Black’s Barbeque which has been run by the same family since 1932. For a taste of the culture found in this town, you can stroll through the shops, galleries, restaurants, and the historic theater located near town square. Some visitors enjoy seeing the architecture of the Caldwell County Courthouse and others prefer learning more about where outlaws used to be detained at the Caldwell County Jail Museum. Wimberley (50 minutes) Wimberley is home to a number of fun day activities for you to enjoy. Jacob’s Well houses one of the longest underwater caves in the state of Texas. You can enjoy wandering through a number of art galleries including Wimberley Glassworks where you can watch artists create incredible sculptures from hot glass. To purchase some freshly pressed olive oil or small batch wine, you will want to visit Bella Vista Ranch. Gruene (51 minutes) For those interested in history, this is the perfect small town to visit. All of Gruene is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Once in the town, you will be surrounded by 19th-century brick storefronts and old shops. It is also home to the oldest dance hall in Texas: Gruene Hall. It still has old traditional wooden floors and offers a venue for up-coming music stars to perform. Big names have also been performing there since 1878.  New Braunfels (52 minutes) New Braunfels is known for its water coaster at Schlitterbahn Waterpark and Resort as well as its 18 different breweries on the Hill Country Craft Beer Trail. Outdoor enthusiasts enjoy rending tubes and riding the currents of the Comal and Guadalupe Rivers that pass right through the city.  1-Hour Drive Johnson City (1 hour) Johnson City was the childhood home of Lyndon B. Johnson. Today you can learn more about the 36th President of the United States by visiting the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park. A number of hiking trails with beautiful views can be found in Pedernales Falls State Park for those that enjoy the outdoors. For an up close and personal experience with over 700 animals you can spend some time at the Exotic Resort Zoo. This city has something to keep everyone entertained.  San Antonio (1 hour 21 minutes) Have you ever visited a Colonial Mission? If not, San Antonio is a great place to check out. This city is rich with history and provides visitors a number of destinations. A favorite for many travelers is to take a walk along the river walk. If you have an afternoon free, you can enjoy visiting some of the many art museums or take the kids to Six Flags Fiesta Texas, SeaWorld, or the San Antonio Zoo.  Fredericksburg (1 hour 32 minutes) This quaint small town is famous for its German heritage and wineries, which each use unique recipes. For an enjoyable afternoon you can visit the National Museum of the Pacific War,  Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, or the beautiful flower gardens at Wildseed Farms followed by a yummy meal at one of the local German restaurants. If you have never had German food, then you are in for a treat.  Waco (1 hour 36 minutes) Home to the world-famous Magnolia Market, Waco is a popular destination for many. The Magnolia Market was started by HGTV Fixer Upper stars Chip and Joanna Gaines. Other attractions that you may enjoy in Waco include the Dr. Pepper Museum, Waco Mammoth National Monument, The Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum, and the Cameron Park Zoo.  2-Hour Drive Houston (2 hours 37 minutes) Most people have heard of Houston, but why should you visit this city? To start, it is a very diverse city and sports 19 museums, galleries, and cultural museums. You also might enjoy one of the more than 300 parks that are scattered throughout the city. Some of the most popular include Memorial Park, Mercer Arboretum, and Botanic Gardens. For those with an interest in outer space, the Space Center Houston is a must. Here people of all ages enjoy learning about space exploration.  3-Hour Drive Dallas (3 hours) If you have heard of Texas, you have likely heard of Dallas. It is home to one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United States. There are so many things to do and see here so you will want to make sure and do your research in advance. Some popular places for shopping and food are Uptown, the Deep Ellum, the Bishop Arts District, and the Lower Greenville neighborhoods. If you are interested in history, you might enjoy the Sixth Floor Museum and the Dealey Plaza where you can learn more about John F. Kennedy’s assassination. If you decide to visit Dallas, you will be surrounded by things to do all day. Corpus Christi (3 hours 10 minutes) Did you know that large expanses of beautiful sandy beaches exist