US cities to visit without a car
Most American cities are built for driving, leaving tourists who skip car rentals stranded with unreliable transit systems like Los Angeles. Choosing the wrong destination leads to wasted vacation time and expensive rideshares just to get across town. Visitors need cities with comprehensive rail or subway networks to actually enjoy the trip without a vehicle.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Relying on a mix of public transport and ride-sharing services like UberDid this help you?
- 2Renting a car despite wanting to avoid drivingDid this help you?
- 3Taking rideshares like Uber everywhereDid this help you?
- 4Using public transit such as the local trolley and busesDid this help you?
- 5Using hop-on-hop-off sightseeing toursDid this help you?
- 6Using buses and planes instead of renting a carDid this help you?
- 7Asking online travel forums for personal comparisons and adviceDid this help you?
- 8Selecting destinations perceived as smaller and easier to navigate without drivingDid this help you?
- 9sticking to one place for several nightsDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“I was very disappointed by LA and public transport wasn‘t good at all.”source ↗
“We would like to take our kids to the Zoo, also to stroll along the Old Town. We've thought about renting a car but it looks like parking fees are charged almost everywhere, and I'm little bit afraid of driving in a foreign country.”source ↗
“Is it safe (top priority) and easy to just take public transit from airport area to the places that I mentioned? Or I just Uber everywhere?”source ↗
“I'd love to visit the beautiful island but renting a car is not an option for me. That's why I'm wondering if the public transport on the island is any good and if I can see a good part of Madeira traveling only by buses.”source ↗
“Costa Rica or Patagonia without a car for 10 days - which one should I choose?”source ↗
“I’m planning a trip to Costa Rica OR Patagonia for 10 days in Feb 2027. I’m living in Canada and I don’t drive.”source ↗
“I’ve done my research and couldn’t really decide on where to go as a nature lover…”source ↗
“Patagonia without a car sounds crazy to me. It’s huge.”source ↗
“I will travel with my gf, but we dont want a car.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
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- 2How to get home from late-night work without a car?
- 6Is the UK or Italy better for traveling with a 7-month-old?
- 4How to visit remote mountain trails without a car
- 53Which warm country to visit for a parent's anniversary?