Depending on how old your daughters are (as the bus fare may or may not be cheaper than adult fares) a car service door to door may not cost much more

2 x $16 plus 2 x $ 10 for teens = $52 in bus fares= plus a taxi from Port Authority (up to $10 depending on traffic) Total of about $62.
Grand Central on the east side is farther from your hotel than Port Authority (west side)

Car service would cost about $70 including tolls and tip and would be door to door.
Many people use a car service like Dial7 or Carmel which are like private taxis that you can order in advance or call when you arrive. There is a set fare so no worries about sitting in a taxi watching the meter tick. Regular taxis from EWR to Manhattan would be more expensive since it crosses state lines

If you take the bus get off and on at Port Authority. It is closer to your hotel.

I don't know much about the Express Bus from EWR but have done the train a few times. It is very easy and quick. You just take the Air Tran to the NJ transit station and from there to Penn Station. A taxi from Penn Station to your hotel is around $10. So for the train it would be around $60.

I was going to suggest a car service such as Dial7 but nyer beat me to it. Since there are 4 of you, a car service would be economical and only a few dollars more to deliver you door to door. You don't have to worry a carrying luggage through the airport and either Penn Station or Grand Central.

I'm not trying to be too cheap, just husband is concerned about logistics with 4 of us. Which car service is the most recommended? I see Dial7 and Carmel mentioned and both seem to be about the same price. I think the delivery to our hotel door would probably be best for all.

I haven't used either because I'm usually traveling by myself or with one other person so it's not cost effective. Seems like either Dial7 or Carmel are the most reputable. I'm sure others here can comment on this.

One quick question. What time of day are you going to be coming into the city after you drop off your car? If it's during rush hour, it most likely will be slower using a car service than the train. The car service certainly is better logistically, though.

Check with the car service about picking you up at Enterprise.

It will be around 1pm. Elainee great idea about being picked up at the rental car lot. I guess I was thinking we would have to go back to airport. Would save a step!

"great idea about being picked up at the rental car lot. I guess I was thinking we would have to go back to airport. Would save a step!"

Isn't the car rental at the airport? A car service may pick you up at airport location like a car rental (rather than at a passenger terminal) But if it's truly off airport property, there may be an additional charge. The car service prices are reasonable because they hover around the airport terminals after they drop off passengers.

I have used both Carmel and Dial7 successfully . I call when I arrive rather than reserve in advance, so occasionally one has a car available when the other doesn't.

Is this a brilliant plan or a crazy idea? You tell me.
Instead of driving the car back directly to EWR, drive to the hotel and drop off you, 2 daughters and all the luggage. The bellstaff will hold the luggage if the room is not ready yet. Husband drives back to EWR with an empty car to turn in.
His choice of the bus or the train to meet you at or near Penn Station or Port Authority.
He can give you his preference of transport modes for the return with all of you with luggage.

there is a drop off charge if it is not in New Jersey and husband does NOT want to drive into Manhattan at all. It would probably be me having to do it anyway. UGH

tomfuller-Not sure what you are trying to accomplish by having them drive into the city. About the only thing you would do is save about $50. Not having to drive into Manhattan and then drive out to EWR is worth WAY more than $50. I have to say it's one of the crazier ideas I've heard here on Fodors. I'm all for saving a few dollars but at some point your time, inconvenience and stress become worth something.

Nyer makes a good point about the location of the car rental office. I was thinking that myself. If the location is at the airport, the cost would probably be the same but most likely different if it's off site. Personally myself, I would make a reservation ahead of time and I'd call them to ask them about the difference between a pick-up at the rental car lot or outside the baggage claim area.

Since there are 4 of you the bus plus cab to your hotel will be not much less than a car service. Check out websites of Dial 7 or carmel for a wuot e- but do realize you need to add toll - $8? and 20% tip to what they quote.

Stll - much easier and IMHO worth a few dollars more.

nytraveler, Dial7 has been charging $16.50 in tolls. $12.00 full price cash fare for the tunnel, $4.50 for the NJ turnpike. Despite the fact that many drivers have E-Zpass which brings the tunnel toll to $9.50 or less, they are told to charge the cash fare at all times and tell you to "argue with the dispatcher".
I suspect that Carmel does more or less the same.

