Rental cars in Washington from $42

If your trip to Washington is all locked in but your itinerary is looking a bit empty, let us give you a helping hand.You may need to ask the boss for an extra week off, because Washington is full of iconic attractions. First cab off the rank should be Ford’s Theater and White House. Don’t miss United States Capitol and Washington Monument either.Soak up the best that this place has to offer by adding Capital One Arena and Smithsonian Castle to your travel itinerary. If you have an extra day up your sleeve, drop by Supreme Court of the United States and National World War II Memorial as well.Near the city center, National Mall is one sight you might like to put on your to-do list. If you still have space on your schedule, Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and National Museum of Natural History will keep you on the go as well.

If you’re up for more adventure, keep on driving to Annapolis, 30 miles from Washington. You’ll find plenty more fascinating things to experience here, including U.S. Naval Academy and Maryland State House. Baltimore, 35 miles away, is another road-trip destination that’s worth the drive. Take a look around M&T Bank Stadium and Oriole Park at Camden Yards, two great attractions in the area.

If you have some important business to see to in Washington, there’s a high chance you’ll be spending loads of time at a convention center. If that’s the case, you might want to hear about the ones that have cafés and restaurants nearby:

• Walter E. Washington Convention Center (0.2 miles away).
• Arts and Industries Building (1 mile away).
• La Maison Française (3 miles away).

Rent some wheels in Washington and enjoy this metropolis at your own pace. Just imagine — no queuing up for trains or buses. If you’re traveling by yourself or with your beloved, why not go for a compact car? They’re inexpensive to run, a cinch to park in tight spots, and useful for maneuvering through traffic. Have the kids with you? Think about a full-size car. There’ll be enough space for the family, and if you plan to venture out of town for a couple of nights, there’s room galore for your luggage too.

You’ll be glad to hear that there’s a huge variety of both economy and high-end rentals in Washington. What you go with depends on how much you want to spend and what you’re planning to do. Prestige vehicles often spare no expense when it comes to mod cons and comfort. If you want to indulge yourself, why not grab an elite SUV, or perhaps a flashy medium-sized sedan? Alternatively, if you’re just after a car to whiz around town in as efficiently as possible, you’re better off choosing an economy compact vehicle (or something else that won’t burn a hole in your pocket).

It’s relatively easy to find a car space in Washington, although you might find it hard to secure a spot in the busier areas. Staying at a hotel that has on-site parking is a smart move.

As the population of Washington is only 630,000, you shouldn’t have too much trouble with traffic congestion. That said, downtown streets are generally busier before and after work hours, so you may want to avoid driving then.

There sure are. In the city of Washington, speed limits range from 20mph to 70mph. Most built-up areas have a default speed limit of 25mph unless signed otherwise.

Usually, your chosen car rental company will charge the fined amount to your credit card. Alternatively, the company may supply your contact details to the relevant local authority so they can send a fine straight to you.

As with many places, normal cell phone usage is not permitted while driving a car in Washington. An exception applies for hands-free or Bluetooth capabilities. Just be sure to keep your eyes on the road.

The legal BAC (blood alcohol content) limit while operating a vehicle in Washington is 0.08%. If you’ve got a big night planned, leave the car behind and organize some other way of getting home instead.

Yes it is. But before doing so, you are required to bring the vehicle to a total stop and only proceed if there’s no approaching traffic.

In short, yes. Although, there may be exceptions for certain vehicles used by public transportation systems.