transportation NYC to Hamptons Xmas
 

We want to drive to South Hampton on Christmas Day from the Times Square area. 7 of us. We'd like to rent a car so we can explore but the initial prices I'm getting are very expensive. We probably need to rent 24 -26 since the city rentals will probably be closed on xmas day.<BR><BR>What other options are there? Any suggestions? <BR><BR>

Try one of the rental locations at Newark Airport. They tend to be significantly less than in the city. <BR><BR>Another option is to take the LIRR or Hampton Jitney bus to Southampton and then rent a car out there.

7 people would require 2 cars or a van, right?<BR><BR>Why do you want to drive out there on Christmas Day? The roads will be loaded with holiday traffic both ways.<BR>WHY ?????<BR><BR>Best bet is to take the Hampton Jitney bus, if it is running on Xmas Day. Let someone else do the 3 hr each way driving.

Billy,<BR><BR>The traffic you indicated doesn't jive with my BTDT. I do a Huntington-&gt;Southamton trip every other year on Christmas day and the roads are virtually empty.<BR><BR>Ab,<BR>You're right in saying the non-airport rental locations will be closed Christmas day. <BR><BR>Additional car rental suggestions are:<BR>1. Rent from and return to LaGuardia airport location - damn site closer to Hamptons than Newark and cheaper too (at least from Avis for a minivan).<BR>2. Rent from a mid-town location on 24th and return to LGA on the 25th - probably about $50-60 more expensive than above.<BR>hth,<BR>

You leave from Huntington which is a good hour + from NYC. Holiday traffic can be a bit heavy on the LIE or Grand Central Pkwy. It always thins out when you get out to Huntington.

Lannie,<BR>Sure, it's can be an hour+ ride during rush hour and NO, it doesn't thin out at Huntington, more like Exit 60 at rush hour. I've done the same route in ~45 minutes in non rush hour and weekends (and that includes the 15 minutes from my house to the LIE).<BR><BR>And seeing as we have also gone westbound on Christmas Day (2x in last 4 years), I still stick to my comments.<BR><BR>Maybe what we can agree to is traffic onto/off of LI is a &quot;crap shoot&quot; regardless of the day or hour.<BR><BR>&quot;ab&quot;,<BR>As Christmas gets closer and you still want to do the Southampton trip, repost and I/we can provide specifics; 'cause, who knows what evil the NYSDOT will heap on the LIE between now and then.<BR>--

I've done the NYC to Hamptons trip many times on Christmas Day as my family has a house out there. There really isn't much traffic heading east, at least before about 2 p.m. However, unless you really need a car, I'd suggest taking the train. Billy's Jitney suggestion doesn't really jive with his argument that there's tons of traffic, because a bus gets just as caught up in traffic as a car would...