Originally Posted by
guv1976
Do you plan to spend any time in Manhattan? If so, I'll offer a dissenting opinion.
I would take trains between Philadelphia and Princeton, and between Princeton and Manhattan (Megabus between Princeton and Manhattan is another option), and try to schedule the visit to West Point on a day when you can take advantage of the Avis/Budget $9.99 one-way special between Manhattan and EWR/LGA/JFK (Sundays and Mondays only), or between the airports and Manhattan (Thursdays and Fridays only). The special rate includes 12 hours, 150 free miles, and the first tank of gas. No special rate code is needed; just make sure that you search for a rental period that does not exceed 12 hours, and that you book at least 24 hours in advance.
Avis is recruiting customers to help them deal with dropoffs? Interesting.
I appreciate all these responses. There should be a collateral benefit of some fun from this trip. Cost vs. benefit, I think we get the greatest freedom from a rental car on most days.
That said, I live in the suburbs of the LA area, and (for a variety of reasons) I go to downtown LA only when necessary, and usually in my car. But I've never visited NYC and I have to admit, it feels wrong on a certain level to go so close and then never make time to get into NYC. A friend who lived there recently suggests that it would be wiser to do anything involving a rental car outside of NYC, would that be the consensus opinion here, the Avis deal notwithstanding?