I will be taking my wife and 2 kids 15 and 14 yrs old to nyc for a few days in June as part of a trip from Boston to DC. I think I want to rent a car from Budget and drive to NY for $90 instead of train $250 for the 4 of us. I would really like to drop the car off and take subway and cabs and such. Any help on where to drop a Budget car and find a deal on a hotel that would be a good location, family friendly, and fit into a firefighters budget ( is under $150/ night in the ballpark)? Also any advice on paying my respects at WTC (time of day, best location and so on). While I am on a roll how about food that teens and firemen like to eat near the hotels you recommend, pizza and hoagies and the like. Any and all help would be appreciated, we are feeling a little intimidated by all this, but this site has been a great help! Also does anybody know if the Yankees or the Mets will be in town June 4-8th Thanks Brian

Brian,
In terms of viewing the WTC site, I work in the area and I've seen crowds every day. I'm not sure one would be better than another. By June, most of the debris will be gone so I'm not sure what you can see.

There is a firehouse on Duane Street and one on Liberty Street, I'm sure if you stop in the brothers will help you find the best viewing point.

There are plenty of great places to eat on a budget. John's Pizza, for example, has several locations around town. Jackson Hole, with several locations, is als pretty good for burgers. For barbeque, Virgil's on West 44th has great ribs, etc.

For a quick "slice" Pronto Pizza on 42nd and 6th, has great pizza. Try the chicken slice.

The Yankees are home on those days against the Orioles. Not sure about the Mets. There are 2 minor league teams in the City. The Yankees team plays on Staten Island and the Mets team plays in Coney Island. Both have great ballparks and prices way below their major league parent.

Last things first:
keep checking baseball schedules at
www.mets.com9schedule not yet available)and www.yankees.com (yankees at home that whole week)
Can't help much with hotels since I live here,but there are many posts here about specific hotels. June is a little before the rush of tourists, but not completely off season, so you will have to be creative in finding $150/ night rooms (do you want a suite? separate rooms? want to stay in Times Square area, or a quieter residential neighborhood like the upper West side which is a 10-15 minute train ride to Times Square
Pizza and subs/hoagies/grinders whatever are easily available (at corner delis, and Subway/Blimpies, etc)but NY is famous for food at all price ranges, inlcuding very cheap, especially ethnic food. We'll fill you in later.
As you must know by now, NYC is having a much-belated love affair with firefighters. We will be delighted to welcome you and your family, and you will see some of our much deserved appreciation. Right now the ground zero viewing platform has been having 2-3 waits, who knows what it will be like in June--check back with us. Virtually every firehouse in NYC has some kind of amazing memorial tribute that everyone should see

with all the discussion of whether to buy real or fake FDNY merchandise, how about using the energy to help this firefighter enjoy NYC...

I can't really speak to places to leave a car--but we drove down from Boston with our two teens last spring and just parked at the hotel. We then did lots of walking, taking a cab only for one short distance one day.

We got our hotel through one of the discount sites, and we paid just a little over $150--maybe $158 or $159--and we were right on Broadway in Times Square. We had to get a rollaway bed and I think it was free. It was great being in that location--your kids would probably really enjoy it (MTV is right there, of course).

We ate at John's Pizzeria in the theater district--it was great! And for breakfast we'd just get food from a local deli--bagels and such. Also bagels and pizza for lunch. Generally, things weren't as expensive as I'd feared.

Does this help?

I live on the westside; there is a very nice, small Comfort Inn Central Park West hotel in my neighborhood on W 71st. Its modest, clean and in the greatest 'hood. There is a great Pizza place called Pizza Joint II across the street and all sort of neat places to eat along Columbus Ave--some pricey, some not at all. You are right near Central Park which is terrific in the summer esp. near Bethesda Fountain.
You can go rowing, see street performers etc. You are close to the Planetarium and Natural History museums which all kids like. You are about 500 ft from the subway that takes you to the stadium, etc. People think they should stay near Times Square. I think thats the wrong approach. You can get there in about 10minutes on the subway or 15 by cab. By the way, I hear Madame TUsauds wax works is a blast. The kids might like Ellens Stardust cafe--good meatloaf and mashed potatoes and huge sundaes--50s theme with singing waiters. Lots of fun. You better call Budget about the drop off place and see if they charge a fee--they can be hefty and wipe out savings (I am partial to trains and amtrk us has sales in June)
Have a great time!

tHANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR GREAT ADVICE. ANY THOUGHTS ON THE DAYS hOTEL MIDTOWN ADDRESS IS 790 EIGHTH AVE. 2 BEDS FOR $119/NIGHT. pLEASE DON'T STOP THERE, KEEP THOSE CARDS AND LETTERS COMING. bUDGET SAID NO DROPOFF FEE (I THINK)

PENNY AND ELK,
THANKS FOR THE ADVICE BUT HERE IS WHAT I AM DOING AND WHY. TRAIN TO NYC IS $240 FOR 4 PEOPLE, CAR IS $90/DAY PLUS PARKING AND I DONT PLAN ON DRIVING IN NYC ANYWAY . i THOUGHT I WOULD JUST DROP IT OFF AND THEN 3 DAYS LATER PICK UP ANOTHER ONE AND CONTINUE ON TO DC.

Just got a 4 * hotel in NYC (Millennium Broadway) for $93/night for 3 adults on Priceline.com. I would highly recommend priceline, although with kids you'll just have to make sure that you get a room with 2 beds (easy to do upon confirmation of reservation--just call the hotel).

I would never book a room directly with the hotel. The absolute lowest price anyone has had for this room has been $200/night.

Have fun!

Rent a car to drive Boston to NYC. Drop off car. Rent a car in NYC to get to DC and then back to Boston where you might have to pay a drop off charge - have I got that right. If so, be aware, renting a car in NYC is an expensive proposition, probably the highest rates in the country. You might find it more economical to just garage the car for the three days in the city. There are garages or lots where the car can be parked for around $20 a day. When you do all the math you might find it cost effective to just keep the car rented in Boston.
Days Inn is okay. This is one of the few hotels in NYC that has on site parking.
You might ask, as a guest, what the daily parking charge will be. Hotel is in a good location - one block west of Times Square and Broadway.

Budget has at least 4 locations in Manhattan. There's one on West 49th Street near or at the corner of 8th Ave. - very convenient to most hotels. I think the plan of driving in and the getting another car a few days later is a good one. Some good hotel suggestions have been made but I'd be wary of Priceline when staying in NYC. Many hotels in NYC have few if any rooms with two beds and there's no assurance that you can get one - Priceline only guarantees one bed. Although some think it's a bit on the threadbare side, I have stayed at Radio City Apartments and can recommend it for a family on a budget. It's clean and in a great location (W. 49th near 6th about two short blocks from the theatre district). Decor is sort of 70's chain motel style but acceptable (in my opinion). I liked it becuase we had a separate living room with futon couch for my daughter (who stays up late) and a bedroom for the adults. There's a fridge, kitchen and dining table so we also ate breakfast there to save $$. Lots of family priced things to do in NYC include the free Staten Island ferry (great view of the skyline and the Statue of Liberty - the departure is downtown so do this when you visit the WTC area). The kids will love walking around Chinatown - lots of street vendors wiht knock-off stuff and shops with weird looking stuff in jars and bins - my teen daughter and her friends head there every time they come here to visit. Also fun for teens 9and adults) is the Bleecker Street and West 4th Street area. Lots of little shops and inexpensivce places to eat. Both Chinatwon and Bleecker Street will have plenty of inexpensive dining choices as will 8th and 9th Ave (especially 9th) between the low 40's and high 50's (cross streets). Check the Village Voice or NY Press when you get to town or check their websites before arriving. There are frequently some inexpensive or free activities including free summertime outdoor movies in Bryant Park one night every week. There's at least one muesum (I believe it's the Metropolitan) that has a "suggested" entry fee that most folks pay but actually allows you to pay what you can afford if it's appropriate (you decide what's appropriate - as a firefighter making a short visit with family you may choose to pay far less than the suggested price). I mentio the Metropolitan because even if you and family are not ordinarily museum-goers, the Egyptian exhibit, which includes a fully reconstructed temple, is fantastic to see and kids love it. Best advice on food is to stay out of the tourist areas (e.g. Times Square) and the pricey chic areas (e.g. Fifth Avenue shopping district) and you'll find lots of inexpensive options,. NYC has lots of places such as Italian and other ethinc restaurants where a family can haver a good sit-down dinner for $10 or less per person with beverage (not including tax and tip). Have fun - people are friendly and you'll love NYC!

rqf is probably right. When you consider that one day rental -- Boston to NYC, drop off charges and the high cost of renting in the NYC area, you may be better off just renting a car for the duration in Boston and parking the car in NYC. There are many lots where you can park for about $20 a day.

