There’s a lot of tours in New York City (I’ve highlighted my favorites here) but I think one thing people don’t do enough of is Airbnb experience. Most of us know Airbnb through their stay features but they also have a lot of experiences where you can get a local to show you around. I actually like these experiences more than traditional tours because they have locals who share something they are passionate about, they are small groups, and they are usually a bit more off the beaten path.

I don’t think people take these tours enough and they are always one of my favorite things to look for whenever I travel anywhere in the world. New York City has a ton of options you can choose from. Here are my favorites:

Explore Brooklyn’s Pizza Scene

Pizza and NYC go hand in hand like bread and butter and this Brooklyn pizza tour run by travel writer Dani Hienrich takes you to some of the best spots in the city while also giving you a really detailed history of pizza in the city (who knew slives weren’t a thing until the 1940s!). I’ve taken a lot of pizza tours in the city and I think dani runs the best one because she explains the history, is super fun, and it’s a more off the beaten path tour so you’re not being herded around in a large group of twenty.

Sketch Masterpieces at the Met Museum

In this fun experience, you visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art and meet,X, a seasoned artist who will guide you on a sketching journey. You’ll begin with a friendly introduction and sketching warm-ups, then walk through selected galleries pausing to draw iconic sculptures and artworks of your choice. Along the way, he’ll also explain the history of sculpting and painting techniques and the sotry behind some of the exhibits. It’s definitely a fun and hands on way to explore the MET.

Explore African American History

On this walking tour in Lower Manhattan, you’ll meet your host Larry at the National Museum of the American Indian and then walk through a tapestry of hidden Black New York: from the site of Bowling Green (where enslaved Africans helped build the city), to remnants of Fort Amsterdam, and to the location of the 17th-century enslaved houses. You’ll pass Wall Street to learn about its slave-market past, visit Federal Hall and a former free-African oyster house, walk through Foley Square (site of the original execution grounds), and conclude at the African Burial Ground National Monument. Larry is one of the best tour guides I have ever had. He’s so fun, engaging, funny, and filled with a ton of knowledge. I love this tour and learned a lot on it. It’s such a cool and unique way to see lower Manhattan. He also runs an amazing Harlem tour too!

Create and Taste a New York Pizza

If you want to do more than eat pizza, visit Paulie Gee’s, where your host Logan will guide you through the history of New York–style pizza before you shape your own dough, choose from a variety of sauces and toppings, fire your creation in a wood-fired oven. Afterwards, you’ll sit down to eat your creation as well as some other famous dishes from the restaurant. It’s run and interactive and Logan is a really interesting and personable host. Located in Greepoint, it’s an area most tourists skip so afterwards be sure to explore this locals only part of town.

The next time you’re in NYC and looking to do something fun and unique be sure to look into Airbnb Experiences as they are really fun and interesting. I’ve done a dozen or so of these and these ones I think are the absolute best out of those. But if you find one you love be sure to email me about it so I can check!

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I love road trips. You get in car and can just head off anywhere you want. There’s a freedom to a road trip that you can’t get with trains (and, don’t get me wrong, I love train travel too). Small towns, beautiful parks, historic buildings….whatever you see, you can stop for and can stay as little or as long as you’d like!

Over the years, I’ve been on dozens of road trips. Some destinations are just meant for them (think New Zealand, Ireland, Iceland, the United States, South Africa, etc, etc.).

However, when you don’t have your own car, renting one can be a pain in the ass. No one likes doing it and we all (rightly) worry we’re getting ripped off. There’s always a lot of questions that go with renting a car.

Where can I find the best deals?

How do I know this cheap car rental site is legit?

What are things I should watch out for?

And what about insurance? Do I really need that? Or is my credit card’s insurance good enough?

In this post, I am going to share my tips and advice to help you find a cheap (but reliable) car rental and how to avoid common pitfalls that many travelers make.

Step 1: Join Rental Company Mailing Lists & Loyalty Programs

Most rental car companies advertise deals to their subscribers first. As soon as you know that you’re going on a road trip, join the mailing lists of the major car rental company. That way, you can snag any deals on offer as soon as they are announced.

To find the main rental car companies in your destination, simply visit the website of the airport you’re arriving at and see what car rental companies are available there.

Additionally, like airlines, many car rental companies have loyalty airlines that offer perks like discounts, bonus upgrades, and free rentals. Enterprise, Avis, Alamo, and Hertz are some of the major players on the market that offer free loyalty programs. Sign up for them so you don’t miss out on any perks, offers, or upgrades.
 

Step 2: Search for a Car with Discover Cars

While you can certainly check each car rental company individually for a deal, the best way to compare prices is to use an aggregator. These websites compile information from every car rental website so you don’t have to spend time manually comparing prices before you book.

Discover Cars is the best car search aggregator to use as it pulls more cars from more websites to ensure you find the best deal (it searches over 500 websites for deals). It cover 165 countries and 50,000+ locations worldwide!

You can use the widget below to check prices and get a quote quickly and easily to compare rental car deals with DiscoverCars comparison tool for cheap rentals:

Be sure to compare weekly and daily rates as well. For example, if you need a car for 4 days, compare the price for a 7-day trip as well. Sometimes it’s cheaper to rent for a whole week and just return the vehicle early.
 

