Ocean County is an exciting place to hit the highways in your own rental car. Turn up the tunes and enjoy the flexibility of discovering all the hidden gems dotted between each of its most popular travel destinations. Try to cross off as many of this place's top destinations as you can:

• Lakewood (population of 53,800)
• Point Pleasant Beach (population of 4,600)
• Tuckerton (population of 3,400)
• Barnegat (population of 2,800)

Here are our top tips on how to hop behind the wheel of a rental car with extra cash in your wallet:

• Compare as many different cheap car rental companies as possible (we make that chore a walk in the park!);
• Organize an email Price Drop Alert for your upcoming vacation destination. You never know what terrific bargains will make a pit stop in your inbox;
• Research is the key to getting the best rental bargains in town, so be sure to look into both airport and non-airport pickup and drop-off outlets before you pay for your ride;
• You can often save a few dollars if your plans are flexible. Compare different days and dates and find out what savings you can score;
• If possible, keep your pickup time and your drop-off time the same. If you return your rental car later than you picked it up, you might have to pay for a full extra day;
• Oftentimes companies reward you big time for prepaying — keep an eye out for these great deals;
• Last of all, lock in your favorite set of wheels as soon as you possibly can to score a truckload of savings!