I don't know why you have zeroed in on Budget. You might try various websites, Priceline, Hotwire, Travelocity, etc. Their prices tend to vary, so you might find a deal.

Because of the economy, many are finding good deals on Priceline for hotel rooms. You may be surprised by your savings.

Chris: Interested in your post about Millineum Broadway as we just won two rooms with $90/night PL bid. Pleased, but one question: we need to sleep 3 in one of those rooms. You mention it wasn't a problem after you called the hotel. Did you call the direct number, or the main reservations line? Please advise. Thanks.

RQF,
I'LL TRY AND BE MORE CLEAR ABOUT MY PLANS. FLY INTO PROV. RI STAY WITH FAMILY AND USE THEIR CAR IN BOSTON (I LOVE MY FAMILY), RENT A CAR IN BOSTON AND DRIVE TO NYC AND DROP OFF SAME DAY ($65 NO DROP OFF FEE) STAY IN NYC 3 DAYS, RENT CAR IN NYC DROP OFF IN D.C. SAME DAY ($90 NO DROP OFF FEE). THE REASON I AM STUCK ON BUDGET IS CUZ I HEARD THAT BUDGET AND NATIONAL ARE THE ONLY CO.S THAT WILL ALLOW PICKUP AND DROP OFF IN DIFFERENT CITIES. STAYING IN D.C. WITH FAMILY AND USING THEIR CAR (DID I MENTION I LOVE MY FAMILY) AND FLYING OUT OF D.C. I THINK I HAVE DONE MY HOMEWORK BUT AM ALWAYS LOKING FOR A BETTER WAY. THIS SITE HAS BEEN A GODSEND. WE CANT WAIT, WE HAVE ALWAYS GONE TO CAL. OR COLORADO ON VACATION,WE LIVE IN ARIZONA AND HAVE WAITED FOR THE KIDS TO BE THE RIGHT AGE TO APPRECIATE ALL THE EAST COAST HAS TO OFFER CULTURALLY AND HISTORICALLY. . I READ EVERY WORD OF EVERY REPLY SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND AS I SAID BEFORE KEEP THOSE CARDS AND LETTERS COMING.

Hi Brian:

I live in New Jersey and work in NYC. This suggestion might work for you. There are a couple of nice hotels just outside NYC in New Jersey. I sometimes use the very large commuter "Park and Ride" centers near those hotels. I have seen many tourist, especially overseas guests, utilize the express busses into the city(15 minutes). The hotels have free parking and shuttle the Guests over to the P&R. The bus is about $5.00 R/T. Normally I would always recommend staying in NYC for the ease of getting back to your hotel for "rest stops", but maybe this is a way of keeping that car, getting a great rate, and still enjoy the city!!

JOHN

Brian, you and your family will have a great time. Your'e smart to do your homework. As far as hotels, my only warning is that a double in NYC is not always what us non-NYers think a double is. If you're getting a double thinking there will be two double beds, think again. many times it's one double bed and not enuf floor space to even put a rollaway in. unless you're getting a suite or two rooms, make sure your room will have 2 double beds to accomodate your family. Also, if you don't mind shared bathrooms, the Y's in NYC do offer clean rooms, with shared baths at a reasonalbe price. Some of them have indoor pools, something very few hotels offer. The Roosevelt in midtown manhatten is a good family hotel. Good prices (we've paid as little as $129/night for rooms with 2 double beds). don't worry about food. there are so many restarants and take out shops that you'll burst. Also, theres tons of interesting street vendors for both food and everything else (watches, sunglasses, purses, anything under the sun). If your'e ever hungry, there's always a hot dog on every corner for a buck. A good way to divide the tourism is to divide the city and conquer it in sections--lower manhattan one day, Midtown another, etc. Your kids (and you) may enjoy the Intrepid, a floating military musuem (aircrat carrier, battleships, submarines, etc), The SONY interactive musuem, ESPN Restauarant (in Times Square), shopping in the lower east side, the Diamond district is facscinating (46, 47 or 48th street) (and great prices on jewelry), Chinatown, Canal Street, Greenwich Village. YOu will find more than enuf to do. If you are big baseball fans, plan some time for Yankee Staduim-there is a little memorial to some greats inside the staduim and my crew of Yankee fans spent time just looking at the famed stadium in awe (I didn't get it, but they did buy me a diamond bracelet in the jewelry district, so I didn't mind). Bring comfortable sneakers or walking shoes and just walk around. There's always something interesting no matter where you are. Enjoy