What area of NY & what airport?
May 6th, 2003, 06:26 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
What area of NY & what airport?
1st trip to NY and we have no idea what airport is best to fly into? Also, while searching for hotels, it has about 10 different areas to stay...what area is closest to do the tourist things?
May 6th, 2003, 07:08 PM
#2
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,254
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
There have been a number of discussions here on the merits of the three major metro NYC airports--do a search. I would make my choice of airport based on the best fare/schedule. Laguardia is closest to Manhattan. JFK is furthest. Newark is in another state which can complicate matters. Each has pros and cons, mostly regarding various modes transportation from the airport to Manhattan.
"Tourist things"...there are tourist things in a number of neighborhoods. It all depends on the tourist things in which you are interested. You like dining, clubs, bars, boutiques? Union Square might be right for you. Theater? Times Square. Art museums? Upper East Side.
Happy to help if you can be a bit more specific...
"Tourist things"...there are tourist things in a number of neighborhoods. It all depends on the tourist things in which you are interested. You like dining, clubs, bars, boutiques? Union Square might be right for you. Theater? Times Square. Art museums? Upper East Side.
Happy to help if you can be a bit more specific...
May 7th, 2003, 01:07 AM
#3
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,323
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
First, go to a large book store and browse through the NY guide books, Fodors, Frommers, Let's Go etc... Buy the book or books that fit your interests and has hotel and restaurants in your price range, and find areas that appeal to you. Then come back here and ask specific questions. You'll then have an understanding of the layout of the city and what it has to offer.
May 7th, 2003, 03:30 AM
#4
Guest
Posts: n/a
Hi..you need to tell us what exactly you want to do re: tourist things...for us to give you hotel info.
I'm going to assume you want to be in NYC (Manhattan).
LaGuardia and Newark are the best airports (JFK is really far and you'll get stuck in traffic/construction). I'm not quite sure why the other poster says the fact that Newark is in another state could complicate matters. I fly in and out of Newark all the time with no problems and it's about 40 minutes from NYC.
I'm going to assume you want to be in NYC (Manhattan).
LaGuardia and Newark are the best airports (JFK is really far and you'll get stuck in traffic/construction). I'm not quite sure why the other poster says the fact that Newark is in another state could complicate matters. I fly in and out of Newark all the time with no problems and it's about 40 minutes from NYC.
May 7th, 2003, 05:53 AM
#5
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,254
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I love Newark Airport, but taxis can be a problem, or surprise, to the visitor. Coming from Newark, only a New Jersey taxi can take you and can charge an extra fee since by law it can't take a fare out of New York back to Jersey. Similarly, a New York taxi can charge extra since it can't take a fare back to New York from Newark. To some travelers, this might come as a surprise, pinching the budget a bit. Certainly, a private car service or public transportation would eliminate this issue.
May 7th, 2003, 06:28 AM
#6
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 16,715
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
As in most big cities, the main attractions are a bit spread out. There is no one location that will do it all. The most popular hotel locations are midtown west, Times Square and midtown east. Subways & buses will get you anywhere.
My best advice is to buy a Zagat guide. They have good maps & lots of good info.
My best advice is to buy a Zagat guide. They have good maps & lots of good info.
Jun 26th, 2003, 07:14 AM
#7
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 74
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I still don't get why flying into Newark can complicate things. OK so the taxi has to drive back into New Jersey without a fare. But iof you are staying on the Upper West Side it will still be cheaper than a taxi from JFK. Even if you are staying in brooklyn the differnece in fare is only going to be a few dollars. Also Newark has a train that goes straight into Manhatten so you don't have to stand in those god awful queues at the airports waiting for a taxi.
I would fly into Newark. And I would avoid taxis as much as possible. New York taxis are among the worst in the world. Not only are they really uncomfortable but the drivers often do not speak English, they often try and rip you off, they are very racist to black people, (try taking one to Harlem at night if you are black), are stupid (New York is a really simple city to navigate yet they frequently get lost) and the air con often does not work.
All in all they are about as fun as a tuk tuk in bangkok. Take the train to Manhatten from newark
I would fly into Newark. And I would avoid taxis as much as possible. New York taxis are among the worst in the world. Not only are they really uncomfortable but the drivers often do not speak English, they often try and rip you off, they are very racist to black people, (try taking one to Harlem at night if you are black), are stupid (New York is a really simple city to navigate yet they frequently get lost) and the air con often does not work.
