COVER STORY SIDEBAR
Get me outta here
By Denise Taylor
Now that you've arrived, it's time for a lesson in how to leave. The White Mountains, Cape Cod's beaches, Providence's hip cafes, New York's everything - it's out there, if you can get there.
By bus: The MoMA, the Village, and nasty little hot dog stands are a $55 round-trip away by Bonanza Buses. They leave South Station daily for New York. 617-720-4110.
By commuter rail: Anywhere on the Rockport line, from Manchester's Singing Beach to witchy Salem, is a great, cheap day trip. If you have any brain power left, visit Emerson and Thoreau's old haunts in Concord or ride to Providence to hang with the artsy Rhode Island School of Design crowd. Fares range from 85 cents to $4.75 one way. 617-222-3200; http://www.mbta.com.
By boat: Hop the commuter boat at Long Wharf (by the Aquarium) and ride back and forth to the Charlestown Navy Yard. You'll get a whole new perspective of the city for just $1 each way. 617-227-4321.
Blow your summer earnings at the Cape, but go soon. Bay State Cruise's $30 same day round-trip to Provincetown runs weekends through Oct. 11. 617-748-1428.
By train: Amtrak departs from South or Back Bay stations. A $20 Student Advantage card gets you a 15 percent discount with Amtrak and elsewhere. Card info: 800-962-6872. Schedules: 800-872-7245.
By air: Council Travel in Boston and Cambridge is the place to get student discounts. 671-266-1926.
By car: We found few agencies willing to rent to those 18-20 years old. More will rent to you once you're 21, but will likely slap on a big fee if you dare demand the privilege of borrowed wheels before age 25.
The best rates now for a three-day weekend - including car rental, underage surcharges, and collision insurance - range from $120 to $160. Be aware that rates change constantly and vary at different locations of the same chain. Below are your best bets. All but Policy Rent-A-Car require a credit card.
18 plus: Rent-a-Wreck, Framingham, 781-235-0004. They'll pick you up at the commuter rail stop. Merchants Rent A Car, Medford, 781-391-8388. E-Z Auto Rental, Allston, 617-254-5100.
20 plus: Rent-a-Wreck, Logan Airport, 617-542-8700.
21 plus: Competitive Auto Rental, Malden, 781-322-2929. Mini-Cost, Wellesley, 781-237-7368. Policy Rent-A-Car, Revere, 781-289-7479. Americar, Somerville, 617-776-4640.
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