Smarter Car Renting

Here are car rental tips from the road trip-seasoned editors of RoadsideAmerica.com:

•  Car Types: When selecting a car type, remember it's not just about how cool you'll appear. The car selection page details show an average of how many people and how many pieces of luggage can comfortably fit in each car type. Pay attention to the specifics to be certain they meet your needs before booking.

•  Credit Cards for Pick-Up: Many agencies require a credit card upon pick-up. Yes, Opie, we live in that kind of world. So make sure you are in good standing with your "plastic." Call the car rental agency in San Mateo before arrival or verify in the rental policy and rules to see which forms of payment they accept.

•  Many States, One Car: If renting a car for a longer road trip, check with the car rental companies in San Mateo, California to see if they have policies about crossing state lines that affect the final rate you pay. May be no effect, but don't assume you can crisscross the globe with unlimited mileage impunity. There may be a GPS tracker in the car!

Click here to see San Mateo attractions

San Mateo CA Area Attractions

• San Mateo County Expo Center
• San Mateo Medical Center
• Notre Dame de Namur University (3.13 miles)
• Flag-Hat Made of Human Hair (3.17 miles)
• Mills-Peninsula Health Services (4.69 miles)
• Sequoia Hospital (6.00 miles)
• Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Redwood City (6.68 miles)
• Downtown South San Francisco (8.65 miles)
• Menlo College (9.17 miles)
• Seton Medical Center Coastside (10.82 miles)
• Stanford University (11.06 miles)
• Stanford Hospital and Clinics (11.07 miles)
• Lucile Packard Children's Hospital (11.18 miles)
• Wyatt Earp and Levi Strauss Headstones (11.45 miles)
• Stanford Stadium - Stanford University (11.58 miles)
• Monster Park - San Francisco 49ers (11.60 miles)
• Memorial for Circus Showfolks of America (11.72 miles)
• Maples Pavillion - Stanford University (11.95 miles)

San Mateo rental guide