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TL Mair

8 Years Ago

Help, Traveling To New York

Ok so me and my son are going to be in New York in a couple of weeks, we only have 4 days total that included fly in and fly out, so two days in the city/area, he is a fire fighter, and wants to see the 9/11 memorial, and some firehouse, I would like to go to central park, times square, and perhaps the empire state building.
Don't know if there is enough time for all of that, anyway we fly into JFK, and then on the return trip we fly out of Laguardia, can anyone recommend a not expensive hotel near Laguardia, and what is the best way to get around?
Any other information you think I should have would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance!!!

TL Mair
http://tlmair.com

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Mike Savad

8 Years Ago

probably a combo of subways and taxi's. you don't want to drive in ny.


---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

 

Xueling Zou

8 Years Ago

I use travel guide/travel adviser , it helps me to figure out my days, hotels and what I want to do everywhere I travel to...

 

See My Photos

8 Years Ago

http://www.mta.info/

Have you already purchased tickets? Its quite easy to commute into the city from New Jersey on metro!

 

Louise Reeves

8 Years Ago

Expedia.com is your friend.

 

Louise Reeves

8 Years Ago

See My Photos: LaGuardia is not in New Jersey, it's in NY.

 

TL Mair

8 Years Ago

Thanks for the replies.
Mike, I think that is good advice, I don't like driving in Salt Lake City, I can only imagine what it would be like in NY!

Thanks Xueling I will check that out.

Thanks Louise, we have looked on line, but on most of the hotels that are actually affordable have so many mixed reviews that it's hard to know which one hence the question ;-) I think see my photos was just saying if we had not already gotten our tickets we could fly in/out of New Jersey, never thought of that angle...mostly because I have never been there, so have no clue...on anything!

Thanks again.
TL Mair
http://tlmair.com

 

Mike Savad

8 Years Ago

ny is nightmarish at best if you want to drive, park, still have your car there when you come back. when we do go there, we go from nj to ny by ferry usually. but it doesn't go to all the stops. otherwise we use the train. still taxing on the legs and such and the train system is hard to understand.

i'm in nj, fine place to be, not near the bridge where the refineries are though.

we don't go often, but you can get around like that.

there are also water taxi's.


---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

 

James Canning

8 Years Ago

Not sure if this helps, but I stayed in NY in January, landed at La Guardia, got the bus to 125th and Lexington in Harlem, then got the express train down to Wall St where I had a Hotel. (Andaz) Found the Bus/Subway very good to get around with a little help from the Metro employees.

The places you want to see are spread out all over the City, will be difficult to see them all in the time you are there. If you get a chance a walk over the Brooklyn Bridge into Brooklyn is worth the time.

 

Edward Fielding

8 Years Ago

Try to fit in a walk on the Hi Line Park..

 

Mike Savad

8 Years Ago

just try not to step on a plant or stray off the path or spotters will yell at you. at the very least its a pretty good way to move quickly.


---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

 

Mike Savad

8 Years Ago

oh and don't walk into the benches like i did. granite and shins don't mix. and i almost fell on my face.


---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

 

TL Mair

8 Years Ago

Edward, that looks pretty close to where we are going to be visiting, I will put that on the list!

Ok Mike I will put that on the list too, my wife did that two days ago, except it was a granite bolder that she didn't see in the dark on our camping trip!!

TL Mair
http://tlmair.com

 

Mike Savad

8 Years Ago

if i remember right the benches kind of grow out of the ground. and if your not looking you'll end up flat on your face. i complained to the city but i doubt they did anything about it... but step on a plant, and boy they start lecturing you.

the worse one was when i had a bag that kept me from seeing the ground, it was a chest bag. there were peacocks around and they make a yowling sound. very much like the one i was making when i took a full kicking swing into that picnic table. had a 1/2" dent in my shin, that became a rather large lump. and that's how i remember what they sound like. and why i don't wear that bag any more.

---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

 
 

Val Arie

8 Years Ago

I would add if it were me I would go with the grey line tours...you will get to see everything you want and more and it will probably end up costing less and be in a more organized fashion than trying to get around the city on your own.

 

Rich Franco

8 Years Ago

TL,

Shoot NYC from the Jersey side, if you get a good night sky! Hoboken, Jersey City,etc. Let me know, I'll find that park that I shot from many years ago,

Rich

 

Edward Fielding

8 Years Ago

Watch out for Elmo in Times Square. I think he got picked up for pick-pocking last month.

The only other guy you'll see wearing a ten gallon hat is there also. The guy in the tighty whities.

 

TL Mair

8 Years Ago

Mike there are a few people here that have peacocks, so I know what they sound like!! I wish you could have accidentally recorded that sound coming out of you!

Thanks Val!!

Ok so I have a kind of I'm a wuss question, in Manhattan, is it safe to be on the streets at night? I would like to get some evening shots of some of the things, mostly around the 9/11 memorial, and then in Central park, so am I a wuss, or is it unsafe?
Thanks again.

TL Mair
http://tlmair.com

 

TL Mair

8 Years Ago

Thanks Rich, it sounds like I just might be able to get there, the way we do sight seeing is all day non stop, and all of the things I want to see are on Manhattan, so I would think with two full days and half of a third I should be able to get to Jersey.

