New Year's Eve
 

I will be going to New York for New Year's Eve this year to see the ball drop in Times Square. I know it will be super busy and packed, but I still would like to do this. I have made hotel reservations and will be buying my plane tickets soon. I am a 23 yo female and will be going solo and staying for 3 days starting on Dec 31st. Since I will be standing around for hours leading up to midnight, I would like to party somewhere afterwards. I am looking for advice on things to do and palces to go after 12. Get a drink and just disapear into the crowds and dance and enjoy the night. I know I will need to purchase tickets to a lot of places and after midnight these prices will be much lower. So any suggestions on clubs to stop by? (on Dec. 31st I will be staying near 37th street and 3rd Ave.)

I'd also like advice on what airport I should fly into? I will be leaving early in the morning on the 31st and I will need to stop at my hotel before going to times square. My flight options are LGA and EWR, both will arrive around noon and flying into EWR is around $70 cheaper, but I am concerned with transportation to/from the airport.

Also, would it make sense to walk to places that are a mile away or should I use the subway for these shorter trips? I want to see the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building and other smaller attractions/shops.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

LGA is somewhat closer to your hotel - but has limited public transit options - there is no train there - just a combo of buses and subway. Public transit from EWR can be easier - but you will have to take AirTrain to Newark and then NJ Transiit to New York's Penn Station and from there a subway or cab to your hotel. If you are just going to cab from the airport to the hotel LGA will be about $35 and the trip from EWR will be about twice that.

Have no clue about clubs on New Year's Eve. I wold go to TimeOUt New York on line to see which places have what at what prices. Dance clubs (you can;t dance at most places in NYC since it requires a cabaret license, which is difficult to get - and most bars don;t have dancing) are still likely to be expensive - and probably still mobbed at midnight - event though they will start early on NYE.

Statue of Liberty is closed for renovation - so the best option is to take the free Staten Island ferry to get a reasonable close view. Do NOT do ESB - since lines will be horrendous - instead do Top of the Rock, which rarely has lines more than 5 mins or so long - and IMHO views that are just as good,

If you should walk of take the subway depends on the weather. Most New Yorkers would walk distances like that - unless it's very cold or sleeting/snowy.

You can take the airport bus from LGA or Newark to Grand Central terminal on 42nd St. You can walk to your hotel from there - 5 short blocks.

Fares are reasonable and if you buy a RT ticket, there's a slight discount. The bus is my preferred means of transportation to and from the airports, and the schedules are reliable.

http://www.nyairportservice.com/

http://coachusa1.reachlocal.net/olym...arkairport.asp

And if you want to see the ESB, then by all means, do so! The lines may be long but they move. And you might get lucky and hit it at a time when the line is shorter. It does happen.

If you're just looking for views, then the TOTR is another option, but if you want to go to the ESB b/c it's a NY icon, then don't let the lines deter you.

P.S. NY is a "walking city" and unless the weather is terrible, then by all means walk.

The only problem is that the OP seems to be ariving New Year's Eve - when traffic into the city can be truly horrendous. the bus ride that is supposed to take an hour can easily take 2 if traffic and/or weather are bad.

Traffic in the early afternoon of New Year's Eve may be bad. If coming into EWR, definitely take the train, not a bus. If coming into the city from LGA and on a limited budget, I'd take the N/Q train from the Astoria Blvd. station (bus to get there, for which you'll need exact change of $2.25). Once at 59th St., the OP either switches to the subway down to 42nd or 34th Street or takes a taxi. 37th St. is about midway between Grand Central and Penn Station, but there's no hotel ... are you staying with friends?


I'm coming into the city later that evening from EWR, and I plan to take the train. Depending on traffic and weather, I will either try to get a taxi, take the bus, or walk from Penn Station home. But I suspect traffic from New Jersey will be worse than traffic from LGA all day.

Unless I've missed it, you haven't said where your hotel is, so it's hard to say whether one airport is that much better than another. i'd save the $70 and use Newark and take the train into Manhattan, but if you were to say you're staying in Long Isand City, my advice would change.

Most of us on this forum are much older than you and don't have a clue about clubs. What I do know is if you want to hang with locals, Times Square/midtown is not the place to be. I'd head to the lower east side or the east village. You should also read the FAQ on NYE on the site timessquarealliance.org to make sure you know what you're on for.

Whether to walk or ride depends on weather and what you might see along the way. The only way to see the sol up close is on a cruise. There are a bunch of options for cruises leaving from different locations from midtown to the South St. Seaport. Goldstar.com sometimes has good discounts for them.

Most people prefer Top of the Rock to ESB. If you do go to ESB, buy tickets in advance online to avoid a long wait for tickets.

The first night I will be staying at the Vanderbilt hostel at 224 East 47th street and the next two nights I will be staying at the Broadway hotel and hostel at 230 west 101st street. Even though EWR is further away, would the transportation to the hostel be low enough that I will still save money or will I spend the $70 I'll save by flying into EWR on transportation? I'm only bringing a backpack, so I won't have luggage to mess with. So as long as I know what trains and lines to take I think I would be fine traveling the longer distance. But does using EWR make sense?

I've been to the alliance website and I know its all standing around for hours waiting for the ball to drop, but I've watched it on tv and new years in Times Square is really just something I want to experience atleast once. So I'm going to try it out.

I just realized I wrote 37th street in my original post, sorry for the confusion. My last reply has the correct addresses.

If you aren't taking a taxi, the cost of transportation is going to be a little more from EWR (the train there costs about $12, and then you still have to take the subway or bus in the city for another $2.25). But it doesn't have to be $70 (though it will be if you take at taxi).

From LGA, it's a bus followed by a subway, for a total of $4.50. You can also take an airport bus for about $12, but I don't recommend that because of traffic.