The actual fare can be as low as about $42 with some coupons out there, so it still adds up to about $65-70

Yes but the bus wllk be $52 and perhaps another $10 or $12 for the cab (with tip). That's a savings of perhaps $5 or $10 overall. Is that really enough to even consider schlepping around between multiple means of transit and waiting for a cab at Port Authority?

It's just a rotten plan to have to go all the way back to EWR to return a car.
1) Hertz and Avis have locations in Jersey City near PATH trains. If you can change the rental and drop off there, that's one option
http://www.avis.com/car-rental/location/CAU/US/NJ/Jersey%20City
http://www.hertz.com/rentacar/location/index.jsp?targetPage=locationDetailsView.jsp&eoag=EWRE11

2) Enterprise has a location in Hoboken, NJ. See if you can return it there.
http://www.enterprise.com/car_rental/deeplinkmap.do?gpbr=2444&bid=004&cnty=US

3) enterprise has a location in Manhattan minutes fromyour hotel!,, Drive yourself.
http://www.enterprise.com/car_rental/deeplinkmap.do?gpbr=24G1&bid=004&cnty=US

The reason I proposed driving into the city and dropping off the luggage and 3 people is so that only 1 person is inconvenienced. I can move much faster if I am not carrying luggage being followed by 3 other people also pulling luggage to a bus. That is my UGH.

I agree that a car service would be the most convenient. I also think mclaurie has a great idea with dropping the car in NJ but much closer to NYC! I personally would never recommend driving into the city just to drop off the other 3 family members: you don't want to have to deal with tunnel traffic in two directions (and toll) with you behind the wheel!

IF you decide to take public transit, the bus to Port Authority (PA) is your best bet. (I personally hate taking the train for this task: you have to get from Enterprise to the AirTrain at the airport, then transfer to NJ Transit which is surprisingly expensive for the short trip it is. You'd arrive at Penn Station, not PA, which platform-to-subway IMO is so much more complicated than gate-to-subway at PA...)

At Port Authority, follow the signs to the subway. (Bonus: you can purchase the Metrocards you'll need for your visit and pick up a subway map! ) When you enter the subway system there, you are so close - basically on top of - the line you need! You want the Uptown A or C (but not E) "blue" line. Take it 2 stops to 59th Street/Columbus Circle. The exit towards the back of the train will put you on 59th and 8th Ave, just a few blocks to your lodging. (Note that the Time Warner Center on top of that subway station has a Whole Foods in the lower level, and good bathrooms on the 2nd floor.)

nytraveler, I advocated taking a car service instead of bus at the very beginning of this thread. I was just correcting the info you gave about tolls so that people are not surprised by the amount.

It's true that the tolls are a few dollars more - but IMHO a family of 4 coming to NYC can't get overwrought about an extra $5 or so - considering the overall cost of the vacation.

>Dial7 has been charging $16.50 in tolls. $12.00 full price cash fare for the tunnel, $4.50 for the NJ turnpike. Despite the fact that many drivers have E-Zpass which brings the tunnel toll to $9.50 or less, they are told to charge the cash fare at all times and tell you to "argue with the dispatcher".
I suspect that Carmel does more or less the same.<

Carmel charged us $16 for tolls to EWR and the driver did have an EZpass. I had a start after reading nytraveler's post about the tolls being only $8 (who likes to feel like they were "cheated" by the pleasant and helpful driver) but then I read nyer's post. Ok, I feel better now.

mclaurie-The OP has to pay a drop-off fee if they return the car in NY instead of NJ. So coming into Manhattan wouldn't work even if they wanted to make that drive.

If they return the car to Hoboken, how do they get into Manhattan? Just asking because I don't know. Could a car service take them from there and would it be cheaper?

A car service can take you from anywhere - but it can be more complicated if they don't know where they're going (as in some car rental office) vs the airport. It will still be a flat rate - presumably somewhat less - plus tolls and tip.

The Hoboken location is naer a PATH train.
http://www.google.com/search?q=path+train+map&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&client=safari#biv=i|0;d|tAoOUsWmh1j5pM:
A car service can also pick them up there and it should be a lot less expensive than from EWR.

Mclaurie, though Hoboken is much closer, don't count on a car service being less expensive than from EWR. Airport drop offs and pickups are the mainstay of these companies with very little down time for the drivers,. If they go to Hoboken to pick someone up either they had to travel in from Manhattan empty or they have to leave Newark airport and drive empty to Hoboken to then return to the city.