KAYAK’s insights & trends for Lakeland car rentals
Check out the latest trends and booking tips to rent a car in Lakeland with confidence.
How far in advance should you book a rental car in Lakeland?
You should book your rental car in Lakeland around 7 days before your trip in order to get a below-average price.
What is the best rental car company in Lakeland?
Based on ratings and reviews from real users on KAYAK, the best car rental companies in Lakeland are Avis (7.6, 8 reviews), Enterprise Rent-A-Car (7.3, 5 reviews), and Budget (7.2, 11 reviews).
Passenger Van rentals (Chrysler Pacifica or similar) are the most popular type of vehicle to rent in Lakeland. Passenger Van rentals in Lakeland cost C$ 135/day on average, though some users have found deals as low as C$ 133/day.
What is the cheapest month to rent a car in Lakeland?
The cheapest month to rent a car in Lakeland is September at an average cost of C$ 54/day. July is the most expensive month to rent a car in Lakeland when prices are C$ 83/day on average, which tends to be 59% above the yearly average rental price for Lakeland.
What rental car company in Lakeland has the most locations?
Enterprise Rent-A-Car operates 5 locations in Lakeland, more than any other rental company.
If you are planning to fly to Lakeland, FL, then you need not worry about how you'll get to your hotel from the airport. Car rentals in Lakeland from Orlando International Airport are both cost-effective and convenient. Even if you plan to move around the city and visit some nearby attraction sites, such as the Kennedy Space Center, we've got you covered.
At the Orlando Airport, there are about 10 car rental companies, including Hertz, Budget, Thrifty, Priceless, Enterprise, Dollar, and Easirent, all with a wide selection of cars to choose from. From the exit terminal, simply pick up your baggage and head over to the A-side of the terminal on level 1 where you'll pick up your Lakeland rental car.
Like most major cities in Florida, Lakeland experiences heavy human and vehicle traffic on its roadways. There are bike lanes on most streets, but many cyclists still prefer to share the main streets with motorists. It is advisable to be wary of other road users, especially bike riders and pedestrians, who are notorious for jaywalking. It is also advisable to play your part to fulfill your duty of care. Always maintain the stipulated speed limit of every given highway and interstate to avoid dangerous incidences.
Lakeland experiences rush hour during early mornings and evenings. Between 6:30am and 9am and 4pm and 7pm most highways experience heavy traffic gridlocks as people rush to and from their respective workplaces. One such busy street is Interstate 4. It is the main route to Lakeland, serving both local commuters and tourists passing through Lakeland, and is one of the most congested roads during rush hour. However, the local government recently unveiled the new Polk Parkway, which has since improved the traffic situation in the Hub City. Polk Parkway provides easy access to Interstate 4 through the exit US 98. Snow, hail, and rain can also derail your trip, so make sure you are prepared in accordance with the time and season you plan to travel to Lakeland.
Whether looking for a private weekend getaway or a fun-filled family vacation, Florida's Lakeland city in Polk County has something for everyone. You only need to book cheap car rentals in Lakeland to explore its beauty and heritage. If you are into arts and culture, you'll enjoy gazing at the Frank Lloyd Wright Architecture at Florida Southern College. Or, if you're into sightseeing, you'll find the 30-mile trip to Spooky Hill quite fascinating. You might also want to take a 48-minute drive to Bok Tower Gardens and gaze at this 250-art deco tower surrounded by lovely gardens, two hiking trails, and 20 rooms of El Retiro Estate. Book cheap car rentals in Lakeland through KAYAK and conveniently explore the city's offerings.
If you're looking to go to the Orlando Airport, you'll find ten Lakeland car rentals, including Hertz, Dollar Thrifty, Enterprise, Budget, and Easirent. These companies have a wide selection of cheap car rentals in Lakeland. After getting off the plane, head to the baggage claim area at level 1 from A-terminal to pick up your car.
Lakeland is like any modern American city with lots of human and vehicle traffic experienced on most roads and streets. The city has ample bike lanes for all cyclists, yet you will still encounter many cyclists using the same roads as motorists. So, one thing to be aware of when driving around Lakeland is to be on the lookout for jaywalking pedestrians and cyclists almost everywhere. To avoid dangerous situations, we advise you to maintain a duty of care and adhere to specific speed limits on each road. Another thing to keep in mind are the rush hours and busy highways. The roadways are busiest from 6:30 to 9:00 am and from 3:30 to 7:30 in the evening. You should avoid driving during these hours if you don't want to get stuck in traffic. It would help if you also steered clear of I-4, one of the busiest highways around peak travel hours.
