After last week's posting about getting around DC in a car with someone else driving (Pope Francis edition), I thought I would focus on several options that folks in DC can use to drive around (so you don't need to own/bring a car) in DC.

The option for car sharing that started it years ago (I was an early member back in 1999, the year it started) is Zipcar. Their vehicles are plentiful and varied and located at almost any spot you need.  You should plan ahead if you need one during the weekend. Otherwise, you can typically get on on-demand.  

As an aside, several years later, when I showed up at the Zipcar office in Penn Quarter to pick a replacement card, the person at the counter said, oh, you're the third highest user in DC. I then realized that I needed to pick up a company car, which lead to Attache getting a smart car.

The other car sharing services rented through companies who own the fleet of cars include - Enterprise CarShare, Hertz 24/7 and Car2go.  They all offer hourly and daily rates.  Car2go allows you one-way driving, whereas the others require you to return the cars back to their 'home' parking spots.  Car2go only provides modified Smartcars (not Attache modified) but still fun to drive cars. They are have varying locations and rates and features, so check each one out.  I'm sure there will be a car for you.... if you really want to drive in DC and not with your own car.

Next week we'll discuss a few companies that allow you to drive around DC with a rental car that is owned by a random person.