U.S. Rent A Car's Car Hire USA Blog

The Seven Mile Bridge in the Florida Keys must rank up there among the top must roads to drives.

The spectacular bridge has attracted many film makers. Its film ‘credits’ include scenes in True Lies, 2 Fast 2 Furious, the James Bond film Licence to Kill, CrissCross, and Up Close & Personal.

It runs over a channel between the Gulf of Mexico and the Florida Strait, connecting Knight’s Key (part of the city of Marathon, Florida) in the Middle Keys to Little Duck Key in the Lower Keys.

Among the longest bridges in existence when it was built, it is one of the many bridges on US 1 in the Keys, where the road is called the Overseas Highway.

Have you ever driven this?

What was it like?

Can you think of other must drive locations?

U.S. road signs can be confusing below are a list of the most common sign’s you’ll come across while driving in the USA.

Interstate Route Marker

US Highway Marker

Give Way Sign

Cross Roads ahead

Hopsital

No Right Turns

Right Turns Only

Left Turns Only

One Way Traffic

Road Narrows Ahead

Pedestrian Crossing Ahead

Are there any sign posts you’ve come across that you think may help others?

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Hi all,

It was nearly 5am when we set off to be Richard Branson for a couple of hours. I was really tired, a bit cold and wondering if this was the stupidest thing I’d ever done.

We drove away from International drive for about 30 mins in a large 8 seater minivan. The driver informed us that the launch site was an old hippy camp and the owner loved hot air balloons and let them launch from there for free.

We got stuck in straight away and started to help put up the balloon, part of the experience was getting your hands dirt and mucking in.

There were 2 other balloons due to fly that morning and I think due to my help we were the last to actually set up!!

The heat from the burner was incredible and I’m pretty sure I lost an eyebrow.

We set off a little after 8am, slightly later than usual.

Not a view for someone who is scared of heights. The feeling of being very high up in a balloon is something I would highly recommend.

The views were breath taking.

Our landing on the other hand was something to be desired, we “crash landed” in an orange tree field and had to wait to be rescued, while holding down a very heavy hot air balloon!

Regards,

Simon,

U.S. Rent A Car.co.uk

Hi,

I recently had the pleasure of visiting Busch Gardens in Tampa, Florida. I thought I’d share some of my pictures of the excellent animals they have there.

Hope you enjoy these few photo’s, I know I really enjoyed the whole Busch Garden experience from collecting the bus on international drive to riding the very scarey SheiKra.

I would recommend it to everyone.

Once I upload some more photos of my holiday I’ll blog about them as well.

Regards,

Simon,

www.usrentacar.co.uk

Hi all,

With the open in full swing I thought it was appropriate to blog about the golf courses available in Florida.

I found some great information on espn detailing golf courses around the USA below are a list of the top 10’s in Miami, Orlando and Tampa.

Miami

1. Crandon Golf at Key Biscayne
6700 Crandon Blvd. Key Biscayne, FL (7.6 miles from City)
305-361-9120
Golf Digest Rating: 4.5 Stars

2. Turnberry Isle Resort & Club (South)
19999 W. Country Club Dr. Aventura, FL (15.4 miles from City)
305-933-6929, http://www.turnberryisle.com
Golf Digest Rating: 4.5 Stars

3. Doral Golf Resort & Spa (Blue)
4400 N.W. 87th Ave. Miami, FL (8.4 miles from City)
305-592-2000, http://www.doralresort.com
Golf Digest Rating: 4.0 Stars

4. Don Shula’s Golf Club
7601 Miami Lakes Dr. Miami Lakes, FL (9.9 miles from City)
305-820-8106, http://www.donshula.com
Golf Digest Rating: 4.0 Stars

5. Turnberry Isle Resort & Club (North)
19999 W. Country Club Dr. Aventura, FL (15.4 miles from City)
305-933-6929, http://www.turnberryisle.com
Golf Digest Rating: 4.0 Stars

6. Jacaranda Golf Club (West)
9200 W. Broward Blvd. Plantation, FL (23.9 miles from City)
954-472-5836, http://www.scratch-golf.com
Golf Digest Rating: 4.0 Stars

7. Colony West Country Club (Championship)
6800 N.W. 88th Ave. Tamarac, FL (30.8 miles from City)
954-726-8430
Golf Digest Rating: 4.0 Stars

8. Carolina Club
3011 Rock Island Rd. Margate, FL (33.8 miles from City)
954-753-4000, http://www.carolinagolfclub.com
Golf Digest Rating: 4.0 Stars

9. TPC at Heron Bay
11801 Heron Bay Blvd. Coral Springs, FL (37.1 miles from City)
954-796-2000, http://www.pgatour.com
Golf Digest Rating: 4.0 Stars

