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If your job requires a lot of jet-setting to places far and wide across the globe, avoiding the headaches of plane travel might not be possible. But if you’re among the many who need to travel for work just sporadically–for a conference, a training, or an important meeting–flying may be more of a choice than a requirement. And with ticket prices rising, airlines cutting back on options and amenities, and increasingly unpredictable delays at security check and baggage claims, there are plenty of reasons to find alternate ways of getting to your destination if you can. Being on the clock and out of your element in a strange place is stressful enough! Instead of defaulting to fly for short trips, keep the ‘5 Hour Rule’ in mind. It’s exactly what it sounds like–if your destination is roughly within a 5 hour drive of your starting point, you’re typically better off driving than flying in terms of cost to you or your business. It’s a rule of thumb you’ll hear often from seasoned business travelers, but truth be told, younger workers and those who only travel infrequently are the ones most likely to benefit from this hard-won wisdom. It’s a simple rule of thumb, but easily overlooked! If you’re still on the fence, 5 hours is just a guideline–for a more disciplined approach, make a quick search of ticket prices for round trip flights to your destination (careful here of hidden fees: some websites give ticket quotes without essentials added to keep prices looking low), and consider any other associated costs. When you arrive, will you need to pay for car travel or public transportation to get around? Will you need to purchase new luggage or other items to make sure you meet the airline’s baggage requirements? Will the purpose of your trip be voided if there’s a flight delay, and can your business recoup those costs? Once you’ve figured out your flight figure, take a look at the fastest driving route for the same trip (Google maps or even Waze can be great for this). Then ask yourself a few more questions: How many miles will the drive be, and about how long will the drive take? About how many times will you need to fill up the gas tank along the way? What’s the average price per gallon of gas, and about how much will you need to spend on fuel for a round trip drive? If the drive is longer than 5 hours, does cost of a plane ticket or other factors (a need to bring extra luggage, or if you prefer a more ‘bleisurely’ trip with interesting stops along the way) make a longer drive worth it? A 7-8 hour drive is still seen as reasonable for some. Consider all your options, and make the best choice for you ahead of time. If you do choose to drive, here are a few tips to make it even more worthwhile: If the drive would be reasonable, but your vehicle happens to be a gas guzzler, consider renting a more fuel efficient car just for the duration of the trip. This way, you can save on gas and keep those miles off your personal use car at the same time. If you have a smartphone, there are lots of apps that you can download that help you locate the lowest gas prices in a given area while you’re traveling–one of the most popular we know of is GasBuddy, but there are plenty to choose from. You might be surprised at how much you save just by checking for the best prices along your drive. If you’ll be staying overnight at your destination, consider going a little outside the city, or at least a downtown area, for your accommodations. It may be slightly more out of the way, but you’ll often get more amenities and better rates for your stay if you can venture outside prime downtown locations. And if you do rent a car: always ask the front desk if they can offer any promotions for business travelers–it can’t hurt, and you might be surprised! Need a rental car to make the drive? Book online or call us at 912.920.5431.

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Road trip to Savannah for one of our most celebrated holidays of the year: St. Patrick’s Day! Round up all of your friends and family, dress head-to-toe in all green and celebrate a weekend full of good ol’ Irish luck. Savannah’s St. Patrick’s Day celebrations are the second largest in the nation. This is a weekend you won’t want to miss out on, especially when Savannah Car Rental can provide you with great rental rates. The infamous St. Patrick’s Day parade begins at 10:15am on Friday, March 17th. With more than 300,000 people expected to attend this year, you’ll want to get there early to be sure you’re not missing out on any fun! The floats will hit Savannah’s downtown streets for 4 fun-filled hours.  There’ll be live music, pipe bands, street performers and Irish groups and societies from all over the east coast marching in the parade. If you’re partying and sipping on green beer all weekend, purchase a $10 wristband each day at one of the many booths around downtown. Aside from the parade, River Street and City Market will line the street vendors selling an assortment of gifts and goodies. Live bands will be performing all day while you can shop, eat, drink and have fun. Wearing all green may keep you from being pinched, but it also adds to the fun of celebrating St Patty’s Day! If you’re driving from either Beaufort, S.C, Hardeeville, S.C, Statesboro, GA, or Flemington, GA, stop by Savannah Car Rentals to rent a vehicle for your weekend trip to Savannah. Beaufort and Statesboro are roughly an hour away from Savannah, where both Hardeeville and Flemington are less than an hour from Savannah. Book your Savannah Car Rental online today or give us a call at (912) 920-5431.