If you do take a taxi, it's going to be significantly cheaper from LGA (about $25) as opposed to from EWR (about $75). So if you don't want to do public transit, definitely fly into LGA.

FYI: I forgot to add, if you buy a Metrocard before you get on the bus at LGA, then you pay only $2.25 for the trip to the city (you don't have to pay for the transfer if you have a Metrocard, which is sold only in the main terminal in the passageway between concourses on the baggage-claim level).

For your hostel location . . .

From EWR, take the AirTrain to the Newark Airport train station. From there, take a NJ Transit train to New York Penn Station. From there, take the E train (subway) to 53rd and Third Avenue which is a few short blocks from your hotel.

From LGA, take the M60 bus to Astoria Blvd. From there, take the N/Q train to 59th Street/Lexington Ave. You could transfer to a downtown train per Doug or walk the half a mile to 47th Street.

The Vanderbilt YMCA (which is the correct name) is a decent place to stay and centrally located. In addition to the train directions you could also take the Express bus from Newark for $15 and it would drop you off very close to the hostel. http://www.coachusa.com/olympia/ss.newarkairport.asp

I don't know what you're paying for the Broadway hostel, but you could get a regular hotel room with your own bathroom for ~ $100/night for the last 2 nights in a much better location.

But to answer the airport question, the only way you'd use up the $70 savings is if you used a private car service. Public transportation for one from Newark is ~$15.

Thank you for all your help. I have booked my flight and I will arrive in Newark at 10:20am Dec 31st and fly out of La Guardia at 6:30am on Jan 3rd.
Right now for my first day in New York, I'm planning on going straight to the hostel to drop my bags off and head to times square (getting lunch on the way) so I can get there semi early for an ok spot. I am wondering about what I should wear that night. I know I will be staying outside for many hours and the temprature can vary. I'll dress in layers, but what is enough? I'm from a place thats usually hot and some are saying a long sleeve shirt, sweater, jacket, tights, jeans, and regular boots. I'm afraid thats not going to be enough. Am I over thinking things or should that be enough? I know I can't bring a bag/purse so I won't have extra clothes if I get cold.

Will the Christmas displays still be up? And any recommendations on good cheap places to eat. I'd like to find local places, including one for pizza, also some places for a fast breakfast. And any tips on "hidden gems" or places/attractions to see that aren't so well known.

Mclaurie-I'm paying $50 a night at the Broadway hostel, but I still have time to look into other options. I wasn't sure about rooms filling up so I reserved the first place that looked decent and reasonably priced. I won't waste any money if I cancel. So, if anyone wants to suggests a different place, I'm open to ideas. Thanks again!

Know noting about the Broadway Hostel - have you checked it out with the Let's Go Student Guide and the Thorn Tree Section of the Lonely Planet guide (most people here dont sta in hostels). i do know that Hosteling International has a good reputation and would think prices are similar.

I am not sure how to answer your clothing question. It really depends on how cold it is in Times Square. But you can stop by Uniqlo and buy some Heattech clothing (they also have socks) if you need something warmer.

Just don't arrive in Times Square too early. People going for the ball drop will not be allowed out of their spot for a restroom break (not at all). And at some point you won't be able to leave at all, even in an emergency. People tend to start congregating around 3 or 4, but usually not before. Once the barriers go up, they get filled, and then they keep filling outward. It's particularly unpleasant, so be prepared for that. Have food and perhaps a little bottle of water. But I don't believe you are allowed to bring bags or backpacks, so whatever you bring probably needs to fit in your pockets. Good luck with that.

If it were me, I'd try to book a nicer room, but I know you have a limited budget. There are cheaper rooms at the Pod Hotel with shared baths, and there are dorm-style rooms at the Gershwin Hotel, which are in a nicer and more convenient area than your hostel.

I highly recommend these:
http://www.silkroadexpress.co.uk/sil...eight-56-p.asp

It's been a while since I posted but I am now finalizing the plans for my trip. I would like to thank everyone for the advice and I will be sure to check out Uniqlo if I need extra clothes, a few others have mentioned that place as well. I've also worked the other advice together and it has helped a lot.

Right now, I still have a few questions left. I have to finalize everything by Wednesday to avoid being charged for cancelations. So, I am going to stick with the Vanderbilt YMCA Hostel for Dec 31st, mainly because it seems to be a fairly simple walk from times square and it falls into my price range. But I was wondering about the next two days, and if I should switch hostels or try to stay at the same place. I have reservations at Hi Hostel (Jan 1st) at 891 Amsterdam Avenue and one for the broadway hostel (Jan 1st and 2nd) at 230 West 101 Street I wasn't able to get a room on Dec 31st at either of the other two places. So do you think I should try to extend my reservation at the Vanderbilt or should I switch to one of the others for the remaining part of my trip/ If so, which one would you recommend based on location? (They are all about the same price)

I will be flying out of LaGuardia at 6:00am on Tuesday, would you recommend staying in a hotel and traveling to the airport in the morning or ending my day at the airport the night before I leave (either sleeping there or getting a room in one of the airport hotels) so I don't risk missing my flight?

Again, thank you to everyone that helped me plan this trip!

Do NOT try to sleep in the airport. Unless there is bad weather and a ton of people stuck in the airport the police will not be happy with a random sleeper - never mind the potential safety issues. Also, even hotels near the airport with free shuttles may well not have them in the middle of the night - which is when you wold have to have one. If you consider an airport hotel make sure they guarantee a shuttle available at 3:30 or 4 am (most won't).

Frankly, I would spend your other night s at the HI hostel and grab a cab n the morning to get to the airport. At the time you are traveling public transit is not really an option - but a cab should take only about 15 minutes.