We are all familiar with them from the TV and cinema: the famous streets of San Francisco, the film studios of Hollywood or the Walk of Fame in Los Angeles.

In addition, when driving a hire car in California you can turn your holiday into something unforgettable, from feeling the sand under your feet on the beaches at Santa Monica and Malibu to experiencing close up the life of the rich and beautiful in Beverly Hills.

On your trip in a hire car through California you can marvel at the impressive, ancient giant sequoia trees at Yosemite National Park, and easily include Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon in your itinerary.

Death Valley, which includes the Mojave Desert, is famous or rather infamous for its merciless heat and drought.

The valley features salt lakes and deserts and temperatures that surpass 50 °C in the shade: Despite these extreme conditions there is life in Death Valley – from puma to sheep, from pines to rolling tumbleweed.

In a hire car the quickest way from Los Angeles to Death Valley is via Interstate 15 and Highway 395. If you are driving a cabriolet, don’t underestimate the power of the sun and make sure you drink enough water.

The dried salt lakes of the Mojave Desert are among the most hostile areas in the world. Hardly any rain, plus temperatures of over 50 °C - if you drive to Death Valley in a hire car, you have to adjust to extreme conditions.

Visitors are rewarded with breath-taking views. The slopes of the Black Mountains, which can be seen from Dante's View and Artist's palette, glow in the morning sun. From the car rental office in Las Vegas you can drive to Death Valley in about 2 hours. The most beautiful route by car is Artist’s Drive. From here you can also reach Badwater Basin, the lowest elevation in America at 85 metres below sea level.