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Car hire in Fort Lauderdale – For the Best of Florida
A thriving coastal destination on the Atlantic Ocean in the state of Florida, Fort Lauderdale is a culture-rich city that's often affectionately referred to as the 'Venice of America' due to its expansive canal system, with over 300 miles of them in total. This charming, subtropical metropolis is located in one of the most idyllic parts of the Sunshine State, in a region famous for its stunning beaches and fine weather for most of the year.
It is a progressive city that offers far more than just beaches. It has a growing culinary scene, a pulsating night-life and some of the most exhilarating outdoor adventures in the USA. There are so many unique ways to experience this vibrant city, which in recent years has metamorphosed into a fantastic family-orientated destination with a plethora of unique attractions.
Thanks to its dedicated tourism development, Fort Lauderdale has finally managed to emerge from the shadow of its more illustrious neighbour, Miami, to become a fully-fledged destination in its own right. For visitors, some of the city's highlights include the excellent Broward Center for the Performing Arts, Museum of Discovery and Science, Museum of Art and Old Fort Lauderdale Village and Museum.
With a car hire in Fort Lauderdale you can have the best of both worlds by enjoying the city's many sights before heading down south-east Florida's unparalleled coast-road to visit Miami, arguably the most glamorous American city of them all. Other day-trip options include Everglades National Park just an hour away and the world-famous West Palm Beach, home to some of the USA's richest residents.
With around 70 years of continuing success, Auto Europe is one of the world’s longest-established car hire intermediaries and a leader of the global vehicle rental market. By working with all the top car hire companies such as Avis, Hertz, Dollar, Budget, Thrifty, Europcar, Alamo, National and Sixt, Auto Europe now has more than 28,000 pick-up and drop-off locations in more than 190 different destinations (including Fort Lauderdale), which enables us to offer the widest range of vehicles at the lowest rates on the market.
For your next trip, why not book a low-cost car rental in Fort Lauderdale for a fascinating road-trip around south-east Florida. Online reservations can be done quickly and easily in a few simple steps through the Auto Europe search engine. Alternatively, you can get in touch with our award-winning rental specialists and they will be happy to find you the best deal for all your needs. For added peace of mind, please take a look at the comments posted by previous Auto Europe customers in the city on our Fort Lauderdale car hire reviews page.
For more information on renting a vehicle in Fort Lauderdale, click on the car hire related topics listed below:
| Suppliers | Car Hire FAQs | Travel Guide |
Where to pick up a car hire in Fort Lauderdale
Auto Europe works with all the world's top car hire companies which enables us to offer our many customers the widest choice of locations in Fort Lauderdale and elsewhere in Florida. This means that you can pick up your vehicle at the airport or in the heart of Downtown and be on your way in just a few minutes. Besides the many car hire companies operating at Fort Lauderdale Airport, there are several conveniently-located suppliers' offices in other parts of the city, most of which are in close proximity to Fort Lauderdale's top tourist attractions. To help you make the right choice for your cheap car hire in Fort Luaderdale, our state-of-the-art booking engine allows you to do an extensive search to find the best vehicle and the most suitable pick-up point for your trip with the aid of an interactive map indicating all the available car hire locations in the city, including Fort Lauderdale Pier.
Fort Lauderdale Airport
Fort Lauderdale Airport (FLL) is the city’s largest airport and a major hub for low-cost carriers such as Spirit Air, Silver Airways, Southwest and JetBlue. Located just two miles south of the city's bustling Downtown area, it is also the main domestic airport for the entire South Florida region. It is a major airport and popular low cost carrier destination. This is the most convenient airport to Fort Lauderdale. Delta Air Lines and United all also have substantial operations at FLL, plus it is an emerging hub for flights to and from the Latin America and the Caribbean. There are also regular flights to and from Europe, with many passengers either bound for or coming off cruise ships docked at Port Everglades. To pick up your car rental, head for the Rental Car Center (RCC) by following the signs to the Concourse B pedestrian bridge which is located near the security checkpoint on level 2 in Terminal. Passengers arriving at Terminals 2, 3 or 4 should follow the RCC signs to the passenger pick-up area to catch the free shuttle bus service to the RCC.
