Are you planning your trip to the mountains this year? One large part of planning your winter vacation to Breckenridge and Summit County is the question of transportation. There are a lot of options for transportation in the area and many people will come to the question of whether or not a rental car is a good option. This is a very important factor to consider when planning out how you will get around the mountains. There are usually many different types of vehicles available at the various rental car outlets around the Denver International Airport and Summit County. Here are some tips on choosing the safest rental cars for driving in Colorado.
1. Where Will You Be Going?
The first thing to consider is what you will be doing with the vehicle and where you will be taking it. A car with all wheel drive or four wheel drive is almost always the best option when choosing a vehicle to drive in the Rocky Mountains during the winter. Unfortunately, the problem here is that these are usually the vehicles that are in the highest demand and hold the highest daily rates.
Renting an SUV
If your are really looking to have a reliable winter rental car this vacation, prepare for extremely high rates and very limited availability. Reserving an SUV or AWD drive car will need to be done very far in advance and even than, rates are often very high due to the massive demand of these particular vehicles.
Renting a Sedan or Coupe
Other options include renting a regular sedan or coupe vehicle. While these cars are much more widely available, they definitely come with their pitfalls. Prices will be lower and availability higher but, you may end up with a vehicle that is downright unsafe to drive in winter conditions. These vehicles are usually equipped with two wheel drive and may often get stuck or slide out in icy or snowy conditions.
2. How Much Space Will You Need?
Another factor to consider is space. If you have a family of four with luggage and ski equipment, it will be very difficult to fit it all in a small four door sedan. You’ll want to be comfortable on your trip, and that is highly unlikely is everyone is jam packed with skis and snowboards in the backseat.
3. How Many Times Have You Drive a Mountain Road?
The last idea to consider when choosing a safe rental car to drive in Colorado is experience behind the wheel. The windy roads in the Colorado Rockies are something in themselves, and if you add icy or snowy conditions on top of that it can make a very stressful travel situation.
If you are planning on vacationing in Summit County or Vail Valley, leave the winter driving to the professionals and book a shuttle with the many available services in the area including Peak 1 Express. You will save a lot of money and even more stress. In an area that has so much transportation available to the public, if you do decide to rent a car, there is a good chance that you will not need it at all during your vacation.
Amber Boutwell is a published Denver photographer who loves capturing nature and food. She shoots with natural light but has a deep love for dark skies. When she’s not on mountaintops chasing the Milky Way, she’s managing the great brands behind AVA and The Outlaw Group as their Marketing Manager. She’s been known to quote Joe Pesci, over-kiss cats, enthusiastically eat cheese, and return pugs.
Her motto:
“Seek out places where the Wi-Fi is weak, the views are stunning, and don’t forget the snacks.”
