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Santa Cruz car hire

Driver's age: 26-65

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Cheap car hire in Santa Cruz

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Mini car
Mini
M
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Economy car
Economy
M
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Compact car
Compact
M
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Intermediate car
Intermediate
M
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Standard car
Standard
M
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Full-size car
Full-size
M
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Luxury car
Luxury
M
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People carrier car
People carrier
M
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Passenger van car
Passenger van
M
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SUV car
SUV
M
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Commercial car
Commercial
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Pick-up truck car
Pick-up truck
M
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KAYAK’s top tips for hiring a car in Santa Cruz

  • If you're planning to visit the famous Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and the Santa Cruz Wharf, having a rental will ease your trip and make everything seamless. Sometimes when traveling, using public transportation means wasting time and possibly confusing routes when trying to get to various attractions. Getting a vehicle from car rentals in Santa Cruz is a smart decision because you can incorporate nearly everything in your itinerary and meet your travel goals on time and at your convenience. If you're here on a business trip, then you won't have to worry about missing the bus and being late for that meeting you've been looking forward to. Even better, you can skip town and check out the Winchester Mystery House, just 29 miles away, or even the Golden Gate Bridge about 75 miles away, at your own convenience and get back in the city before evening.
  • When you get to the Rental Car Center in San Jose International Airport, go directly across Terminal B. If you come from Terminal B, walk across the airport drive from baggage claim, where you'll find the facility. If you come from Terminal A, you'll find an airport blue shuttle bus that will take you to the rental car center. Some of the Santa Cruz car rentals you'll find at the facility include Enterprise, Avis, and Hertz.
  • Pedestrians in Santa Cruz are so used to jaywalking that the city had to write reminders on the curb not to do it, so be watchful, especially on crosswalks and intersections. You should be careful when driving on Highway 17 as it can get congested with commuters to and from San Jose and sees frequent coastal fog.
  • Traffic in Downtown Santa Cruz can be fairly normal, but the rush hours can be packed with cars, especially on Highways 1, 9, and 17. Highway 17 can be quite busy northbound in the morning and southbound in the evening as more people commute to and from San Jose, more so on Fridays. Rush hours start from 7am to 9am and from 3pm to 8pm in the evening. Having a traffic app for real-time information will go a long way. You can also listen to the local radio.
  • Book your car hire in Santa Cruz at least 1 day before your trip in order to get a below-average price
  • Economy hire cars in Santa Cruz are around 22% cheaper than other car types, on average
See more tips

FAQs about hiring a car in Santa Cruz

  • What type of car is recommended for driving in Santa Cruz?

    Nearly any on-road vehicle will do well in Santa Cruz. Our recommendation would be to choose a vehicle that suits your needs, so you can go with anything from a standard car like a sedan to a minivan. If your budget allows it, you can even get a luxury vehicle to cruise around the coast from car rentals in Santa Cruz.

  • What’s the speed limit in Santa Cruz?

    The maximum speed limit on California highways stands at 65mph, and you can drive at 70mph where posted. On two-lane undivided highways, the maximum speed limit is 55mph, unless posted otherwise, and 25mph in school zones. Watch out for blind intersections where the speed limit falls at 15mph, which also applies to alleys. Business and residential areas have a limit of 25mph.

  • Where are the best places to park in Santa Cruz?

    The city of Santa Cruz has several downtown public parking lots that offer a free 3h time limit parking from Monday to Saturday from 8am to 6pm. Downtown parking meters charge anywhere between $1 an hour to $8 per day, depending on where you park. Parking meters operate every day between 8am and 8pm.

  • How much is the price of fuel in Santa Cruz?

    The average price of fuel in Santa Cruz is R61,71 per litre over the past 30 days. Filling up a tank of fuel costs between R740 and R987, depending on the car size.

  • What is the most popular car hire in Santa Cruz?

    Mini (Chrysler Pacifica or similar) is the most frequently booked car hire type in Santa Cruz.

  • Which car hire agencies are at San Francisco airport (SFO)?

    Car hire companies onsite at San Francisco airport include Budget, Dollar, Alamo and Avis.

  • Which car hire companies will pick you up at San Francisco airport (SFO)?