10. Doral Golf Resort & Spa (Gold)
4400 N.W. 87th Ave. Miami, FL (8.4 miles from City)
305-592-2000, http://www.doralresort.com
Golf Digest Rating: 3.5 Stars

Orlando

1. Walt Disney World Resort (Osprey Ridge)
3451 Golf View Dr. Lake Buena Vista, FL (3.0 miles from City)
407-939-4653, http://www.disney.go.com/disneyworld
Golf Digest Rating: 4.5 Stars

2. Walt Disney World Resort (Eagle Pines)
3451 Golf View Dr. Lake Buena Vista, FL (3.0 miles from City)
407-939-4653, http://www.disney.go.com/disneyworld
Golf Digest Rating: 4.5 Stars

3. Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge (Challenger/Champion)
9000 Bay Hill Blvd. Orlando, FL (9.1 miles from City)
407-876-2429, http://www.bayhill.com
Golf Digest Rating: 4.5 Stars

4. Eagle Creek Golf Club
10350 Emerson Lake Blvd. Orlando, FL (13.1 miles from City)
407-273-4653
Golf Digest Rating: 4.5 Stars

5. The Legacy Club at Alaqua Lakes
1700 Alaqua Lakes Blvd. Longwood, FL (13.7 miles from City)
407-444-9995, http://www.legacyclubgolf.com
Golf Digest Rating: 4.5 Stars

6. Grand Cypress Golf Club (North/South)
One N. Jacaranda Orlando, FL (13.9 miles from City)
407-239-1904, http://www.grandcypress.com
Golf Digest Rating: 4.5 Stars

7. Grand Cypress Golf Club (New)
One N. Jacaranda Orlando, FL (13.9 miles from City)
407-239-1904, http://www.grandcypress.com
Golf Digest Rating: 4.5 Stars

8. Grand Cypress Golf Club (North/East)
One N. Jacaranda Orlando, FL (13.9 miles from City)
407-239-1904, http://www.grandcypress.com
Golf Digest Rating: 4.5 Stars

9. Grand Cypress Golf Club (South/East)
One N. Jacaranda Orlando, FL (13.9 miles from City)
407-239-1904, http://www.grandcypress.com
Golf Digest Rating: 4.5 Stars

10. Orange County National Golf Center & Lodge (Crooked Cat)
16301 Phil Ritson Way Winter Garden, FL (15.5 miles from City)
407-656-2626, http://www.ocngolf.com
Golf Digest Rating: 4.5 Stars

Tampa

1. The Westin Innisbrook Golf Resort (Copperhead)
36750 Hwy. 19 N. Palm Harbor, FL (17.4 miles from City)
727-942-2000, http://www.westin-innisbrook.com
Golf Digest Rating: 4.5 Stars

2. The Westin Innisbrook Golf Resort (Island)
36750 Hwy. 19 N. Palm Harbor, FL (17.4 miles from City)
727-942-2000, http://www.westin-innisbrook.com
Golf Digest Rating: 4.5 Stars

3. Lake Jovita Golf & Country Club (South)
12900 Lake Jovita Blvd. Dade City, FL (30.7 miles from City)
352-588-9200, http://www.lakejovita.com
Golf Digest Rating: 4.5 Stars

4. Hernando Oaks Golf Club
5230 Delacroix Drive Brooksville, FL (32.9 miles from City)
352-799-9908, http://www.hernandooaksgolf.com
Golf Digest Rating: 4.5 Stars

5. The Club at Eaglebrooke
1300 Eaglebrooke Blvd. Lakeland, FL (33.5 miles from City)
863-701-0101, http://www.eaglebrooke.com
Golf Digest Rating: 4.5 Stars

6. Legacy Golf Course at Lakewood Ranch
8255 Legacy Blvd. Bradenton, FL (37.3 miles from City)
941-907-7067, http://www.legacygolfclub.com
Golf Digest Rating: 4.5 Stars

7. Oak Ford Golf Club (Myrtle/Palms)
1552 Palm View Rd. Sarasota, FL (44.2 miles from City)
941-371-3680, http://www.oakfordgolfclub.com
Golf Digest Rating: 4.5 Stars

8. Oak Ford Golf Club (Palms/Live Oak)
1552 Palm View Rd. Sarasota, FL (44.2 miles from City)
941-371-3680, http://www.oakfordgolfclub.com
Golf Digest Rating: 4.5 Stars

9. Saddlebrook Resort (Palmer)
5700 Saddlebrook Way Wesley Chapel, FL (17.7 miles from City)
813-973-1111, http://www.saddlebrookresort.com
Golf Digest Rating: 4.0 Stars

10. Saddlebrook Resort (Saddlebrook)
5700 Saddlebrook Way Wesley Chapel, FL (17.7 miles from City)
813-973-1111, http://www.saddlebrookresort.com
Golf Digest Rating: 4.0 Stars

Have you played any of these courses?

