Thanks to the abundant availability of taxis in most cities throughout the United States, going on vacation to a town or state different from your own doesn't have to mean spending hundreds of dollars on rental cars just so you can get around while you explore. Make use of taxis, and you'll relieve the stress of driving in an unfamiliar place. Here are a few tips and tricks you can use to make taking taxis a little less time consuming and expensive while on vacation:

Choose One Company

By choosing just one taxi company to ride with while on vacation, you'll save yourself the confusion of learning multiple payment schedules and how the different companies operate. After the first day or two of riding around with the taxi company of your choice, you'll get to know how punctual they are and how well the drivers know the area, which should make traveling throughout your vacation a little easier and less stressful. And by choosing a company to ride with that offers one of the lowest rates in the area you're visiting, you can expect to save yourself some money on transportation overall.

Make Reservations

It's also a good idea to make reservations for the rides you need ahead of time whenever possible, as this will keep you from having to waste time trying to wave a taxi down on the road, and it will help ensure that you reach your destinations in the timeframe that you expect. Spend a little time each evening during your vacation making travel plans for the next day so you can contact the taxi company and schedule all the rides you'll need ahead of time. You may even be able to buy the rides in bulk and save a little money because you're scheduling them beforehand.

Print Out Maps

To ensure that your taxi driver takes you to your destination via the shortest route possible so you can save time and money on your travel needs, consider printing a map out that outlines your starting and ending coordinates. Then, identify the shortest route and highlight it with a pen. You can hand the map to the taxi driver and request that they take the highlighted route. This process should help you budget your rides because you'll know exactly how many miles you'll be traveling, and it will keep confusion to a minimum overall.

These tips and tricks can be used in combination with one another to make your traveling experience while on vacation a pleasant one overall.