USA Guide
Getting around
By car
For many, the concept of cruising down the highway, preferably in a convertible with the radio blasting, is one of the main reasons to set out on a tour of the US. Apart from anything else, a car makes it possible to choose your own itinerary and to explore the astonishing wide-open landscapes that may well provide your most enduring memories of the country.
Driving in the cities, on the other hand, is not exactly fun, and can be hair-raising. Yet in the larger places a car is by far the most convenient way to make your way around, especially as public transportation tends to be spotty outside the major cities. Many urban areas, especially in the west, have grown up since cars were invented. As such, they sprawl for so many miles in all directions – Los Angeles and Houston are classic examples – that your hotel may be fifteen or twenty miles from the sights you came to see, or perhaps simply on the other side of a freeway that can't be crossed on foot. In some centralized cities – mostly in the Northeast, plus Chicago, San Francisco, Portland and Seattle – the main attractions and facilities are concentrated within walking distance of each other.
To rent a car, you must have held your license for at least one year. Drivers under 25 may encounter problems and have to pay higher than normal insurance premiums. Rental companies expect customers to have a credit card; if you don't, they may let you leave a cash deposit (at least $200), but don't count on it. All the major rental companies have outlets at the main airports. Reservations are handled centrally, so the best way to shop around is either online, or by calling their national toll-free numbers. Potential variations are endless; certain cities and states are consistently cheaper than others, while individual travellers may be eligible for corporate, frequent-flier, or AAA discounts. In low season you may find a small car (a "subcompact") for as little as $150 per week, but a typical budget rate would be more like $40 per day or $200 per week including taxes.
You can get some good deals from strictly local operators, though it can be risky as well. Make reading up on such inexpensive vendors part of your pre-trip planning. Even between the major operators – who tend to charge $50–150 per week more than the local competition – there can be a big difference in the quality of cars. Industry leaders like Alamo, Hertz, and Avis tend to have newer, lower-mileage cars, often with air-conditioning and stereo CD players as standard – no small consideration on a thousand-mile desert drive. Always be sure to get unlimited mileage, and remember that leaving the car in a different city to the one where you rented it can incur a drop-off charge of $200 or more.
When you rent a car, read the small print carefully for details on Collision Damage Waiver (CDW), sometimes called Liability Damage Waiver (LDW). This form of insurance specifically covers the car that you are driving yourself – you are in any case insured for damage to other vehicles. At $12–20 a day, it can add substantially to the total cost, but without it you're liable for every scratch to the car – even those that aren't your fault. Increasing numbers of states are requiring that this insurance be included in the weekly rental rate and are regulating the amounts charged to cut down on rental-car company profiteering. Some credit card companies offer automatic CDW coverage to customers using their card; contact your issuing company for details.
The American Automobile Association, or AAA ( 
1-800/222-4357; 
www.aaa.com ), provides free maps and assistance to its members and to members of affiliated associations overseas, such as the British AA and RAC. If you break down in a rented car, call one of these services if you have towing coverage, or the emergency number pinned to the dashboard.