    Car hire companies that offer shuttle or pick-up services from San Francisco airport to off-airport locations include Budget, Dollar, Alamo and Avis.

  • How can I find car hires near me in Santa Cruz?

    Take a look at our extensive car hire location map to find the best car hire deals near you.

  • How much does a Mini car hire cost in Santa Cruz?

    A Mini car hire in Santa Cruz costs R1 854 per day, on average.

  • How much does a Standard car hire cost in Santa Cruz?

    A Standard car hire in Santa Cruz costs R3 324 per day, on average.

  • How much does a Special car hire cost in Santa Cruz?

    A Special car hire in Santa Cruz costs R865 per day, on average.

See more FAQs

Santa Cruz car rental reviews and directory 
All ratings and reviews are collected from KAYAK users with a verified car hire booking. Learn how KAYAK collects reviews.

Budget

10,0

Wonderful

Read 2 reviews
Best rated

Cleanliness

7.0

Comfort

8.0

Pick-up/Drop-off

10.0

Value for money

10.0

One location in Santa Cruz

Show locations

Locations in Santa Cruz

630 Ocean Street

+1 831 291 5483

Monday08:00 - 17:00
Tuesday08:00 - 17:00
Wednesday08:00 - 17:00
Thursday08:00 - 17:00
Friday08:00 - 17:00
Saturday08:00 - 17:00
Sunday08:00 - 17:00

Filters

No reviews available

Avis

7,3

Good

Read 5 reviews

Cleanliness

7.0

Comfort

6.6

Pick-up/Drop-off

7.3

Value for money

6.6

One location in Santa Cruz

Show locations

Locations in Santa Cruz

630 Ocean Street

+1 831 423 1244

Monday08:00 - 17:00
Tuesday08:00 - 17:00
Wednesday08:00 - 17:00
Thursday08:00 - 17:00
Friday08:00 - 17:00
Saturday08:00 - 17:00
Sunday08:00 - 17:00

Filters

Show reviews that mention

Reviews

10,0 Wonderful

Anonymous, Aug 2020

KAYAK

Pros:

Staff were friendly and there was no wait!

Cons:

No one walked me to the car or asked if I had questions about it.

2,0 Poor

Frank, Jun 2020

KAYAK

Pros:

Nothing

Cons:

Shop was closed

1 out of 2

Hertz

7,0

Good

Read 10 reviews

Cleanliness

7.6

Comfort

7.6

Pick-up/Drop-off

7.0

Value for money

7.0

4 locations in Santa Cruz

Show locations

Locations in Santa Cruz

2724 Soquel Ave

+1 831 423 0315

Monday08:00 - 17:0013:30 - 17:00
Tuesday08:00 - 17:0013:30 - 17:00
Wednesday13:30 - 17:0008:00 - 17:00
Thursday13:30 - 17:0008:00 - 17:00
Friday08:00 - 17:0013:30 - 17:00

50 Aviation Way

+1 831 722 2760

Monday08:00 - 17:0013:30 - 17:00
Tuesday13:30 - 17:0008:00 - 17:00
Wednesday08:00 - 17:0013:30 - 17:00
Thursday08:00 - 17:0013:30 - 17:00
Friday13:30 - 17:0008:00 - 17:00

5500 Scotts Valley Drive

+1 831 217 4162

Monday13:00 - 17:0008:00 - 17:00
Tuesday13:00 - 17:0008:00 - 17:00
Wednesday08:00 - 17:0013:00 - 17:00
Thursday08:00 - 17:0013:00 - 17:00
Friday08:00 - 17:0013:00 - 17:00

7000 Soquel Avenue

+1 831 462 0469

Monday08:00 - 17:00
Tuesday08:00 - 17:00
Wednesday08:00 - 17:00
Thursday08:00 - 17:00
Friday08:00 - 17:00
Saturday09:00 - 12:00

Filters

Show reviews that mention

Reviews

2,0 Poor

Curt, Apr 2024

People carrier

KAYAK
Car rental.com is a scam. Don’t ever use them.

8,0 Very Good

Paul, Apr 2021

KAYAK

Pros:

Simple, limited-contact pick up and drop off.