on the coast of Texas? Corpus Christi is one of these areas. This coastal city located right off the coast of the Gulf of Mexico is a great place to escape to take a break from the city and enjoy the fresh ocean breezes. You can spend your day enjoying the sun, water, and sand, or take some time to explore the city. Situated on North Beach, you will find the Texas State Aquarium and the USS Lexington (one of the carriers during World War II). There are also a couple of State Parks and gardens that you may enjoy visiting. Galveston (3 hours 35 minutes) Galveston is the perfect destination for a weekend getaway. It is located on the coast with beaches and the well-known Pleasure Pier which features a number of rides, midway games, dining, and shops. Many people enjoy seeing the numerous examples of Victorian architecture found here. The perfect stop for the entire family is Moody Gardens. Here you will enjoy an aquarium, a rainforest pyramid, a 4D theater, a number of live animal experiences, and a fun ropes course.  4+ Hour Drive Krause Springs (4 hours) Car rental services in Austin Think you are going to need a rental car during your trip? Here is a list of the car rental services that are available in the city:  Alamo Rent A Car Limos of Austin Avalon Transportation Service Fox Rent A Car Enterprise Rent-A-Car E-Z Rent-A-Car Budget Car Rental Priceless Car Rental Advantage Car Rental Austin Van Rentals Thrifty Car Rental Hertz Car Rental Go Rentals Avis Car Rental Payless Car Rental Read recent customer reviews to ensure that you are getting the best service.  Attractions in Austin Texas is known for “big” things. Austin is a big city and has a number of fun things to do while you vacation. We wanted to help you brainstorm for your trip and have compiled a list of popular attractions in the city with help from U.S. News and A Taste of Koko.  Iconic Attractions State Capitol SoCo District Sixth Street LBJ Presidential Library Austin Bats Esther’s Follies Thinkery Driskill Hotel Shopping on South Congress Museums and Memorials Blanton Museum of Art Bullock Texas State History Museum Mexic-Arte Museum Parks and Gardens Mount Bonnell Zilker Metropolitan Park Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail at Lady Bird Lake Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Austin Nature and Science Center Mayfield Park and Preserve McKinney Falls State Park Barton Springs Pool Umlauf Sculpture Garden Hamilton Pool Lake Travis Culture and the Arts Austin City Limits Live at The Moody Theater The Contemporary Austin — Laguna Gloria University of Texas at Austin Alamo Drafthouse Two-Step Dancing at Broken Spoke How to get around Austin There are a number of ways to get around Austin if you do not have a car. Kerri Sholly, Director of Public Relations and Communications at Four Seasons Hotel Austin offers some suggestions to help you get to where you would like to be quickly and efficiently.  Walking — Walking is best if you are going to be downtown or around South Congress. Pedicabs — If you are going to be traveling a medium distance in the city, this is a great option to save your feet. SUPs — If you are interested in going across the lake, you will want to hop on a SUP. Swan Boats — Not only is this a great way to see the lake, but it also provides you with some exercise. Willie Nelson’s Vintage Tour Bus — This is a great way to get out and tour the Hill Country wineries without having to worry about drinking and driving. Boat — A number of boats are available for you to hop on to go out and see the numerous lakes in the city. Bicycle — If you would like to travel around the lake, you can enjoy cruising on the bike trails that have been created in the city as well as the mountain biking trails in the greenbelts. Motorcycle — If you would like to go to cruise through the countryside to see the beautiful wildflowers, a motorcycle is the way to go.  Parking in Austin Austin is a big city and it provides a lot of parking options to ensure that everyone can find a place. That being said, much of the parking is not free. Parkopedia is a great resource to help you locate available parking on a map. Not only can you see what parking is available (along with its specific pricing), but you can reserve a spot to make sure that it is still there by the time you arrive.  Many resources to help you find the best parking in the city are available online. If you are planning to visit the bats on the bridge, 6th street downtown, the State Capitol, or the Austin Convention Center, you may want to check out this parking guide provided by Pauly Presley Realty. It will help you to find the perfect parking places located close to each of your destinations. 

