NYC Trip: Commuting into city
 

I would appreciate some advice on where to stay just outside the city if we would decide to commute in each day for our six day trip this summer. I've heard about the 'Metro North' train. Is there a nearby northern NYC suburb with a nice hotel close to their train station where we could stay? How long of a trip into the city? Are one of the nearby cities in NJ an option at all? Bear with me folks, but I no nothing about NYC at all! Thanks so much for any and all input.

Why don't you want to stay in the city? It's just not the same experience staying outside.

Because we will be driving our van due to other summer sightseeing along the way. The price to park a van in the city is over $40 a day at some locations; excessive from how I look at it. Plus, the price of hotels have absolutely skyrocketed. If it's too much of a hassle to commute...we won't. We can afford it all but just wanted to check some other options before we decide.

PS: How many are you? The train fair could be more than the parking costs!

This message should have come first!
I'm confused. First you lament about the high cost of hotels and parking. But, then you say that you can afford it. Hell, if you can afford it, there's no dilemma....You stay in the city!

I'll go ahead and disagree with Howard! Granted, I have no desire to take a trip to NYC without staying actually in the city, but I totally disagree that if you can afford something you should just do it! Even this.

I can afford a lot, but choose to save money when possible so that I can afford more. Not a bad way to behave, I think. :)

Sunny - Have you looked into places outside the city where you could leave your van, take the train into the city once and stay there? If there are just two of you (not sure from your post), consider priceline for a hotel deal. It's not as great in NYC as other areas, but even a small room for two in the city would be preferable (in my opinion) to staying outside the city and commuting each day.

That said, when we lived in Connecticut we took the Metro North train from New Haven many times for a day trip. It was fine, but not necessarily cheap. You can check their website to see where the trains go and how much it costs.

Even if you have to pay a few dollars a day to park your van outside of the city, it might be worth it if you can get a good hotel deal. There's nothing like staying in NYC to get the best feel for the city itself. And it's great to have someplace to go rest or drop packages in the middle of the day!

Have you considered places in Brooklyn or Queens that have parking? (Including B&Bs?) That way, you'll only be paying for a subway fare instead of round-trip train tickets. I live 30 minutes by train from NYC (no hotels in my town) and a ten-pack of train tix costs just over $100 bucks. Two people? $200 bucks.

40 bucks a day x 6 days = $240 bucks.

For the extra 40, you might as well stay in the city.

I did not know I had to explain in detail with my first post WHY we 'might' consider not staying in the city, Howard. You pressed for more information and then you did not seem to like what I had to say. I am like jlm_mi, I also choose to save when and where I can 'if possible.' I am not complaining nor lamenting. Thank you jlm_mi for your ideas. I will check them out. (There are two of us) Thanks also, nessundorma, for the information about the train expense. I agree...too expensive.

Well first let me say welcome to NYC, and I'm sure you will have a great time.

Have you checked the Travel Inn on W. 42nd St yet? They offer free parking and the hotel is very reasonably priced. They also have a pool and are well located not far from Times Square, and train and bus lines are within walking distance.

I would also agree to stay in the city so you won't be spending all your vacation in transit at night back to your hotel, and late at night the trains and buses are on a limited schedule to it will take longer.

Hope this helps and please let us know if you have any other questions.

Isn't there a Sheraton across the river (with beautiful views of the city) that is a ferry ride away? I had it bookmarked, but on my old computer.

Anyone know which one I'm talking about.

There's a Sheraton in Weehawken.

Thanks STW. Yep, that's it.

Check this out, Sunny, on the Sheraton website. It may meet your criteria -

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/sheraton

I put in random dates in June and found a promo rate for $169. An all suite hotel. Beautiful views of the city. Ferry just outside the door.

They sent me a promo card years ago with an opening special and I kept it on my desk for a long time. Have never stayed there, but it sounds like it may meet your needs.

