Rental cars at LaGuardia
 

Blanching at the cost of renting a car at LaGuardia for a week (in the $700-800 range, same as the cost of 4 round trip air tickets to New York!), I began eyeing offsite car rental locations that appear to be withing walking distance where a rental car costs half as much.

Is there any reason that someone couldn't walk to here, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, 10814 Astoria Blvd, Queens, NY 11369, from the American Airlines terminal, or change into running shorts and run the 1-1/2 miles? There will be others to stay with the luggage at the terminal. Or Uber of course should be able to work out, since August can be awfully hot at 1 pm.

Also, the easiest way to Poughkeepsie from LGA?

Easiest way according to rome2rio is to take the hourly bus from LGA to downtown NYC 41st& Lexington. 1 hour bus leaves hourly (Golden Trans). 250 meters from there to the MTA Hudson line for the 2.5 to 3 hour train ride to Poughkeepsie. (Less than $50 per person). See if you can rent a car in Poughkeepsie if you really need one while you are there. The Hudson line also leaves the station hourly at least in daylight hours.

What tom lists is the easiest way using public transportation... which will take you at least twice as long as driving, if not longer.
If you are asking about driving directions from LGA to Poughkeepsie, this is the fastest route., via the Whitestone Bridge../Hutchinson Parkway

1. Grand Centray Parkway EAST about 1mi.
2. Exit to Whitestone Expy. Follow signs to Whitestone Bridge, I 678 (no toll northbound)
3. Once you cross the whitestone, I678 turns into the Hutchinson Pkwy ("The Hutch"), no turns, you won't even know...

From here, you have 2 choices. This is the simplest.
4. Continue on the Hutch for about 15mi or so, to I684 in White plains
5. Continue on I684 to the I84 interchange - about 30mi maybe.. Take I84 West towards Newburgh

I 84 will take you close to Poughkeepsie. Depending on your final destination you could exit off I84 at the Taconic Parkway, (TSP) or a few exits later at Rt9.


As for off-site rental car, no, there is no fundamental reason you could not do that. I've parked off-airport at the Budget RAC lot before (they had a shuttle back then) and walked. Shuttle was so backed up it would have been a long wait, and I had plenty of time on a nice day, and only a carryon bag..

You'd need to look closely at a map to see you didn't need to cross a highway (can't do that...)...Enterprise may also have a shuttle, so call them directly to check.
You can preview the walk using google maps street level view.

The next challenge would be navigating back to the termainal. Given the construction there you may get stuck on a blocked road or routed on the highway somewhere... always a risk around LGA. but if you stayed on Astoria or Ditmars Blvd you'd find your way there...

TomF: This is actually to get to Lake George with a stop at Hyde Park so a car is essential. Return will be at the Albany airport (no one-way fee, these fees are disappearing in the US).

I’d try to fly to Newburgh but American is pulling out of the airport and I’m using up AA points. Would fly to Westchester but that would mean being on the 6am departure since the evening American flight arrives after the rental cars have closed (really? In Sault Ste Marie MI population 10,000 the rental car places reopen for the midnight flight from Detroit, can’t a New York area airport do this for a 10 pm flight?).

Glad to know the bridge northbound leaving Queens is free, as are the bridges westbound over the Hudson, no need to deal with transponders since this is a one-way north and west (over the river to catch the interstate) trip. There appear to be a few pedestrian crossings over or under whatever that stretch of highway is that passes the LGA terminals, but I’ll “walk it” in Streetview. My experience with airports is that offsite car rental lots are not permitted to pick up at terminals unless they pay all the taxes and fees that airport levies on car rentals.

To Hyde Park I'd take the Taconic north to Rt 55, then cut over to Poughkeepssie. 55 is a little less pokey than Rt 9 north from 84. If you want something to eat (eg family), then the Everready Diner Hyde Park is a classic....Otherwise not much between there and Albany except Thruway McD's.

To proceed on to LG, you can either cross the Hudson at Poughkeepsie, or Kingston Rhinecliff Bridge further north. Six of one, half dozen of the other.. or if you want to meander, even further north on the Rip Van Winkle bridge by Hudson.

