# Travel In & Around NYC



## Lainie (Feb 24, 2006)

The plan is to fly into one of the NYC airports, rent a car and drive a couple of hours to where we will stay.  I don't have the room booked yet, but plan to get a June 18, 2006 check in.  After I get it I will book our flights.  There will be 3 or 4 of us traveling.

We will most likely be arriving in NYC around 8:00 a.m. on a Sunday and thought it might be nice to go into the city for a few hours before heading to where we will be staying. I'm trying to figure out the best option, keeping cost in mind.  What do you guys think?  How is the traffic in and around NYC on a Sunday morning?  Would it be a bad idea to drive into the city and park.

Here are the options I've thought of:

Drive into city and park and leave by around 3:00 p.m. (I'm thinking cost of parking to be no more than $50?????)

Put luggage in trunk of rental car, park it at the airport and take some type of transportation into the city and back out. (Not counting parking fee at airport and realizing this depends on which airport, but I'm thinking cost of going into and back out of the city to be around $100???)

Driving to someplace that we can park and take a train or bus into the city?? Not sure of cost or if this is really available???

What do you guys think?

We will most likely be flying out around 9:00 p.m. the next Sunday so we would probably want to do this again the next Sunday.


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## DonM (Feb 24, 2006)

I don't think you should have any problems parking for a lot less than $50. Depending on what you end up doing, you may be able to park on the street for nothing. If I had my luggage in the trunk, I wouldn't just park anywhere, but for example if I were going to hang out in Central Park, I would have no problem parking near the park.

You should really narrow down what you'd like to do or see, and then decide where you want to leave the car. Parking shouldn't be a problem- unless some big event is in town- and that wouldn't usually effect the entire city anyway.

check these out:

www.iconparking.com
www.nyctourist.com

Some of the things you may want to consider:

Statute of Liberty +/or Ellis Island
Met museum of Art
Nat'l History Museum
Broadway Matinee
Central Park
etc etc


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## Lainie (Feb 24, 2006)

How do you think traffic will be on Sunday morning?


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## Bolen (Feb 24, 2006)

*Control Tower...*

Lanie:

There is always traffic in NYC but Sunday morning is one of the lightest periods, plus Sundays provides the best shot at street parking for nothing...
However, as one who has had his trunk popped twice with items taken, I wouldn't consider that if you are keeping your bags in the trunk....

Cheers, Bob


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## Lainie (Feb 26, 2006)

Thanks for the help on this.


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## jackio (Feb 26, 2006)

You can park downtown by NYU for free on the weekends also.  From there you can walk around Greenwich Village, Union Square, Washington Square Park etc and you can catch public transportation from there.


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## xnavyss (Feb 26, 2006)

Consider driving the rental car to the Weehawken Ferry parking lot and take the ferry over.

We did this on a week stay at the Manhattan Club.  The Ferry is about a 10 minute ride and there was free transportation provided when you got off the ferry to various locations throughout New York City.

We parked our car at the Ferry Parking lot for the 7 days cost was about 7.00 per day.  It was a very easy drive to get to and leave from.

The ferry is not expensive either and runs often.

http://www.nywaterway.com/portimperial_w38.html

Joe


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## Lainie (Feb 26, 2006)

Jackio and Joe,  do you think our luggage would be ok in the trunk at these places?


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## xnavyss (Feb 27, 2006)

_Jackio and Joe, do you think our luggage would be ok in the trunk at these places?_


When we park at the Weehawken Parking Lot we try to get a spot close to the ticket office which is well lit and has people coming in and out.  There was security riding around also.

I personally would feel safe especially if it was just for a few hours and it was during the day.

Joe


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## 3kids4me (Feb 27, 2006)

Where are you traveling after you spend time in the city?  This would probably affect recommendations....

I don't think I would leave luggage in the trunk unless you are parking in a facility in the city (like Icon) where they take your car and garage it.  I was parked outside Beth Israel hospital last year, in a zone supposedly heavily patroled, and my trunk was jimmied.  (There was nothing in it, fortunately.) Someone who is good can make it look like they are just going to their own car to get something out of the trunk, so it doesn't matter how many people are around.  I would never drive into the city and leave anything in my trunk that would be a heartache to lose.

Sharon


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## jackio (Feb 27, 2006)

Sorry, I don't have any experience leaving luggage in the car in the city.  
-Jacki


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## Lainie (Feb 27, 2006)

I just booked the hotel today and plan to book the plane tickets tomorrow or the next day and expect to fly into LaGuardia.  It sounds like it would be best to park in a facility where they would garage the car.  Where would I find out where these are located?  

