Smarter Car Renting

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

•  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 Ithaca before arrival or verify in the rental policy and rules to see which forms of payment they accept.

•  Leave Nothing Behind: At a road trip's end, we find we've accumulated souvenirs, kitschy mementoes, and piles of brochures from tourist attractions. These treasures prove you really traveled -- that it wasn't just some wacky delusion. When dropping off your rental car, carefully check every door pocket, drink holder and storage bin for these keepsakes. The rental car company sure doesn't have any use for them.

•  Many States, One Car: If renting a car for a longer road trip, check with the car rental companies in Ithaca, New York 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 Ithaca attractions

Ithaca NY Area Attractions

• Cayuga Medical Center At Ithaca
• Cornell University
• Ithaca College
• Greek Peak Ski Resort (19.27 miles)
• Cortland Memorial Hospital (19.67 miles)
• Watkins Glen International (22.86 miles)
• Cortland Country Music Park (23.18 miles)
• Elmira College (28.94 miles)
• Arnot Ogden Medical Center (29.05 miles)
• Auburn Memorial Hospital (34.54 miles)
• Corning Hospital (34.77 miles)
• Corning Museum of Glass (34.83 miles)
• Painted Post Depot Museum (35.00 miles)
• Rockwell Museum (35.14 miles)
• Eastern National Park Association (35.77 miles)
• Seneca Falls Historical Society (35.85 miles)
• Geneva On the Lake (36.63 miles)
• Lourdes Hospital (36.87 miles)

Ithaca rental guide