Why you should rent a car in Florida
Florida is one of those sprawling states whose attractions are wide and varied. Sometimes you just want to get between A and B without the hassle of a shuttle bus, taxi or train — and that’s where hiring a car comes in. It’s without a doubt the easiest and most convenient way to get where you want to go, when you want to go in Florida. There are so many reasons to rent a car in Florida, but here are a few at the top.
Plain and simple, it's convenient
Above all, renting a car allows you to travel completely and totally at your own pace. There’s no need to rush through breakfast to make the shuttle to Walt Disney World Resort, or miss the fireworks to get back to your hotel. With a car at your disposal, you can come and go as you please.
The same goes for travelling in between parks, as well as the shops and restaurants of Disney Springs. Further to that, if we had a dime for every time we left a brand new bottle of sun cream under the seat of the shuttle bus, we’d be millionaires. With a hire car of your own, there’s only one place that life-sized stuffed Mickey Mouse toy could be – in the boot of your own car.
Beaches one day, Disney the next
Florida is one of those destinations with wildly different faces, though they’re all treated to the same warm sun. The two biggest draws to holidays in Florida are undoubtedly the theme parks and the beaches, though the two aren’t necessarily on top of each other. By having a car, you can have the best of both worlds without having to worry about organising public transportation.
With access to a car, half of your trip can easily be spent inhaling cotton candy at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and the other spent lounging on the award-winning shores of Clearwater – it’s all up to you. This idea works especially well for adults travelling without little ones, who still might want to spend a day or two high-fiving their favourite Disney characters from childhoods gone by, but not necessarily an entire trip. You’ve got to save room for cocktails at the rooftop bars in St Petersburg, after all.
Save money on short-term travel
Chances are, not everything you want to do while on holiday is going to be in walking distance from your hotel. Renting a car is often an incredibly affordable option, as with a hire car, you can skip the taxi fares and go straight to hitting the road.
This is especially useful when you’re travelling through places like International Drive and its pit stops aplenty. International Drive is 18 kilometres long and you won’t have to stay in one spot for the day so as to avoid taxi rides between theme parks and restaurants. Explore you can, and explore you should.
Have that classic American road trip
You all know what we’re talking about. That iconic moment as a car hits the open road, windows down and radio blaring. It’s one of those bucket list items every seasoned holidaymaker should experience.
And romance aside, Floridian roads make these classic road trips an actual delight instead of a headache. Much of Florida’s highways are well-marked and de-congested, especially once you get out of the cities and they take you to places like the Everglades National Park in no time. Just make sure you rent a car with a really powerful sound system.