New York City

[Dan O]

Hey,

We are driving (sorry) to east coast and staying most likely in NJ. There is a place pretty near the Holland Tunnel. Also another possible spot is near the Newark Airport. I think that one is Howard Johnson's. Anyway, here's the question--Which area would be best for getting to the lower part of Manhattan via bridges? My wife does not tolerate tunnels, subways, elevators, etc so we have to cross into NY via bridge. It appears from the Holland Tunnel area I could go north and cross over way above Central Park and then drive south. From Newark, I'd cross a couple bridges I think to get over from the Brooklyn bridge. If you had to use a bridge (sorry no trains or tunnels), which would you recommend?

We have been to the E coast a couple times but never been to NYC. She loves the things there --theater and museums especially--but too many phobias for us to try it. This year we thought we'd give it a shot.

Thanks,

Dan

PS. If you have any ideas where we could stay within reasonable commute distance, I'd appreciate those. There are 6 of us tho..2 parents, adult child, teen, 10 yr old and 3 yr old. Hard to find anything that even takes 5, much less 6. The 3 yo sleeps with us so 2 double/queens and a rollaway are plenty.

 

[AlanB]

Dan,

If tunnels are out, then my first question is why Newark or Jersey City/Hoboken (near the Holland Tunnel)?

Look further north in New Jersey, like Paramus, Edgewater, Palisades Park, Secaucus, where you'll be much closer to the George Washington Bridge. Or look in Queens/Long Island instead. However, if you have your heart set on Newark, Hoboken, JC, then I'd still recommend going north to the George Washington Bridge if you're going to drive. Going over the Bayone Bridge to Staten Island, to the Verazano Bridge, to the Brooklyn Bridge is not only way out of the way, it's also far more expensive and you're far more likely to get stuck in traffic.

Yet another option, assuming that your wife can deal with boats, is to take the NJ Waterways ferry into Manhattan. It's not a car ferry, just a passenger one, but they run shuttle buses all over Manhattan from the dock in NYC. On the Jersey side they have parking lots that aren't too expensive.

If you PM me your dates, I'll see if I can't come up with a few other hotel recommendations.

 

[Dan O]

Dan,
If tunnels are out, then my first question is why Newark or Jersey City/Hoboken (near the Holland Tunnel)?

It was one of the only places that I could find w/ rooms that could accomodate 6. ANother one was in Bayshore which seemed a bit of a drive. I don't care where we stay if it's cheap and we can all be in one room. Right now I have one in NJ for about $125 a night.

Look further north in New Jersey, like Paramus, Edgewater, Palisades Park, Secaucus, where you'll be much closer to the George Washington Bridge. Or look in Queens/Long Island instead. However, if you have your heart set on Newark, Hoboken, JC, then I'd still recommend going north to the George Washington Bridge if you're going to drive. Going over the Bayone Bridge to Staten Island, to the Verazano Bridge, to the Brooklyn Bridge is not only way out of the way, it's also far more expensive and you're far more likely to get stuck in traffic.

Okay. I will see if I can find something further north.

Yet another option, assuming that your wife can deal with boats, is to take the NJ Waterways ferry into Manhattan. It's not a car ferry, just a passenger one, but they run shuttle buses all over Manhattan from the dock in NYC. On the Jersey side they have parking lots that aren't too expensive.

I don't know that she'd go for that. She isn't afraid of boats but she wants all the kids to know how to swim and the 3 yo doesn't. But it's worth asking her. Thanks.

If you PM me your dates, I'll see if I can't come up with a few other hotel recommendations.

I will.

Thanks.

 

[Dan O]

We are going to be in NYC 7 days I think. Here's the plan so far. Any ideas for day 7 or to add on to the places we are going to be visiting? I checked and the Mets are not in town when we are there and the Yankess are OVERPRICED big time. Couldn't get a seat w/in our price range. We may if we had internet access on trip but I don't think we will.

Day one WTC, Ferry to Staten Island , Chinatown Ice cream factory, Chinatown lower east side of Manhattan, Seaport , Skyscraper Museum Viet Nam Vet Memorial, Wall St,

Day two Coney Island Cyclone roller. Deno’s Wonder Wheel COUPON New York Aquarium $70 ( freeconcert if we go on Thursdays,) Fireworks at night

Day 3 Metropolitan Museum of Art Guggenheim Museum CLOSED THURS

Day 4 American museum of Natural History/visit friend

Day 5 MOMA Rockefeller plaza, Saks 5th Avenue, Time Square 42nd and Broadway St Patricks

Day 6 Not set in stone but Empire State Bldg, and other sites in that general area.

Day 7 ????

Thanks...

Dano

 

[WhoozOn1st]

Dan O,

With the Mets outta town, and Yankees prices outta sight, how 'bout a minor league game? Both teams have single-A affiliates right there, and at least one of 'em oughta be in town - both if they're playing each other.

The Brooklyn Cyclones play at Keyspan Park, which is right by Coney Island and their namesake roller coaster. Tickets $8-$15.

The Staten Island Yankees play, oddly enough, out on Staten Island, at Richmond County Bank Ballpark in St. George. You can see it off to the right from the ferry on approach to the island. Tickets $6-$14, not currently available online.

Both ballparks are pretty new. Haven't been to a ballgame at either one (minor league season had just ended last time I was in NYC), but have seen the SI Yanks one up close; nice. The catch here is that I don't know when you're going, and the New York Penn League (both teams) season doesn't start 'til June 19.