Another question, MapQuest has us coming in across the Triborough Bridge and leaving across the George Washington Bridge to go to our resort.  While in California we were warned by local LA people to be cautious driving in LA because if you didn't know where you were going you could get off at the wrong place and land in a very bad area.  Is this something we need to be concerned with in New York?  I don't know how the crime rate compares in New York & LA to New Orleans, but I felt comfortable driving in New Orleans.  You didn't really have to worry about acidentally landing in a bad area.


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## 3kids4me (Feb 27, 2006)

Is your resort in New Jersey?  I'm trying to figure out why you would be taking the GW Bridge.  If you're already in Manhattan, you have to go pretty far north to get on the GW Bridge just to go back down to New Jersey.  

As I mentioned before, it would help if you tell us where exactly you are going after you leave Manhattan, so that perhaps we can recommend a better route.  As far as getting off in the "wrong" area...there are some places in the Bronx off the Major Deegan that wouldn't make me feel too good...but you won't be anywhere near there unless you are taking the GW Bridge North and then somehow get on that highway....

Anyway, just tell us where you are actually going and it will be easier to help!

Sharon



			
				Lainie said:
			
		

> I just booked the hotel today and plan to book the plane tickets tomorrow or the next day and expect to fly into LaGuardia.  It sounds like it would be best to park in a facility where they would garage the car.  Where would I find out where these are located?
> 
> Another question, MapQuest has us coming in across the Triborough Bridge and leaving across the George Washington Bridge to go to our resort.  While in California we were warned by local LA people to be cautious driving in LA because if you didn't know where you were going you could get off at the wrong place and land in a very bad area.  Is this something we need to be concerned with in New York?  I don't know how the crime rate compares in New York & LA to New Orleans, but I felt comfortable driving in New Orleans.  You didn't really have to worry about acidentally landing in a bad area.


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## mamiecarter (Feb 27, 2006)

*drive around an see the city*

Sunday morning is lovely for just driving around in Manhaten. The streets are almost deserted. Look up the landmark buildings and sights...Wall Street, The World Trade center site, The west village, Central park, Harlem, Go over to Brooklyn, There is so much to see without getting out of your car. 

 Get a city map and plan it out in advance.Good time for downtown street parking. Stop, eat or get take out. Don't leave your car alone for long. You can see more of Manhatten driving on Sunday morning than on any tour bus. When you get tired leave.
Have fun!


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## Lainie (Feb 27, 2006)

At least it sounds like driving in Manhattan on Sunday morning shouldn't be a real problem.  I'm glad to hear that.

Sharon, I am going to Villa Roma in Callicoon.

Thanks so much for everyone's help.


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## 3kids4me (Feb 27, 2006)

Lainie said:
			
		

> At least it sounds like driving in Manhattan on Sunday morning shouldn't be a real problem.  I'm glad to hear that.
> 
> Sharon, I am going to Villa Roma in Callicoon.
> 
> Thanks so much for everyone's help.



Okay, I get it now, thanks.  Your resort is in Western New York near the PA border, so the most direct way is to cut through New Jersey and veer West to get up there!

However, when you decide where you are staying in Manhattan, redo your mapquest (or whatever) with the exact address of your hotel, because you can also take the Holland Tunnel into New Jersey, and the entrance to the tunnel may be a lot closer than going up to the GW Bridge.

Sharon


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## DonM (Feb 27, 2006)

Lainie said:
			
		

> While in California we were warned by local LA people to be cautious driving in LA because if you didn't know where you were going you could get off at the wrong place and land in a very bad area.  Is this something we need to be concerned with in New York?  I don't know how the crime rate compares in New York & LA to New Orleans, but I felt comfortable driving in New Orleans.  You didn't really have to worry about acidentally landing in a bad area.



The crime rate has fallen over the past few years- however despite being born & raised in the Bronx, there are still parts of NYC that I wouldn't want to be in at night by myself.

Have you ever read "Bonfire of the Vanities"?


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## Lainie (Feb 28, 2006)

Sharon, the plan is that we will fly into NY at around 8:00 a.m. on Sunday morning and check in at our resort is 4:00 p.m. So we thought we might spend a few hours in the city before we head out to the resort.  Figuring out what to do with our luggage seems to be the biggest problem I have to overcome.  If there are lots with attendants, that sounds like it might work.  Then we will be flying out at 9:20 p.m. the next Sunday night and thought to spend a few hours in the city that day as well.  Do you think this plan would work?

Don, no I haven't read that.  Guess I'll have to get the book and see about reading it.

Thanks so much everyone, I really appreciate it more than you can imagine!!!!


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## Lainie (Feb 28, 2006)

It looks like the Icon lots might work for us.  Are these good safe places to park?  Does anyone recommend a particular lot or area for one of the lots?  We would probably be wanting to see things in the Midtown area or the Downtown area.


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