I'm driving from Michigan to New York to visit the Morgan Library in Manhatten next month and am looking for a good place to stay overnight, and a convenient mass transit route into the city and the Port Authority Bus Terminal. I don't want to drive in Manhatten, so am looking for a spot where I can pick up a direct train or bus to PABT. I'm planning to secure a hotel room through priceline. Would Newark Airport be a good location with transit connections? Thanks for your help.

No, Newark Airport is not really a good location for public transit. This area is not particularly well located for public transit (there basically is none). You normally have to go back to the airport and take the Airtrain into Manhattan for about $15 each way.

The real difficulty is that I don't know the area enough to recommend a Priceline bidding strategy. It seems to me that Secaucus or Meadowlands would be a better choice. There are buses that go into the Port Authority from there as well as NJ Transit trains that go into Penn Station (trains are generally more expensive than buses).

There are also hotels on the Hudson River waterfront that are accessible to Manhattan via either a bus or ferry. (Ferries are much more expensive than buses.)

I'm assuming that you aren't coming to NYC for just one night but for several? You don't really say. That might also affect a recommendation. I don't generally recommend that people stay in NJ over Manhattan, but if you don't want to drive into Manhattan, that's more understandable, though never truly cheap or convenient.

Thanks for the tip about Newark. What about staying in northern Manhatten? Would the driving be relatively easy there? I will be staying two nights only. I'm only going in order to visit the museum for an afternoon.

If you are going for two days, you should stay in Manhattan if you can. There have been past threads of where to park inexpensively in NJ and also along Metro North to then go into the city to stay overnight.

Driving in New York is not all that difficult, but you can avoid most of what little difficulty there is by taking the George Washington Bridge in from New Jersey, taking the Henry Hudson Parkway South (9A) to 79th Street and parking in one of the garages (200 or 204 w 79th). Route 9A is a limited access highway no different from any other. 79th Street is a broad, two-way thoroughfare. The neighborhood is perfectly safe. You can catch the subway on the corner of Broadway and 79th and take it to 34th Street, then walk the few blocks to the Morgan. True, you will have to drive around the block to get back on 79th Street when you leave, but once you've done that you'll have learned that driving in the city isn't as difficult as you may have imagined.

For just two nights, you'll pay about $30 to $40 per night to park your car in a garage in Manhattan. If you can get a good deal on Priceline, I think that would make it a doable proposition.

I'm a particularly nervous driver in Manhattan, but I've done it and survived (I really hate it, but I can deal for just a few minutes). It's actually not that bad coming into and out of Manhattan, which is what I'd recommend (you can actually park right at the Port Authority and never actually drive on Manhattan streets; there's an exist that goes straight into the parking garge). I don't know what this costs, but when you come out, you go right into the tunnel without actually entering Manhattan streets. You pay for the tunnel only coming INTO Manhattan, and I think it costs about $9 or $10 now.

If you can book a hotel in Midtown West or the Theater District, then this is a doable situation and would both increase your chances of getting a good hotel on Priceline and limit your driving in Manhattan; there are more hotels to choose from and it can be more confusing driving around in Upper Manhattan since the streets aren't on a simple grid. And you can just take a small bag and walk or take the subway or a cab to your hotel.

Or you could aim for the area around Murray Hill (right by the Morgan Library), which has several good hotels --- people often get the Grand Hyatt from Priceline, and it has its own garage. But there are others within 2 or 3 blocks of the library itself. You'd have to do a bit more driving, but the trade-off would be staying very close to the library itself, where there are decent subway/bus connections and lots of decent restaurants within walking distance.

Our latest favorite place to stay, if not in Manhattan, is Jersey City. 4* Hotels that come up regularly with Priceline are the Hyatt Regency and the brand new Westin. They're also often available with appealing rates on Hotwire. See www.betterbidding.com We've stayed at both and they're very nice, located in very pleasant areas (with shopping and other dining nearby), with convenient access to the NJPath into Manhattan. We also appreciate the "quiet" and the views of the Manhattan skyline. Note that both charge for overnight parking (with self-park less than valet), but the room rates are usually ridiculously low for the quality of the hotels.

The ferries only operate during business rush hours, and are pricier, but great fun, especially if the weather is pleasant.

Thanks so much for all the advice. I'll sort through it and check the websites. This is a great help!

The Travel Inn is the only hotel in Manhattan with free parking. It's an ok budget hotel not far from the Lincoln Tunnel. The Skyline is another budget hotel near there that charges $10/night. You could park your car in New Jersey for the 2 days near a PATH station and take the train into Manhattan if you really can't deal with the drive in. Here's the PATH map. If you click on any of the station names you'll get parking info. http://www.panynj.gov/path/schedule.html

Keep in mind the Morgan Library is on the east side (Fifth ave. separates east and west). Closest Priceline area would be Empire STate area. There are some very nice hotels near there. If you want to price parking in Manhattan, bestparking.com will give you rates near any hotel.