Smarter Car Renting

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

•  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 Columbia before arrival or verify in the rental policy and rules to see which forms of payment they accept.

•  Book your reservation in advance. Rates can vary drastically, even for the same rental car in Columbia Tennessee. By booking your car early, you can avoid last minute rate increases. It can also help assure your desired vehicle-type will be available at high demand car rental locations.

•  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.

Click here to see Columbia attractions

Columbia TN Area Attractions

• Columbia State Community College
• James K Polk Ancestral Home
• Maury Regional Hospital
• Southern Athletic Fields
• Carnton Plantation (22.23 miles)
• Tennessee Antebellum Trail (22.23 miles)
• Franklin Civil War Museum (22.94 miles)
• Carter House (23.22 miles)
• Williamson Medical Center (24.18 miles)
• Nashville Express Tours (25.52 miles)
• Martin Methodist College (28.64 miles)
• David Crockett State Park (31.43 miles)
• Warner Parks Nature Center (31.65 miles)
• Fastframes (31.77 miles)
• Great Southern Trucking Co Inc (32.13 miles)
• Glengary Gallery (32.15 miles)
• Community Health Systems (32.33 miles)
• Cheekwood Botanical Garden & Museum of Art (34.23 miles)

Columbia rental guide