Cons:

When I returned the car two days early, the staff at Hertz were unable to do a refund for those extra days. This isn't a criticism of Hertz -- just know that when you book through Kayak, they don't have as much flexibility for extending or shortening a rental. Note that this Hertz location does not do after-hours drop-off. You must return the car before closing time.

4,0 Mediocre

Anonymous, Mar 2021

KAYAK

Pros:

The two ladies who checked me in were a delight to deal with. Very professional and personable as they went through all the paperwork and what not.

Cons:

My pre-paid 1pm reservation was for a Mid-size Car, and when I got there at 1:30pm they had rented my car and had no Midsize cars left, so I was stuck with an economy car that felt like I was driving a go-kart on steroids or tin can on wheels. That was total BS!! Also, they closed the location close to my house, but it is still listed on their website, Yahoo, Waze, Google, etcetera, so when I drove over there to swap cars, there was a sign on the keys drop box saying to drop off cars across town, at the location where I picked up the car. Again, total BS!! Then when I returned the car they ran my credit card before talking to me at all, and I wanted to use my debit car. When I asked to cancel the charge and put it on my debit card, she said it was too late, she couldn't do that. Third strike of total BS. Even if it costs more and is farther away, I will never again rent a car for Hertz!!

2,0 Poor

Anonymous, Sept 2020

KAYAK

Pros:

The location didn’t exist.

1 out of 4

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

6,9

Okay

Read 6 reviews

Cleanliness

7.4

Comfort

7.4

Pick-up/Drop-off

6.4

Value for money

6.2

2 locations in Santa Cruz

Show locations

Locations in Santa Cruz

2724 Soquel Ave Ste A

+1 831 464 1900

Monday00:00 - 00:00
Tuesday00:00 - 00:00
Wednesday00:00 - 00:00
Thursday00:00 - 00:00
Friday00:00 - 00:00
Saturday00:00 - 00:00
Sunday00:00 - 00:00

919b Ocean St

+1 831 426 7799

Monday08:00 - 17:00
Tuesday08:00 - 17:00
Wednesday08:00 - 17:00
Thursday08:00 - 17:00
Friday08:00 - 17:00
Saturday09:00 - 12:00
Sunday00:00 - 00:00

Filters

Show reviews that mention

Reviews

10,0 Wonderful

Stephen, Nov 2024

Compact

KAYAK
Micah was great!

10,0 Wonderful

Anonymous, Aug 2020

KAYAK

Pros:

Staff was ready and quick. Very easy pick up and drop off

7,6 Good

Anonymous, Jul 2020

KAYAK

Pros:

Staff was helpful, drop-off was easy.

Cons:

Removing additional fees where possible for student drivers given the pandemic. Inform that drop-off after hours only requires keys to be placed in drop-off box and incurs no additional fees.

1 out of 2

Dollar

5,6

Fair

One location in Santa Cruz

Show locations

Locations in Santa Cruz

2724 Soquel Ave

+1 831 423 0315

Monday13:30 - 17:0008:00 - 17:00
Tuesday13:30 - 17:0008:00 - 17:00
Wednesday13:30 - 17:0008:00 - 17:00
Thursday13:30 - 17:0008:00 - 17:00
Friday13:30 - 17:0008:30 - 12:30

Filters

No reviews available

Thrifty

5,6

Fair

One location in Santa Cruz

Show locations

Locations in Santa Cruz

2724 Soquel Ave

+1 831 423 0315

Monday08:00 - 17:0013:30 - 17:00
Tuesday13:30 - 17:0008:00 - 17:00
Wednesday13:30 - 17:0008:00 - 17:00
Thursday13:30 - 17:0008:00 - 17:00
Friday13:30 - 17:0008:00 - 17:00

Filters

No reviews available

27 travellers who hired a car in Santa Cruz gave the car agency they used an average rating of 5.6

Car hire locations in or near Santa Cruz

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Good to know

Most popular car type

Mini

When to book a car hire in Santa Cruz

Average daily price per month
Car hire prices as pick-up date approaches

Everything you need to know for your car hire in Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz car hire information

Pick-up locationSanta Cruz
Car types
Hire locations8
Airport locations0

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