Downtown Hangzhou is full of adventures, but don't restrict yourself to just the one place. Pick up a set of wheels and hit the open road to explore the wider region. Here are some great options:

• Make tracks to Shanghai for an excellent sightseeing adventure. Roughly 100 miles from Downtown Hangzhou, it's home to lots of amazing attractions, including The Bund.
• Located 80 miles away, Jinhua is also a hit with wanderers. Be sure to get to Yiwu International Trade City while you're in town. It's one of the reasons people love staying a while in this colorful city.
• Get into the outdoors and breathe in some fresh air at Hefei Botanical Garden. You'll find it around 210 miles from Downtown Hangzhou.

If you don't have a driver's license issued in China, then it's likely you'll need to apply for an International Driving Permit (IDP) in your home country to be able to rent a car. Also consider that if you do need an IDP, it has no validity on its own. You'll have to show your driver's license from your home country your passport and other forms of documentation as well. Lastly, it's important that the credit card used to book the rental matches the name on your license and passport. Some other things to note to rent a car internationally are:

• Age restrictions: You'll need to be at least 25 in many countries to rent a car. If you're younger, it might still be possible to rent a car but you'll have to pay a Young Driver's Surcharge. Additional restrictions may also apply to what kinds of cars you can rent.
• Driving limitations: Make sure you read the fine print before sliding behind the wheel. With rental cars, you usually can't cross country borders, drive on ferries or on off-road areas with a rental car.