aggiegirl

I'm flying into La Guardia May 22 to attend a wedding on the 24th. I'll be traveling with my mom and we first want to drive to New Rochelle to visit her alma mater. When I check directions on mapquest, I see there are some tolls en route. Do the toll roads in the NYC metro region have manned booths that give change? I hate having to pay rental car companies for use of an easy tag.

From there, we'll make our way towards Tarrytown. We plan to visit places such as Lyndhurst, Sunnyside, etc. Are there any special parks or lesser known homes we should be sure to visit?

HowardR

Yes, there are cash lanes where you can get change at all toll booths.
The number one place to visit in the Tarrytown area is Kykuit, the Rockefeller estate. It's located in neighboring Pocantico Hills. Note, however, that you park in the Phillipsburg Manor lot, a historic site in Sleepy Hollow, another neighboring community, to access the Rockefeller site.

doug_stallings

There's one bridge going out of the city (the Henry Hudson) that allows only cashless tolls, so you may have to plan your route to avoid that. The tollbooth will take a photo of your license plate, and the car-rental company will charge back the toll plus a huge surcharge. Coming straight from LGA, you should be able to get around this fairly easily because it's a bridge between Manhattan and the Bronx.

But you should be able to pay with cash everywhere else, though the tolls are considerably higher paying cash, so it might all even out if you are just renting the car for a couple of days to get the tollpass with your rental, depending on the company (I'd definitely price it out). For example, you save $2.37 on the toll for the Triboro Bridge by using an EZ pass. And you could encounter a couple of such tolls on the way to New Rochelle.

aggiegirl

Thanks for the information! Doug, it never would have occurred to me that using an ez pass would make the toll cheaper. I appreciate the tip!

Howard, Kykuit was on my list for sure and I'm looking forward to it. Hoping to find a few "hidden gems" along the way.

HowardR

Doug is righta bout the toll on the Henry Hudson. I forgot about that one. That bridge is on the West Side. If you drive up on the FDR on the east side to the Major Deegan (Route 87), the toll in Yonkers does have cash lanes.

emalloy

Ask the rental car company about the ez pass, it might be worth it just in the time not spent at in the toll booth lines.

DebitNM

If you are driving first to New Rochelle [my hometown]you will have no need to drive on Henry Hudson. And from NR, you shouldn't need to deal with it either.

From NR to Tarrytown, take I 95 north to 287 west.

J62

Be aware that many rental car co's charge you a ez pass fee for every day of the rental, not just on the days you use it.

nytraveler

For commuters the major benefit of an EZ Pass is the discounted rates - saves a huge amount for a regular commuter.

HowardR

DebitNM, are you forgetting that to get to New Rochelle from the city I believe you have to go on Route 95, and I believe there's a toll there!

DebitNM

No, Howard, I was picking the trip up from New Rochelle to Tarrytown. I didn't really mention tolls other than to say there was no pressing need for OP to go on Henry Hudson going to NR.

maxima

Union Church of Pocantico Hills has windows by Matisse and Chagall

http://www.hudsonvalley.org/historic-sites
this site will give you information on all of the sites in the Tarrytown area, admission fees and combo passes.

Rockefeller State Park Preserve has groomed paths surrounding a lake.

HowardR

Actually, the Rockefeller State Preserve has acres and acres and acres of pristine parkland, in addition to those paths around the above-mentioned lake, all ideal for a morning or afternoon walk.

A visit to Kykuit and a walk in the preserve would indeed make for a wonderful day in Rockefeller country!

HowardR

PS: DebitNM, I wasn't intending to criticize you. My point is simply that I assume the OP was starting out from the city and this would have that toll on I-95.

aggiegirl

I appreciate the additional commentary. The Rockefellar preserve and Union Church sound great.