Rent a Car in New York

Be honest with yourself about this one: if your trip is entirely within Manhattan or the boroughs, you almost certainly don't need a car. Subway, buses and walking cover the five boroughs comprehensively, parking is scarce and expensive, and congestion pricing now applies to most vehicles entering lower Manhattan. A hire car in the city itself is more often a liability than a convenience.

Where a hire car earns its keep is the moment your plans extend beyond the five boroughs. The Hudson Valley's towns and vineyards are an hour or two north, the Hamptons and North Fork wine country are two to three hours east on Long Island, and New England — the Berkshires, Connecticut's coastline, even Boston — is within a day's drive north-east. If your trip combines a few days in the city with a road trip afterward, picking up the car as you leave (rather than for the city portion) is the standard approach.