Car rental in Fort Lauderdale

Car Rental in Fort Lauderdale: get a real feel for American society

Fort Lauderdale’s history represents the mainstays of the American nation. Originally an outpost in Seminole Indian territory, Fort Lauderdale officially became a town as late as 1911, when it was at the center of Florida’s agricultural area. The city grew when the Naval Base that is now the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport was established, and now the city is part of the nation’s sixth largest metropolitan area, stretching from Miami to West Palm Beach. Fort Lauderdale is a great place to visit to take advantage of some of Florida’s best eastern beaches and party strips, as well as to get a real feel for American society. Make the most of your visit by exploring thoroughly with a rental car. Book your car today!

The best time to visit southern Florida’s beaches is June through September, before the rainy season starts, though March to May is also an excellent time of year for city strolls. Hurricane season peaks from mid-August to early October.

The de facto national language of the United States is English, which is also the native language of most Floridians. However, about 13% of Fort Lauderdale’s population speaks native Spanish. The language of many of the original inhabitants of the area, Ais, Jeaga, and Tequesta, was unfortunately never recorded.

Fort Lauderdale is in the Eastern Time Zone, UTC-5.

The currency throughout the United States is the dollar. Currency exchange is available at airports and popular tourist destinations, and credit cards are accepted at the vast majority of businesses.

Automobile hire is available in 15 locations throughout Fort Lauderdale, including at the Fort Lauderdale Airport, the Executive Airport, downtown, and at Port Everglades.

Fort Lauderdale is in close proximity to both Miami and the Everglades National Park, both of which are well worth visiting. For a weekend trip, consider driving south to the Florida Keys! Key West is about 4 hours to the south in normal traffic conditions.

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 Fort Lauderdale

With grid infrastructure and wide roads, driving your own car is truly the best way to navigate Fort Lauderdale. Just be sure to have a good map or GPS to help you navigate the canals of the east side.

Right-Hand Driving

• Traffic proceeds on the right-hand side of the road in Florida.

Speed Limits

• In business and residential areas: 30 miles per hour (circa 50 km/h)
• On the expressway through the greater Miami area: 55 miles per hour (circa 80 km/h)
• On rural highways: 70 miles per hour (circa 110 km/h)
• Traffic in Fort Lauderdale will be especially bad in the hours around 8 am and 5 pm.

Other Regulations

1. Particularly compared to Miami, parking in Fort Lauderdale is typically available and inexpensive.
2. Your valid domestic driver’s license is sufficient to drive in Florida.
3. The Sawgrass Expressway is the major toll road in the Fort Lauderdale area, though numerous other expressways are tolled throughout the state. Take advantage of them to avoid traffic jams, though be sure to carry both cash and credit cards to pay tolls, or ask your rental company if your car has been outfitted with an EZ-Pass.
4. While the minimum driving age in Florida is 16, you will have to be 21 years of age to rent a car. Drivers under 25 may be charged extra.

Cheap Car Rental in Fort Lauderdale

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

• Hyundai Accent or similar (economy class) – $25/day
• Nissan Versa or similar (compact class) - $26/day
• Toyota Corolla or similar (intermediate class) - $31/day
• Chrysler 200 or similar (standard class) - $32/day
• Kia Optima or similar (fullsize class) - $34/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 Fort Lauderdale

Renting a car in the summer months in Fort Lauderdale is typically $3 to $7 more expensive than renting in the winter months. Whereas rentals can run over $40 in the summer, prices drop to as low as $32 in October and November. By extending your rental period to over a week, this daily rental price will often sink by $10 a day!

The best locations to pick up rental cars in Fort Lauderdale are the Airport (FLL) and Port Everglades, where numerous rental agencies seek to keep their prices competitively low. Europcar, Dollar, and Budget are typically the most inexpensive agencies from which to rent.