Ask me anything about New York and Manhattan (NYC)

you should definetely stay uptown. You'll be looking at around $75-$100 per night depending on availability during your stay in the harlem/bronx for a really decent 3* place. I'm not sure there's any 4* up in that area unless you go farther south to the upper east side.

If you wanna do the easy thing, and don't mind the hostel, just book at the YMCA harlem. I believe there are private rooms there off the top of my head but they're all shared bath i think.

Originally Posted by bolthead

Hey, I plan on hitting NYC in late August for probably 3 or 4 nights. I'd like to stay in midtown, but I just was thinking maybe somewhere uptown would be alright if it were a decent (clean, reasonably priced) chain hotel, or any really.
Reason being I want to go to a Yankees and Mets game in the final year of their respective stadiums. So I'd be going to the Bronx, and Queens. Also being a baseball nut, I'd like to see a couple minor league games, there's the Staten Island Yankees, and the Brooklyn Cyclones.

So my question would be what would a reasonable price be to expect if I were to bid on priceline.com, for midtown, and say maybe uptown somewhere. I'd like to try and keep prices down if possible. Even staying in a hostel if I had a private room may be acceptable, but preferably a hotel. Alright, thanks!

I've actually always wanted to see the zoo!
I caught a small glimpse of the zoo once but that was about it. I'm not sure if an hour for the zoo will be sufficient but it's not a large zoo by any means (def not like the metro toronto zoo).

Central park in general is amazing in nice weather
you could EASILY spend 1/2 a day there if not a full day.

Originally Posted by arctic

Thanks for the replies. We decided to get a bigger hotel room.

I was wondering if the central park zoo is worth a visit.
We'll be traveling with 2 kids under the age of 15.
And how many hours would it take to see everything in the zoo?
Would an hour be enough?
Thanks~

Originally Posted by CoffeeAddict

you should definetely stay uptown. You'll be looking at around $75-$100 per night depending on availability during your stay in the harlem/bronx for a really decent 3* place. I'm not sure there's any 4* up in that area unless you go farther south to the upper east side.

If you wanna do the easy thing, and don't mind the hostel, just book at the YMCA harlem. I believe there are private rooms there off the top of my head but they're all shared bath i think.

Thanks! I stumbled upon Long Island City when I just checked out Best Western for stuff in the area. So, Queens may be a possibility. Any thoughts on that neck of the woods? I'll look into the hostel idea with a private room. I only want a place to sleep, and store a small backpack of stuff, keeping valuables with me at all times.

Just looked up YMCA, and they have one in Flushing, just north of the last stop on the 7. How is that area? That would be convenient the night after a Mets game. Thanks again!

That YMCA is the one i was talki about!
it's very highly recommended by every website and guidebook i've ever seen for NYC. As a hostel it's probably top notch in Manhattan. Before going the hostel route though I would try priceline. Doesn't cost any money to try after all

Also I think i'd rather stay in Harlem than Queens but that's just me. Harlem is happenin and last time i was in Queens I did not feel very safe at all. But then again I was by myself, at night, on a dark street so take that with a grain of salt.

Originally Posted by bolthead

Just looked up YMCA, and they have one in Flushing, just north of the last stop on the 7. How is that area? That would be convenient the night after a Mets game. Thanks again!

Originally Posted by deity307

I'm heading to New York with my family in two weeks. Where's the cheapest place to stay in the New York area? I heard New Jersey (which is across the river) is the cheapest place since anything in New York itself is pretty expensive.

here's a website containing really good info on NJ hotels and how to get from NJ to NYC: http://www.broadwayfocus.com/nj_nyc/

Originally Posted by CoffeeAddict

That YMCA is the one i was talki about!
it's very highly recommended by every website and guidebook i've ever seen for NYC. As a hostel it's probably top notch in Manhattan. Before going the hostel route though I would try priceline. Doesn't cost any money to try after all

Also I think i'd rather stay in Harlem than Queens but that's just me. Harlem is happenin and last time i was in Queens I did not feel very safe at all. But then again I was by myself, at night, on a dark street so take that with a grain of salt.

I'll give priceline a whirl, how does 3 star upscale in Midtown East sound?

Just putting this out there -- you can find really great deals on short-term sublet apartments on craigslist.

I was in New York for 5 weeks this winter, and found the perfect place in the perfect location for me. All-in, it cost me $2100. Even if I'd stayed in the cheapest hotel possible, it would have been over twice that.

New Yorkers will sublet their apartments for even a few days if they're going to be away. Rent is so expensive, they almost can't afford not to do it. And everyone leaves the city in the summer, so it's prime pickings for travelers soon.

It can be a challenge to choose a place sight unseen, but if you're familiar with the city already, you can get a general idea of what you're in for where.

I have been to New York City 5 times. In 1995 and 1999 with my family, when we stayed in Brooklyn. Then in 2005 with Safeway (Chinese bus tours), then in the summers of 2006 and 2007. I highly recommend you use Hotwire and/or Priceline, they are very good. I got a great hotel for really cheap in the heart of Manhattan last summer thanks to Hotwire.

