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Car Hire California

Save time and money. We compare the offers of car rental companies in California on your behalf.

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  • Free cancellation Up to 48 hours prior to the scheduled pick up time
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  • Already 500,000+ bookings More than half a million people preceded you 24000+ pick-up locations Locations around the world
  • 24000+ pick-up locations Locations around the world
We compare all of the well known car hire firms - and many others!

Compare Car Hire

Carrentals.co.uk offers simple and straightforward car hire comparison services. We don't add a penny to your quotes!

Car rental offers in California

Whether you're looking for a small rental car or a station wagon for the entire family, we will always have a suitable vehicle for the lowest price. Below are some examples from our selection in California.

Car type
Mini
Economy
Compact
Intermediate
Standard
Full-size
Luxury
Passenger van
Convertible
SUV
Electric

Recent reviews

Our customers rate us a 8.9/10 out of 2259

When to book a rental car in California

California - When is the most affordable time to rent a mini class car?

At this destination (California), January is the most affordable time to rent a mini class car with an average daily rate of . The rest of the year, the average rate is per day. August is the peak month for renting mini class cars, with an average rate of per day. To secure a good selection and favorable rates, it is recommended to make your rental car reservation well ahead of time. Last-minute bookings may result in limited options and higher prices.

California - When is the most affordable time to rent a economy class car?

At this destination (California), September is the most affordable time to rent a economy class car with an average daily rate of . The rest of the year, the average rate is per day. September is the peak month for renting economy class cars, with an average rate of per day. To secure a good selection and favorable rates, it is recommended to make your rental car reservation well ahead of time. Last-minute bookings may result in limited options and higher prices.

California - When is the most affordable time to rent a compact class car?

At this destination (California), January is the most affordable time to rent a compact class car with an average daily rate of . The rest of the year, the average rate is per day. September is the peak month for renting compact class cars, with an average rate of per day. To secure a good selection and favorable rates, it is recommended to make your rental car reservation well ahead of time. Last-minute bookings may result in limited options and higher prices.

California - When is the most affordable time to rent an intermediate class car?

At this destination (California), November is the most affordable time to rent a intermediate class car with an average daily rate of . The rest of the year, the average rate is per day. August is the peak month for renting intermediate class cars, with an average rate of per day. To secure a good selection and favorable rates, it is recommended to make your rental car reservation well ahead of time. Last-minute bookings may result in limited options and higher prices.

California - When is the most affordable time to rent a standard class car?

At this destination (California), January is the most affordable time to rent a standard class car with an average daily rate of . The rest of the year, the average rate is per day. August is the peak month for renting standard class cars, with an average rate of per day. To secure a good selection and favorable rates, it is recommended to make your rental car reservation well ahead of time. Last-minute bookings may result in limited options and higher prices.

California - When is the most affordable time to rent a full-size car?

At this destination (California), January is the most affordable time to rent a full-size class car with an average daily rate of . The rest of the year, the average rate is per day. September is the peak month for renting full-size class cars, with an average rate of per day. To secure a good selection and favorable rates, it is recommended to make your rental car reservation well ahead of time. Last-minute bookings may result in limited options and higher prices.

California - When is the most affordable time to rent a luxury car?

At this destination (California), November is the most affordable time to rent a luxury class car with an average daily rate of . The rest of the year, the average rate is per day. September is the peak month for renting luxury class cars, with an average rate of per day. To secure a good selection and favorable rates, it is recommended to make your rental car reservation well ahead of time. Last-minute bookings may result in limited options and higher prices.

California - When is the most affordable time to rent a SUV?

At this destination (California), September is the most affordable time to rent an SUV with an average daily rate of . The rest of the year, the average rate is per day. September is the peak month for renting an SUV, with an average rate of per day. To secure a good selection and favorable rates, it is recommended to make your rental car reservation well ahead of time. Last-minute bookings may result in limited options and higher prices.

California - When is the most affordable time to rent a MPV?

At this destination (California), January is the most affordable time to rent an mpv with an average daily rate of . The rest of the year, the average rate is per day. September is the peak month for renting an mpv with an average rate of per day. To secure a good selection and favorable rates, it is recommended to make your rental car reservation well ahead of time. Last-minute bookings may result in limited options and higher prices.

