Staying outside New York
Dec 29th, 2005, 10:17 AM
#1
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Staying outside New York
I am planning a driving trip to the North Eastern US in Sept 06, and would like to see New York. However, I do not want to drive in the city. I would prefer to find a a good location outside the city but with good public transportation to take day trips into the city. I am planning for 5 days and would like to park the car at the hotel/motel and ride public transportation.
I would welcome recommendations as to good towns or locations to consider and best transportation to use.
Many thanks for any ideas.
Zfrom Winnipeg
I would welcome recommendations as to good towns or locations to consider and best transportation to use.
Many thanks for any ideas.
Zfrom Winnipeg
Dec 29th, 2005, 10:26 AM
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The Sheraton in Weehawken, NJ is waterside on the river, has nearby ferry service to Manhattan. This would be most convenient way to get to the city each day.
You could always park your car somewhere in NJ for the week and then stay in Manhattan. This would make checking back at your hotel to change clothes, or for a nap, drop off packages, etc. much easier.
You could always park your car somewhere in NJ for the week and then stay in Manhattan. This would make checking back at your hotel to change clothes, or for a nap, drop off packages, etc. much easier.
Dec 29th, 2005, 10:31 AM
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Some of the major benefits of seeing/being in New York are exploring neighborhoods, seeing some of the theater/nightife and just absorbing the flavor of the city. It is very difficult to do this while staying somewhere in the suburbs.
Also, commuting in from the distant burbs can be both expensive =- and even more important time-consuming. (Manhattan is an island - and there are few bridges/tunnels in and out - so there is ALWAYS traffic - why waste your vacation time trekking back and forth.)
I would sugest instead either getting a hotel with a garage (if your budget allows) finding the one or two inexpensive hotels that have free parking (see similar threads above) or parking your car at a major train station in the burbs and taking the train into the city for the 5 days.
Believe me, your trip will be many times more enjoyable if you stay in the city itself and can take full advantage of all it has to offer (including very inexpensive and very quick public transport.)
Also, commuting in from the distant burbs can be both expensive =- and even more important time-consuming. (Manhattan is an island - and there are few bridges/tunnels in and out - so there is ALWAYS traffic - why waste your vacation time trekking back and forth.)
I would sugest instead either getting a hotel with a garage (if your budget allows) finding the one or two inexpensive hotels that have free parking (see similar threads above) or parking your car at a major train station in the burbs and taking the train into the city for the 5 days.
Believe me, your trip will be many times more enjoyable if you stay in the city itself and can take full advantage of all it has to offer (including very inexpensive and very quick public transport.)
Dec 29th, 2005, 11:30 AM
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Good advice so far. The Sheraton in Weehawken is probably closest and has great views of Manhattan. But frankly, most of the time the price is as much as staying in Manhattan where you'll have many more options for evening activities. It's a real drag to have to go back to NJ to rest and/or change for dinner. The only time staying in NJ to see NYC makes sense to me is if you're with kids and don't plan to do anything much at night and/or in the summer when many of the NJ hotels/motels have outdoor swimming pools.
There is no need to ever drive in NYC. You could leave the car in NJ, or park in NYC and use public transport easily.
There is parking permitted at the ferry dock down the road from the Sheraton mentioned above, at Port Imperial. YOu could leave the car there, take the ferry over and stay in Manhattan.
Another option is the Travel Inn in Manhattan which is the only hotel in NYC with FREE parking. It is a good budget hotel and gets quite good reviews. Driving the car in to get there is not difficult.
Iconparking.com is a website of a group of garages all over town. If you find a hotel you like other than the Travel Inn, plug in dates and times and see how much parking would be.
If none of these meets your needs and you're determined to stay in NJ, there are hotels in Jersey City that are near the PATH trains (like a subway to Manhattan), and some others in Secaucus and elsewhere with bus service to NYC. Here's a page developed by someone from another board with more info and links
http://www.broadwayfocus.com/nj_nyc/
There is no need to ever drive in NYC. You could leave the car in NJ, or park in NYC and use public transport easily.
There is parking permitted at the ferry dock down the road from the Sheraton mentioned above, at Port Imperial. YOu could leave the car there, take the ferry over and stay in Manhattan.
Another option is the Travel Inn in Manhattan which is the only hotel in NYC with FREE parking. It is a good budget hotel and gets quite good reviews. Driving the car in to get there is not difficult.
Iconparking.com is a website of a group of garages all over town. If you find a hotel you like other than the Travel Inn, plug in dates and times and see how much parking would be.
If none of these meets your needs and you're determined to stay in NJ, there are hotels in Jersey City that are near the PATH trains (like a subway to Manhattan), and some others in Secaucus and elsewhere with bus service to NYC. Here's a page developed by someone from another board with more info and links
http://www.broadwayfocus.com/nj_nyc/
Dec 29th, 2005, 03:27 PM
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Here's another recommendation for the Travel Inn - very easy to drive to (with the noted free parking). It's much better to wake up in the city every morning, and be able to stroll home.
Or, consider using Priceline. Typically, you save far more than the cost of parking - which you can nearly always do far more economically nearby with iconparking.com than the hotel garage (and often in the very same garage the hotel uses).
Or, consider using Priceline. Typically, you save far more than the cost of parking - which you can nearly always do far more economically nearby with iconparking.com than the hotel garage (and often in the very same garage the hotel uses).
Dec 29th, 2005, 03:36 PM
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Think of it this way -- You will see every idiot in the world driving in NYC. You will even see HUGE tour buses navigating around. Why not you??? You can do it! Find a hotel with a garage, park it and leave it. Commuting in and out every day will be bad. Very bad.
Our favorite hotel, the Blakely, has a garage right across the street.
Just be careful what time of day you choose to come and go, avoiding rush hour of course. Sundays are good too.
Or, maybe someone will have a suggestion of a place to park at a train station outside the city where you can leave your car for a week.
Our favorite hotel, the Blakely, has a garage right across the street.
Just be careful what time of day you choose to come and go, avoiding rush hour of course. Sundays are good too.
Or, maybe someone will have a suggestion of a place to park at a train station outside the city where you can leave your car for a week.
