Cheap Car Rental in Palm Springs

Car Rental in Palm Springs: kitschy sights and classy dining

Palm Springs has long been a popular resort town, which attracts the rich and famous and the average tourist alike. Often considered classier than Las Vegas and less hectic than nearby Los Angeles, Palm Springs offers visitors the best of kitschy sights and classy dining, as well as excellent hiking opportunities in the city’s beautiful natural surroundings. Make the most of your visit to Palm Springs by staying mobile via rental car, and book your car today!

The weather in Palm Springs can be excruciatingly hot in the summer, particularly July through September, when rental cars are also at their most expensive. To enjoy the warmth without feeling as though you need to stay as close to a swimming pool as possible, visit the city and its surroundings November through April.

The de facto national language of the United States is English, which is also the native language of most residents of Palm Springs, though about 20% of the population speaks native Spanish. The indigenous language Agua Caliente is the primarily spoken language of indigenous peoples living in and near Palm Springs today.

Palm Springs is in the Pacific Time Zone, UTC-8

The currency throughout the United States is the dollar. ATMs are frequent and currency exchange is readily available at airports and popular tourist destinations. Credit cards are accepted at the vast majority of businesses.

Automobile hire is available in 3 locations throughout Palm Springs, including downtown and the Palm Springs International Airport (PSP).

Visa Regulations

38 nationalities can enter the United States as tourists without applying for a visa, though if you are among these nationalities, you are still required to fill out the ESTA in advance. Visit esta.us for more information. Visitors to the United States will be fingerprinted and biometrically photographed upon entry. If your nationality is not included in the visa-waiver program, you will be required to apply for a B-1 or B-2 visa in advance of your arrival.

Driving in Palm Springs

Though central Palm Springs is easy to navigate by foot or bicycle, the city is very car friendly and makes renting and driving a car both convenient and comfortable, particularly as public transportation has its limitations throughout the city.

Right-Hand Driving

• Traffic drives on the right-hand side of the road throughout North America.

Speed Limits

• In the city: 25 miles per hour (40 km/h)
• On urban highways: 45 to 55 mph (72 to 88 km/h)
• On rural highways: 65 to 70 mph (104 to 112 km/h)
• Rush hour typically occurs around Palm Springs on the weekends or around holidays, when visitors from nearby Los Angeles and other major metropolitan centers head to the city to relax. In order to optimize your travel time, avoid travelling to Palm Springs on a Friday and avoid leaving the city on a Sunday.

Other Regulations

1. Parking is quite easy in downtown Palm Springs. While you may have to pay for street or lot parking on some occasions, spaces are typically available on the main streets and on side streets, except when streets are closed for festivals or markets.
2. Your domestic driver’s license is sufficient for driving in California.
3. While there are toll roads throughout the state of California, there are no toll roads in the direct vicinity of Palm Springs.
4. Californians can legally drive as young as 16 with driver’s education, but most rental agencies will require you to be at least 21, and you can expect to pay young driver surcharges until the age of 25.

Cheap Car Rental in Palm Springs

Automobile hire in Palm Springs typically starts at around $25 a day. Here are some of the best deals in Palm Springs:

• Kia Rio or similar (economy class) – $27/day
• Nissan Note or similar (compact class) – $30/day
• Hyundai Elantra or similar (intermediate class) – $31/day
• Volkswagen Jetta or similar (standard class) – $34/day
• Ford Fusion or similar (standard class) – $35/day

Note that prices vary depending on the availability of each specific car and the season in which you rent. For the most accurate offers, use the search bar above.

Tips for Renting a Car Inexpensively in Palm Springs

There is some seasonal variation in price for rental cars in Palm Springs. The cheapest time to rent a car is when the so-called snowbirds (tourists who spend the winter months in the southern United States) leave in February and March, when rental cars cost as little as $31 a day. In the late fall and winter, automobile hire costs around $40 a day, and in the popular summer months, rental cars can cost as much as $50 a day!

Regardless of when you rent, however, you can often save at least $5 a day by extending your rental period to over a week.

For the most availability and variety in rental cars in Palm Springs, book your car from the Palm Springs International Airport, where rental car companies such as Dollar, Alamo, and Thrifty offer competitive automobile hire prices.