Situated in the county of Lancashire, in the North West of England, the city of Lancaster is well known as the commercial and cultural center for the region. Lancaster is a typical example of an English county town, where most of her early activity based around the market, which still takes place two days every week in the aptly named Market Square. The center of Lancaster is a mixture of old and new, with the major UK Retail outlets rubbing shoulders with privately owned stores such as craft centers, boutiques and antique dealers. Much of Lancaster’s city center has been set up as pedestrian only walkways. The largest and most heavily frequented is on Penny Street. Where on a summer’s day, people can sit on a sidewalk café or bar, and watch the World goes by.

The city center and especially the region around Market Square are home to many excellent restaurants, catering for all tastes and budgets. In the evening, there is much to do with pubs and a few night clubs providing entertainment for the locals as well as visitors to the town. On the outskirts of Lancaster, serving the city as well as the residents of North of Lancashire and all of Cumbria are two very large shopping complexes that are well worth visiting. One is the Marketgate Shopping Centre and the other is called St. Nicholas Arcades. These are the center for “outlet” type stores and can provide some serious bargains in consumer goods.

Lancaster is surrounded by some beautiful countryside and is only a short distance form the beautiful Lake District in Cumbria. There are many spots to visit, traditional English villages where time appears to have stood still, coves to take a leisurely picnic or some really pleasant and clean beaches to take a stroll along.

Renting a car can be an economical way to travel around Lancaster and the region. There are several pick up areas around the city with discounts are on offer for rentals of three days and over. Car Hire in Lancaster comes as a ‘fully inclusive’ package which includes unlimited mileage, collision damage waiver, passenger indemnity insurance and cover for third party, fire and theft - and usually insurance excess. To rent a car anywhere in the United Kingdom, you must show a full driver's licence and a credit card in the driver’s name. Cars are usually rented to customers between the ages of 21 to 70 years. Hiring a car is a great idea if you want to use Lancaster as your base for a three day minimum travel experience around the region.