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Sometimes when you’re traveling for business, it can seem like there will always come an unexpected “x factor” to throw a wrench into the day’s important plans. That’s why frequent work travelers need tools and backup plans down to a science. These days, a big part of the toolbox is down to having the right apps installed on your work phone to help out in tough spots. Of course, we don’t recommend ever looking at your phone while driving—but when hands are off the wheel, these apps are handy indeed. Google Maps You may be more used to Apple’s Maps app if you’re an iPhone user, but Google Maps can be a step up for a few reasons more likely to be relevant to work travelers: if you use Gmail or any other “G Suite” service, Google Maps can pull any relevant data that may be stored there. If you regularly use Google search for work, the places you’ve searched will also automatically appear in the mobile app. Did a co-worker recommend a few places to stay in an email? Using Google Maps can make them easier to remember and locate on the fly. Waze There are lots of traffic apps on the market, and we’ll admit Waze isn’t always perfect—it can be a battery drain if you’re not traveling with an in-car charger (tip: always travel with an in-car charger), but this app has Google juice behind it, which means it has more input from traffic sensors than most other traffic apps you’ll find. When you need to figure out how to avoid rush hour traffic in an unfamiliar city, Waze is the app that can show you all the most congested routes to avoid, as well as offer alternate routes you’d never find as an out-of-towner. Be aware, sometimes this means the app will route you in a way that doesn’t make sense on first glance, but 8 times out of 10, it’s not a glitch—just a circuitous way to get around traffic. Roadtrippers For longer, multi-state drives, Roadtripper is essential. This is your one stop shop for route and stop planning along the way, with reviews of hotels, places to eat, points of note, and even campgrounds. It’ll also help you create and plan your route, even estimating what you’re likely to spend on gas ahead of time. Keep this one installed for the family vacation, too. GasBuddy This is just one of the gas-finding apps available, but GasBuddy seems to be the most comprehensive and widely-used. Nearly every gas station in America is logged in GasBuddy’s database, and since it’s regularly updated by a large user base with new gas stations, your best bet for finding gas in a tough spot is probably this app. Even if you’ll mostly be driving in metro areas where finding gas isn’t much of an issue, GasBuddy can help you find the cheapest gas to keep those expenses down. Spotify Alright, it’s not a travel app—but you’ll likely need something to focus your mind for the long drive. Listen to your favorite music, or check out the little-known “Word” section to listen to great historical speeches, college lectures, and sundry other spoken word offerings if that’s more your thing on a long drive. Some vehicles will allow you to listen to Spotify right from your dashboard, but if you don’t have this option, you can always use Bluetooth or an auxiliary jack to play through your car stereo. If you need a rental car for your next business trip, call us or book online here.  

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The Nissan Murano was voted the best midsize SUV according to cars.com in 2016, and was rated as the highest safety SUV in 2017, according to the NHTSA. The Murano is a wonderful vehicle for traveling with friends, family, and kids. With 21 MPG in the city, and 28 MPG on the highway, you won’t burn a hole in your pocket filling up the gas tank. The Nissan Murano comes in 4 different variations, each with its own options and features. The S has a starting price of $29,770; the SV starts at $32,970; the SL has a starting price of $37,300, and the Platinum starts at $39,610.   The Nissan Navigation System has a number of awesome feature options all within a finger tap to the display screen. You can switch between SiriusXM Satellite Radio, SiriusXM Traffic and Travel Link, SiriusXM sports scores, HD Radio, Apple CarPlay and more. The Traffic and Travel option allows you to view weather updates and forecasts across cities in the United States. One of the most unique and convenient features shows you nearby by fueling stations, as well as their fuel prices. The Nissan Navigation System uses voice recognition and has voice guided, turn-by-turn directions on the Maps application. Isn’t parallel parking difficult for just about everyone? The Nissan Murano has 4 cameras that create a 360-degree view of its surrounding areas, which makes parking a piece of cake. The 360 camera views display on the touch-screen monitor to assist you with directing lines and ensure you are aware of all of your surroundings. It also alerts you whenever your vehicle comes too close to a standstill, or to a moving object. Keep the entire car connected. The rear has a USB connection with smartphone interface. The front seat passenger is no longer the only one in control of the music. The Nissan Murano gives the backseat passengers the ability to plug in their phones, play music and control it all from their own seat. Savannah Car Rental offers a wide selection of vehicles to rent whether you are going on vacation or need a daily rental car. Call us at 912.920.5431 or book online to check out all of our specials and options.