Originally Posted by CoffeeAddict

Harlem/Bronx is a bit rougher than anything south of central park but I think you'll still be very safe. Harlem and the Bronx have been going through a renaissance in the last decade and are getting gentrified. I personally haven't been up there and have only read about it.

I heard Spanish Harlem is a little bit rough and should be avoided but it's only residential apts there. Nothing a tourist would go check out anyway.

From what I hear the Bronx is uber-trendy these days. Lots of stuff happening around there

I went to Spanish Harlem ("El Barrio") last year because my mom wanted to go to a store and that was the closest location in Manhattan to where we were staying. NYC really isn't as dangerous as people think, but yeah, I wouldn't stay in a hotel in that area, or anywhere above Central Park really. Like you said, not much to see and do for tourists.

I wanted to second the craigslist option for New York as well
A friend of mine did a sublet in new york and go lucky with a great, clean apt.

What is the best way from Penn Station (New York) to Newark Liberty Airport? I plan on taking Porter Airlines back to Toronto, so when I leave I end up going to Newark Airport. I heard there's two ways to get there.

1.

-Take the PATH train to NEWARK Penn Station

-From Newark Penn Station, take the #62 bus to the Airport station

-From the airport station, take the Airtrain to the Airport

Cost: $2.85

2.

-Take New York Penn Station, take the NJ Transit train to the Airport Train Station in Newark

-Take the Airtrain from there

Cost: $15.00

3.

-Take Olympia bus to Newark Airport

Cost: $14.00

I wanna try #1 since it's by far the cheapest way to the Airport. But I'm wondering how long it would take to get there and how much of a risk is traffic congestion? Don't wanna miss my plane!

option 2 is a speedy guarantee but option 1 isn't bad. I believe my friend said it took him around 30 mins last time he did that trip?
At any rate i think you'd be very very safe with option 1
even safer than a cab depending on just how bad traffic is.

Option 3 is great if you are anywhere near Grand Central. Of course you'd have to get there from Penn so it may not be worthwhile but the buses are great, run like clockwork and drop you at any of the 3 terminals at EWR you want.

Just wondering what the best way to get from JFK to manahattan is? I'm staying at the Marriott Marquis right at times square.

Originally Posted by fugazi11

Just wondering what the best way to get from JFK to manahattan is? I'm staying at the Marriott Marquis right at times square.

Have you tried reading http://wikitravel.org/en/New_York_(city) as suggested by CoffeeAddict?

John F. Kennedy International Airport (IATA: JFK) [4] is in the borough of Queens to the east of the city. Many international airlines fly into JFK and it is a major international hub for Delta Airlines (Terminals 2 and 3) and American Airlines (Terminal 8 and 9). Air France (Terminal 1), Lufthansa (Terminal 1), British Airways (Terminal 7) each provide several flights daily into JFK. Jet Blue, a large low-cost carrier in the US, occupies Terminal 6. A free AirTrain connects the terminals. Always make sure you know which terminal your flight arrives at or departs from.

Left luggage services are available in the arrivals areas of Terminal 1 and Terminal 4. There are plenty of ATMs (almost all charge a small fee). Luggage trolleys are available either for a fee of $3 (Terminals 2, 3, 7,8, 9 and all departures) or free (Terminals 1 and 4). There are many hotels in all categories close to the airport and most run shuttle buses to/from the airport.

Taxi The most flexible route into the city from JFK is a taxi, although the wait for one can be long when many flights arrive simultaneously. Cab fare runs a flat $45 anywhere in Manhattan, not including tolls (upto $4) or tips (15-20% depending on the level of service). Follow signs "Ground Transportation" and "Taxi" to the taxi line outside the arrivals area and look for the taxi despatcher. Taxis to points other than Manhattan and taxis to the airport from anywhere use the meter (see taxis in Getting Around). Note that the arrivals terminals are filled with drivers hawking illegal livery rides at grossly inflated prices that prey on newly arrived tourists, so beware. But if you don't want to wait a half hour for a Yellow Cab and the black livery car has a sticker of a car service name - you can usually bargain down the price to $35 - 40.

Car Service/Limousines Are a useful way of getting to the airport (see the Getting Around section) because it is not always easy to find taxis in Manhattan. You can always call ahead and have a car service pick you up from the airport ($60+ for points in Manhattan) if you want that convenience.

