JFK, Belmont Stakes, Yankees
 

I could use some advice on lodging and transport for a weekend trip to NY to see the Belmont Stakes. I am not planning on renting a car but certainly could do that (I bought a general parking pass for the day in addition to the clubhouse tix). I have reservations for the Hilton Garden Inn at JFK for two nights, but can cancel that reservation.

June 9 I arrive JFK at 3:30PM on a jetBlue flight. Will check into a hotel and meet a friend and head on to the Yankees game that night.

June 10 is race day. Am guessing that I would head over to the track to be there by noon. Spend all day there, which I suppose means until 7PM, then back to the hotel.

June 11 am scheduled to depart JFK at 4:30PM, so I will have some time for sightseeing in the morning. To ground zero, I think. Or maybe a drive out on Long Island would be interesting?

So, I am looking for a hotel that would be:

1) convenient to public transport to/from Belmont Park
and/OR
2) not far from Belmont Park and close to pub transport to use to/from Yankee Stadium.

If you were staying near JFK/Belmont and had a car, how would you go to Yankee Stadium? Park and take a subway? Where, which?

ttt. ((b))

I can think of NOTHING more depressing than staying at a JFK hotel (and not needing to take a 6am flight). I think your options are stay in Manhattan or maybe somewhere else in Queens. The hotels near JFK are generally awful and very isolated. I'm actually torn b/w suggesting a Queens hotel or a Manhattan one depending on what sort of parking pass you have and your budget.
http://www.nyra.com/Belmont/displayp...13&track=B

If you stay in Manhattan, you could avoid the car rental, take the AirTrain/subway into Manhattan for $7 (assuming you have no heavy luggage) or a bus for ~$15. You'd take the subway to Yankee Stadium (the B or D train on the westside, the 4 train on the eastside. So almost any hotel will work for this.

Take the LIRR (Long Island Railroad) from Penn Station (34 st & 7th ave.) to Belmont Park. They put on special trains for the Belmont Stakes. (The schedule is not yet posted).
http://www.mta.info/lirr/html/ttn/belmont.htm

On Sunday, you're in the city to do whatever you want.

I would try bidding on Priceline for that weekend OR book something that's cancellable and wait to see what specials might be featured on travelzoo.com

Since you're interested in visiting the fomer WTC site, you might even consider one of the downtown financial area hotels which are often available at a big discount on weekends since the area is quiet on weekends. (You could try a downtown/Soho 4* bid on Priceline. I would not bid lower than 4* though in any area of Manhattan). Staying downtown will take longer to get to Yankee Stadium.

If you want some specific hotel recos you must provide a budget.

If you would rather not stay in Manhattan, I would look at hotels near LGA and near the Jamaica train station of the LIRR. I know the Pan American in Queens while NOT fancy, is clean, friendly, 3 blocks from a subway and they also have parking if you wanted to have the car. I'm torn about transport to Belmont. I've heard the LIRR can be chaos on Belmont Stakes day, but the traffic will also be awful. From the Pan American you could do either. If you stayed there, you'd take the R train to the first stop in Manhattan (59th & Lexington) and change to the 4 train to Yankee Stadium.

Totally agree NOT to stay near JFK - or anyplace in Queens. You're much better off staying in the City and taking the special LIRR trains to the Belmont (you;ll be back in the City while the people who drove are still trying to get out of the parking lot).

Also - getting to Yankee Stadium by subway is much esaier than by car - esp from Queens by those not familiar with the back routes in NYC.

That way you're alraedy in the City for dinners (an issue at those airport hotels) and for sightseeing in your free time. And that way there's no need to rent a car.

(Take these words of advice from an expert - grew up on LI about 20 minutes from Belmont Park and have been there many times on Belmont day.)

Mclaurie has given some good advice for hotels.

Thanks so much for the great advice and the links and for topping this. My parking pass is only for general parking.

Using the LIRR sounds like the way to go and has me more interested in staying in the city.

I'd like to keep the hotel cost under $200 per night, but not over $300.

<i>under $200 per night, but not over $300</i> ???

Yes. I'd like to keep it under $200 but if I can't I'm willing to go higher. If that doesn't make sense then I'll state it this way: about $200 plus or minus 50 bucks or so. Hard limit at $300 per night. The HGI is the kind of room I want and is around $120 or $140, but I understand that it is an airport hotel and a bit isolated. I guess I'd be willing to go up to $300 for a nice room that was convenient to transportation.