Before you book the Travel Inn be sure that they can take vans the size of yours. While all garages will take smaller SUVs and vans - usually for a $10+ per day premium - if the van or SUV is large it often simply won;t fit - the ceilings are usually VERY low.

Your best option I would think is to park the van at a train station in New Jersey and then take the train into the City for the 6 days. If you do a search below people familiar with Jersey train stations have listed some at which this is inexpensive and safe.

MetroNorth is not a good option - I can;t think of anyplace there is a decent hotel within walking distance to a train station - although some may have shuttles.

As for B&Bs in Brooklyn and Queens - there aren't very many close to the city and the inexpensive hotels by the airports are generally awful - besides being a trek into the city.

Another option may be the Hyatt just across the river in Jersey - I believe it often has good rates - and can sometimes be won on Priceline.

I agree with HowardR that the best thing is to stay in the city - purely for logistical reasons.

Personally I like to be able to pop back to my hotel room to freshen up after a busy day before going out for the evening, to try to do this while staying out of town will cost a fortune in train/cab fares and wasted personal time, which I put a BIG value on.

nytraveler seems to have come up with the best option for you so far.

I don't think Westchester County or Connecticut will do you much good on cost savings; as others have said, the ticket price will add up, plus the task of finding a place with a hotel in proximity to a train station (other than maybe White Plains?). However, I'd agree that NJ might be a good option: as mentioned, there are ferries from Weehawken and other cities, and the PATH subway train in Jersey City, Hoboken, and Newark will take you right into Manhattan for no more than the NY subway costs. Both ferry and PATH are heavily used by commuters... So many large office and residential buildings have gone up in that area, especially after 9/11, that there must be several hotel options. Commuting from any of those areas will take you no longer than my commute from western Brooklyn to midtown - and I have to say that I don't have any problems "experiencing the city" and still making it home at night, with the occasional splurge on a taxi.

One other suggestion would be the Brooklyn Marriott, located just over the Brooklyn Bridge from lower Manhattan. I would think they might have a better parking situation than Manhattan hotels, and maybe a better price range. (As one other poster warned, many hotels in Manhattan will say they provide parking without specifying that large vehicles do not qualify; a friend of mine got burned that way!) It's the only major hotel in western Brooklyn. Have a great trip!

Unless the Sheraton in Weehawken in down the hill at the river's edge, it's a nice hike up and down the hill to the ferry landing, rather a drag in snowy, rainy or hot weather.

Also, how frequently do the ferries run after rush hour? It's bad enough that the trains only run once an hour after 8pm, but do the ferries even run past 9pm?

Last but not least, I believe the Weehawken ferry docks near Javits Center, but way beyond 10th or 11th Ave. I wouldn't want to walk around that neighborhood much late at night.

That's true about the hill in Weehawken; Jersey City and Hoboken are on flatter ground... All the ferries have free buses that run to and from midtown and probably Wall Street, though you're right that I don't know the hours. The buses take you right to the terminal where they have a waiting area. (I believe the ferry company is called NY Waterways, and probably has a website where you can find out more.)

Personally, I would stay in a less expensive hotel with a better parking situation, and then spend the money in the evening on a taxi as necessary. But it does depend on how late you think you'll be out and what the PATH or ferry schedule ends up being; if you're out every night until 11pm or later, figure on spending the taxi money each night for peace of mind. Also, taxis often require you to pay the toll for their return trip (tho there's no outgoing toll to NJ, just coming in to Manhattan).

Sorry if you felt I "did not like" what you had to say. My intentionally exaggerated comments were merely to emphasize that you should make every effort to stay in the city rather than commute from any suburb if you want to get the most out of your visit! And, since you said that money wasn't an issue, there should be no question in your mind that staying in the city would be the best choice.
Now, once you make that decision, then figure out whether it would be practical and somewhat cost efficient to park in the city, or at least not that much more than parking in any suburb.

There's a Residence Inn in White Plains within walking distance of the Metro North train station. Prices are usually around $150 per night. Parking is free.

