Driving in America
For anything but a coach tour a car really is essential for everyone visiting the USA and cars are cheap to run. Even a one-resort holiday can be greatly improved by a few days visiting nearby sights, theme parks, or just experiencing the open road.
The USA is larger, and the distances between cities greater, so the time needed to explore is that much greater than in the UK. Costs per mile are still low compared to Europe, but the distances so great the overall costs can still be quite a surprise. There are positive aspects though:
- Local car hire is very reasonably priced.
- Petrol is cheap by European standards.
- Motoring means wide roads and lots of places to park.
- For most of the freeway network driving is actually relaxing due to the legal 65/70 mph speed limits. (Around cities, though, freeways are like bad sections of the M1.)
So a holiday based, for instance, near central Florida 's Disneyworld can be both wide-ranging (Florida Keys to the south, Fort Augustine in the northeast, and Panama City to the northwest) and very reasonably priced, especially if car hire is booked as part of the flight and accommodation package, or just pre-booked from the UK. Such special rates usually involve collecting and returning the car from the same airport, and may require you to stay within the one state (which may be larger than the UK!).
- A useful overview is provided in Driving in the USA from Columbus Press, 28 Charles Square, London N1 6HT. Tel: (020) 7417 0700.
- A video is also available: Driving in the USA from Travel Television Ltd, of Hindhead, Surrey. Tel: (01428) 607213 £12.45 including postage and packing.
- For general information contact:
The American Automobile Association (AAA)
8111 Gateway Road
Falls Church, Virginia 22047
Tel: 001 703 222 6000.
www.aaamidatlantic.com
The 'Triple A' publish a useful Handicapped Driver's Mobility Guide.