All in all they are about as fun as a tuk tuk in bangkok. Take the train to Manhatten from newark
Jun 26th, 2003, 09:49 AM
#8
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 473
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
and now for an intelligent post...
for the first time, NY visitor, I suggest a hotel in manhattan, mid-town. Someplace which is affordable and in a neighborhood accessible by ALL forms of transportation, including by cab (ny'ers don't call taxis taxis, by the way). if you choose "mid-town south" on priceline.com and are successful in your bid, (i successfully bid 93 per night) you will most probably get the NY Hilton and Towers, which aside from it being in need of refurbishing (it is slated for a reno in '04) it's actually in a fantastic location, blocks from Central Park, the Theatre District, and close to public transportation, which you will need to get to most of the destinations you'll go to on your trip. if you have some questions about priceline bidding, go to biddingfortravel.com and look at recent posts about priceline hotels in NYC. I suggest picking a central hotel FIRST and then deciding what to do/where to go NEXT by buing fodors-type guidebooks. Also important is going on the NY Times website nytimes.com and checking what's doing (another good guide is Time Out New York). One helpful hint, try to arrange so that your flight gets in in the early afternoon, or like 9:00 p.m. so that you're not stuck in bumper to bumper traffic on a hot day after a long flight. Your cab fare from LaGuardia to mid-town will be about $26 including plus tip, from JFK about $35 plus tip, and Newark about $50. Don't get hung up with trying to take public transportation into manhattan, especially after a long flight, and don't get hung up on saving a couple of bucks one way or the other -- in all likelihood the money will fly out of your wallet in any event, NY has a way of doing that. Depending on the weather and the time of year, do the following:
Yankee Stadium for an afternoon game.
Chinatown -- try Hop Shing on Chatham Square for Dim Sum.
Visit the Lower East Side.
Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge after Chinatown and check out the views of the downtown skyline from the Brooklyn Heights Promenade. Take the 2 train back from clark street in brooklyn, and go to 72nd street, then walk around the upper west side.
Walk around SoHo early in the day.
Have a bite to eat at Coffe Shop in Union Square. sit outside and people watch.
Walk to the Metropolitan Museum and teh Guggenheim, then take a bus down 5th avenue all the way to Washington Square Park. More people watching, shopping, etc.
Take the ferry -- not to the statue of liberty (too crowded) but to staten island. you'll get more great views.
do the circle line around manhattan.
Shop at bloomingdales for the experience, go to serendipity for desert.
Things to avoid:
times square -- it's like a mall now anyway.
the formere wtc site, unless you have a personal reason to go.
double decker buses.
HAVE A BALL!
for the first time, NY visitor, I suggest a hotel in manhattan, mid-town. Someplace which is affordable and in a neighborhood accessible by ALL forms of transportation, including by cab (ny'ers don't call taxis taxis, by the way). if you choose "mid-town south" on priceline.com and are successful in your bid, (i successfully bid 93 per night) you will most probably get the NY Hilton and Towers, which aside from it being in need of refurbishing (it is slated for a reno in '04) it's actually in a fantastic location, blocks from Central Park, the Theatre District, and close to public transportation, which you will need to get to most of the destinations you'll go to on your trip. if you have some questions about priceline bidding, go to biddingfortravel.com and look at recent posts about priceline hotels in NYC. I suggest picking a central hotel FIRST and then deciding what to do/where to go NEXT by buing fodors-type guidebooks. Also important is going on the NY Times website nytimes.com and checking what's doing (another good guide is Time Out New York). One helpful hint, try to arrange so that your flight gets in in the early afternoon, or like 9:00 p.m. so that you're not stuck in bumper to bumper traffic on a hot day after a long flight. Your cab fare from LaGuardia to mid-town will be about $26 including plus tip, from JFK about $35 plus tip, and Newark about $50. Don't get hung up with trying to take public transportation into manhattan, especially after a long flight, and don't get hung up on saving a couple of bucks one way or the other -- in all likelihood the money will fly out of your wallet in any event, NY has a way of doing that. Depending on the weather and the time of year, do the following:
Yankee Stadium for an afternoon game.
Chinatown -- try Hop Shing on Chatham Square for Dim Sum.
Visit the Lower East Side.
Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge after Chinatown and check out the views of the downtown skyline from the Brooklyn Heights Promenade. Take the 2 train back from clark street in brooklyn, and go to 72nd street, then walk around the upper west side.
Walk around SoHo early in the day.
Have a bite to eat at Coffe Shop in Union Square. sit outside and people watch.
Walk to the Metropolitan Museum and teh Guggenheim, then take a bus down 5th avenue all the way to Washington Square Park. More people watching, shopping, etc.
Take the ferry -- not to the statue of liberty (too crowded) but to staten island. you'll get more great views.
do the circle line around manhattan.
Shop at bloomingdales for the experience, go to serendipity for desert.
Things to avoid:
times square -- it's like a mall now anyway.
the formere wtc site, unless you have a personal reason to go.
double decker buses.
HAVE A BALL!
Jun 26th, 2003, 07:31 PM
#10
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 84
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My mom and I just got back from our first trip! FUN! We stayed upper west side and really liked it! It was easy to take the subway everyplace! Then in the evening we went back to our somewhat quieter neighborhood. However, there were always restaurants and grocery stores open and people around! I felt like it was the perfect area to stay in for us!