A round trip ticket from White Plains to NYC is $14.75, depending on the schedule. The trip takes 30 minutes to Grand Central, if you take an express train. I do this commute (in reverse) every day, and it is quite manageable.

Do you the express trains run off-peak?

Also, 15 bucks per person is a lot, vs 40 to park a car in the city.

Thank you to each and everyone for your very helpful tips! I appreciate all your help. We have considered all your posts and narrowed our choices down to either the Travel Inn on 42nd or the Marriott Brooklyn Bridge. (Thanks for both ideas!) The rooms at Travel Inn are $190-$225 for our stay with the free parking. We are wondering about the walk to the subway (Broadway) from there? It looks pretty managable. As we are flexible with our dates, I found a 'special rate' at the Marriott Brooklyn Bridge (their Internet site) for $169 each night for all six nights. I thought that was pretty good by NYC standards. The rooms AND property look lovely; nicer than Travel Inn. Parking is also quite reasonable there as one poster mentioned. What would we be looking at timewise for a subway ride down to Times Square from the Marriott? I have to agree with all of you that we DO need to be close by. We do not want to spend all our time commuting. So...we are weighing the two: Travel Inn OR Marriott Brooklyn Bridge.

To/From White Plains, you mean? There's usually at least one express train per hour that makes two or three stops (Fordham, 125th St. and Grand Central).

The $14.75 assumes you take one peak train and one off-peak train.

Sunny46, last I looked, the Brooklyn Marriott wasn't getting great reviews on tripadvisor. You should double check that. Also, you should doublecheck parking costs for your size van. It may be free at the Travel Inn regardless of size. I don't know and don't know about rules/costs at the Marriott.

The Hyatt in Jersey City, right near the PATH train gets great reviews. Don't know what their parking situation is.

The walk from the Travel Inn to the subway in Times Square is three long blocks, nearly a half mile.
I seem to be the only one urging you to definitely stay in the city. I think it's definitely worth the extra cost! There's just something about having to take a trainride or long subway ride at the end of the day that takes away from the total NYC experience....especially since your early comments indicate that your budget isn't that tight.

I just checked the www.hotels.com site for the Travel Inn and the room rate was $180 a night. You might even get a better rate depending on your travel dates, or by calling the hotel.

I would suggest also checking other hotels in Manhattan, but with parking I think the Travel Inn is one of the best deals in town. The walk to the A train at 8th AVe is fine as is to the 1 train at Times Square.

Since this is a first trip to the city, I would really suggest staying in Manhattan, so you are not traveling at night on the subway or late night on the train, you will be wasting alot of time especially at night commuting, and since everything you will want to see is in Manhattan, at least you are a cab ride away at night from your hotel. The buses and subways do run 24/7, but at night they run on a reduced schedule, so you can get stuck waiting for quite a while.

Hope you have a great time in the city and let us know if you have any other questions.

Hey Sunny, where do you live? Maybe we'll do a house swap, my husband commutes everyday!

Nina, In Iowa - We have lots of corn and it's Great Plains land - FLAT. It would be a different life for you here. There are no long commutes or big parking fees!

Sunny

Sunny46,

I would agree that you would want to stay in NYC for the reasons mentioned. I have always had good luck with Comfort Inns and have taken my van to the Cormfort Inn at 442 W. 36th Street Manhattan, NY. I checked for a late June rate and it's $159 (cheaper w/AAA) + $17 for parking (I had a Dodge Grd Crv, but it does say that large vehicles are extra). As for my family and myself, we enjoy walking around after dark in Manhattan. For some driving tips and other info you could check a post I made about an hour ago under "NYC with Teenage Girls" on this web site.

Sunny46

http://www.reservationpage.com/c0014.../pickdate.aspx

I've stayed at the Travel Inn 3 times and have found it a clean, quiet hotel - ask for a room at the back (the windows overlook the pool rather than the road) a basic hotel but easy access to Times Square and Broadway. Nice diner next door for breakfast.

