Renting a car on the east coast USA

I am visiting the US later this year. I will arrive in Boston and will spend 1 week travelling down to Virginia for a drag racing event, via Maryland and Washington DC.

On the 2nd week I want to travel back to Boston via Philadelphia and New York City.

I am worried that vehicle will be difficult to park during the NYC portion, so would like to leave it at a motel on the outskirts and travel into the city on public transport (2-3days)

For the rest of the journey, the car will be vital and we dont mind renting a cheap vehicle. However, for the drag racing event we want to hire a convertible such as a mustang.

Questions:

1) Which areas should be avoided for the NYC/Motel car portion, due to poor public transport links or crime?

2) Are there any events that could impact our journey, such as sports or public holidays?

3) What are the laws on drink driving - any zero tolerance states that we should be cautious of? (from driving with a hangover)

Edits made to clarify some questions I have.

usa car-rentals

Best Answer

Fancy or "cool" cars will be highly-priced for any renter, and may be unavailable to you because of your age.

Having a car in New York city is a serious challenge, particularly in Manhattan: there's little or no street parking with arcane regulations, and paid parking is expensive. I've traveled there many times, and always returned the rental car before entering the city.

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Renting a car on the east coast USA - Cityscape of contemporary New York City district with famous skyscrapers situated on East River shore under clear sky

What state is the cheapest to rent a car?

The Least Expensive Cities for Car Rentals - Anchorage, Alaska - Anchorage is the cheapest city for car rentals in the country, with a daily cost of just under $49 for a total ten-day rental fee of $484.55.

Can I rent a car to drive across America?

Most rental car companies in the U.S. do not have restrictions on driving across state lines, so you should be able to rent a car to drive cross country.

Can you rent a car in one state and return it in another?

Yes, you can return the car in a different location. Usually, this is called \u201cone-way rental\u201d. However, please note that, sometimes, an extra fee may be applied to your reservation.

How much does renting a car cost in USA?

On average a rental car in United States costs $458 per week ($65 per day).

How to drive in USA - 6 easy steps USA NEWS TODAY

More answers regarding renting a car on the east coast USA

Answer 2

I have been to NYC a couple of times (from Providence, RI), but just on Saturday day trips.

The first time, I guessed the traffic would be terrible and parked at a suburban rail station in Connecticut, getting a train the rest of the way to Grand Central Station. I was surprised how quiet Manhattan seemed to be.

The next time, I resolved to drive into Manhattan. The traffic similar to my earlier trip. It was OK, certainly no worse than, say, London or Paris, but parking was hard to find and quite expensive. Negotiating the freeways around the city was difficult - I'm used to European style signage and things like "Rosedale Avenue" or "Webster Avenue" meant nothing to me when I was expecting clear signage for "Downtown" or "Manhattan Island". I imagine it could have been a lot more difficult if it had been mid-week instead.

Is it feasible? Yes; but it could be stressful if you are not used to big city driving, and expensive if you want to stay in Manhattan for more than a few hours.

As for under 25, it will cost you more for the rental (but I guess you know that already), and I guess a "cool" car will also cost more and might be a greater target for theft, but I very much doubt the rental company will levy extra charges because you dared to drive in NYC. All the same, make sure you have sufficient insurance coverage.

I realise the journey itself and seeing some of the USA, may be the purpose of your trip, but curious why you are choosing to fly to Boston and drive 600+ miles to Virginia, and another 600+ miles back, when there are plenty of airports closer to Virginia that would avoid the need to pass through NYC at all.

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