A good majority of travelers check maps before embarking on a journey, especially visitors who are heading to large cities. Many a guest has found that their original plans just aren’t feasible once they have a realistic image of the size of the areas involved, and potential obstacles in getting around a strange location easily and quickly.

Even travelers to Manhattan need maps, even though the hub of it is laid out in a very simple manner of numbered streets and avenues. However, venturing outside of midtown, or into another borough, is an entirely different story. Anyone going to the Bronx, northeast of Manhattan, will probably be daunted, as its street grid could be termed irregular at best, and walking from point A to point B is not as simple as in Manhattan. Bronx street numbering doesn’t exactly match Manhattan’s grid, even though the Bronx still utilizes Manhattan’s Third Avenue, Park Avenue, and Broadway, and makes Jerome Ave. the dividing line between east and west. Western Bronx is rather hilly, and its street numbering continues over from upper Manhattan, but only the Wakefield neighborhood carries on that street numbering. Secondary streets meander in all directions, and no fewer than seven major expressways and highways traverse the Bronx, along with 13 bridges and three tunnels, not to mention the Triborough Bridge which connects with Manhattan. All of this equates to a driver’s nightmare, even if he or she is throughly familiar with different routes and traffic conditions.

Since the Bronx is the only New York borough on the North American mainland instead of on an island, and its 1.4 million residents are packed into 42 square miles, it is highly urban and requires excellent public transit. It thus is served by six lines of the New York City Subway, several NYC Transit bus lines, and two Metro-North Railroad commuter rail lines. However, most subways offer transportation north to south (to/from Manhattan) rather than cross-town travel in the Bronx, and many buses are slow and overcrowded. Furthermore, certain parts still have a reputation as high crime areas, even though revitalization has improved matters and busy neighbors are generally quite safe. So, if a guest wishes to experience the wonderful attractions that the Bronx offers, but doesn’t want to face the hassles of driving a rental car, figuring out the subway system, or walking cross town, that leaves two options: taxi cabs and limo service and many private companies offer both.

Most travelers, however, assume that car service in Bronx are very expensive. Yet, “expensive” depends on the number in a travel group, special needs, time constraints, and final destinations. It pays to do homework. Most cabs found at LaGuardia, JFK and Newark Airports can cost from $50-$65 to the Bronx, plus evening surcharges, tolls, fuel surcharges, and tip. There is a maximum of four passengers in regular sedan-type vehicles, and often the cars are not comfortable or roomy. If the same four riders choose the smallest sedan of a limousine fleet, they may pay approximately $15 per person more for the trip into the Bronx, but travel in much more luxury. If a family is traveling with three children, this is definitely preferable to riding one of the shuttles, with its many stops and limited access into certain areas, along with per-person charges. Many prefer the option of a limousine and its professional, uniformed driver, who has suburb knowledge of current conditions and tourist sights, and who guarantees a high quality of service. Some companies offer 2 hours in a 7 passenger limousine for as little as $120 total. For 5 people, this is a good price for a trip around the Bronx to see the highlights, as well as the most efficient and pleasant way to travel, considering privacy screens, complimentary drinks, and tinted windows.

Prices usually depend on the size and type of vehicle desired, and often, rates change on different days of the week. Some car services demand minimum hours of use, so it’s worth planning an itinerary in advance to encompass Bronx attractions and save money over private tour guide companies. (Companies usually add tolls and parking costs onto the contracted rate, but a visitor would pay those anyway with a rental car, and would not know the best places to park.) It’s almost impossible to count the number of independent limousine operators in the New York areas; there are dozens that offer a wide variety of pricing and features.

After a visitor to the Bronx has arranged for a car, there are several popular attractions to enjoy, such at the Bronx Zoo, a world-class establishment with more than 4000 animals, the New York Botanical Garden- 48 astounding gardens and plant collections on 250 acres, Orchard Beach-the “Bronx Riviera" at Pelham Bay Park, Yankee Stadium, Edgar Allan Poe Cottage, the Maritime Industry Museum, Woodlawn Cemetery, Van Cortlandt Park, and the "real Little Italy" of New York.

It’s clear that utilizing a car and driver for either business or pleasure trips to the Bronx can maximize a traveler’s schedule, thus allowing more enjoyment of its diverse offerings. It also eliminates logistical worries, while allowing guests to sit back and study the views of this unique and fascinating borough of New York.