Should you rent a car when you travel, or no? The decision is a real bugger when you’re planning travel to places you’re unfamiliar with. And with gas prices through the flippin’ roof these days, traveling at all can be a strain on the old pocketbook.

Here some things to consider when determining if you need a rental car as well as a plane ticket, and a few tips to help you find the lowest prices.

If you are visiting a major city, you probably won’t need a car. Major hubs generally have good transportation systems. Do a Google search on public transportation for the city you’re considering visiting. Most large cities also offer prepaid unlimited usage visitors transit passes, so definitely look for those to help save you time and money. New York, Dallas, Atlanta, Memphis, Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago, and London all have good city-wide public transportation. And you can always take a cab in compact cities (like New York).

If you’re having trouble finding a public transit authority, have a look at the city’s Convention and Visitor’s Bureau website. Many cities that do a large amount of tourist trade often have trolley or streetcar systems in place to shuttle visitors from attraction to attraction. Gatlinburg, TN, and New Orleans, LA are great examples.

Read the rest of the story after the jump . . .

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