Rental agencies are losing their market share for many activities, but business travel is one opportunity where car rental companies and customers can both win. If transportation on your business trip will be a tax writeoff, or paid for by your company, the appeal of ridesharing and public transit disappears. Car rental gives travelers the convenience of choosing when and where to go without having to wait for a ride to arrive or commute long hours with crowds of people. If your business is taking you places, you’re probably going to want to rent a car. Here are some expert tips from those who have traveled with car rentals. Choose airline and hotel partners Bundling your travel costs usually amounts to extra savings. The same is true with car rentals.“We pair our Delta SkyMiles with our car rentals to accumulate more SkyMiles,” Shawn Breyer of Atlanta House Buyers explains. “Delta partners with numerous car rental companies, which is great for getting rewards at Delta and the car rental, giving you double reward points. . . . If you enjoy rewards, it's important to look at what partnerships your airlines, hotels, and car rentals have with each other.” Erica Dermer, blogger for Celiac and the Beast, echoes this idea. “When I first started flying often, I made sure to attach my rental car to my airline loyalty program,” she explains. However, Dermer sticks to one airline and one rental agency for her travel: “If I rent from Budget, I get points for Southwest Airlines. I use my Southwest Airline credit card to rent from Budget, and also get points from that. It's best to stick with one airline, one rental car company, and get the credit cards and loyalty programs attached to those to get the best benefits.” Need mobile accessibility? Find a rental company with an app So you want to rent a car, but you don’t want to wait in line for nearly an hour to check it out. Or, you don’t want to call in if you need to extend your rental. Choose a car rental company with a robust app that helps you through the process more quickly. “I set up my own loyalty membership with about five or six rental companies, but really only use one — National,” Anne Fletcher of TravelSOUL says. “This is because their app is super easy to use and I can easily extend my rental through the app without hassle.” Some companies, such as Avis, Alamo, and Sixt, allow online check-in that lets patrons access the express counter and head to their car quickly without waiting in line at the kiosk, resolving one of the peskiest vexations of renting a car. Use your vehicle options When selecting a rental, you can choose different models to match your circumstances. Vanessa Keating of Evolve Creative, LLC explains the choices: “Rentals I have used range from cargo vans for equipment pickups to economy cars for shorter airport-to-meeting trips to vans/suburbans [and] mid- or large-size sedans for longer client visits with a team of coworkers.” Being able to choose your vehicle gives you more opportunity than driving your own car or hailing a taxi. Business travelers can also choose higher quality vehicles to boost reputation. “I prefer luxury models because I entertain clients when traveling,” Rebecca Beach of MomBeach.com notes. And if you’re concerned about safety, Frederick Penney of Penney & Associates has some advice: “I believe it is also best to rent one of the largest or safest vehicles on the road. The advantage of being in a bigger car when in an accident outweighs the small amount of money you save by renting a compact car. Nobody ever picks up a rental car expecting to get into an accident, but taking some additional precautions never hurt anyone!” Tailor your selection to your needs to make your business trip a more comfortable experience. Read also: Top Rental Car Tips: 20 to Make Your Next Rental the Best Ever Take advantage of the benefits of renting a car If you’re going to have the convenience of a rental car, take advantage of its benefits. “The greatest benefit of renting a vehicle rather than using your own is avoiding the wear and tear,” Ron Auerbach says. “So by using somebody else's car rather than your own, you're not worrying about how many miles you put on it. And you know that the rental companies maintain their fleets.” Frequent travelers don’t have to worry about wearing out their own vehicles, and they also get to explore their destinations. As Dermer explains, “I rent a car because I want the freedom to explore. I want to be able to venture out at night or in the morning before the convention/conference/trade show starts. I don't want to be chained to my hotel and their food and beverage offerings.” Check and double-check availability Some rental agencies may have a lean fleet in rural locations and during seasonal surges. “There are some rural areas where car selection might be very limited,” Auerbach says. “So you may just have to settle for whatever they happen to have available at the time and make do with it. It's also possible, depending upon when you need the vehicle, that none are available at the time.” Keating also warns of this additional disadvantage: “Pricing is also quite variable, especially around large events or holidays where rental volume is at a premium. It is sometimes a challenge to get the car you need as they are based on criteria in person that can't be communicated online or [through] calling an agent who may not be available once you arrive at the rental pick-up location.” It can be hard to tell what’s available, especially in rural locations or when working with smaller car rental agencies. Business travelers should consider this when they’re looking for a bigger selection. If they want a higher likelihood of their desired vehicle being available, they should rent from a company with a large fleet of vehicles. For those who need to travel often for business, a rental car might make sense. And with this advice, it might seem like an even more attractive option. Research companies and find out which rental agencies offer you the best match.

