Kentucky to Niagara Falls and NY
 

Hello. I need help figuring out the cheapest and shortest way to travel from Kentucky to Niagara Falls then NY then go back to KY in one week. I would also like to know if anyone knows a way to minimize the cost considering the big group I am bringing. There will be 12 of us (including 2 small children).
We are thinking about renting two minivans and staying at one of the rental homes available in vacationrentals.com or something. However, I can't seem to find the middle point between KY - Niagara Falls - NY. The travel from KY to the place of stay can be the longest one; but between Niagara Falls and NY we would prefer not to exceed 4 hours. I know this can be impossible, but anyone has any better idea? Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Niagara Falls is 7 hrs. drive MINIMUM from NYC. Most people don't realize how far it is. I'd ask the question why? Why both places, why 12 people? Not an easy way to travel. The best way to travel between NYC and the falls is to fly from one of the NYC airports (usually LGA or JFK) to Buffalo, NY and then get a tour bus or regular bus from there. Some people even do a long daytrip from NYC this way. Flights can be as little as $60/person each way but that's a lot of money when you multiply by 12. Staying in between the 2 places is totally unrealistic. Maybe not everyone needs to go to the falls. kayak.com is a good website to check on airfare.

As for where to stay in NYC, you won't find anything large enough in Manhattan in a decent location for that many people to stay together. collectionofresidences.com in Queens is a train ride away and may be a possibility but I don't know how many people they can sleep.

If you can make it from Kentucky to Cleveland, some of you may want to visit the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. http://rockhall.com/
It might be cheaper to rent 3 cars instead of 2 big vans.
Leaving Niagara Falls, Corning NY is about 4 hours if you want to go through the southern tier of NY. They have the world famous Museum of Glass.
There is a HI hostel in NYC that could house all of you but some of you would not enjoy it.

If you mean DRIVE from Niagara Falls to NYC in 4 hours - not unless you're all packed into a Ferrari and doing 150 mph on the NY State Thruway.

To actually see much at the Falls you need to go to the Canadian side (meaning you need passports of equivalent - even for tiny kids) and the border crossing and drive to NYC will about 9 hours.

Suggest you use google or yahoo maps to get an idea of how long thes drives will take - esp with such a large group and 2 little kids (who I think will be tired and cranky the whole trip).

I believe Tomfuller said that Corning, NY is a 4 hour drive south from the falls on the way to NYC.

He did not say that Niagara to NYC is a 4 hour drive.

Niagara Falls to Corning NY is only 3 hours. See the Corning Museum of Glass http://www.cmog.org/
From Corning to NYC via Scranton PA is 4.5 to 5 hours.
In the Scranton area is Steamtown if you have an interest in old trains.

tiny kids don't need passports... under 16 it's an original birth certificate...

Pittsburg is about half-way between Kentucky and Niagara Falls... depending on where in Kentucky

Watkins Glen NY is another choice for halfway to NYC

There are also Amtrak Trains, and Megabus for much of your route....

Good luck with that mob...

If you're serious about driving, it would help to know where in Ky. you're starting from. I just think you're going to be spending most of your trip driving rather than seeing things. You'd be better picking one of these destinations and concentrating and getting to it and what can be seen along the way.

thanks a lot you guys. this is my first time creating a thread. didn't have any idea that replies can be this fast. i was waiting for an email coming through stating there has been replies/comments. anywhoooo... thanks!

to answer mclaurie, we are coming from Lexington, KY. yeah it's about 9 hours drive. the people i'm traveling with really want to see the Falls. so from reading y'all replies, i guess it's difficult to try to visit two places with 7 hours driving distance. any suggestions where to visit from the Falls other than NYC? Tomfuller has a great idea - Corning, NY. perhaps we spend the night in Corning and continue travel to NYC. if we take Amtrak or Megabus, is it safe?

Thanks again guys...

Amtrak or Megabus are safe but certainly not practical for a party of 12. When you look at a mapping site and it says 9 hrs. that's assuming straight driving which is not realistic. What's the story of this trip?

If there is no interest in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame or it is too far for your first day you could stop at the Longaberger Basket factory in Frazeyburg, OH. That is only 4 hours from Lexington. Niagara Falls is about 5.5 hours from there.
Corning is 3 hours from Niagara Falls, NY. Scranton PA (Steamtown) is 4.5 hours from Corning. From Scranton decide if y'all are going into NYC. If you don't, you could go to Hershey Park or Cumberland Maryland on your way back to Lexington.
Cumberland has a historic canal site.

I would recommend you stop in Cleveland on night one... then head to Niagara Falls for a two days... Finger Lakes as stop three and head back south... NYC is too far away and too much for a quick stop with so many people... save that for a separate trip...