Once again you guys rock!! THANK YOU for all the great info!!!

I'd HIGHLY recommend taking a look at the Travel Inn, it's the only hotel in the city with free parking for guests, it's about 2 blocks from Times Square AND there is a POOL, which the kids will love.

The rates are good there, and the rooms are large by NY standards. My cousin, husband and 3 kids stayed there in one room a couple of years ago and liked it alot enought to stay there again this summer.

There are also a couple of B&B's in my neighborhood that would work and be in your budget, with a short walk to the subway. www.sugarhillinn.com and The Harlem Landmark Inn. From Hamilton Heights it's a 15 minute subway ride to Times Square. Also there is a city pool closeby as well.

Hope this helps.

Tgold777 , hotels in New jersey are definitely much cheaper, but make sure you understand what the commuting really involves.

If you are talking about taking a bus or train into NYC everyday, make sure you know EXACTLY how far the stop is from your hotel and whether this is a shuttle available from the hotel take you to and from the stop.
Check the bus and train schedules so you don't get stuck at night in NY (You would need to take 2 taxis back to NJ, and since it is crossing state lines NYC taxis are not required to take you there. You might end up with a car service charge of well over $100!)
Factor in the cost of 7 bus or train fares, too.--(looks like about $6-7 per person R/T)

If you get a hotel in NYC (even Queens or Brooklyn) you will only be a cheap 24 hours a day subway ride away from any of your destinations

We used to used the Travel Inn as a backup (if not lucky on Hotwire or Priceline). Nice enough place to stay when the rate was $150/night. But, rates there have soared to $250-350/night.

But, here's another huge recommendation for the Holiday Inn Fort Lee at GW Bridge. We've stayed there many times. It truly is a 20 minute drive to/from Midtown, except at rush hour. Though we left Midtown at rush hour one day and it took us only 30 minutes. (Note $8 bridge toll, charged in only one direction - can't remember which.)

Parking is free. Rooms are very nice (spacious) and all have microwaves and refrigerators. They have double/doubles and a AAA discount. Sometimes there's a pre-pay discount.

Best is that there is a restaurant within with excellent (no kidding) food, most dinners less than $10 - American comfort food. The breakfast buffet is amazing for less than $10 ($8.95 to my recollection). There's a gas station next to the parking lot with a convenience store for soda, juice, snacks, etc.

This has been our choice of place to stay when I don't get lucky with Hotwire or Priceline. And, I use iconparking.com, too.

We've tried Secaucus and Jersey City, but the George Washington Bridge is a breeze anytime compared to the Lincoln or Holland Tunnel!

I totally agree with those who strongly advise to determine exactly what "public transportation" to Midtown from Secaucus involves. Just because it's available does not mean that it's inexpensive or convenient. Find out the location of the bus stop. Is it in walking distance? Will the hotel shuttle take your "group"? Kids over 11 pay full fare. To my recollection, the bus fare is $3.90 each way, so that's $54.60 round trip every day.

At any rate, be SURE to read the reviews of the Holiday Inn Secaucus on TripAdvisor.

I stayed at the LaQuinta in Manhattan (free on points) and enjoyed the hotel and the location. Check your dates but the rooms could be under $200. I may be going back soon to Queens for business and I checked out the LQ in Queens. It got very good reviews on TripAdvisor, the subway is 2 blocks away that goes directly to Times Square. There are family restaurants nearby too. For a NYC trip, I'd rather be right in Manhattan, but the LQ in Queens sounds like an economical alternative.
www.lq.com

The La Quinta is one of the Apple Core group of hotels in Manhattan; all are very good values but usually above the OP's stated budget. You can check up on all of them simultaneously at:

http://www.applecorehotels.com/

Unfortunately, budget hotels are often booked far in advance, especially during family vacation periods.

Please double check not only the distance of the Secaucus hotel from the bus, but also the COST of the bus. I think the cost of the bus is $3.15 each way. I don't know if any of the kids will ride as children or if they're too old. I don't know if there's a discounted roundtrip ticket but not, that could add $44/day to your expenses not to mention the time to travel and inconvenience. I think you want something closer unless the place is an absolute bargain.

Starrs is right. For $40 a night more (less than the cost of your NJ Transit tickets into Manhattan from Seacaucus) you can stay in the La Quinta Inn on W. 32nd Street (a convenient location for tourists). Of course, the savings may be a wash because you have to pay for parking, but the added convenience is really invaluable IMO.

It's $10 per night less to stay in LIC Queens, and parking will probably be cheaper there as well.