California - When is the most affordable time to rent a minivan?

At this destination (California), November is the most affordable time to rent a minibus with an average daily rate of . The rest of the year, the average rate is per day. September is the peak month for renting a minibus, with an average rate of per day. To secure a good selection and favorable rates, it is recommended to make your rental car reservation well ahead of time. Last-minute bookings may result in limited options and higher prices.

California - When is the most affordable time to rent a sports car?

At this destination (California), January is the most affordable time to rent a sports car with an average daily rate of . The rest of the year, the average rate is per day. August is the peak month for renting a sports car, with an average rate of per day. To secure a good selection and favorable rates, it is recommended to make your rental car reservation well ahead of time. Last-minute bookings may result in limited options and higher prices.

California - When is the most affordable time to rent a convertible?

At this destination (California), January is the most affordable time to rent a convertible with an average daily rate of . The rest of the year, the average rate is per day. August is the peak month for renting a convertible, with an average rate of per day. To secure a good selection and favorable rates, it is recommended to make your rental car reservation well ahead of time. Last-minute bookings may result in limited options and higher prices.

California - When is the most affordable time to rent a sedan?

At this destination (California), February is the most affordable time to rent a sedan with an average daily rate of . The rest of the year, the average rate is per day. August is the peak month for renting a sedan, with an average rate of per day. To secure a good selection and favorable rates, it is recommended to make your rental car reservation well ahead of time. Last-minute bookings may result in limited options and higher prices.

Car rental locations in California

Carrentals.co.uk compares rental car rates at the following locations

California Guide

Guide

California is so big and has so many great cities that many people coming to the United States go there and never go home. Many others come planning to explore the whole country and find more than enough to do just in this state, or even just one of its cities.

To get around the city reserve car hire in California with CarRentals.co.uk and get the freedom you need to see the sites. There's so much to see, everywhere you look, attractions galore! California car hire can be booked on your arrival to any of it's airports. The depots are located in the main terminal building's. Book you rental car with us and save time at the airport filling in forms. All you will need to do is collect the car keys.

Visiting Los Angeles is like stepping into a movie, it’s not quite real, full of dreams and has plenty of fame on every corner. Sunset strip, Rodeo drive (ultra-exclusive shopping ), Hollywood, Malibu, Beverley Hills and Santa Monica are all well-associated with the silver-screen. Disneyland and Universal Studios are two other drawcards. Book your California car rental here and have a car ready and waiting for your arrival to Los Angeles International Airport. Prices are always cheaper online!

Among the innumerable places to go and things to do in America’s second largest city are the premier Museums of Art, Contemporary Art, History, Science, Industry and of course Cinema. You can go to Griffith Park, one of the largest urban parks in the world, and see a first rate planetarium and caged animals in a zoo. Or if you prefer to see animals in their unnatural environment, take a stroll down Hollywood Boulevard and see the interesting creatures hanging out there.

San Francisco, with its Golden Gate bridge, is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Apart from its ultra-trendy gender bending nightlife and world-renowned club scene, this city is located on lovely San Francisco Bay, has wonderful architecture and incredible hills. Amongst this cities many attractions are Fisherman’s Wharf with its great seafood, Chinatown with its tearooms and enormous Chinese population, and such exquisite buildings as the Cliff House on Point Lobos overlooking the Pacific. Castro (gay) and Haight-Ashbury (behemian) are popular areas to hang out. If San Francisco International Airport is your arrival destination then select it as your pick-up and drop-off locations whilst reserving your hire car in California through us.

Right across from the Mexican border is lovely, sunny, San Diego. This attractive city hosts a range of activities for the visitor. Both wonderful places, the world-famous San Diego Zoo and SeaWorld could each take a day themselves.

California is a vast place. If you plan on travelling around a lot then reserve California car hire with us now and save loads on your holiday.

Exploring

In the land of cars, California is king. Here people will shrug off a three-hour daily commute and laugh at an eight-hour drive to see relatives in the woods in the north.

This state is home to a vast and varied landscape, from desert to the tallest trees in the world.