Step 3: Check for Discounts & Deals

Some car rental websites share discounts directly on their website. For example, b oth Budget and Avis have “last minute deals” sections on their website where you can find incredible discounts as long as you’re flexible with your dates and destination.

Most major car rental companies also offer discounts and deals to certain groups as well. For example, Avis offers up to 35% off to AARP members (AARP is an interest group in the U.S. for people 50 and over) while Budget offers up to 35% off to veterans. Check and see if there are any discounts or deals you qualify for before you book, such as corporate discounts, government discounts, senior discounts, or discounts that stem from any hotel or airline programs you are a part of.

Many travel credit cards also have perks or discounts for car rentals.
 

Step 4: Check the Sharing Economy

Now that you’ve found the best deal, it’s time to do a quick comparison with sharing economy websites like Turo. Turo is like Airbnb but for cars. Locals list their vehicle and a price per day and you can browse the options and book a vehicle. It’s not available everywhere (they’re currently only in the United States, Australia, France, the United Kingdom, and Canada) but you can find it in most major cities. Depending on your needs and the duration of your trip, you might be able to find a cheaper deal.

Renters need to be at least 21 years old, have a valid driver’s license, and have proof of a good auto insurance score. You can either pick up the car, have it dropped off, or meet the owner somewhere to get the keys.

Prices can be as low as $25 USD per day, making it an affordable option if you book early.

And, if you’re looking for an RV, check out RVShare, which is similar to Turo but focused solely on RVs and campervans. They have the largest inventory out there.

There’s also the website Imoova.com, where you relocate people’s vehicles for them. You’ll be on a deadline as vehicles need to be delivered by a certain date, however, rates are usually just $1 per day — and many include some money for gas too.
 

Step 5: Book Your Car (and Book Early!)

Book early. Like booking flights, the closer you are to the date, the more expensive the car will be — assuming there are any left to rent! The recent pandemic saw car rental prices skyrocket as people shifted from trips abroad to road trips at home. The best time to rent a car is when you know you need to rent a car! Don’t wait.

You can click here to get a quote directly from DiscoverCars aggregator for global rental comparisons.
 

9 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Rent a Car

Now that you’ve found a cheap car rental, here are some considerations to keep in mind before you book your rental:

1. Are there driver requirements? – Some countries charge extra if a driver is under 25 years of age. Others require a certain amount of driving experience before one can rent a car (usually one year). Each country has different requirements, so make sure you read the fine print before you book. You can learn more about getting an international driver’s license on this blog post.

2. What does your travel insurance policy require? – Car companies always push you to get extra insurance when you rent a car. But should you? That depends on whether you have your own travel insurance with collision coverage, your own car insurance, or coverage through your travel credit card.

Some travel insurance companies and credit cards want you to decline the insurance from the rental agency, while others insist you get it and make a claim with them first. Before you rent a car, make sure you understand what is required by your existing travel insurance plan. The credit cards listed here have really good car insurance coverage.

3. What is not included? – Once you find a rental car, companies usually try to sell you all kinds of extras. GPS, liability insurance, satellite radio, a children’s car seat — these are just some of the extras not included in most rental cars. Find out what is and isn’t included, so you aren’t surprised when picking up your vehicle.

4. Do you need to fill the tank at the end? – Some rental car companies allow you to drop off the car as is but that is really rare. Most insist you fill up the tank beforehand. If you don’t, they charge you a highly inflated fee for the gas when they fill it up. I always just fill the tank back up before I drop the car back off.

5. How can you avoid getting scammed? – Before you head out on your trip, take pictures and videos of the car. Specifically, the bumper, windshield, and tires as these are the most likely areas to get damaged. That way, when you return it, they can’t blame you for any pre-existing damage. I always walk through with the person handing me the car and do a walk through with someone when I drop it off.

6. Do you have unlimited mileage? – Unlimited mileage is slowly becoming standard. However, it’s not always the default, check that you have unlimited mileage for longer road trips. Otherwise, you’ll be counting miles so you don’t get billed extra.

7. Do they charge for an extra driver? – If you’re going on a road trip with friends or family, chances are you’ll be sharing the driving. Unless you’re going with a spouse or domestic partner (which some companies include as an additional driver for free), that means you need to pay a fee for an extra driver, usually $10-20 USD per day! Limit your extra drivers if that’s the case, otherwise you’ll be charged a fortune. Also, keep in mind that it’s illegal to charge fees for extra drivers in some places (such as California).

8. Where is the pickup/drop-off location? – Most travelers pick up their rental cars at the airport. While convenient, airports charge companies fees for operating there — fees that get passed onto the customer. It’s worth checking around to see if there’s a difference in price for off-airport locations. If they are easy to reach, chances are you can find a cheaper price there.

9. Is the car automatic or manual transmission? – If you’re from the US or Canada and are used to driving an automatic vehicle, you might be surprised when renting a car abroad, as manual transmissions are standard in most other parts of the world. Because of this, renting an automatic-transmission car is usually more expensive. Double-check that you’re renting a vehicle that you can actually drive (don’t take chances trying to teach yourself on a rental car).

Road trips are one of the best ways to explore a new destination and the freedom of having a car is unrivaled, allowing you to get off the beaten path and into all kinds of adventures. And knowing a few things before you rent a car can save you a lot of time, hassle, and expensive pricing.

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