FAQs about renting a car in Lakeland
What type of car is recommended for driving in Lakeland?
Lakeland has a number of narrow lanes and sloped sidewalks on some of its busy streets. This makes small cars, such as Economy, Premium, Luxury and Convertible, more ideal for driving around the city. When booking your car rental in Lakeland, only opt for a minivan or full SUV if there are more than five people in your group.
What’s the speed limit in Lakeland?
The maximum speed limit in Lakeland is 70mph on freeways, including interstate highways and urban highways. All rural and urban four-lane highways, tollways, and freeways have a maximum speed limit of 65mph, while rural two-lane roads have a speed limit of 55mph.
Where are the best places to park in Lakeland?
Downtown Lakeland provides some of the most flexible, convenient, and cheap parking options where you can park your car for anywhere from 15min to 2h, or even a whole day. Parking in the Rose Street Lot near Holz Garden and street parking west of New York and Main Street is absolutely free. Parking lots, like the Main Street Parking Surface Lot and the Heritage Plaza Parking Garage, provide flexible and more affordable parking options. Here you can park your car free of charge for the first 2h, then pay $1 per additional hour. Paid parking services are available from 9am to 5pm, after which you can park for free in the evenings. Weekends are also free.
Which car rental companies are at Orlando airport (MCO)?
A Mini car rental in Lakeland costs C$ 135 per day, on average.
What is the speed limit in Lakeland?
The speed limit for all roadways in Lakeland city is 25 mph. This speed limit applies to other nearby towns and surrounding areas. However, when driving around the city's suburbs and major highways, maintain the specified speed limit of 75 mph.
What is the price of gas in Lakeland?
On average, expect to pay $5.15 for every gallon of gas you purchase in Lakeland. However, this price varies from one station to the next, and stations around the airport cost more than similar stations in other parts of the city. Notable gas stations like Murphy, Circle K, and Shell offer prices ranging from $4. 42 to $4.49 per gallon.
I got absolutely duped in the cost of my rental. I had the car for 26 hours and drove less than 200 miles and it cost me over $300. I had family that had midsized SUVs from another rental spot for 5 days and paid the same price. I will never use this service again and will tell everyone I know to never use it either. What a scam, and so terrible to rip people off like this.
The employees were extremely rude and unhelpful. I would never rent a car from the airport again.
10.0 Wonderful
Anonymous, May 2024
Economy
I like the fact that the agent was willing to stay late to make sure everything worked okay. I didn't get the car I originally booked but they gave me a nice upgrade with no extra charge
8.0 Very good
Anonymous, Jan 2024
Intermediate
On this occasion everything was fast, on another occasion the car was not ready, we had to wait a long time for it to be washed and my entire itinerary was delayed
When I arrived, I entered the building and none of the staff had on masks. The guy attempted to rent me the car dirty and told me they could not wash the car in the lot although I clearly seen a guy washing the rentals. I waited 2 hours and returned so I would receive a clean car. When I came back to get the car, I could visibly see crumbs in cracks of seat and dirt particles on floor that had no floor mats. When I asked the lady about floor mats, she said they didn’t have any. I pointed out the crumbs, soap stains on windows, sticky stuff on driver side door and she said she could have it rewashed. I asked for different suv and none was available I was told. I pointed out tear in driver side carpet, rip in leather on driver side door. The Toyota Highlander which appeared new drove like a car that was 20 years old. The sunglasses thing was broken, there was no navigation, when my kids attempted to charge their phones the covers for the chargers fell off. This was the absolute worst car and car rental experience I have ever had. I don’t believe they maintain their cars. I will never and I mean never rent from Hertz on Memorial Blvd in Lakeland again. The lady asked me when I returned how did the car drive. I said terrible. She asked was it car or type of car. I told her I assumed both. Never again !
8.0 Very good
Christi, Feb 2021
Cons:
Through Kayak, service at Hertz was great. Before going through Kayak, I had visited Hertz on my own. After ten minutes of waiting, an agent said to come on back to his desk, then oroceeded to answer the phone and leave the room. I walked out and booked online. Other than that incident, it was all good.
Search for discount car rentals in Lakeland with KAYAK and rent a car that suits you best. KAYAK searches hundreds of cheap car rental Lakeland sites to help you find and book the best rental car in Lakeland. Car Rental MCO: Flying into Lakeland? Find the cheapest Lakeland airport car rental now with KAYAK.
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