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Can you believe it’s already 2017! Assuming January is going to fly by, we have your Valentine’s Day in Savannah planned out for a fun lovey (or not) day. Whether you are spending Valentine’s Day single, in a relationship, or in that in-between, ‘it’s complicated’ stage, we will make sure your day is what you want it to be! And of course, wherever you go, rent a car with Savannah Car Rental and ride in style to impress your sweetheart. ‘Cupid is Stupid’ Bar Crawl Kick off your Valentine’s Day early on February 11th with the Cupid is Stupid Valentine’s Day themed bar crawl. From 4-11pm, crawl your way through 12 downtown Savannah bars and restaurants including Boomys, The Rail Pub, Tree House, 309 West on the River, Stafford Public House and many more. At the beginning of the evening, everyone will receive a scorecard. While enjoying drink specials at each bar/restaurant you stop by, you’ll want to get your scorecard checked off. After, head to Savannah Smiles for the after party and grab your free t-shirt. If you’re feeling extra lovey, we suggest wearing something red and most importantly, don’t forget your ID! Ticket prices will increase so be sure to reserve yours now! Valentine’s Chocolate and Wine Tasting What’s more romantic than chocolate and wine? Nothing! Grab your loved one and enjoy a romantic evening at the Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens at the Historic Bamboo on February 14th. Make this a night your tastebuds won’t forget. Hors d’oeurves will be served prior to the wine and chocolate tastings. Tickets will sell out quickly and registration is required! Click here for more information on ticketing or call 912.921.5460. Garibaldi Cafe Take a dive into one of Savannah’s favorite elegant restaurants for a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner. Garibaldi Cafe has been around for more than 30 years. Enjoy anything from a classic spaghetti & marinara entree, lobster pasta or get fancy and order from the raw and steam bar. The Florence Indulge in an Italian focused, Southern grown restaurant in the heart of Savannah for a trendy evening with your significant other. The Florence opened in June 2014 and serves every dish with an Italian techniques and background. Marble table tops, high ceilings and reclaimed wood cover the interior of this masterpiece. Make your Valentine’s Day reservations now. Rent from Savannah Car Rental this Valentine’s Day. We’ll make impressing your sweetheart easy. Give us a call (912) 920-5431 or book your rental car online!

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Don’t blame us for this silly portmanteau, the word has taken off like wildfire since it hit the web, and whoever coined the term isn’t making a peep. But the trend of mixing ‘business’ and ‘leisure’ has been on the rise for several years. As the internet and our connected devices keep us tied to work email in our off hours, or distractions in our work hours, the boundary between ‘working’ and ‘not working’ has become just a little more malleable for some professions. Those of us in industries that cater to travelers have noticed a blurring of categories even in travel, as ‘traveling for work’ and ‘traveling for pleasure’ are more and more frequently bundled into the same trip. Do you know anyone who takes “bleisure” trips? The bleisure traveler takes advantage of the time away from the everyday on business trips, and this can be done in a lot of different ways. For some people, a particularly nice dinner and relaxing evening with coworkers on a work trip may be enough to count the trip as “bleisure,” while others may add a few vacation days onto the end of a business trip for personal sight-seeing once the purpose of the trip has been fulfilled. Still others in more social or creative industries may mix the two, with sightseeing and tourist-y activities used as networking opportunities with potential clients or colleagues. There seems to be no wrong way to be at “bleisure”—as long as you’re having fun and getting things done. And there seems to be no harm in having a good time when you’re on the go for work, as long as you’re abiding by company policies. Regardless, we’re still a little sweeter on the idea of full “vacation,” and the now-old-fashioned “leisure.” And even though “bleisure” may not be our favorite new word, we have a feeling “work vacation” is much less likely to go viral. Need a rental car to try your hand at this whole bleisure thing? Call us or book online here.

