NYC trip: Your suggestions (1 Viewer)

[Michael D. Bunting]

Howdy folks,

I'm wanting to visit New York City later this week, either Monday - Thursday or Tuesday - Friday. It will be a quickly planned trip, but I think we should be able to have a lot of fun...basically just sight-seeing during the daylight hours...and maybe a little fun at night.

I'll be driving from Indianapolis, IN along with my wife. Neither of us have ever been to NYC before.

I know I don't want to drive in NYC, so that isn't even in my mind as being possible - I think we are better off staying outside the city, and taking a shuttle or taxi to the subway station or what have you...and then taking the

Can anyone give me some ideas on where to stay? Jersey City?

Would staying in Jersy City be a good option for us? A few of the hotels located there seem to offer shuttle service to the Newark Penn Station...where we could then continue on into the city.

Thanks for any help/suggestions!

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Michael,

There are so many ways to do this, and the
factor that makes it most difficulty is that
you are unfamiliar with the subway system.

I would advise not driving in NYC. Traffic
can be a hassle and parking is very expensive.
Whenever I go in from NJ, I take the Lincoln
Tunnel and park at Port Authority bus terminal
which is just outside of the tunnel and costs
about $25 for the day.

If you stay in Jersey City try to get close
to Journal Square. You can get on a PATH train
and it will take you into Madison Square Garden
at 33rd street.

Once at MSG (also known as Penn Station) you
can take a subway anywhere you want.

I love the subway. You can access any point of
the city via the train, but getting used to the
routes is a little tricky.

Here is a map you can print out

I would suggest from 34th street...

Take the "A" train to the World Trade Center site.
It is well worth seeing. From there you can walk
south (very short walk) to Battery Park where you
can look across at the Statue of Liberty. You can
even take a ferry out to the statue.

From there, take the 1 train (South Ferry) to
42nd street. You definately want to walk around
in that area.

I'm at work right now and I wish I had more
time to map out a trip for you. Perhaps I can
get back to this later. Perhaps there are others
that have suggestions for you as well including
better methods of getting in, out and around the
city.

I will tell you this...

I have been to many cities around the world,
and New York, by far, is still the greatest.
It is an experience you will never forget!

 

[Francois Caron]

Here's one I used on my summer trip. Print it on half of a page, fold it up and it makes an excellent mini-notebook with space to write destinations, business hours and other useful items without necessarily looking like a tourist.

As for day trips, in Manhattan that can be a bit of a problem since most of the major sites also require a huge chunk of time to see them completly. Two examples are the American Museum of Natural History (one full day) and the Metropolitain Museum of Art (two days). The Museum of Modern Art however can be done in about half a day and is worth seeing.

For nightlife, I'm not much of a specialist in that domain since my vacation was basically a museum hopping visit. But if you want to see a broadway show, try the TKTS booth in Times Square where you can get discount tickets to most shows. Just be warned that the more people there are in your group, the more difficult it will be to find tickets together, especially for the really big shows.

 

[Sam Posten]

Two suggestions:

Spamalot for entertainment.
Virigls for Dinner.

You wont go wrong with both or either.

Sam

 

[Michael D. Bunting]

Ron & Francois,

Thanks so much for taking the time out to answer my post and voice your thoughts on my trip.

I'm still looking into things right now, but I believe your information will help me out tremendously should I go for this.

Ron, do you happen to have any suggestions on places (hotel/motel) to stay near "Journal Square" in Jersey City?

Does this one happen to be close?

Woogo Palace Hotel Lincoln Tunnel - North Bergen

They offer shuttle service to Times Square for $5pp - the only downside to this is that the service stops after 8PM :frowning:

Many thanks!

 

[Scott L]

I usually park my car ($6 fee) in Jersey's Staten Island and take the free ferry into NYC. Then stay in a hotel in the city during my entire stay. Challenge may be carrying over wife's luggage on the the boat but hailing a taxi when in New York is no problem. The ferry is very scenic, going passed the Statue of Liberty and giving you a nice water-view of the city.

Here's a Google Map of its location, zoom out for a better view.

 

[Grant B]

That's a hell of a drive from indy. It starts out boring but when you get to the Ohio/PN line it turns interesting. I drove it in the winter and it got bad at night.
If the weather is so-so you won't make the best of time.
FYI

 

[Jeff Adkins]

Michael,

I've driven from Indy to NYC probably 40 or 50 times in the last 20 years. Here's a few tips:

1) I would definitely take the Southern Route which is I-70 E all the way to Pennsylania Turnpike E to the Carlisle Exit where you'll pick up I-81 North on through Harrisburg where you'll finally end up on I-78 which takes you the rest of the way into NJ. The trip is about 710 miles or so to Jersey City if I remember correctly. I usually make it in 11 1/2 hours. The first 5 hours are pretty boring, but it'll becoms mountainous in Eastern OH near the WV border. While on the PA turnpike, I would recommend either Satellite radio, an Ipod or a good CD collection as there isn't much of anything on OTA radio except for a few country stations.

I usually stay at one of the hotels near the Holland Tunnel in Jersey City. The PATH train is right there (Pavonia/Newport Station). It runs 24 hours and costs 1 $1.50 to take you into midtown. As Ron said, there is also a station in Journal Square. The Newark Penn Station stop is the last stop on the PATH line and will take far longer to get into NYC than either Journal Square or Pavonia Newport. There is also PATH service from Hoboken which is relatively quick.

Even after my 40 or 50 trips to NYC, there's no way I would drive in there if I didn't have too. During a weekday morning....forget it. Public Transportation is much quicker and costs less than driving.

That would be much closer to Hoboken than Journal Square. The Hoboken PATH trains run 24 hours. I'm sure you could get some sort of transportation from North Bergen to Hoboken.

 

[Michael D. Bunting]

Jeff, if you happen to be reading this thread...can you reccomend any particular hotels near the Holland Tunnel?

I'm looking online now, and can't find much...

Many thanks! (Once again!)

 

[Jim Sentry]

We're going 11/2 thru 11/6 and were going to see the Christmas show at Radio City Music Hall.

We got great seats for the matinee on 11/3. If you are going to be there during this run I would recommend it.

Jim

 

[Orlando]

Don't know what you plan on doing but you might be interested in something like this as well.

http://www.newyorkpass.com/index2.asp