rick2594

Hi,

I am driving from Boston to Philly next weekend and plan on spending Saturday in NY. Hope to be in NY by 9:00 am and on road to Philly by around 6:00 pm. We'd like to see Ellis Island and St Patrick's cathedral. My wife also wants to visit the World of Disney store on 5th Ave. Also have been looking at the 2-hour Circle Line tour and the Top of the Rock although I know I could not fit all this in. Any thoughts on the best way to do this, including where to park my car for the day? Appreciate all suggestions. Thanks.

NeoPatrick

The first thing I'd do to reduce the activities, is that if you are going to Ellis Island then I'd forget also taking a circle line tour. But frankly, doing justice to Ellis Island takes a pretty big chunk of the day.

nytraveler

For Ellis Island/ferry gat tickets in advance - to eliminate at least part of the wait (you still have to do the secuirty line). Agree that you need to allow at lest 4 hours for line, ferry and museum. I would definitely do this versus the Circle line. Top of the Rock you can also get times tickets in advance - and it;s right near St Pat's. I think those 3 would take your whole day.

You best bet is to dump your car in a garage where you enter Manhattan and use subway/cabs from there. Other wise you'll spend too much time findng places to park - and garage ins/outs can take a while - esp on the weekend.

mclaurie

If I understand this, you're driving from Boston to Phil. and plan on stopping in NYC on the way? I think you have to decide b/w Ellis Island or other things. You could do the midtown stops and a Circle Line cruise where you'd see Ellis Island from a distance.

One option if you want to play it by ear is to drive into Manhattan and head to Rockefeller Center (50th st. and Fifth Ave.) Park your car in that area. Here's a list of garages near there
>Rockefeller Center Garage - 48th St. between 5th & 6th Aves.
>31 West 52nd St. - between 5th & 6th Aves.
>51st St. Garage - 140 West 51st St. between 6th & 7th Aves.
>7th Ave. Garage - 810 7th Ave. @ 52nd St. and Broadway
>155 West 48th St. - between 6th & 7th Aves.

From there, St. Patrick's is on Fifth & 50th st. right across from Rock. Ctr. You could also go up to Top of the Rock if you wanted to. The Disney store is on Fifth Ave. & 55th st.-a 5 minute walk from St. Pat's. You could then head over to the midtown pier of the Circle Line on 42 st. Their 2 hr. cruises at this time of year are

March 24 - April 20, 2007
10:00am; 1:00pm; 4:00pm

If you want to go to Ellis Island, I think the best way to do that is from the New Jersey side at Liberty State Park. If that's the plan, go there first. Ellis Island is the first stop on the ferry from NJ whereas it's the second stop after the SOL from the Manhattan side. It's more crowded etc.

HowardR

I agree that you have to make a choice between the midtown spots and Ellis Island.
Since your final destination is Philadelphia, the most practical thing to do, as mclaurie suggested in one of her options, is to take the boat to Ellis Island from the New Jersey side.
If you decide on the midtown option, keep in mind that the garages in the Fifth Avenue/Rockefeller Center area are very, very expensive.

mclaurie

Actually, the Rockefeller Center garage that I listed first is usually pretty reasonable given the location. If you want to see price options, go to nycgargages.com

mclaurie

Sorry. Weblink is
http://nycgarages.com/#

rick2594

Thanks very much for all the great suggestions. Thought we might be trying to squeeze too much in and does sound that way. Appreciate it.

gb944

To be in NYC by 9 am (assuming perfect traffic), you're going to have to leave Boston by 5 am (and hope the troopers are asleep when you blow by them.)

I think that you're going to be pretty tired by the time you get to Philly.

rqf

Consider the following. Park your car and do the NYC things until noon. In 3 hours your can visit St. Patrick's, thje Disney store and TOTR and also see Rockefeller Center and walk along 5th Avenue.All of the above are close to each other,

At noon head for Liberty State Park in NJ and do Ellis Island in the afternoon. At the end of your visit to Ellis Island head for Philly

You will avoid traffic delays doing it this way.