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The holidays are a busy time for us, but let’s face it–it’s not our rental cars that are on your mind this season! And we wouldn’t have it any other way. As we round out 2016, seeing the steady flow of traveling families, out-of-towners, and bustling locals helps to remind us that our job is about so much more than being a face on the other side of the booking desk. We love being able to help members of our community get moving in the direction they want to go–whether that’s a journey to family, a special trip, or just the ability to keep going when the best laid plans go topsy turvy. We know you, our customers, have many options when you’re deciding on a rental car company, and we’re honored to be able to serve our communities in Savannah, Hinesville, Statesboro, Coastal Savannah, Hilton Head, and Beaufort. We know the people who call and walk in every day are not just customers, but often neighbors, family, and valued members of our own communities. We like to think this focus is the reason our customers continue to choose us over more monolithic national brands. But we know being local is not enough. To win loyalty, we have to do something else: listen to you, our valued customers. Here’s how we at Savannah Car Rentals tried to do that in 2016: We developed new financing options. In response to noticing some common obstacles to financing our customers have faced in the past, we were able to tweak some of our requirements and hopefully increase some eligibility for renting. We continued to develop our “Rent-to-Own” program, a practice we started entirely as a response to regular customers who fell in love with their rentals and wanted a path to ownership. As members of our community, we were able to respond quickly in times of local weather crisis. When rental demand soared in the face of storm damage this year, we began to hear from customers that other rental companies had turned them away with no more cars available–so we set to work getting the word out that we still had options available, and stayed open as long as we were able. We don’t think this makes us special–responding to our customers’ needs is exactly what we should be doing, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. So as we prepare to take 2017 off the lot for a spin, we want to thank you for continuing to choose us, and to wish you safe and happy travels, wherever you’re headed. Happy New Year from all of us at Savannah Car Rentals! May you reach every destination you set this year.

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2016 flew by as fast as 2017 is approaching! It’s time to start making New Year’s Eve plans. Some superstitions say how you spend New Year’s Eve determines how you’ll live in the coming year, so it’s a great time to broaden your horizons with change of scenery. Our suggestion for a doable quick trip?: Ring in the New Year in Hilton Head Island, just a 30 mile drive from Savannah. End your last day of 2016 on the cooler side. The 16th Annual Polar Bear Swim begins at 10am on December 31st 2016. Skip out on your morning coffee, throw on your swimsuit and take a quick dip in the Harbour Town Pool to wake yourself up; All of the cool polar bears do it! Shake off the cold water and warm up with hot chocolate and refreshments. 20 years later, the tradition is still alive and glowing! Take a stroll through the Dove Street Festival of Lights with lights covering Shelter Cove Towne Center. There are over 70,000 lights to admire and falling snow (bubbles) to walk through. From 6-10pm, you will be walking in a winter wonderland. Put your ice skates on and twirl around the ice skating rink for great holiday entertainment. In previous years, $120,000 was raised for local charities, more than 40,000 cans for families in need and 20,000 gifts for children. The Disaster Relief and Recovery Fund, PEP (Programs for Exceptional People) and Island Rec Center will be on site accepting donations. In Hilton Head, you can count down to the New Year not once, but twice! The New Year’s Eve ball drops from the Harbour Town Lighthouse starting at 7pm and then again for the official ball drop at midnight on December 31st. Listen to live music and dine at Harbourside Burgers & Brews, The Quarterdeck and Topside Waterfront Restaurant. There will be complimentary party favors from Harbourside Burgers & Brews for everyone to enjoy as you ring in the new year. Book your rental car soon to save on your New Year’s Eve plans–rates are lower the further ahead you book!