The NY Thruway is now cashless, and no more toll booths, all high speed. Transponder is a bit cheaper, but no transponder needed. If you don't have one they take a picture of the plate and either send you a bill or you pay online. Not quite sure how that works with rental car plates. I expect you can go online after you drive, say within 1 week, and pay the toll.

edit, adding the link on how to pay tolls when using a rental or borrowed car.
https://www.tollsbymailny.com/vector...lnow/signup.do

Thanks for the diner recommendation, I see it is right next to the FDR home. Any idea how many hours a person needs for the Springwood mansion tour and the Presidential Library? Can the Vanderbilt Mansion be added the same day?

I forgot that the north/south interstate is also a turnpike so will bring a personal EZ Pass-compatible transponder. It's not usually clear in advance what the rental car policy will be, sometimes transponders in rental cars are always on. Actually, Enterprise posts it and it seems very reasonable, at least there is no charge for days the transponder is not used, and it can be refused. https://www.enterprise.com/en/help/f...ed-states.html

Made the reservation for the offsite Enterprise. I have done this kind of Mickey Mouse thing twice before in San Juan to avoid high airport charges, fees, and taxes, so no reason I can see that it won't work here also. Just walk, run, or use a taxi to get there.

Last question, if we have reserved the last West Point tour of the day, 3:45, is there any predictable problem getting there for that if the plane arrives LGA at 1 pm (a Tuesday)? And the best way to get there assuming the hotel that night is in Fishkill? I realize that there may still be no tours going in August, but just in case.

West Point:
1pm arrival, to West Point by 3:45. Other than the usual deplane, baggage, rental car stuff, nothing on the LGA end. You'd need to budget enough time at WP to get in, park, security check, etc. I have no idea about any of that - maybe others here do.
For driving route, personally I'd take the Triboro (RFK) Bridge to Harlem River Dr (or 278 to 87) then cross the GW Bridge and take the Palisades Parkway north to West Point, but I'm familiar with those roads.. If you go past the Stadium any time around a home game you could have issues. Ramps to the GWB are always busy, .... If GWB is busy, then taking 87 all the way across the Tappan Zee (aka Mario Cuomo) bridge, then the Palisades would be the way to go. Fewer turns vs the GWB route.

From West Point to Fishkill is straightforward. Local roads north to catch I84, cross the bridge to Exit 13 (Rt9 Fishkill). Hotels are all right there by the exit. Nondiscript generic commercial area. I could dig up some restaurant reco's if you need them for Fishkill area.

FDR/Vanderbilt
I'm fuzzy on the details... i don't recall the actual mansion tour taking more than an hour, but I could be wrong. Library can be a short visit, or longer if you want to read stuff... Vanderbilt can def be done in same day.
Look into getting lunch at the Culinary Institute CIA just up the road. Or dinner. Reservations required for the latter in one of their 4 or 5 different restaurants. There's a small cafe there that's a nice spot for 2 - no res. accepted iirc.

You didn't mention the Walkway over the Hudson. Well worth a visit, even if only for 1/2 hr stop over, walk out over the river. Amazing view from the 1880's RR trestle over the Hudson.

Thanks for the extra recommendation, I am out of my element here. I have been to both ends of the Hudson but not the middle. On a lark I checked the local library shelves and there was a Moon guidebook to the Hudson Valley. I may add a second night in Fishkill since there is a lot to see, and I've been to the Lake George/Lake Champlain area before (and the cabin rentals in that area are expensive for what you get).

Yes, LG area is pricey in the summer... There are other large lakes in the area - Schroon, Sacandaga are two that have a lot of rentals - but I don't know "what you get". Since I'm a local I don't ever rent property - just day trips to play in the hills or on/in the water. Halfway between Albany and LG is Saratoga Springs, another popular August destination. The main attraction is the thoroughbred racing 5d/week (Mon/Tue are "dark" days). 1st race post time is ~1pm, last race around 6. Even if you don't want to stay and watch the races the early morning tours of the back stretch / stable area, or simply watching the the horses train (both free) can be a nice treat. Saratoga also has a bunch of mineral springs, and you can take a mineral bath at the spa in the State park. Rate is ~$40 per 45min. We'll go a couple of times a year for the treat. The town also has a plethora of restaurants & live music venues.

Four tickets to LGA implies a family.. If you let me know your interests I can offer some tailored suggestions for dining, activities, hiking, biking, history, culture, etc in the LG/Saratoga/upper Hudson area. Feel free to pm me if you want to take it offline.



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