Ditch the Boring Rental: Five Ways to Drive Something Fun on Your Next Trip

Let’s be honest: picking up a rental car is often the low point of travel. You land in a strange city, jet-lagged and irritable, only to be handed the keys to a tired econobox that costs nearly $200 a day after fees. It’s expensive, it’s boring, and you’re left wondering why you can’t rent something with a little personality, especially for just a few days. The good news is, you have options. Whether you’re on a business trip or a vacation, a little advance planning can put you behind the wheel of something genuinely fun — without having to buy it.

Local exotic rental shops are a great place to start, especially in major cities. In Cleveland, Veluxity offers a BMW M5 for $395 a day or a Ferrari 488 GTB for $1,095. Out in Los Angeles, Falcon Rental Car has everything from a Porsche Cayenne to a 770-horsepower Ferrari SF90. Yelp reviews are your friend here; they’ll tell you if the company is legit.

Hertz has its own performance lineup, including the Shelby GT-H Mustang. For about $400 a day, you can get a 900-horsepower Shelby GT500-H in cities like Las Vegas and Phoenix. Just don’t plan on taking it to a track — Hertz doesn’t allow that, no matter how they advertise it.

Enterprise offers a surprisingly strong selection of exotics. A C8 Corvette runs about $325 a day, and you can book a Porsche 911 or Jaguar F-Type SVR for around $399. They also have Lamborghinis and Bentleys, but you’ll need to call for availability. Consumer Reports ranks Enterprise second only to National for overall customer satisfaction.

If you prefer peer-to-peer rentals, Turo and Hagerty’s DriveShare work like Airbnb for cars. Owners set their own prices and terms, and you can read reviews to avoid bad experiences. DriveShare leans toward classic and vintage cars, while Turo offers plenty of fun daily drivers — a Corvette convertible can be had for $253 a day. For motorcycles, try Twisted Road or Rider’s Share. Next trip, skip the econobox and treat yourself.