Driving into NYC
 

How easy is it to drive into NYC? Or how difficult is it? Will be traveling from North Carolina...

What day of the week?

What time of day?

What time of year?

What part of NYC—do you specifically mean Manhattan? And if so, what part of Manhattan?

Do you want to park as well, or just dive through?

We are driving up to NYC for 4 days on 11/17 and I have researched this extensively. Parking is outrageous, so we will be leaving the car at port imperial.

@ VirginiaBeach,what and where is port imperial? We are coming in on Friday Nov 8....My plans are not final...trying to plan a quick trip...have looked into Amtrak and flying...both are pricey

If it were me I would simplify life and just drop the car either at or near the hotel in Manhattan. Expect overnight prices for the car to be about $40 per night.

Leaving it in New Jersey and taking a ferry - with luggage - into Manhattan will be somewhat cheaper - but probably not much.

Not knowing where your hotel is - or how many you are - or how much luggage - leaving car at Port Imperial could cost 4 days parking ($12 per day by 4 days is $48 ) plus ferries back and forth ($72 for 4 people) plus cab to and fro hotel ($30?) so total of $150 - so might save $10 over just driving in and parking the care.

Really seems a huge PIA for little purpose.

Not sure where your hotel is - but if they don;t have a garage you can look at the icon parking web site (or ask the hotel) for a public garage nearby.

NYC is easy to drive into and in...only a few entrance points from the south and most of Manhattan is a grid. The problem is the cost of parking.

You really need to tell us exactly where your hotel is to get info on the easiest way to get there by car.

As long as you are not entering during rush hour you should not have a problem.

I agree. What time you arrive on Friday makes all the difference.

I would shoot to arrive between 1-3 pm. If that's too early a departure for you, then plan to arrive after 7pm.

And, yes, park at the hotel.

What hotel is it? How long are you staying?

And another question: How many people? And how much luggage?

Is the cost of parking about equal to the amount paid for public transportation for 4 or 6 people? For instance, if parking was $40/day, would it be worth it to pay $10 each for 4 people?

We just drove into NY and parked at the hotel. Six people, parking $50. We drove in on a Sat. am. Everything went fine.

If you're coming up from NC and don't want to drive into NYC, consider parking at Metropark train station in Iselin NJ. It is a bit further out than the Elizabeth/North Elizabeth stations but is nicer and prob safer.

"Hampton Inn United Nations" gets very good reviews and starts around $210 per night if you have AAA or AARP membership.

Driving into Manhattan can be a bit harrowing for those who aren't used to big-city driving. And delays at the two primary tunnels from NJ into Manhattan can be quite high depending on the day and time. And be aware that you will pay $13 for the toll. For this reason (and also because parking at a typical garage can cost $30 a night), many people find it better to park in NJ and take a train or ferry into Manhattan. It does all depend on the time of day, the number of people, and the amount of luggage you have.

I find driving in Manhattan to be somewhat harrowing, but if you have the steel to do it, you certainly can. You need to be aware that you aren't allowed to block an intersection if you can't clear it before the light changes. You'll have to deal with taxi, cars, and pedestrians coming at you from all directions, usually offering few if any signals and often driving and walking like maniacs. So keep that in mind.

Wow - Doug - you make it sound really scary. I have never found it so - you just need to pay attention. (But then I find country roads with no street lights really scary after dark.)

Have to disagree, Doug. I find driving in NYC much easier than other major cities. I do I all of the time.

I find any driving experience on a four-lane-wide avenue with no lines and weaving taxi drivers harrowing. Then you have to contend with bicyclists, bicycle lanes, construction, people who don't use signals, people who run out into traffic for no particular reason, people who blow their horns constantly, etc. Try driving off the Queensborough Bridge and turning down 2nd Avenue during rush hour when there are 6 cars abreast on an avenue that can handle four.

It's the closest thing we have in the US to driving in Rome.

I've driven in a lot of major cities, including Boston, which is just confusing, but it's a real experience driving in Midtown (other parts of Manhattan aren't so bad or so frenetic). Not the worst experience, but for unaccustomed drivers who didn't grow up here or haven't been driving here for years, I think it can be unnerving.

Oh ... and you can't turn right on red. A lot of people (especially New Yorkers who live outside NYC) don't know that and get caught.