ByrdluvsAWACO

So you drag your luggage to the restaurant with you?

Ancien Maestro

Well.. sort of..

The luggage is in the van or the rental.. maybe I should have clarified..

But not soon enough can we get into the restaurant as we're starving for something wholesome to eat off the plane..

ByrdluvsAWACO

Oh, ok. I normally don't rent cars so my first stop is almost always a hotel.

Ancien Maestro

So how do you get around? A cab?..

With a family with 2 small kids, a rental is a must.. a mini-van is almost a must..

exbayern

At the risk of derailing another thread, feet, metro, public bus, sometimes taxi, sometimes my driver. If I am not in the United States I rarely rent a car.

My dining choices are often limited to how far I feel like walking at night, and where I feel like walking. Generally I don't feel like more than 1,5km each way at night after a long day at work.

And I work several places where one simply cannot go out at night without a driver, due to safety reasons (and my driver generally is not on call all evening)

element7

Same here. When outside US I usually dont rent a car since I can either take public transportation or friends can pick me up

exbayern

And while I am not overly scared to travel, as a single female often travelling alone it does somewhat limit as well how I choose to go out at night, and where I go.

Again, that is a difference from travelling on holiday, where one may be more apt to be in a group of either family or friends, in a holiday destination, and with more access to dining options.

ByrdluvsAWACO

In Europe, I like to walk a lot in addition to taking the bus or the subway. I like the challenge of getting around in foreign countries without the use of a car.

The reason I like walking is that you can stop at interesting/unexpected places without the hassle of parking. I also like to look at restaurant menus of restaurants along the way.

exbayern

I should ammend my previous post to add that I don't rent a car if I am in the heart of a city in the US either. Having a car is often a hindrance, whether work or pleasure.

ByrdluvsAWACO

Especially in old world cities in Europe where streets are narrow, one-way, or parking is severely limited. In addition, many European cities have new pedestrian only areas. Even my European friends will just take the bus or metro with me when we go out for dinner and drinks.

Ancien Maestro

Renting a vehicle on a self guided independent trip is a must.. But we just did the Riviera Maya and on the suggestion of those on FT experienced visiting Mexico, I heeded most everyone's advice and dumped the rental vehicle idea..

So paid for a transfer with Cancun Transfers which was a mere $120 round trip from the airport to pretty much Playa Del Carmen.. So if the practice of not having a rental vehicle is common, maybe I'll consider it for other trips.. The difficulty driving around Mexico is the different traffic laws.. and if you get into an accident, without the proper insurance, you can end up in jail.. Plus driving a vehicle, I was afraid that we would be used as target practice, especially with all of the crime happening down there.. Glad to report it was completely safe trip, and we felt safe the whole time..

ByrdluvsAWACO

Not necessarily. I've traveled around Mexico, Britain, Ireland, and France just by walking, using buses, trains, and in some cases taxis.

exbayern

Agreed. A car really isn't a requirement in many places around the world. And often I find that having a car prevents one from really getting to know the local flavour, as you pointed out above.

Take London, Paris, Rome, New York as examples - having a car is generally more trouble than it is worth, especially if trying to explore the core of those cities. I can think of countless smaller cities which are similar examples. And try even renting a self-drive car in China or India.

Travelling on foot in the local neighbourhood often uncovers some real gems which one may not have found with a car. I also tend to avoid the hotel concierge for recommendations, and ask other people for their local favourites. That is how I found several gems, as opposed to overrated tourist destinations recommended by various hotel concierges around the world.

AftOf245

You could improvise...

N965VJ

If I ever notice an iron that smells of pepperoni and sausage, I'll now know why.