I do hope you'll reconsider.

There is limited free parking at the LQ in Queens.

This is like putting a puzzle together! lol Will definately double check costs/stops/and locations. I may need to also check for wheelchair access as I may be gray-haired and feeble by th time this planning becomes more solid than jello lol! Thank you everyone!

"Check the bus and train schedules so you don't get stuck at night in NY (You would need to take 2 taxis back to NJ, and since it is crossing state lines NYC taxis are not required to take you there."

just thought I'd comment...I live most of the time in NJ :-)

and, if you should ever happen to miss the last direct bus/train/whatever...and a taxi does not want to take you there...you can always get to either the Newark Airport (taxi or Airlink train) or on the 24 PATH train to Hoboken (depending which is closed to where you are based!) and you can take a taxi "home" from there - just thought it might be useful to someone as to not be "stuck" for the night! (that said...there are trains out to me in Maplewood until around 1:30am - so, I doubt, with kids, someone would be out later than that anyway)

Here's a link to a deal from travelzoo for the new Holiday Inn on 6th Avenue and 26th Street. Prices look very good for a new hotel in a good location.
http://hotels.travelzoo.com/new-york-hotels/430387
Prices are good until September

Tgold777,

Look at these also. All budget, all well vetted, all in Manhatten. Some have private bath - some don't. Sort by neighborhood. You're looking at two rooms per night, BTW.
You can do it!

http://www.eurocheapo.com/newyork/newyork-hotels.html

I'm so angry about that Travel Zoo deal...we called and the hotel said that everything is booked through SEPT but they just haven't had time to update the website yet!!!! GRRrrrrr!!!! We let them know what we thought of their failure to change the advertisement. I hope enough other people also let them know so that they think twice before pulling "bait and switch" deals like they presently are!
(Thank you for the idea though...not upset with you - it was a great idea we were ready to do!)
Signed, Frustrated

p.s. I'm still looking at hotel options. Have the one I mentioned booked still as fallback and continuing to look for better.

Comments? We originally booked the motel I mentioned because of the public transportation etc. Now my husband is saying because of cost etc. he may just pay for parking and drive into NYC & back at night. We're going to Blue Men (yeah!) and MIGHT be out driving at 10:30/11 at night to the hotel...is this safe for tourists? I know the city never sleeps & traffic is amusing during the day (I've never heard any place honk as loud & as loooooong as the NYC "get out of my way honk"!!! LOL). Would you say "definately take public transp and forgo driving yourself at all costs? Or it does not matter? My husb is pretty city-saavy driving. Thoughts?

p.p.s. Are any of you friends/family with Donald Trump? Maybe he will cut us a deal in the Trump towers *wink wink nudge nudge*

Final decision. OK... we "unbooked" previous reservations. Our decision at long last will reside with: Hilton Garden Inn Secaucus/Meadowlands
875 Route 3 East Service Road, Secaucus, NY 07094 (unless Mr. Trump will host us free)
Exc rates ($148.35 with tax) per room (x2). 15min transit transport to Times Sq. or will take our own car & pay to park for day (dependent on your answers). Now we'll look at area food options/suggestions *bangs head on keyboard* (Thank you!)

I don;t wish to discourage you but the only way from Meadowlands to Times Square in 15 minutes is by helicopter.

Depending on traffic and direction (with versus against commuters) it can take 30 minutes or 45 or an hour. If there is really bad traffic - or an accident etc - it can take more.

I understand your budget needs- but do count on spending 2 hours a day commuting to/fro your hotel.

2 hours??? Even if it is public transportation?? Does off hours make a difference (such as 11pm)?
holy cow....

"2 hours a day commuting" I think meant both ways, total time back and forth, 1 hour each way.

At 11 PM the traffic shouldn't be bad, the actual trip might take 15 minutes, but don't underestimate the transit time.

If you go into the city via shuttle, from Blue Men in the East Village you will need to get back to Times Square to get to your return shuttle. Add the additional time and cost for 7 people to take subways or cabs to Times Square. Add waiting time for the shuttle if you are early or just miss a shuttle.

If you go into the city via your own car, you'll have to choose a place to park and pay for it. Depending on where you park, add that travel time to get back to your car, get your car out of the garage and pay for it, and/or to drive through the city from where you parked to the Lincoln Tunnel.

The ride itself at that hour might be 15 minutes in the best of times, but making all the connections will add more time dedicated to the commute. Certainly some of this same time would be used to get back to your hotel even if it was within Manhattan, but I know people often forget to consider all the connections in their timing.