Would you recommend any others?

Regards,

James,

U.S. Rent A Car.co.uk

Hi All,

Todays blog is about pages you may have missed or not seen on  www.usrentacar.co.uk which maybe of interest, hidden gems if you will.

http://www.usrentacar.co.uk/usa_petrol_prices.aspx

This page allows you to see the latest petrol prices in the USA, it may give you an idea of what potential saving you could make by purchasing our gold rate.

http://www.usrentacar.co.uk/pre_registration.aspx

No one likes queuing, this page helps usrentacar customers to pre-register their car rental details directly with the supplier, which should help speed up your collection time.

http://www.usrentacar.co.uk/affiliate/signup.aspx

If you own a website, why not make some money out of it and join our usrentacar affiliate scheme? Our low cost prices could mean big earnings for you. More info available here http://blog.usrentacar.co.uk/index.php/2010/06/24/u-s-rent-a-car-launches-affiliate-scheme/

http://www.usrentacar.co.uk/young_driver_under_25.aspx

U.S. Rent A Car was one of the first car rental companies to actively seek out better deals for young drivers, we can save you hundreds of pounds by selecting our YDP option.

https://www.usrentacar.co.uk/booking/login.aspx

This page is here to allow you to check your booking details quickly and of course to download your voucher.

http://www.usrentacar.co.uk/whatsincluded.aspx

Car hire can appear to be a bit on a minefield, so on this page we clearly state what all our rentals include.

http://www.usrentacar.co.uk/Compare_car_hire.aspx

Also to help, we offer this page where we compare all our suppliers in one easy page.

Have I missed any pages that might be of use?

Is there something else we should be showing or something you’d like to see?

regards,

James,

U.S. Rent A Car.co.uk

Some more crazy laws from the USA… I love them.

1) Florida - It is illegal to sell your children.
2) Kansas - Rabbits can never be shot by a person in a motor boat.
3) Ohio – You may not hunt any whales on Sunday.
4) Ohio – You may never sell beer while dressed in a Santa Claus suit.
5) New Jersey – A sales clerk may never allow a minor to purchase hand cuffs.
6) California – No alcoholic beverages can be displayed within five feet of a cash register in any store that sells both motor oil and alcoholic beverages such as beer or wine.
7) Sioux Falls, South Dakota – All hotels in the city must make sure that every room has two twin beds. The twin beds must be a minimum of at least two feet apart from each other.
8 ) Iowa - If you plan on drinking a lot at a bar, you will not be allowed to run a tab because it is against the law.
9) North Carolina – Singing off key in public is strictly banned by state law.
10) Wyoming – If you get dunk while in a silver or gold mine you could be arrested as such exuberant and reckless behavior is against  Wyoming law.
11) Texas - It is against Texas law to sell your right eye or your left eye.
12) Ohio –  The people of Ohio are concerned about fish. You may never, ever get a fish drunk.  If you are going to keep a bear you must get a license.

13) South Carolina – In the Palmetto State, you must always carry your gun to church. In Charleston, South Carolina all horses must wear super-sized diapers.

14) Utah - While driving in Utah, please keep it in mind that birds always have the right of way.
15) Michigan - Michigan has some odd laws still on record. If a married lady plans on cutting her hair, she must ask for permission from her husband. Failure to ask her husband if she can trim her hair could result in jail time. No cars can be sold on Sunday and one may never be drunk on a train.

16) San Francisco, California – The government of San Francisco is concerned with the happiness of their citizens. They actually have a law that says they guarantee sunshine to the public.
17) Arizona – Clothing rules are stressed in Arizona. No woman is allowed to wear pants and men and women both are not allowed to wear suspenders. Both laws are punishable by fines if broken.
18) Hartford, Connecticut – It is against the law to educate a dog in Hartford.

