3 Family-Friendly Destinations Where You Can Skip the Rental Car

Vacations are expensive, so any place you can cut costs can make a big difference. The next time you’re planning a trip for you and the family for some much-needed R&R, consider one of these destinations where you won’t need to worry about renting a car.

Kauai, Hawai’i
Hawai’i is a great place for a family vacation, especially the island of Kauai where you’ve got a mix of beautiful scenery, authentic local culture and plenty of family-friendly activities. But rental cars tend to sell out and be pricey, and ride shares, while available on the island, could leave you stranded for some time while waiting for one to pick you up. In other words, finding other options is a good idea. A great way around renting a car during your visit to the island is actually booking your stay at a specific hotel. The Sheraton Kauai Coconut Beach Resort, a short Uber ride from the airport (one place you’ll have no problem getting an Uber from), has two ways to make things easy. The property offers bikes for guests to use to explore beaches and nearby spots like the town of Kapaa. The hotel also has a great program that lets you rent a Tesla by the hour or day for visiting parts of the island farther away, so you only have to pay for rental services you absolutely need.

Bellevue, Washington
Bellevue is gaining steam as a destination for families visiting the Pacific Northwest thanks to a great mix of family-friendly qualities. Great food, safety, family-friendly attractions and its proximity to places like Seattle and Snoqualmie Falls are just a few. And once you’ve arrived, there is little need to waste money on renting a car if you want to explore Bellevue. The downtown itself is walkable, but it also has an amazing program to make things easier and affordable for visitors, as well as to reduce the carbon footprint. The Bellevue Bellhop program provides free, on-demand rides in 100 percent electric shuttles. All you’ve got to do is download the Circuit app and request your ride. The program helps save a small fortune on ride shares, taxis and rental cars if you want to do things like explore the city’s culinary treasures like Ascend Prime Steak & Sushi or Farzi Café, visit Kids Quest Children’s Museum, or catch a cultural festival at Bellevue Downtown Park.

Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico
This resort is a destination in itself — it is situated on a 1,000-acre privately owned peninsula, giving you direct access to beautiful beaches and coral reefs, not to mention the wide range of on-site activities like golfing, an on-site spa, a massive beach-front pool, restaurants offering local cuisine, and a kids’ club to keep little ones active and happy the entire time. But what makes this resort even better is the fact it sits at the base of El Yunque Rainforest, the only rainforest on U.S. soil. It isn’t part of the property, which means you will have to drive to get there, but, luckily, the resort offers 4×4 vehicles you can use for the day to explore. If you book the Beep, Beep, Let’s Go Adventure package, you also get free admission to the rainforest visitor center for all registered guests in your party.