Driving from DC to NYC 12/09-12/10
 

My wife, 3 kids and I are driving up to NYC this Saturday (12/09)and staying at the Hyatt New York (midtown) with hotel parking and then driving back Sunday evening (12/10).
Should I attempt to drive into NYC this Saturday and park at the Hyatt or is it better to park outside the city & take a subway/train? Heard traffic will be gridlocked this weekend up there. many thanks for any comments/recommendations.

I think for a one night trip driving in makes sense. Just leave a little early on Saturday. Traffic is actually worse on weekdays.

If you DO want to try an alternative to driving, then parking at the "Hamilton" NJ Transit station and taking a PATH train makes the most sense by far for someone coming from DC.

Look here: choose "Hamilton" as your departing station and New York Penn Station" as your destination. You will be "off peak" for fare purposes.

http://www.njtransit.com/sf_tr_schedules.shtml

PATH trains are completely different than NJ Transit trains. From Hamilton, there's no need to ever take a PATH train, because you are going directly into the city via NY Penn Station.

I would just drive. To park your car overnight in the city won't be much more expensive than train fare for 5 of you.

Drive in, just be prepared to sit in traffic at the bridge or tunnel you choose.

DEFINITELY listen to AM 1010 for reports on the bridges and tunnels. It MAY be worth going all the way up to the GW bridge if the wait at the tunnels is ridiculously long.

Enjoy NYC!

Is there some event that would create more than usual holiday traffic?

I agree with the others. Leave a bit earlier. You will get there eventually. A bit of traffic would be much less stressful than parking and taking public transportation. And, leaving Sunday should be no problem at all.

The GW bridge is significantly out of your way and may not save any time.

If gkgoldbeck does not have EZ Pass, and the wait at the tunnels is long, then the GW could <i>definitely</i> save time.

The cash lines at the tunnels are a nightmare.

Good point about the EZPass.

How much are you planning to pay to park the car if you drive it all the way into Manhattan?

You can surely find cheaper parking than at the hotel. Look on iconparking.com in midtown east (near the hotel). Reserve some parking. PRint out the price. Drop the family at the hotel with bags, take the car to the lot. Their map will show Grand Central Terminal. Your hotel is right next to it.

wow...you guys/girls are great! Appreciate all of your suggestions...sounds like EZpass may speed up the drive (love that system) &amp; will attempt to leave early...remember I have 4 females ;) . The Hilton only has valet parking @ $40/day, but will check the lot next door.
I was a little concerned that NY city was calling this Friday 12/08 National gridlock day &amp; requested city employees take public transportation....

$40 a day in Manhattan ain't bad ... for convenience reasons I'd go with that ...

The Hilton? YOu told us the Hyatt in your original post. Hope you know where you're going. $40/day will be $80 maybe PLUS tax which is 18% for parking so you will pay $80-100. Icon has some parking near either hotel for $50-60 for the 2 days but agree that $40/day isn't terrible.

We use iconparking.com all the time. My husband drops me and the bags off at the hotel, drives to the garage, parks the car, then walks back to the hotel. By then, I've checked in and have a room key. When checking out, I head to the desk with the bags (at the larger hotels, a bell hop will collect them with a cart, take them to the lobby, and keep them for you), check out, then go to the entrance and wait for my husband to pull up with the car.

Note that you can often self-park in the very same garage the hotel uses and save up to $10 (more or less) over the hotel's overnight valet parking fee.

thanks for the parkign suggestions.....my fault, we're staying at the Hilton New York (not Hyatt) - must be the old age setting in.