Locally named “The Biggest Little City in the World”, Reno sits at the foot of the Sierra Nevada, approximately 22 miles from Lake Tahoe. Traditionally a hotspot for skiers and hikers, the area has recently become a major technology hub, attracting the likes of Amazon, Tesla, Apple and Google. Just east of Reno lies the city of Sparks. With a slogan of “It’s Happening Here”, Sparks has multiple tourist attractions including Sparks Marina, the Nugget Casino Resort and Scheels – The World’s Largest All-Sports Store.
Reno, NV (Photo: Patrick Nouhailler via Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0)
For those looking to explore the areas in around the Reno, Sparks and Lake Tahoe area, we have compared the various rental car companies on a variety of factors,
such as opening hours, available cars and of course, daily rates. Here are our favourites.
Reno-Tahoe International Airport has nine different rental car agencies with car pick up right outside the terminal building. Out of all the companies operating out of here, we selected Dol-lar as the best of the bunch. With a Chevrolet Spark at $45 per day, a Nissan Sentra at $50 and a Hyundai Accent a few dollars more, there are plenty of options in the economical category and for another $20, you can drive off in either a Buick Regal or a Chrysler 300. This branch scores particularly well in speed of pick up and cleanliness of its fleet of cars. Open Monday – Sun-day, 6am – midnight
Whether you’re visiting Reno to try your luck in the local casi-no or looking to get out to explore the great outdoors, renting a car is the perfect way to get around. In the town centre, the most convenient and recommendable car rental agency is Hertz (located near Harrahs Reno and Truckee River). In amongst their fleet of cars, you’ll find something for every budget; from eco-nomical cars from Mazda and Chevrolet to the perfect all-rounder, the Jeep Wrangler. Opening hours Monday to Friday 9am – 1pm.
True to its name, Budget has some of the best prices in Sparks and Lake Tahoe area with the compact and reliable Ford Focus and Ford Fiesta kicking off prices at $50 per day. You can actually save another $5 if you book online but given the uncertainty of the world at the moment, you might be better off paying at the counter. The Sparks agency can be found next to the Fedex build-ing, just by the Truckee River. Opening hours: 7.30am – 5.30pm Monday – Friday; 7am – 4pm Saturdays; 8am – 12.30pm Sundays.