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When you travel for business, it’s best to expect the unexpected. No matter how fastidiously you plan, you can bet on a minor setback or two once you’re on the road. These days, the most likely culprit is likely to be internet access. Whether you’re tearing your hair out over not finding Wi-Fi, losing it, having spotty access to it, or being charged too much for it–it’s a frustration you’re not likely to want to repeat on your next business trip. Before you hit the road, try our suggestions for saying goodbye to bad trip Wi-Fi. Know Your Data Plan First things first: if all else fails and you end up with roaming charges from your mobile device, it’s best to know ahead of time what that damage will look like. Check the fine print on your data plan for devices and make a worst-case guess on how much you could be charged if you end up using data for some or all of your work-related internet use. If you’re using a work-provided device, check with your employer ahead of time to see if you can be reimbursed for any worst-case scenario charges. Pick a Hotel with Wi-Fi Yes, we said hotel. Airbnb rentals may be popular, but their amenities aren’t always as reliable as hotel amenities. If you have a problem with a Wi-Fi password or connectivity, you might not have your concerns addressed as quickly as you need with just an app for support. Many hotels offer free Wi-Fi guaranteed, and there’s something to be said for a help desk. Be Aware of Public Wi-Fi Risks We all know using public Wi-Fi is a privacy risk, but when you’re travelling for work, the need for a connection NOW can make public Wi-Fi look like an oasis in the desert every time. Let’s face it: there’s probably no avoiding some form of public Wi-Fi use on your trip. Plan ahead for it by taking a moment to download all security updates on your devices prior to your trip. If you’re going to be accessing truly sensitive company material, consider using a VPN for extra protection. Consider Making Your Phone a Wi-Fi Hotspot This step takes some planning to set up, but if you travel for work often enough, it will be a godsend. This guide from New Atlas can help you figure out how this might work for your device. Be sure to check with your provider first: some will allow you to create a Wi-Fi Hotspot for free, but others may charge. Double check any potential data charges with your provider as well. A final tip for rainy-day planners: to find Wi-Fi hotspots on the go at any point of the trip, you can download an app on your phone that helps locate them, like Free Wi-Fi Finder or Avast Wi-Fi Finder. Need a rental car for your business trip? Make a reservation online.

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Take a trip to the warmer side during this holiday season. Packing is always easier when you don’t have to bring jackets, scarves, boots and wool socks! It’s the perfect time to rent a car for a quick, restorative road trip to a toasty location. With Orlando, St. Petersburg and Delray Beach all within driving distance from Savannah, there are plenty of options to choose from! Orlando, home of Disney World and only 4 hours away from Savannah is a great go-to for you and your family. Pack your walking shoes, and leave those winter coats at home for a fun filled holiday vacation, or weekend trip. During the holidays, Disney World turns into more of a lit up magical attraction than ever before. Mickey’s Merry Christmas Party occurs during the majority of December. The party begins at 7pm and goes until midnight with snowfall covering Main Street. Watch gingerbread men, elves, snowmen and wooden soldiers and all of Mickey and friend parade around with Santa as the grand finale! Enjoy the Christmas caroling, holiday cheer and complimentary hot cocoa. Drive towards the Gulf of Mexico to St. Petersburg to catch some sun rays and light shows. The Holiday Lights in the Gardens is a light show you won’t want to miss. The Florida Botanical Gardens hosts a transformed garden into a holiday paradise with over 750,000 lights. From 5:30-9:30pm, walk around and gaze at the thousands of lights and end your evening with a visit from Santa Claus. Cruise the coastline with Santa this December. Grab the family, jump into a Savannah Car Rental vehicle and cruise 6 hours to Delray Beach, Florida. On December 3rd, 10th and 17th, Delray Yachts hosts a magical event for you to join Santa Claus on the Cookie Cruise from 10am-noon. Jolly Old Elf will be on board while you cruise through Delray Beach, Boca Raton, and Highland Beach. Call to reserve your spot with Santa! 561.243.0683. On December 24th, partake in the first candle lighting of the menorah at 6pm. Don’t worry about adding miles to your vehicle. Savannah Car Rental is happy to get you, your family, and friends to your hottest destination this holiday season. Book online today.