Fort Lauderdale Airport (FLL)
Website: broward.org
Address: 100 Terminal Dr, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315, USA
Telephone: +1 954 359 1200
Book with the best car hire suppliers in Fort Lauderdale
Auto Europe is a leading international car hire company currently offering a vast selection of convenient pick-up and drop-off locations in 190 different destinations around the world. Thanks to our many years of experience dealing with all the global and local car rental companies, we can offer you the best standard of service and cheapest prices on the market.
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Should you require additional information about the car hire companies we work with or their policies, for example out of office pick up or questions regarding age restrictions, our car rental specialists are just a phone call or e-mail away and happy to assist you.
Frequently asked questions about renting a car in Fort Lauderdale
This section features the most frequent questions asked by people booking a car hire in Fort Lauderdale. Scroll down for important tips relating to a wide range of essential car hire topics, such as credit cards, coverage, tolls, traffic and much more. If you need any more information, please reach out to our reservations team and they will be happy to help you with your reservation and assist you with your travel itinerary.
Do I need a credit card to rent a car in Fort Lauderdale?
Yes. To rent a car in Fort Lauderdale and other cities in the USA, you will always be required to present a valid credit card in the main driver's name in order to collect your vehicle at the pick-up point. Car rental companies in America and other parts of the world normally require their customers to place a hold on the value of the deductible for the vehicle for the duration of the rental period, which is promptly returned once it has been dropped off without suffering any damage. It's quite a surprise for drivers when they arrive to pick up their car, only to be refused because they don't meet this requirement. Only a credit card will suffice, not a debit/prepaid card or cash will be accepted. Please follow the link to our dedicated blog post on the subject for more information on credit cards when picking up a car hire vehicle.
If you have decided to book a premium- or luxury-category car, then you should keep in mind that the supplier might ask for a second major credit card (ie Visa, Mastercard, Diners or American Express), also in the name of the main driver. To check which cards and types will be accepted for your car rental in Fort Lauderdale, all you have to do is make a quick search in the Auto Europe booking engine and click on the blue and white info icon (i) where you will find all the necessary credit card info. Please also take a look at our related blog post for more information on credit cards and deposits before making your final decision.
What insurance do I need for my car rental in Fort Lauderdale?
There are a few key points to remember about car hire coveragewhen you rent a car in Fort Lauderdale with Auto Europe. The Zero Excess product comes as standard with all car rentals in Florida and includes value added tax (VAT), fire insurance, liability insurance, collision damage waiver (CDW) zero excess and theft protection (TP). Most of our customers opt for Full Damage & Theft Protection which covers most other parts of the vehicle, including the wheels, glass, undercarriage and roof. If the worst happens and you need to make a claim, please note that you will need to pay the local supplier before claiming the money back from Auto Europe. Please make sure that you provide all the required documents to receive your refund as quickly as possible. All the information relating to car hire coverage is clearly stated in the Auto Europe booking engine search results. For access, just click on the blue and white info icon (i) after selecting the category and supplier to find all the necessary details. If you have any questions, please contact our rental specialists for assistance.
How is the traffic in Fort Lauderdale?
If you're planning to spend more than a couple of days in Fort Lauderdale, you should definitely have a car to explore the city and its wonderful surroundings. With a car hire in Fort Lauderdale you'll have all the freedom you need and find the ease of driving around the city and its environs a joy. The majority of the city is designed according to a standard north-south grid system, which means that it's relatively easy for visiting drivers to get around and see all the sights. In Fort Lauderdale, most people commute by car, so the rush-hour traffic can get quite heavy between the hours of 6-10am and 4-7pm on weekdays. Furthermore, the city's traffic patterns are typically seasonal and therefore you'll find more international visitors in the winter than in the middle of the summer because many people from colder states (particularly New York, Alaska, Canada, etc.) like to spend December through February in the warmer climes of Fort Lauderdale and nearby Miami. The spring break also brings larger crowds and typically runs from early March to late April. For more information about driving around the Sunshine State and the rest of America, please consult our USA Driving Guide for tips on paying tolls, finding petrol stations, age restrictions, driving distances, etc.
