Tomsd

There are other options besides the St. Francis, and just Google away. A cute little area is down along/by Lombard St - toward the Golden Gate - which has some less expensive motels - and great local streets to explore - such as Chestnut St and Union St - with plenty of dining and "sipping" options. It has good bus/Muni service, but not sure if the Niner game buses go there though - so you might have to take a Muni bus or short taxi ride to hook up with them?

My favorite is the Coventry Motor Inn http://www.coventrymotorinn.com/ - and it was quiet - but some visitors have commented about some street noise at some of the others, while some visitors didn't think it was a big deal. Just research away, and here is one page: http://www.sftravel.com/bgt.html

october_fun

I want to thank everyone who posted on this thread. Your ideas and experiences have not only been informative but fun to read.

Unfortunately, it looks like I am going to have to cancel our plans. It looks like I will be out of a job in the next few months. ( my workplace is being disbanded and contracts are most likely to not get renewed. A change of government means public servant cost cutting and this time its me. This time though its across the board with no contracts being renewed so I cant just go to another area.)

So until we all know for sure what is happening I cant take the risk of continuing to book hotels, flights etc if I will be unemployed shortly.

I feel like I have wasted everyones time and I apologise for that.

Keep your fingers crossed for me and thank you so much.

PS I have no idea what I will do with my spare time now. I have been trip researching and reading forums for months. I think I will be going through withdrawal.

Aduchamp1

Sorry to hear that, I am hopeful you will be able come and visit in the future.

Tomsd

Hey - hang in there and see you soon at a Charger game.

sf7307

Hope your work situation is resolved soon, but don't worry about wasting people's time - New Yorkers and those who love NY (and SF) love to talk about their cities! Everyone had fun with this thread.

october_fun

Aduchamp, Tom and sf ..... thank you so much. I have kept this as a favourite so that if I find out its good news I will be back here rereading all the links so that I can make bookings to can get over there and have a ball.


I will get there one day... its a promise.

I will miss reading your posts.

october_fun

Hello again. Good news. My contract has been renewed so our trip is back on.

I found the hockey schedule last night and unfortunately there is no game at Madison Square Gardens in the time we will be there. There is an Islander Game but a previous post said it might be difficult to get there from Manhattan. There is a game between New Jersey and the Rangers in New Jersey. Would that be very difficult to get to, bearing in mind we will be total novices to all forms of transport getting to and from there.

wrongfoot

If you are staying in NYC it would be very easy to get to the Prudential Center aka the Rock to see the Rangers play the Pitchforks. Be aware, this has become an enormous rivalry and these teams and their fans HATE each other.

october_fun

wrongfoot thanks. I had better make sure we wear neutral colours. It will still be considered safe though?

How long would it take to travel there? Not that it really matters, we are used to travelling long distances and it will be all new things to see anyway.

Aduchamp1

It is a very easy trip from Penn Station Manhattan to Penn Station Newark. Both the PATH trains and NJ Transit will take you. The isntructions below include the walk which is short.

Tickets usually sell for a premium.

http://www.prucenter.com/resources/p...-PruCenter.pdf

Let's go RANGERS!

october_fun

Adu thanks heaps for that map with directions.

I will suss out tickets this evening.

It is so exciting to be planning the trip again and so nice to be able to get advice from all you lovely fodorites.

bmw732002

Hey October fun:

Glad to hear you are still coming to town

Last we talked I said the Rangers were the team to beat for the NHL championship. Well the Devils upset them and went on to the Finals. (Devils lost to LA)

So...that should be a fun time at the Prudential Center, home of the NJ Devils

Devil fans wear RED and the Ranger fans wear BLUE. I would stay with a neutral color!!

-john

october_fun

bmw hello again.

Sounds like it will be a game with scores to settle!

Red is one of the colours I am packing (I read on here to stick with a basic 3 colours when packing so that everything matches and I can travel lighter) I have to admit that me travelling light is an oxy-moron.

I was looking at seating last night. So many choices and I procrastinate on which will be the better one. I think we will be fine up the back though. Stub hub dont have any tickets but the site I found was on NYCtourist. It said they resale tickets. We dont have anything like that over here. Is it safe?

october_fun

Another question. My husband is a smoker - yes filthy habit I know. Over here he has to go outside for a smoke but you cannot stand within a certain distance of the entrance to the building/store. Some places have designated smoking areas. What are the laws in the US? I dont want him getting a fine on his first step on US soil.

Aduchamp1

NYC has strict laws regarding smoking. You will find knots of people outside office buildings where people are smoking. But NYC passed a law last year no smoking OUTSIDE in NYC parks, beaches, and plazas.

But I think the hotel may allocate certain rooms for smoking.

Where is smoking also prohibited?
The Act states that smoking shall not be permitted and that no person shall smoke in the following indoor areas:

•Places of employment;
•Bars;
•Restaurants;
•Enclosed indoor swimming areas;
•Public transportation, including all ticketing, boarding and waiting areas; buses, vans, taxicabs and limousines;
•All places of employment where services are offered to children;
•All schools, including school grounds;
•All public and private colleges, universities and other educational and vocational institutions;
•General hospitals;
•Residential health-care facilities, except separately designated smoking rooms for adult patients;
•Commercial establishments used for the purpose of carrying on or exercising any trade, profession, vocation or charitable activity;
•All indoor arenas;
•Zoos; and
•Bingo facilities.
Where is smoking permitted?
Smoking is permitted in the following areas or businesses:

•Private homes and private residences when not used for day care; private automobiles;
•Hotel or motel rooms rented to one or more guests;
•Retail tobacco businesses (primary activity is the retail sale of tobacco products and accessories, and the sale of other products is merely incidental);
•Membership associations where all duties related to the operation of the association are performed by volunteers who are not compensated in any manner;
•Cigar bars in existence prior to January 1, 2003 (where 10% or more of total annual gross income is from the sale of tobacco products); and
•Up to 25% of seating in outdoor areas of restaurants with no roof or ceiling enclosure may be designated smoking areas.

Tomsd

Allright - glad you are getting to go on your trip. Have fun at the Hockey game - and if your husband gets busted for smoking - put on your thickest British accents and claim - so sorry Constable - we really didn't know.

october_fun

Tomsd I can do a few different British accents......all of them badly though.

Im sorting out airfares at the moment. The rates have dropped just in time to get to NY but not in time for San Francisco so seriously have to decide if I should cut out San Francisco and save 800 in airfares and use it for spending money in NY.

october_fun

Adu thank you. It sounds like you have similar smoking rules to here.

nytraveler

Smoking rules vary by state and by city. In NYC there is esentially no smoking except in your own home (if your spouse permits - but not in pulic areas of apartment houses - or walking on the street - but not in parks).

While technically outdoor cafes are allowed to set aside part for smokers they very rarely do, since one smoker can drive out a bunch of other patrons.

Aduchamp1

I gave up smoking almost 30 years ago.

BTW, cigarettes because of all the taxes are about $12 US a pack in NYC. That is not a typo.