For other stuff, maybe Day 7, don't forget the Chrysler Building, Central Park (visitors guide) Wall Street & NYSE, Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, Federal Reserve Bank of New York (tours), The Cloisters.

 

[AlanB]

Dan,

If you're already going to be in Rock Plaza, I'd suggest doing the Top of the Rock, rather than the Empire State Building. In addition to be considerably cheaper than the Empire State Building, they give you an assigned time to show up. You walk through security and once clear, basically step right onto the elevator to head up to the top. At the Empire State you wait in lines to get up almost to the top, and then you have to wait once again on like the 86th floor or something like that, to get all the way to the top. The ES does sell a ticket, like $50 last time I knew, that allows one to bypass the line downstairs, but you still get stuck in the line upstairs.

Or for 18 bucks booked online (it's a special right now), you can visit the Top of the Rock (TOTR) and not wait in lines. They're also right now apparently offering package deal if you're interested where for $36 you not only get the TOTR, but you get to visit the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame Annex.

And since you're over in the Jersey City area, you might want to consider for your final day visiting the Liberty Sceince Center. I'm not sure that it will take a full day, but I'm betting the kids will love it, since it is geared to kids. It also puts you very close to the NJ ferry to the Statue of Liberty, so that could fill the rest of the time.

 

[Dan O]

Dan O,
With the Mets outta town, and Yankees prices outta sight, how 'bout a minor league game? Both teams have single-A affiliates right there, and at least one of 'em oughta be in town - both if they're playing each other.

Hey, the Cyclones are in town for the days we would most likely be at Coney Island. So I penciled them in. I don't know that we will see them but I will suggest it. It may be a long day and everyone will want to go home by the time the game starts (7PM). Thanks. The stadium looks to be a very short walk from where we would be. There is also a concert series in the area on Thursday nights. I haven't seen who is there this year but last year they had some pretty big names performing.

For other stuff, maybe Day 7, don't forget the Chrysler Building, Central Park (visitors guide) Wall Street & NYSE, Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, Federal Reserve Bank of New York (tours), The Cloisters.

Okay. Got the Chrylser bldg on the list. GOt FRB too. I can't get a reservation on that for a bit because we aren't dead set on which day we will be in that area. We are supposed to be meeting a good friend but don't know the date yet. He's been real busy w/ sick mother so don't have that set but I hope to do that soon.

Intrepid? Not sure. We have been on the Midway in San Diego a couple times. Fun but not sure we can fit that into NYC. However, I will put it on list. Do you know if it is much different from the Midway in San DIego?

Thanks for the suggestions.

Dan

 

[Dan O]

Dan,
If you're already going to be in Rock Plaza, I'd suggest doing the Top of the Rock, rather than the Empire State Building. In addition to be considerably cheaper than the Empire State Building, they give you an assigned time to show up. You walk through security and once clear, basically step right onto the elevator to head up to the top. At the Empire State you wait in lines to get up almost to the top, and then you have to wait once again on like the 86th floor or something like that, to get all the way to the top. The ES does sell a ticket, like $50 last time I knew, that allows one to bypass the line downstairs, but you still get stuck in the line upstairs.

Okay. Thanks. I think we will at least go by the ESB just to see it up close. We are in that area for some other things.

And since you're over in the Jersey City area, you might want to consider for your final day visiting the Liberty Science Center. I'm not sure that it will take a full day, but I'm betting the kids will love it, since it is geared to kids. It also puts you very close to the NJ ferry to the Statue of Liberty, so that could fill the rest of the time.

Okay. Thanks. Put that on the list too. I am sure there will be a few things we may not get to but better to have a few options for more things to see if we go someplace and it doesn't take long to see it.

Thanks. And you are right, I think the kids would like the Science center quite a bit

 

[WhoozOn1st]

Intrepid? Not sure. We have been on the Midway in San Diego a couple times. Fun but not sure we can fit that into NYC. However, I will put it on list. Do you know if it is much different from the Midway in San DIego?

I was last aboard Intrepid during the previous century (1996). Since then it has been dug out of the river mud and is now actually floating again, and a multimillion-dollar refurb of the whole shebang has been accomplished. Don't know all the details, but one major difference from Midway is a Concord on the flight deck. There was a TV documentary about moving the retired SST from JFK to Intrepid, and here's a short video: Moving the Concord to the USS Intrepid; a number of others online as well.

 

[Dan O]

Intrepid? Not sure. We have been on the Midway in San Diego a couple times. Fun but not sure we can fit that into NYC. However, I will put it on list. Do you know if it is much different from the Midway in San DIego?

I was last aboard Intrepid during the previous century (1996). Since then it has been dug out of the river mud and is now actually floating again, and a multimillion-dollar refurb of the whole shebang has been accomplished. Don't know all the details, but one major difference from Midway is a Concord on the flight deck. There was a TV documentary about moving the retired SST from JFK to Intrepid, and here's a short video: Moving the Concord to the USS Intrepid; a number of others online as well.

I wouldn't mind seeing a Concord. I thought they needed special runways to land on, no? Or maybe they just made too much noise for some airports.

Thanks. I did put that on the list.

Dan

 

[PRR 60]

I wouldn't mind seeing a Concord. I thought they needed special runways to land on, no? Or maybe they just made too much noise for some airports.
Thanks. I did put that on the list.

Dan

It could use normal runways, but the noise was an issue for Concorde. The biggest issue was economics. The market had to support the cost of the service, and very few markets could.
I saw one at the aviation museum at Boeing Field in Seattle, and it's kind of a sad sight.