Joshua Tree National Park is just one example of the multifaceted beauty of this incredible state. Located where the Mojave Desert meets the Colorado Desert, approximately 150 km east of Los Angeles, this park is filled with amazing cactus-lined desert plains and stunning oases. It is great for hiking and mountain biking, just make sure you bring enough water!

Going further to northern California you can discover one of the most popular and marvelous places in the world, Yosemite National Park. Here you will find three of the world’s tallest waterfalls, the biggest and tallest exposed piece of granite in the world, El Capitan, giant Sequoia trees and some of the best camping, hiking, biking and exploring anywhere.

To see something that is truly California in its essence, you must go to Redwood National Park, 400kms north of San Francisco. Here you will find what is truly a wonder of the world. These impossibly wide and tall trees live to be thousands of years old. Many of them were here long before Europeans came to America. Some are so wide holes have been bored through them to let cars pass underneath. This park offers great opportunities for lodging, hiking and camping, and something you will get no where else in the world; an opportunity to reach out and touch a living thing that is thousands of years old and many, many times your size.

Route 66, or Hwy 1, runs along the coast between San Francisco and LA, through the town of Big Sur, providing one of the world’s most spectacular oceans drives.

To & From

All major U.S. carriers serve the San Francisco, Sacramento, San Jose, Los Angeles, John Wayne (Orange County), and San Diego airports. They include American, Continental, Delta, Northwest, Southwest, United, and US Airways. LAX is a major West Coast hub with many flights to Europe and the Asia region.

If you are traveling by car to California from Phoenix Arizona, it's about 6 hours to Los Angeles on I-10. Las Vegas is 265 miles northeast of Los Angeles (about a 4-hour drive).

San Francisco is 227 miles southwest of Reno, Nevada, and 577 miles northwest of Las Vegas. It's a long day's drive 640 miles south from Portland, Oregon, on I-5. The drive between San Francisco and L.A. takes about 6 hours on I-5, closer to 8 hours on the more scenic U.S. 101. I-5 also goes further north up to Seattle and eventually on to Vancouver British Columbia.

Amtrak’s Sunset Limited connects Los Angeles with Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.

Amtrak's Coast Starlight travels along the Pacific Coast between Seattle and Los Angeles. This stylish train (and wonderfully scenic route) has been steadily growing in popularity.

Practical information

  • Currency
    United States Dollar
  • Driving direction
    Right
  • City speed limit
    25 - 70 km/h
  • Freeway speed limit
    90 - 130 km/h
  • Language
    English
  • Popular car category
    SUV

What most people want to know

The following questions and answers are a selection of the most popular questions. If you do not find the answer to your question, have a look at the Frequently Asked Questions page or contact us.

Is Carrentals.co.uk the cheapest?

Yes, we offer a guarantee of the lowest price - because we compare various retailers, we can always offer you the best price in town.

What do I need to do when picking up a car?

To pick up your car, you will need your voucher, passport, driver's license and a credit card. It is very important that your driver's license and credit card are in the same name as the main driver. Keep in mind that the local rental company will reserve a certain amount on your credit card as a deposit. This requires the PIN code for your credit card. If your driver's license is foreign (for example, in Chinese), you must bring a translation with you. Only your original passport and driver's license will be accepted - a copy is not sufficient.

Are there any additional costs?

In general, our rates are all-inclusive. Should there be any additional costs, our booking department will get in touch with you before issuing the invoice. Should you object, you can always cancel your reservation with no obligations attached (at least 48 hours in advance).

What kind of insurance is applicable to my car rental?

In general, Liability Insurance, Fire Insurance, All-Risks Insurance and Theft Insurance are included in the cost of your rental car.

What is a worry-free label?

Only rental companies with a high level of customer satisfaction are eligible to be included in our Worry-Free selection. This rate includes excess cover and unlimited kilometres. Your vehicle will be provided and must be returned with a full tank of fuel. With a vehicle from our Worry-Free selection, you can travel with peace of mind and no hidden costs.

How can I change or cancel my reservation?

You can cancel your reservation through "My Account". We recommend contacting us by phone if your changes to your booking or cancellation takes place at short notice (48 hours or less).

When will I get a confirmation of my booking?

Most reservations will receive confirmation within minutes after payment takes place. We recommend contacting our Booking Department for last minute reservations (pick-up within 48 hours).

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