NYC from Philly
 

What is the least expensive way to get to New York City from Willow Grove, PA. Planning on spending 3 nights. Also have reservations at Righa Royal Hotel. Any one have any experience with this hotel. Got broadway tickets at 40% off through Playbill.com. Will be traveling with DH and DD (15). Would love suggestions for good food nothing too fancy. Also trendy but not too pricy shopping for my DD. Are double deck bus tours expensive is it hop off hop on? Thank you.

your post has me confused. if you are traveling from willow grove to nyc i believe driving will be your only option. well i suppose there might be a bus.
from phila. the train would be best.
however, i can't imagine going all the way to phila from willow grove just to get the train. maybe you could drive to trenton and take the train from there - thus avoiding parking in the city.

Actually, with the cost of Amtrak, your cheapest method is probably by car given you have 3 people. I would call the hotel and find out how much valet parking is and also ask where the closest garage is located. Parking in NYC is usually between $25-$40 per day.

From Willow Grove, it's not that far to drive to the Hamilton station for NJT (New Jersey Transit trains)and take the train from there. It costs about $3 a day to park at their lot and the train is not at all expensive from there.

I don't know where Willow Grove is but I know the cheapest train option from Philly that others have mentioned is the Septa with a change of train but I forget where. It's much cheaper than Amtrak. The buses are cheaper still. I think Greyhound is now matching the cheap fares of the Chinatown buses but with 3 people, others are right, driving and parking may be your best bet. Even if you get a bus fare of $30/person roundtrip that's still $90 and you might be able to get parking for that or less. iconparking.com is a website that will quote parking prices you could check.

For shopping for your daughter, H & M is very popular for trendy and cheap. They have 3 or more locations, one near Rockefeller Center. She's also like Canal St. shopping for accessories and Pearl River Mart in Soho.

The double decker tours are pricey (yes hop on/off) but I guess a good way to see a lot. NY Party Shuttle is a smaller bus (air conditioned) that does 6 hr tours (noon - 6) daily and the bus stays with you while you "hop." ;)

46 st b/w 8th-9th ave in the theater district is known as restaurant row with one place after another, mostly good and mostly not too expensive or fancy. Joe Allen's is very popular for American food (need a reservation). The Hourglass Tavern isn't bad. Becco has a $21.95 all you can eat pasta dinner.

Nearer your hotel, Maison is a french brasserie that's open 24/7 and is good. La Bonne Soup on 55 b/w 5th-6th aves. is good value and decent food. LePain Quotidienne for good breakfast and lunch has a location on 7th ave & 58th st. Sarabeth's is a popular breakfast/brunch place that recently opened on Central Park South and the Whole Foods market inside the Time Warner building is another good option for takeout or casual dine in. Your hotel is right near the Carnegie deli for excellent (and huge) pastrami sandwiches. You must share (order extra bread) is you go there though.

I'm not a big fan of the hop on/hop off buses. Several people have complained about long waits for the next bus to turn up.

Frankly I think you're better off seeing most of NYC on foot - it really is a walking town - and taking regular public transit (subways are fast, economical and safe) or city bus (the same but somewhat slower - although it does let you see more). With public transit during the daytime its rare to wait more than a couple of minutes for a bus or subway - vs 30 minutes plus for the hop on/off.

It also depends on what you want to do. Just the usual tourist stuff? Any special intertests we should be giving you suggestions on?

For restaurants - what cuisines? And what type of budget (in $ - and is this the entree - or the whole meal?)

American, something that offers steak, chicken fish. Any good latin restuarants. moderate + as long as food is good. What about good NY pizza, deli, milkshakes. Don't have anything planned this trip as far as sightseeing. What about the Circle Line? Best shopping area for trendy (maybe not so cheap) chic teen fashion deals. (We did the St. Liberty, Museums,etc. last trip.

We stayed at the Righa Royal over the 4th of July. No real complaints about the hotel. Free Starbucks in the lobby in the morning, though I thought the breakfast buffet was pricy (of course I think most dining in NY is pricey :->). Our room was in good condition. They did forget to put sheets on the sofa bed for my daughter the first night we were there, but took care of it when we called. Have a great stay in NY.

with the new light rail running along from camden to trenton, you might do better than the hamilton station in so far as driving and parking. the rail is inexpensive and takes you to trenton station (which is one stop earlier than hamilton so your fare would be slightly higher on the train to the city) but if you have to hassle with the car anyway, hamilton is only 20 minutes away from where you'd likely catch the light rail. i would go to the njtransit web site and just check it out.

Update on my trip to NYC from PA. I want to thank you all for your great suggestions. My family and I were visiting family in PA and we did not want to rent a car. Had it not been for your suggestion to take the train we would have spent more money and time and hassel getting around NYC. We got a ride to Trenton and took the Express into NYC. Great ride and first experience on the train. In NY we bought Metro fun pass and enjoyed getting and off to get around even good for bus also.

On the shopping we visited H&M and picked up a few things. Also enjoyed shopping in SoHo and canal street.

We stayed at the Riga Royal Hotel. Room was very roomy and nice. Great location 54 St. betwn 6th and 7th. And they even turned down the beds and left chocolate.

Thanks again everyone for suggestions.

I've done this befoe so -Definitely take NJ transit from NJ - Park at Trenton station, or Hamilton staion.

Lunch in theatre district - or dinner - at LES SANS CULOTTES, 347 West 46th st,
www.citysearch.com./NYC
212-247-4284 - restaurant is cute, good service, good food and service, and reasonable.

Enjoy!!