If your trip to Odessa is all booked but your itinerary is a bit on the empty side, we can give you a few hints and tips.Whatever you do, don’t forget to pack your camera when you swing by Big Cat Rescue. This great attraction is sure to offer some unmissable photo opportunities.Close to the center, Lake Rogers Park is one spot you might like to add to your to-do list. Brooker Creek Headwaters Nature Preserve and Crescent Lake are also nearby and worth a detour.

Pull out your bucket list, because it’s about to get longer. Once you’ve crossed off the best sights in Odessa, you’ll find a big-name attraction just a little further out. Wanderers from all corners of the globe head to Salvador Dali Museum. You can reach it from St. Petersburg, 25 miles away.

No matter what the weather’s like, you’ll be able to catch a glimpse of the magnificent beaches near Odessa from behind the wheel of your rental car. As you travel along, keep your eyes peeled for seabirds drifting over these dazzling stretches of coastline:

• Sunset Beach (12 miles away).
• Hudson Beach (17 miles away).
• Pier 60 Park (18 miles away).

Heading to Odessa for work-related reasons? After a long day of mingling and making new connections, you might find your stomach calling out for food. Thankfully, these convention centers offer an easy commute to some terrific cafés and restaurants:

• Ritz Ybor (16 miles away).
• Tampa Convention Center (16 miles away).

Whether you’re taking a break by yourself or with the family, CarRentals.com can help you find a suitable set of wheels for your Odessa trip. A mini is a fantastic choice if you’ll be spending nearly all of your time in the downtown area. Cost-effective and dependable, these cars will get you from A to B easily and comfortably. If you want to add some real pizzazz to your trip, take a look at our special category. You’re sure to find something that will turn a few heads! Got the kids with you? A roomy SUV should tick all the boxes.

You’ll be glad to know that there’s a wide variety of luxurious vehicles to rent in Odessa. What you end up opting for is largely dependent on your budget and the activities you’ve got planned. Specialty and prestige vehicles are hard to beat if you’re all about comfort and class. If you want to indulge yourself, why not go for a high-end SUV, or perhaps an upmarket mid-sized sedan? On the other hand, if you just need a set of wheels to whiz around town in as cheaply as possible, maybe go for a no-frills compact vehicle (or something else that won’t break the bank).

In Odessa, you’ll need to stick to the right-hand side. When exploring a new place, it’s always a wise idea to go for an automatic car. That way, you can focus on the road and not worry about gear changes.

Since the population of Odessa is about 7,300, you won’t experience too much trouble with traffic congestion. That said, major roads generally get busy before and after work hours, so you may want to avoid driving then.

For the most part, parking in Odessa isn’t a difficult task. If you’re planning to head to one of the more popular sights in town, it would be wise to look at parking options before you go.

Speed limits vary in Odessa, but typically range from 30km/h to 70mph. Most residential zones have a top speed of 30mph unless indicated otherwise.

Generally speaking, your rental car company will charge the fined amount to your credit card, including local taxes. Alternatively, they may share your information with local authorities, who’ll then issue a fine directly to you.

Although there are a small number of exceptions, seat belts are mandatory in Tampa.

As long as you have Bluetooth or similar functions enabled, you are able to use your cell phone while driving a car in Odessa. But make sure you remain focused on the road.

In Odessa, it’s a criminal offence to drive with a BAC (blood alcohol content) greater than 0.08%. If you’re thinking of having a drink or two with lunch or dinner, leave your rental car at your hotel.

Yes, drivers can turn on a red light in Odessa. Firstly though, you have to stop the car completely. Continue only when the lane you are turning into is clear of approaching traffic.