Smarter Car Renting

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

•  Fear of the Unknown: Unfamiliar with the streets of Newport? Consider adding a GPS navigation system to your rental. GPS provides turn-by-turn directions to a number of Newport attractions and businesses, and is offered by almost all Newport car rental agencies. The GPS helps you navigate like some mythical Greek God of Navigation! You can also add your own portable GPS on your handy windshield sucker, but remember to take it all with you when you turn in the car at the end of your trip.

•  Under 25? Everyone over 25 assumes you are an awkward and unpredictable risk behind the wheel. Ridiculous, you say, without taking your eyes off the road. But be sure to check with Newport Rhode Island car rental companies about their specific policies. Some agencies require the driver to be at least 25 while other rental companies may allow younger drivers to rent for an additional fee. Have more than one driver? Be sure to ask if additional charges apply for more than one person driving the rental car.

•  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.

Click here to see Newport attractions

Newport RI Area Attractions

• Adventure Watersports
• Beechwood Mansion
• Black Ships Festival
• Fort Adams State Park
• Great Chowder Cook-Off
• Marble House
• Newport Flower Show
• Newport Hospitality
• Newport Kite Festival
• Newport Postcard Museum
• Redwood Library & Athenaeum
• Rosecliff
• Salve Regina University
• Secret Garden Walking Tour
• Spirit Of Newport
• Tennis Championships
• Thames Science Center
• The Artists Ball

Newport rental guide