Where can I park my car hire in Fort Lauderdale?
While there is some free street parking in the city, most is metered and operates with an hourly payment policy. Some spaces in the city's car parks and in metered on-street parking spaces is paid for through the Pay-by-Phone systems, with many users paying by means of an app on their phone. This also allows drivers to pay for their parking, see how much time they have left and extend the period if need be. City car parks, underground garages and on-street spaces have standard parking rates based on their location within one of three zones throughout Fort Lauderdale. A few streets in and around the centre of Fort Lauderdale have free parking but free spaces are few and far between. Some of the best-value centrally-located car parks include the Riverwalk Center located at 150 SE 2 St, City Hall Garage (100 N. Andrews Avenue), Bridgeside Place Garage (3020 NE 32 Ave), Las Olas Garage (200 E. Las Olas Circle) and Arts & Science District Garage a 101 SW 5 Ave.
Do I need to pay tolls when driving my car hire in Fort Lauderdale?
Yes. Located in the Fort Lauderdale/Miami area, the Homestead Extension of the world-famous Florida Turnpike highway is one of the busiest roads in Florida and is the southern extension of Florida's Turnpike connecting Interstate 95 in the north to Homestead south of Miami. To use this highway, vehicles must have an active SunPass or another interoperable transponder located on the car's windscreen. In Florida, toll roads are often called turnpikes and they have more in Florida than any other state, over 700 miles in total. Most major rental companies have programs allowing customers to utilize the Toll-By-Plate electronic collection system where tolls and service fees are automatically charged to the credit card used to rent the vehicle.
Do I need an international driving license to hire a car in Fort Lauderdale?
Although an International Driving Licence (IDL) is not obligatory, it is highly recommended if the driver's home licence is not printed in the English language. Furthermore, an IDL is mandatory if the driver's national licence (ie from the country where they reside) is not printed in the Roman alphabet (such as Japanese, Greek, Russian, Bulgarian, etc.), in which case it must be accompanied by the driver's home licence.
Can I hire a campervan in Fort Lauderdale?
Yes. Auto Europe offers excellent opportunities for travellers looking to take full advantage of the fantastic Florida scenery by opting for a campervan hire in nearby Miami. With your very own hotel room on wheels you'll be able to explore the Sunshine State with total freedom and flexibility whilst saving a lot of money on meals and accommodation. To best meet your needs, we offer several types of campervan, from the C9 which is designed for a small family and the popular FS31 which caters for larger groups of up to 6 or 7 people. A motorhome takes away the stress of looking for somewhere to stay with the added benefit of being able to park beside the sea or in the heart of the southern Florida countryside.
Fort Lauderdale Travel Guide
Popular for its incredible beaches, thriving arts scene and large-scale events, Fort Lauderdale today almost rivals Miami as one of southern Florida's must-visit tourist destinations. A hub for fashion, music and fine cuisine, the city today offers a wonderful blend of temperate weather and excellent road-trip options for visitors looking to get the best from their car rental in Fort Lauderdale.
Best day trips with my car rental in Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale is a dream come true for travellers who enjoy combining city sightseeing with long drives around the surrounding southern Florida countryside. Just two miles north of Port Everglades, you can follow the road alongside Fort Lauderdale's landscaped beachfront promenade, with its signature white-sandy beaches where families with young children can enjoy some of the best bathing conditions in southern Florida. For clients wishing to explore further than the city of Fort Lauderdale, it is also possible to undertake a road trip and return the car rental to another city with a one-way car hire for extra flexibility. It is also possible to share the driving at no extra cost by taking advantage of Auto Europe's regular Free Additional Driver offers running throughout the year.
