Laguardia layover
 

We have a 5-6 hr layover coming up at LGA at the end of Nov - any suggestions of sites that could be seen from LGA in that time frame??

Is that the total time from the first flight landing until the second flight taking off? How many hours before you need to be back at the airport?

LGA is only a 20-minute taxi ride from midtown Manhattan (without traffic), so you could easily take a taxi in, wander around, eat, and return in your time frame (even if that IS the total time, and the real available time is only 3-4 hours).

What day of the week and what time of day do you arrive?

Sorry, more like 30 minutes to midtown without traffic.

You could also take a taxi and visit the Louis Armstrong House depending on when you are actually here. It is closer than the City.

You could walk over to the marine Air Terminal. Actually, I suppose you would take the bus to the terminal. The frescoes in it are beuatiful, and I think there's an outside observation deck there as well.

I have a great car service that I use at Laguardia, as I have an aunt that lives nearby. They are reliable, reasonable and clean. It is Olympic Car Service. You could have them pick you up and go to Astoria for a nice lunch. Astoria is a neat community that really hasn't changed a whole lot over the years.

You don't mention how much, if any luggage you will have, but I wouldn't recommend schlepting around the city with it. There is also a bus that can take you to the N train, which will take you into the city.

Good luck!

thanks all - the 5-6 hours is from 8am to 1pm at the airport. Have been to midtown and seen the main Manhattan sites, but never spent much time in Brooklyn - appreciate the suggestions.

You don't to head to Brooklyn. The places mentioned are in Queens - as in LGA. But if you have from 8 am to 1 pm - that is 5 hours - but you have to get back to the airport at least an hour in advance - and it will take a while to get off th e planes.

Will you just have a small carry-on? Or will you have your luggage checked through? If you have to recheck you luggage for the next flight you will only have 2.5 of 3 hours actually free - and too early for lunch.

You might organize a car service to and fro the Louis Armstrong House.

But before doing anything I would check out the on-time record of your incoming flight.

You are about a 10-15-minute taxi ride from some of the best Chinese restaurants in New York City, in nearby Flushing. For a hungry food lover, that is the obvious detour from LaG, given enough time. If you want more specifics, just ask and I will try to help.

Such a long layover at LGA seems like odd scheduling since many destinations are served by more frequent service. I'd simply see if I can get on a earlier flight to my destination as standby.

Yes - but the OP has to be back at the airport by noon at the latest - which would mean trying to find a place serving lunch at 10:30 or 11 am.

The OP will easily find Flushing restaurants open at that time.

This is one (Shanghai fare) we like; although they are known for their xiao long bao, or soup dumplings, they have a full menu of mostly non-meat dishes. I would also recommend their kaufu, or wheat gluten:


http://newyork.seriouseats.com/2009/...shing-nyc.html

There's another place, I can't remember the name, right across the street from there which is also excellent.