Compare Taunton car hire

History abounds in Taunton, an attractive town in the English county of Somerset. When you book car hire with TravelSupermarket you can get around easily - and the town becomes a terrific base from which to see more of the south west.

Car rental opens up a whole new page of options for your holiday adventures...

Set among the emerald-coloured hills of Somerset, the quiet pace of Taunton is a pleasant side-dish to big city escapades in England.

Taunton is about taking tea of an afternoon, watching a cricket match among amiable crowds, and touring churches and relics that go way back to Saxon times. It's also the main shopping destination in Somerset, though don't expect sparkling glass-clad malls that loom over the town centre - Taunton offers quaint boutiques, family-run butchers and bakers, and independent stores selling life's essentials, all housed in a pretty jumble of architectural styles, from beautiful half-timber structures to Georgian and Victorian buildings of stone and brick.

Venturing into the past in Taunton is easy, especially at the well-preserved Taunton Castle. Built around 900 years ago, the Museum of Somerset has now taken residence after a major restoration project. You can pick up information at the Tourist Information Centre in the town to guide you around the Taunton Heritage Trail - well worth doing if historical treasures are your thing.

For a quintessentially English experience, stake a place at the lovely County Ground, home of Somerset County Cricket Club and host of some international fixtures. The sound of that thwack of ball on bat - accompanied by a pint of Somerset cider and a summertime picnic - is a priceless memory.

Having a car makes it easy to get around Taunton. You can pick up your rental car at a downtown location in Taunton and be on the open road within minutes.

When you arrange your own transport, Taunton and its nearby attractions can be enjoyed at your leisure...

Sticking with the theme of tradition and English heritage, why not take day trips to some of the local houses and estates of interest? You could visit Coleridge Cottage, a 30-minute drive from Taunton, to see the former home of poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge, which is now run by the National Trust. The National Trust also welcomes visitors to the nearby Tudor manor house of Barrington Court (a 30-minute drive to the east of Taunton) and Dunster Castle and its watermill, which is reached after 40 minutes by heading for Somerset's coast.

There are many natural attractions in Somerset too, most notably Cheddar Gorge and Wookey Hole. Cheddar Gorge is a magnificent limestone valley that has been cloven through the Mendip Hills by powerful natural forces. Whether you want to simply gaze at this wonder or get a bit more active - caving perhaps - there's an experience to suit you at Cheddar Gorge. It takes only 40 minutes by road to access Cheddar Gorge from your base in Taunton. The Wookey Hole Caves are a little further on (around an hour's drive). The famous caves are complemented by a host of family attractions, such as a pirate play zone, a cave museum and replica dinosaurs.

For days out at the beach during your break in Taunton, drive to Brean or Weston-super-Mare, both accessed by road within around 45 minutes. The resorts offer every traditional element of seaside holidays and many happy memories are made on these sands.

You could also consider visiting: Exmoor National Park, just over the county border in Devon; the city of Bristol; or the Jurassic Coast beaches of neighbouring Dorset. All of these excellent tourist hotspots are easily reached from Taunton, at less than an hour's drive.

Fair fuel policy

A fair fuel policy (also known as full-to-full or same-to-same) means you’ll only pay for the fuel you use. All car rental deals compared on TravelSupermarket come with a fair fuel policy, so you can book your hire car safe in the knowledge there will be no nasty surprises at drop-off. More information on TravelSupermarket’s commitment to fair fuel policies can be found here.

No hidden fees

All rental deals compared on TravelSupermarket include mandatory fees (for example, one-way and young driver surcharges) in your rental quote at the time of booking, meaning you’ll know the full price of your car hire upfront.