Smarter Car Renting

Here are car rental tips from the road trip-seasoned editors of RoadsideAmerica.com:

•  Leave Nothing Behind: At a road trip's end, we find we've accumulated souvenirs, kitschy mementoes, and piles of brochures from tourist attractions. These treasures prove you really traveled -- that it wasn't just some wacky delusion. When dropping off your rental car, carefully check every door pocket, drink holder and storage bin for these keepsakes. The rental car company sure doesn't have any use for them.

•  Credit Cards for Pick-Up: Many agencies require a credit card upon pick-up. Yes, Opie, we live in that kind of world. So make sure you are in good standing with your "plastic." Call the car rental agency in Ridgecrest before arrival or verify in the rental policy and rules to see which forms of payment they accept.

•  Fear of the Unknown: Unfamiliar with the streets of Ridgecrest? Consider adding a GPS navigation system to your rental. GPS provides turn-by-turn directions to a number of Ridgecrest attractions and businesses, and is offered by almost all Ridgecrest car rental agencies. The GPS helps you navigate like some mythical Greek God of Navigation! You can also add your own portable GPS on your handy windshield sucker, but remember to take it all with you when you turn in the car at the end of your trip.

Click here to see Ridgecrest attractions

Ridgecrest CA Area Attractions

• Cerro Coso Community College
• Chiropractic Health Institute
• Maturango Museum
• Ridgecrest Regional Hospital
• Tehachapi Museum (55.15 miles)
• Tehachapi Hospital Rural Health (55.16 miles)
• Willow Springs International Motorsports Park (61.49 miles)
• Barstow Community Hospital (62.31 miles)
• Mojave River Valley Museum (62.46 miles)
• Barstow Mall (63.39 miles)
• Indian Point Ostrich Ranch (63.71 miles)
• Calico Ghost Town (64.99 miles)

Ridgecrest rental guide