Coach services that provide bus service from JFK and La Guardia to Grand Central Station and Penn Station. New York Airport Express provides services into Grand Central Station, Penn Station, and the Port Authority Bus Terminal for $15/person. Trans-Bridge Lines provides infrequent service to the Port Authority Bus Terminal for $12. SuperShuttle with blue vans provides service to Manhattan hotels for about $25. Another popular shuttle service comes from way of airlinkny. Great rates from all major airports starting at $12 to $15 per person to Grand Central Port Authority, Penn Station, Bryant Park, and Midtown Hotels. The 'New York Airport Express' service is not as well organised as made out on their website. They recommend which bus you take, however this does not take into account the huge delays in immigration queues at JFK, especially Terminal 4 (2hrs+ at peak times) upon arrival in Manhattan, the bus drops you off at Grand Central Terminal, and you transfer to another smaller bus. The whole situation at this point is chaos and confusion, the drivers are un-helpful and nobody seems to know what is going on. Also the website advertises a transfer to your hotel, but they just drop you off in the general area.

Commuter rail The JFK AirTrain runs to Jamaica station, from which you may connect to Long Island Rail Road trains to Long Island or to Penn Station. You may also get trains to Downtown Brooklyn or to Hunterspoint Ave in Queens. This last option is useful if your destination is in downtown Queens or on the east side of Manhattan. The Hunterspoint and Brooklyn trains are less frequent than the Penn Station trains. Taking the train can be significantly faster than a taxi if your ultimate destination is in Midtown Manhattan, especially during peak travel times. This route is less attractive if you have a lot of baggage, however. You can also save a lot of money over a taxi if you are travelling alone or with one other person. You may also take trains to Ronkonkoma, where you can get shuttles to Islip airport, useful for catching flights on Southwest Airlines. The Long Island Railroad is sometimes substantially more expensive than the Subway—it costs $7.50 to travel from Jamaica to the city center during peak periods. On weekends, any travel within city borders on any MTA railroad is $3. Other times, the fare is $5. The JFK Airtrain to the station costs $5.

Subway: From the Airport: JFK AirTrain [5] runs to Howard Beach station to connect with the "A" subway and to Jamaica station to connect with the "E" and "J/Z" subways (Sutphin Blvd station), the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and buses. If you are travelling to the downtown area (the financial district), use the "A" train from Howard Beach. If heading to the midtown area (including Times Square) use the "E" train. However, as the E train makes so few stops in Queens, it could be faster to take the E regardless. Late nights, the A runs as a local in Brooklyn and can be significantly slower than the E from anywhere in Manhattan. The JFK AirTrain costs $5; the subway costs $2.

Subway: To the Airport: Take the E Train to Sutphin Blvd, or the A Train to Howard's Beach. If catching the A, board trains with destination signs marked with Far Rockaway via JFK Airport or Rockaway Park via JFK Airport. If you catch a Ozone Park-Lefferts Blvd A, you will need to transfer to a train headed to the Rockaways. If you do end up on a train to Lefferts and miss an opportunity to transfer, IT IS OKAY. At Lefferts Boulevard, transfer to the Q10 bus on street level, which travels to JFK Airport. Or you can backtrack as well. When taking this route into or out of Manhattan during the overnight hours be alert of your surroundings as you will be passing through some rough neighborhoods.

The Cheap Option If you really want to slum it and avoid the $5 AirTrain ticket, you can take NYCT buses ($2 or a free transfer from the subway) to Lefferts Boulevard station where you can catch an A train, or to New Lots Avenue, in Brooklyn, where you can catch a 3 train. Note that the latter option is right in the middle of East New York, which may not the best place to be if you're not a local. You may also remain on the bus, and transfer to either the "L" train at Van Sindren Avenue (New Lots Avenue station), the (C) at Fulton Street (Kingston-Throop Avenues station, roughly two blocks west) or the (J) or (M) trains at Flushing Avenue, the last stop on the bus. 'Transferring between bus and subway requires a MetroCard; the single ride ticket does not allow transfers so this is likely to cost you $4 unless you have a multiple ride metrocard, in which case it will cost you $2. You won't pay anything if you have a day, week, or 30 day pass. Metrocards are available for sale at Hudson Newsstands in Terminals 1 and 6.

I got a lot of good information there.

I've seen lots of advice on getting to and around NYC. Here's my take on the process...

Getting there...

Sure the bus is cheap, but the return trip is two entire days lost with travel. The train is a bit more, but the time consequence is the same. Our favourite way is to fly from Buffalo to JFK on JetBlue which is usually between $125 and $150 per person return - including taxes, in Canadian dollars. From JFK take the AirTran ($5/person) to Jamaica Station. From there take the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) to PENN Station for about $10/person. You can take NY transit from there to pretty much anywhere. Get a Metro Card and for $20you'll get $24-worth of rides; plenty for a long weekend in NYC.

Staying there...

We've stayed in NJ and in mid-town Manhattan. By far the best way is to stay in Manhattan's financial district. Hotel rooms are more reasonable and larger. Sure it's a bit of a subway ride to the park and Times Square, but it's not like you have to crawl over broken glass to get there. We got a nice deluxe room with a king-size bed in the Marriott Financial Centre for $214/night CDN. Tiny mid-town rooms in questionable hotels start at $300. The financial district is also more convenient to Battery Park, Canal Street, SoHo, Tribecca, Little Italy, the Staten Island Ferry, etc.