staying in Vernon, New Jersey for a couple of days but have to make it into Manhattan for
a day excursion - need recommendations for public transportation to and from - we do have a rental car if that allows for more options

I would look at the NJ Transit website to see your options.

That's fairly inconvenient as far as transit goes. I suspect your only public transit option would be a bus to the GWB bus terminal, and that would take quite a while. Since you have access to a rental car, it might be worth it to simply drive to White Plains, where you can park in a garage and take Metro North into the city; there is frequent service, and it doesn't take more than half an hour from there (so I'm guessing about an hour total each way), and trains run both early and late. It's going to cost you the bridge toll for the Tappen Zee Bridge, but I still think that's the best option for you.

I think driving from Vernon to White Plains will take an hour or more, especially on a weekday . Google maps it at as least 55 miles, Plus you'll have the expense of toll, parking, train and the extra time needed for the train to Grand Central.

Where do you need to be in Manhattan, what day of the week, and what time of the day? Do you have an appointment to get to at a specific time, or are you flexible? How many travelers? That can help deciding if driving in is sensible, feasible or foolish.

Vernon is really west of the suburbs and the bus ride would be lengthy.Why not drive to Ridgewood, NJ or other towns on that line of NJ Transit, park and take train into the city like the commuters do. You'll need to make an easy connection in Secaucus and will end in Penn Station.
Or drive into the city.

If it's a number of people and you don;t have to be in the city at 9 am I would drive. For one person going at rush hour I would explore options for express bus direct to Manhattan.

In either case - a very inconvenient location.

Drive.

I still wouldn't drive all the way into Manhattan, but I can't think if a better alternative off hand. There is a NJ Transit line that serves Harriman, but I don't know anything about the schedule. There really are no perfect alternatives here.

Just take a cab or greyhound

Very useful Dobby.

Cab is a fortune and there is no greyhound.

But in your world that wouldn't matter - would it?

Mad that everyone is ignoring your NYC troll post?

I think he meant ride a dog.

Turtle riding a greyhound
http://jaredsalmond.blogspot.com/201...und-rider.html

That's a 55 mile trip, probably more interesting to sit on the bus or train, relaxing, than to be driving the rental car.
There are park-and-ride lots in nearby Stockholm, N.J., and Warwick, N.Y., for buses to the Port Authority. The bus from Warwick takes about an hour and 50 minutes and costs about $7 one way. You could drive from Vernon 40 minutes to Wayne, N.J., and catch a bus or a train into the city. The train to Penn Station takes 65 minutes and costs approx $10 one way.