If your trip to Menlo Park is all sorted out but your itinerary is a bit on the empty side, we can give you a few hints and tips.Leave that rental car at the hotel and use those feet. Not far from the center of this neighborhood, Kepler’s Books is worth a visit. More adventure awaits at Nak’s Oriental Market and United States Geological Survey, which are also a stone’s throw away.

Make sure you visit Old Palo Alto and Stanford during your time here. Give yourself enough time to explore — there’s plenty to keep you busy. Travel 2 miles from Menlo Park and you’ll find yourself in Old Palo Alto. Alternatively, Stanford is situated 3 miles away.

Nothing says vacation like loading up the car with supplies and driving to the coast. Menlo Park has some incredible beaches nearby, so bring along your favorite book (and a kite if it’s breezy) and head to one of these great options:

• Lakeshore Park Beach (9 miles away).
• Cowell Ranch State Beach (15 miles away).
• Pelican Point Beach (15 miles away).

If you’re going to Menlo Park for work-related reasons, you’ll probably be visiting some convention centers. With your own set of wheels, you can rest easy knowing you’ll arrive on time. Here are some of the biggest and the best:

• Allied Arts Guild (2 miles away).
• San Mateo County Event Center (9 miles away).
• Parkside Hall (18 miles away).

Every good car should be reliable, comfy, and functional. So, we’d recommend choosing an SUV or a full-size car if you intend to use Menlo Park as a base to road trip around Palo Alto. These larger vehicles offer spacious interiors and a powerful engine to take you across the open roads with ease. If you’re eager to spend the majority of your time in the city, a car with good fuel-efficiency, like a compact or a mini, will be a great fit. These cute rides handle like a dream when it comes to navigating traffic!

There’s more than enough choice when it comes to rental cars in Menlo Park. From luxury models to zippy little compacts that make parking a breeze, you’ll find it all here. Deciding on your perfect match of course depends on your budget and what activities you plan on doing. Some road trips are just begging you to splurge on your dream ride, whereas other adventures don’t need much more than four wheels and a gas pedal. The choice is yours.

Normally, your chosen rental company will charge the amount of the fine to your credit card. Alternatively, the company may share your contact information with the relevant local authority so they can send a fine straight to you.

It is prohibited to use your cell phone while driving in Menlo Park, and you may even be charged a fine for just handling your phone when you’re in control of a vehicle. That said, the use of hands-free or Bluetooth functions is permitted, as long as you stay focused on the road.

The legal BAC (blood alcohol content) limit while driving in Menlo Park is 0.08%. If you’re planning a big night on the town, leave your car behind and organize a different way of getting home instead.

Road rules in Menlo Park permit drivers at a red light to turn into the direction of traffic closest to them, without waiting for a green signal. Before turning, the vehicle must stop completely and the driver must be sure that the lane is clear before proceeding.

You bet. However, there are a few exceptions for certain vehicles run by public transportation systems.