Self-driving vehicles are an inevitability for our future. But before consumers can hit the road in one of their own, they might find themselves in someone else’s on their way to the airport. Ridesharing and rental services have some of the biggest benefits from this innovation, primarily paying less for personnel. And autonomous cars may need to be regulated by temporary ride-offering services, because privately-owned cars could oversaturate roads. Who will be the first to tap into this revolutionary self-driving technology — rental car agencies or ridesharing services?The answer may seem obvious from an initial glance. Ridesharing companies put a significant dent in the rental car industries’ market share with their transparent fees, mobile accessibility, and valet service. In numerous statistical reports and thinkpieces, Uber and Lyft are praised as meteors killing the rental-car dinosaurs that consolidated to drive up prices and remove competition. With ridesharing already being an innovative idea that has skyrocketed to success, and with Waymo announcing a (rather limited) self-driving rideshare service, it looks like rental car companies will be lucky if they can keep up. However, that’s exactly what they intend to do.But how can they compare to the ridesharing companies helping autonomous vehicles hit U.S. roads? Uber and Lyft have raced to incorporate self-driving cars into their fleets. Lyft partnered with Aptiv and Waymo to provide autonomous rides in Las Vegas and Phoenix; Uber sunk over a billion dollars in self-driving technology while placing its bets on its own staff to refine self-driving cars. Then Tesla jumped into the fray with lofty promises of robotaxis filling the streets of America by 2020. But all these promises are failing to live up to their expectations. Some services require human chaperones for the “autonomous” ride; others have proven major safety risks and boast technological incompetence compared to human drivers. For now, ridesharing companies are stalling, trying to pave a way forward when legislation and public opinion often force them to yield.In the meantime, what have rental car companies been doing? Playing bingo and giving grandchildren hard candy? Not so. This evolution has changed how some rental companies view ridesharing. Behind Waymo’s ridesharing app, a fleet of Phoenix-based personnel is cleaning and fine-tuning the autonomous vehicles between rides — that would be the employees of rental car company Avis. Waymo delivers the car to your door, but Avis keeps the car running and clean and provides the car a lot to stay in while it’s idle. Hertz has followed suit by partnering with Aptiv in Las Vegas to manage its self-driving fleet, and Enterprise is partnering with Voyage to service its own autonomous cars. The self-driving revolution should be pitting ridesharing and rental companies as competitors, but it has instead created a symbiotic relationship that might allow both to thrive. In the future, the two may fuse entirely.But for now, this is a clever move for rental car companies, who foresaw all the struggles of getting ahead by developing their own self-driving technology. “I think we are still a couple of years away from having advanced self-driving vehicles that rental car companies could use without risking a devastating lawsuit,” explains Tony Arevalo, car insurance agent for Carsurance. “While you are using the services of a ridesharing company, such as Uber, your driver and their insurance are liable for injuries you can suffer. If you used a rented self-driving car, the rental car company and the vehicle's manufacturer would be responsible for anything bad that happens to you.” Rental car companies can’t take that gamble until autonomous vehicles are rigorously tested and vetted as reliable transportation — which is years to come.Rather than blowing millions or billions of dollars on brittle artificial intelligence and fighting policymakers on accident liability and safety regulations, rental car companies have offered to babysit, biding their time and seeing how the battle plays out. Uber and Lyft have a lot to lose if their self-driving cars don’t perform; Hertz, Enterprise, and Avis simply have a few tentative partnerships that could sputter out and die. Is this move too slow? This is a typical complaint of most rental car companies' choices, and possibly their choice will not be enough. But it is safe, and slow and steady wins the race.Also read: Top Rental Car Tips: 20 to Make Your Next Rental the Best Ever