19) Texas- It is illegal to carry a concealed ice cream cone

20) Baltimore, Maryland – It is illegal to take a lion to the theater
21) Cicero, Illinois – You may not hum on public streets on Sundays
22) California – Animals are banned from mating publicly within 1,500 feet of a tavern, school, or place of worship
23) Joliet, Illinois – You may be fined up to $5 for pronouncing Joliet: Jollyet.
24) Gary, Indiana – Persons are prohibited from attending a movie house or other theater and from riding a public streetcar within four hours of eating garlic
25) Clawson, Michigan – It is legal for a farmer to sleep with his pigs, cows, horses, goats, and chickens
26) Zion, Illinois – It is illegal for anyone to give lighted cigars to dogs, cats, and other domesticated animals kept as pets
27) St. Louis,Missouri – It is illegal to sit on the curb of any city street and drink beer from a bucket
28) New York – You may not throw a ball at someone’s head for fun
29) Lehigh, Nebraska – It is illegal to sell doughnut holes
30) Utah – You must yield to birds while driving on the highway
31) Tallahassee, Florida – One may have sexual relations with a porcupine
32) New Britain, Connecticut – Fire trucks must travel at a speed of 25 m.p.h., even when going to a fire.
33) Illinois – It is illegal to speak English, American is the officially recognized language
34) California – It is a misdemeanor to shoot at any kind of game from a moving vehicle, unless the target is a whale.
35) Tucson, Arizona – It is illegal for women to wear pants.
36) Alaska – It is illegal to push a live moose out of a moving airplane.
37) Iowa – Kisses may last for as much as, but no more than, five minutes.

38) Louisiana – It is illegal to rob a bank and then shoot at the bank teller with a water pistol.

Hi all,

KIDS EAT FREE AT OVER 125 ORLANDO RESTURANTS! Claim your FREE card when you book online today!

From today and for a limited time, U.S. Rent A Car is launching its June Online Special offer.

We are giving away 1 kids eat free card for all new bookings made online that have a complete rental period of 12 days or more. As the kids eat free card is only applicable to the Orlando area the card will only be sent to customers collecting from the following locations.

(SFB) Sanford Airport

Disney Dolphin

Holiday Inn

Four Points By Sheraton – 5905 International Drive

Kissimmee (Econo Lodge Main)

Buena Vista Palace Hotel

Kissimmee (5770 W.Irlo Bronson Hwy)

West Landstreet Road (2125)

E. Colonial Drive (6363)

W. Colonial Drive (2195)

International Dr. (Embassy Suite Hotel)

Kissimmee (Rodeway Inn)

Lake Buena Vista – Regal Sun Resort 1850 HOTEL PLAZA BOULEVARD

International Dr. (Holiday Inn Hotel)

Kissimmee – 5995 W. Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway

Holiday Inn Maingate, 5711 West Highway

Double Tree, 2305 Hotel Palza Blvd

10100 international Drive Orlando, International Plaza Resort and Spa (Sheraton World Resort)

Doubletree at Walt Disney WorldTo claim your Free kids eat free card, simply add the card marked with a £0.00 to your basket. The card is located in our attractions section which is found on the page immediately after our car hire results page. Additional card can also be purchased.

About Kids Eat Free Cards

UNLIMITED Kid’s Eat Free Meals at over 130 locations!

UNLIMITED usage over 90 days!

Unbeatable value for any party with a child under 11 years! This exceptional new ticket is accepted at a wide range of restaurants around the International Drive, Kissimmee, Lake Buena Vista, Universal Orlando and Sandlake Road areas and includes a massive variety of eating options from budget to fine dining and everything in between!

The Kids Eat FREE Card is valid for children 11 and under (1 card per child accompanied by a full paying adult) and must be presented at the time of ordering your meal. One free child meal is offered with the purchase of an adult meal or entrée. Participating restaurants include family favourites such as Ponderosa, Sizzlers Restaurant, CiCi’s Pizza, Cattleman’s Steakhouse, McDonalds Bistro, NASCAR Sports Grille, the Butcher Shop Steakhouse, Basking Robbins, Pacino’s Italian Restaurant, Passage to India Restaurant and many, many more…

UNLIMITED Kid’s Eat Free Meals at over 130 locations including Universal CityWalk!

Please note: Particular participating restaurants may withdraw from the scheme without prior notice and is only available to UK residence with a departure date of 7 days or more from booking.

Hi all,

 While looking around the internet I cam across this interesting peice of potential paranoia via google

http://www.google.org/flutrends/us/#cities

Google Flu Trends works like this - 

Each week, millions of users around the world search for health information online. As you might expect, there are more flu-related searches during flu season, more allergy-related searches during allergy season, and more sunburn-related searches during the summer. You can explore all of these phenomena using Google Insights for Search. But can search query trends provide the basis for an accurate, reliable model of real-world phenomena?

We have found a close relationship between how many people search for flu-related topics and how many people actually have flu symptoms. Of course, not every person who searches for “flu” is actually sick, but a pattern emerges when all the flu-related search queries are added together. We compared our query counts with traditional flu surveillance systems and found that many search queries tend to be popular exactly when flu season is happening. By counting how often we see these search queries, we can estimate how much flu is circulating in different countries and regions around the world.

I feel a cold coming on….