Miami
Just a short drive from Fort Lauderdale, Miami offers one of the most exiting travel experiences in the USA. Its diverse neighbourhoods offer everything from world-famous street art to first-class restaurants and cultural venues. But most visitors are drawn to Miami for its fine white sandy beaches which offer perfect bathing conditions for families and couples alike. After soaking up the sun on South Beach, don't miss the Vizcaya Museum & Gardens or Wynwood Walls, a sprawling outdoor museum.
Everglades National Park
Covering 1.5 million acres, Everglades National Park is a protected area of wetlands on Florida's southern tip. Easily accessible from Fort Lauderdale, the park mostly consists of coastal mangroves, sawgrass marshes and pine flatwoods which provide a natural habitat for hundreds of animal species, including the Florida panther, West Indian manate and the endangered leatherback turtle. Thirty-six federally protected animals live in the park, some of which face grave threats to their survival, such as the American crocodile.
Key West
Located closer to Cuba than to Fort Lauderdale, Key West is the southernmost subtropical paradise in Florida and a place that offers visitors a unique mixture of local history, climate, natural beauty, cultural diversity and striking architecture. Highlights for visitors include a stroll down Key West's palm-lined streets where picturesque gingerbread mansions and tin-roofed conch houses were once the homes of Ernest Hemingway, Tennessee Williams and many other famous people. Don't miss the chance to see the treasure of the Spanish galleon, Nuestra Señora de Atocha, which sank in a hurricane off the Florida Keys in 1622.
West Palm Beach
One of the best places to visit with a car rental in Fort Lauderdale is West Palm Beach, a city famed for its beautiful beaches, temperate weather and interesting cultural attractions. It's also notable for its world-renowned art museum (Norton Museum of Art), upmarket shopping, fine dining and Broadway-quality entertainment programme running throughout the year.
What to do in Fort Lauderdale
Florida's idyllic south-east shoreline rewards drivers with a wide choice of tourist activities, as well as the many sights and attractions to be found in and around the centre of Fort Lauderdale. The so-called Venice of America boasts more than 3,000 hours of annual sunshine and year-round temperatures averaging 77ºF, so there’s never a bad time to visit!
- Flamingo Gardens: Flamingo Gardens is a world-class wildlife sanctuary with an abundance of alligators, eagles, exotic birds, bobcats, otters, panthers and brightly-coloured flamingos. Visitors can also roam around its extensive gardens to appreciate southern Florida's native eco-systems. Other attractions include a museum, tram tour through the jungle, wildlife shows and the Tropical Market Place where you can try all kinds of exotic food and drinks.
- Museum of Discovery & Science: One of Florida's top attractions, the Museum of Discovery & Science is an interactive, hands-on museum museum where visitors can navigate a lunar rover, pick up moon rocks, discover Mars in a space capsule, fly a jet plane and conduct all manner of electricity experiments. There's also an aquarium where you can get up close to river otters, sand sharks and many other types of marine animals. Don't miss the incredible IMAX cinema complex where many films on planetary themes and scientific exploration can be enjoyed.
- Stranahan House: Frank Stranahan was the first settler in Fort Lauderdale in the 1890s and his house has been preserved as a wonderful tribute to his enterprising spirit. Now operating as the Historic Stranahan House Museum, it is Fort Lauderdale’s oldest and most historically significant building and visitors can learn all about the place where it all began and tour the entire house and grounds.
- Beaches: Fort Lauderdale is famous all over the world for its pristine beaches, and several of them can be found along the main strip, a pretty promenade running parallel with the ocean-side highway A1A. Number one on many people's list is Fort Lauderdale Beach, a seven-mile stretch of the cleanest, whitest sands in the USA. Other favourites are Las Olas Beach, Hollywood Beach, Dania Beach and Pompano Beach, the latter of which is popular for its warm waters that drift over from the Gulf Stream.
- Old Fort Lauderdale Village & Museum: The Old Fort Lauderdale Village & Museum is an excellent tourist attraction that offers visitors an engaging educational experience through a series of innovative cultural exhibits. It incorporates four historic buildings from the turn of the 20th century, the main highlight being the Museum of History which chronicles the city's history from the early Seminole era to World War II.
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