Cheap Car Rental in Grand Rapids

Car Rental in Grand Rapids: A Historical Furniture City

Grand Rapids, Michigan is the second biggest city in the state. For many years it was known as the furniture city due to the large numbers of manufacturers that were found there. Nowadays though, it is more commonly referred to as the river city because of the large river that flows through its center. The city itself has a long history, with the surrounding area being home to many Native American tribes long before European settlers gathered there. Because of this, the city is very diverse, both ethnically and economically, making this an interesting and eclectic city to visit.

What to Do In Grand Rapids

There are many attractions in the city, and whether you want to go out into nature or back in time with history, you’re sure to be satisfied. First up is the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park. This was opened in 1995 and is one of the main attractions within the city. It offers a massive three-story conservatory, complete with a waterfall and rock garden, and is filled with rare plants. There are a further five differently themed gardens, forest trails and a boardwalk through some wetlands to round off the botanical side. The sculpture section has over 300 works from artists that include Rodin, Degas and Moore.

The Grand Rapids Public Museum is another major stopping point. Originally a natural history museum, it now offers immersive tours that educate the general public on the area’s culture, history and science and has a quarter of a million artifacts to this effect. The Grand Rapids Art Museum makes another great stopping point, housing an all-encompassing art collection that will keep art lovers enthralled for hours.

Further out of the city is the Blandford Nature Center, perfect for day trips and hikes, the Meyer May House and even the John Ball Zoo. If you are staying long enough, heading to a performance by the Grand Rapids Symphony is a must.

Getting Cheap Car Rental

Grand Rapids car rental prices are generally mid-level all year round. The below prices reflect the prices one can expect from a range of car classes when the car is rented for a period of a week. However, these prices will be affected by the length of rental, time of the year, class and also the pickup location so for those of you looking to find exact pricings relating to your own trip, please use the search function at the top of the page.

• Kia Rio (economy class) - $30 per day
• Nissan Note (compact class) - $34 per day
• Toyota Corolla (intermediate class) - $35 per day
• Volkswagen Jetta (standard class) - $36 per day
• Ford Fusion (fullsize class) - $38 per day

Find Budget Car Hire

The first thing to look at is the prime time to visit Grand Rapids. High seasons will often have higher rental prices. In the case of Grand Rapids, while summer is the most popular time to visit, April through to October offers great weather, which means that choosing a month just before or after summer can afford slightly cheaper rental rates. Booking in advance can also see a decrease in car prices. For those of you who are prepared travellers, booking a car two months in advance can see a price drop of $5 per day in comparison to booking a few days to a week in advance.

The car class will also have a bearing on price, with the same dates offering the smallest car class at $27 per day and the larger class sitting at $38 per day. Think about what you need the car for and if you find you don’t need such a powerful engine, you may just find yourself saving considerable amounts by taking a smaller car. It is also worth looking at the various pickup locations around Grand Rapids. The Grand Rapid Airport is not only the most convenient pickup point, it is also the cheapest. This location offers a huge range of cars available daily whereas other locations, such as Grand Rapids Downtown, Grand Rapids North and South have much less, to no choice at all. It should also be noted that returning the car to the same depot that it was picked up from will also see a reduction in the price, as there will be no return fees.

Rules Of The Road and Rental Regulations in Grand Rapids

1. Driving is on the right hand side of the road
2. Pay attention to cyclists; leave five feet when passing one, don’t park in the cycle lane and check for cyclists when making right hand turns
3. It is required that all drivers must stop for pedestrians at crosswalks
4. Drivers under 25 will be subjected to a daily surcharge when renting the vehicle
5. All drivers must hold a full and valid driver’s license with appropriate ID