These are all cancellable options I found on quikbook.

Park South Hotel $172/night nice hotel but small rooms. Just south of midtown. (28th b/w Park &amp; Lexington) Walk or bus to Penn Station. Near 6 train

Comfort Inn Central Park West $207 also tiny rooms and not a fancy hotel but nice location just a half block from Central Park. Near the B train to Yankee Stadium and A to Penn Station.

On the Avenue $225. Nice modern hotel on upper westside also near subway to Yankees * Penn Station.

Bryant Park $255 This is a winner. Trendy but nice midtown location. Walk to Times Square or Fifth Ave. Right near the B or D to Yankee Stadium and walk or bus or subway to Penn Station. I think I'd book this one and consider bidding on Priceline closer to travel date. Also keep an eye out on travelzoo.com for specials.

I agree with above posters. They have given you good advice. Try to stay in NYC. The subway is certainly the best way to get to the Yankees game. I'd certainly visit Ground Zero over Long Island. You need more time to visit Long Island anyway and Ground Zero should not be missed. Have a great time!

A tip for after the Belmont - it is usually extremely crowded waiting for the train at Belmont - a fifteen minute walk takes you to the Queens Village LIRR station where the train runs once a hour....depending on timing this can work out better than hangin' with the mobs at Belmont...check the schedule at mta.info.....have a great visit and hopefully a few winners as well!

I had reservations at Pan American but cancelled last weekend. I still have the Hilton Garden Inn at JFK and the Waldorf Astoria. I am just about certain that I will go with the Waldorf. For a while I thought that it would be silly to get a room in Manhattan when the main point of the trip is to go to Belmont Park. It will be easier to get to the W-A after the game on Friday night, and I will be where I want to go on Sunday morning (i.e. in Manhattan).

Got an excellent seat to the Yankees game Main Box 223. Got it at Ticketmaster about a month ago.

So all of the Broadway shows start at 8PM. That's too early to get to after Belmont on Saturday.

Sounds like a great trip. &quot;Ground Zero&quot; is a constructions site. If you head down there go to Battery Park. There is a sphere sculpture from the Trade Center that survived relatively intact with an eternal flame. I like that better, maybe I just like that something survived. There is also a police museum close by that has an excellent 9/11 exhibit with very moving video.

And if you're not driving - go to Stan's before or after the game!

mrwunrfl, welcome to NYC. I hope your horse wins the Belmont. The Waldorf will be much more fun than staying at a grim hotel at the airport. On Sunday, if the weather finally clears, it might be nice to walk in Central Park, stop at the Met Museum,even if only to see the crowds of people there. Using the subway is by far the best way to get around town. But we always take a cab to the airport. I have seen the ads &quot;take a train to the plane&quot; but have never done it. Ground Zero is still a big hole. Unless you were familiar with what had been there, it is hard to get the real impact. I still cannot believe all those big buildings are gone. I once had an office in Tower One. Sorry I will be away for the weekend. You have given such great advice on the Asia board, I would have liked to had a chance to meet you.

We love brunch at &quot;Tavern on the Green&quot; on Sundays. The BoatHouse in the Park is also a good choice.

How much is the W.A. hotel?

I think you like Starwood points, and the Four Points Chelsea is $240 a night prepaid or 275 best available rate; the Parker Meridien (now part of *wood) is a very good deal at $255 (I've stayed there- it is tres nice and love the location); Sheraton Manhattan or NY Hotel and Towers are $259 (S NY hotel and towers has good club level- both excellent locations across st. from each other).

I bought my signed Clemons ball in 1999 at Mickie Mantle's restaurant (while watching Clemons pitch on their TV) and while I was staying at the Essex House but EH is no longer part of *wood unfortunately...

Have a GREAT time!

I went to New York for the Belmont a couple of years ago.
Stayed at the Southgate Towers, a suite hotel. $150.
The nice thing about the hotel is that it is right across from Penn station, which has direct trains to Belmont (the day of the stakes)

Thanks for the tips!

Where is Stan's in relationship to Yankee Stadium?

I did consider the Sheratons, but the W-A is such a famous name that I decided to try it. Got a rate of $299 (so was under my &quot;not to exceed&quot; rate by $1) but then saw a double Hilton points offer for $10 more and went with that.

A walk in the park does sound like a good idea, Elainee, and it looks like the weather will cooperate. Which museum has the dinosaurs?