Good luck - I hope it works out this time and you have a wonderful time.

Don't freak out when you park the car and realise you are parking under the pool :-D

Your New York experience will be much enhanced and less stressful if you stay in Manhattan. You will be doing a lot of walking regardless of where you decide to stay. You may want to rest at the hotel after lunch and then go back out in the evening. In my opinion, as long as you can afford it, convenience may be worth the extra cost.

I hope you have a wonderful trip.

Thanks once again everyone for all your advice! We've made a decision and have booked at the Travel Inn. Hubby is very happy with the parking arrangement there and we don't mind the walk down to Times Square area at all. Thanks for your tip Alya...we asked for a room at the back. We are 'rural folks' and will appreciate the quiter area.

Glad you took our advice, and I think you will be happy staying there. My cousin, and her family of 3 kids stayed there a couple of years ago and loved it, for convience to the westside highway and it is a quiet area at night. The walk to the trains is a couple of blocks or take the bus across town right across the street from the hotel. There are some good restaurants right around the corner. I'd suggest getting a copy of Zagat so you can look up restaurants anywhere in the city.

A big recommendation for your trip would be a trip up to the Cloisters, in Ft. Tryon Park. Take the A train at 42nd St and get off at 191st St and walk up through the park to the museum. It is part of the Metropolitan and being there you will feel a world away and yet still be in Manhattan. If you like Indian food, after the museum walk down Ft. Washington St to one of the BEST Indian restaurants in town, Kismat and then it's a couple more blocks south to the train at 187th St. and back downtown to 42nd St, it's an easy trip.

Have a great time while you are here and please let us know if you have any other questions.

You'll be glad you decided to stay at the Travel Inn.

I just got back and the commute from Newark to Midtown by train was a big enough PIA for me. I can't imagine doing this daily.

I realize you've already booked the Travel Inn but I just wanted to mention that you don't have to take the hotel parking at $40/day. Last time we went to NYC, we self-parked at a cheaper lot for approx. $20/day and walked a few blocks to the hotel. When we left my husband went and got the car while I stayed with the luggage. This worked really well for us and wasn't much of an inconvenience.

ttt

Sunny46

since you've booked I've had another thought - ask for a room at the back of the hotel with a view of the ESB, most of them have one but it can't help to make sure can it ;-)

Take earplugs anyway, just in case!

antlori - The Travel Inn has free parking, it's one of it's main attractions - well that and the pool.

I don't know about anyone else but when I plan a trip to say, London, I don't stay in Surry..or if I go to San Francisco, I don't stay in San Jose.

If you are making plans to visit a particular city, shouldn't part of those plans be to stay IN that city?

The time spent getting from the hotel to Manhattan, not to mention the expense ( x 2 every time you go back and forth) or parking?
Then what if you are just exhausted and want to take a nap or just rest in the hotel and watch the news and soak in the tub before you go out to dinner..are you going to take the train back to the other town?
Or will you walk all day with no breaks but sitting in the park or a restaurant?

You say you<i> &quot;no nothing about NYC at all&quot;&gt;/I&gt;...that is the first problem.
You really need to read as many guides as you can and read every Fodors thread on NYC and figure out where you can stay and how you can manage. Learn about New York City.

Valuable time from your stay will be wasted sitting in traffic or getting from one spot to the other..instead of waking up and walking out the door of your hotel into the streets of NY-you will be getting to a train station? driving into town?.

Howard is one of the most helpful NYers here, don't take offense, take advice.

Start with looking for cheap parking lots that you can leave the van in and forget about it for 6 days. You won't need it.
If you can afford it, this should be a non-issue.
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My computer is acting goofy and it seems to have posted way after I wrote what I wrote LOL

So ignore the italics and Have a great stay in NYC !!!

Hey, Scarlett....even if it ended up being belated, thanks for the kind words!