This post is brought to you in partnership with Enterprise CarShare. I received compensation for this post, and all views and opinions expressed are my own. Thanks so much for supporting the brands that make this site possible!

{Banana Republic Blazer, Ralph Lauren Sweater, Zara Leggings, Forever 21 Fedora, J. Crew Shoes}

Growing up in the Motor City, some of my fondest memories growing up involved jumping behind the wheel, pushing pedal to the metal and heading off on an adventure at a moment’s notice. Flash forward to my life in the Big Apple over the past 15+ years, and I’m pretty sure I can count on two hands the number times I’ve actually been in the driver’s seat while in the city. Between skyhigh insurance, parking nightmares, overcrowded streets, and overzealous cab drivers, owning a car in Mahattan is not for the faint of heart (or shallow of pockets). While my monthly Metrocard and I will forever remain tight like glue, I do at times miss the call of the open road.

So when the lovely folks at Enterprise CarShare recently invited me to take a set of wheels out for a spin over the weekend, I jumped at the opportunity. If you’re unfamiliar, Enterprise CarShare is a member-based service offering automated rental vehicles by the hour, the day, or overnight. You can reserve a vehicle using their super-convenient app, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They have a great selection of cars in stock, but I made a beeline for this fun little jeep that was just perfect for a trip north to catch the tail end of the fall foliage and visit historic Hyde Park, former home to President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

We could not have asked for a more perfect fall day or a more beautiful setting for our excursion. The leaves were a brilliant yellow and swirled all around us a we sped up the highway (well within the speed limit, of course). Our first stop was the Vanderbilt Mansion where we ooohed and ahhhed over the opulency and excess of a bygone era. But what most caught our eye and took our breath away were the beautiful surroundings along the Hudson Valley!

We easily could have stayed here all day, but this part of New York is full of so many great diversions like Westpoint Academy and the Culinary Institute of Arts that we just couldn’t miss out on. After a day full of sightseeing, we finally made our way to The Would Restaurant for a cozy candlelit dinner.

All-in-all, we thoroughly enjoyed our Enterprise CarShare experience. We’ve done traditional car rentals in the city before, but this experience had those beat hands-down. Rather than having to hoof it to some obscure location downtown, we were able to simply stroll to a nearby parking garage, flash our membership card to the attendant, and two minutes later we were behind the wheel and ready to set off. They even provide a credit card for gas purchases during your trip!

This experience has totally changed our view of renting a car in the city which always seemed like such a non-worthwhile nuisance in the past. In fact, we’re already planning another jaunt over Thanksgiving weekend to hit up the outlet malls. Trust me, once you try Enterprise CarShare, you’ll be hooked just like we are.

And because sharing is caring, I have a special offer for all you lovely readers. You can sign up for a free first-year membership and receive $20 in driving credits. Just visit http://bit.ly/Blog16-US and enter BLOG16 in the promo code box.

Safe travels!