I will be meeting a buddy at Penn Station and then we will catch the LIRR train. He's coming from around 86th and CPW.

Can anyone recommend a meeting spot at Penn Station?

well, good, i feel better knowing you are getting the double points! the WA is ok, but double points is a much better thing IMO.

(P.S.: I got triple points on both of my *wood LAX stays last week, plus an extra 2K points for staying twice at *wood properties during the &quot;stay 2 times, get 2K&quot; etc. promotion period.)

Stan's is right across from the stadium. The place will be packed but you will be amazed that the bartender can get you a drink no matter how far away from the bar you're standing. If you go early you can get a seat and eat. It's good for after the game too. Don't stay too late if it's a night game.

http://www.nycpulse.com/nyc/?act=rev...;review_id=133

The dinosaurs are at the Museum of Natural History. MNH is at 79th street across the park (on the West side)from the Waldorf. It is a nice walk across the park, but you enter at 59th street closest to the Waldorf. Depends upon how much you want to walk. The MNH has lots of fascinating stuff.

It's kind of a long walk from the Waldorf to the Museum of Natural History (like 2 1/2 miles) - esp give the walking inside the Museum. You're probably better off taking a bus up Madison to 79th and then walk through the Park to the west side.

Ok, I see there is a MNH subway stop. It actually would be 2.5 miles going up Park Ave and then across, a bit under 2 mi. on the diagonal assuming I didn't get lost in the park.

nytraveler, I was impressed by your response to an old Belmont post, where the poster asked about clubhouse seats at the top of the stretch (they would be grandstand seats, of course).

The points are like a discount. The W-A stay will get one more night at Hilton Hanoi Opera. I see there is a Japanese restaurant on 49th near the W-A called Inagiku. But I really should find a Chinese restaurant in NY.

Well - you can;t just walk across the Park in a diagonal - the pedestrian paths are quite winding - and might end up being longer than going around. And in many areas you do need to stay on the paths - either because there is something (like the zoo or a lake) preventing you from doing a diagonal - or areas that are too heavily wooded to walk through.

Sure, I pretty much assumed I would get lost in the park. I will take your advice on the bus.

Any idea on a spot to meet at Penn Station? Neither of us have been there before.

Penn Station has several different sections. If you're meeting to take the LIRR to the Belmont - just meet at the info booth in the LIRR section (separate from Amtrak or NJ Transit). Just watch for signs for LIRR.

<b>JAZIL</b> wins!!!

We met by the info booth next to the ticket windows. There were two ticket lines that sold Belmont train tix only.

Friday night they had the track bugler do the national anthem at the Yankees games. He used a trumpet. Gary Stevens threw out the first pitch, a one hopper. Stevens is a hall of famer retired jockey. It was hilarious when he walked out on the mound and stood next to the pitcher, Randy Johnson, who up around 7' tall.

Might have been better if Stevens had pitched. Yankees were down 6-1 after 7.5 and there was a long rain delay, maybe 90 minutes. On the second pitch after the delay a Yankee hit a 3-run homer. Then a guy got on and there was a triple, so 6-5. Then Bernie struck out. Finished with no more scoring. Jam packed on the subways

Waldorf=Astoria is fabulous. Was a crazy idea to consider the airport hotel.

I picked 5 winners yesterday: Safsoof, Anew, Gorella, Cacique, and Jazil. Very good exciting racing.

Glad you had a nice time, and won too...

Thanks to all for the advice, esp. the comment about the airport hotel being depressing. When I took the skytrain past it I realized what a bad idea it was to stay there, considering that I could stay in Manhattan.

On Sunday, I was supposed to meet my friend and his sister and go to the MNH, but I slept until 10AM. I slept till 10 but actually got up early because I was on California time. After breakfast in the restaurant I lazed about until checking out after 1PM. Planned to go outside but got only as far as the Park Ave lobby of the hotel. Enjoyed seeing the chandelier, the Cole Porter piano, and the general elegance, and loved the Wheel of Life mosaic on the floor. In the elevator lobby there was a large vase with a bouquet that was a dome about 5 feet across and 3 feet high, there were hundreds, maybe thousands of flowers. Have never seen anything like it.

Left the hotel at 2:10, got the E train to the skytrain, and checked in at the jetBlue kiosk by 3:30PM, an hour before the flight.

It was a great weekend at the Waldorf. I want to go back.