Edward that's right I forgot about the singing cowboy, sadly I don't think I'll be taking the hat on the plane :-( That's a big hat!

TL Mair
http://tlmair.com

 

Toby McGuire

8 Years Ago

New York is an amazing city... So many great restaurants and stuff going on, literally on every block. Driving is not an option... My preference is to walk around the city, or take the subway. I don't bother with taxis.

I've walked around much of NYC at night with no issue, but I'm sure it can be dangerous in spots.

 

TL Mair

8 Years Ago

Thanks Toby that's good to know, except I guess that does make me a wuss!!

Actually I kind of like subways to get form one place to another if it is beyond walking distance, when we were in DC we took the subways everywhere, not expensive and way efficient!

TL Mair
http://tlmair.com

 

Rich Franco

8 Years Ago

TL,

I would suggest staying in NJ, and just going back and forth. The money saved would pay for the taxi or bus fair. Parking in the City is atrocious!

Rich

 

Suzanne Powers

8 Years Ago

Maybe you should Google something like "night sightseeing" at the various locations. In certain neighborhoods there are gangs that will not allow you to walk in their district, at least forty years ago that was true because a friend lived in one of those areas.

 

David Bridburg

8 Years Ago

I like driving in NYC. My cousin Ruth was an Irish nurse who used to work illegally in NYC in the 1980s. She taught me
how to drive in NYC. There were at the time four lanes, one to go left, one to go right and two for passing. Drive the oldest
clunker you can find and no one will waste their time getting in your way. lol...but serious.......

See the museums. At least one.

Do not bother with Little Italy. It is gone for the most part. Most of it is China Town now.

Find some good places to eat. They are everywhere.

Be very careful at night. Put your wallets in your front pockets in Times Square. Make it harder to be pick pocketed.

Take in a matinee of a Broadway show. It will still probably be $100 a seat, but cheaper than at night by something like half.

There are good hotels all over Manhattan. Shop them online for the best rates now. You can get a reasonable deal if you work at it now.
Try using things like your AAA card.

Oh and SOHO once known for artists.....not so much any more....that distinction has moved to Brooklyn I think.....

Dave

 

JC Findley

8 Years Ago

Manhattan is perfectly safe at night. (Not dead sure about Harlem though.) Most of Brooklyn and Queens are fine, most being a key word. Staten Island is spotty though I don't know it well. Most of the Bronx I would not do at night.

 

David Bridburg

8 Years Ago

Harlem was reworked. It is a much much better place now.

I think it is a restaurant in Harlem called Sylvia's serving southern fried chickens and collard greens and chickpeas etc
where I ate last time I was in NYC.

Manhattan is a big place, It is not safe in every neighborhood. And it depends on at what hour.

Dave

 

Newwwman

8 Years Ago

Ive lived outside of the NYC area my whole life and based on your schedule, there is nowhere near enough time to catch everything you want to do...I think you should come up with a plan of like 2 or three places you must see and you will catch some unknown stuff no doubt in the areas to and from those places...cabs and subway will do the trick. Also regarding LAG, I would not stay in a hotel in queens near there..its a dump....JFK is the closest ariport to the world trade center so I would stay their the first night and plan that whole first day downtown there - you got wall street, south street seaport and WTC - the ferry terminal, etc...- all just blocks from each other - up town NYC is probably only a 30 minute cab to LAG...find something maybe to stay that last night near Central Park and you have a short cab to lag ..have fun!

 

Bob Slitzan

8 Years Ago

If you're planning on the Empire State Building, book a time on-line. Not cheap.

 

Mike Savad

8 Years Ago

or you can go to the new freedom tower. i forget how much they charge to see the top. they have a downward view and a neat video in the elevator (you can see that in youtube if you want). its the tallest building around right now.


---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

 

JC Findley

8 Years Ago

Not to be argumentative, but JFK is most certainly not closer to downtown than LGA.

And unless I missed something, he only said he wanted to go to central park, times square, and perhaps the empire state building. There is plenty of time for that.

I will add, look into the Rockefeller Plaza instead of or as well as the ESB. The rooftop gives you views of Manhattan that will include the ESP.

Oh, NOTHING in NYC is cheap except manicures.

 

Suzanne Powers

8 Years Ago

With the way traffic crawls in NY I would check to see if walking is an option, unless you are not used to doing a lot of it. NY as David said has many great places to eat. Some of the best and cheapest are small startup restaurants that are in basements facing the street. If you don't get a chance to go to Chinatown this time it is amazing. I went with an Asian speaking person, she knew where to go. It's like you are actually in China with fish mongers, live eels and fresh caught fish in the shop windows. The restaurants are small and narrow with homemade wonderful Chinese food you will not find in uptown restaurants. The menu and everything in print including their own newspaper is written in Chinese.

 

TL Mair

8 Years Ago

Thank you all for the replies, and great suggestions.

JC I think is correct, most everything we want to see in on Manhattan, and there aren't a lot of those things, we want to see the 9/11 memorial, not the museum, I think it is firehouse No.2, and the Church at ground "0", central park, mostly the southern half...for whatever reason, and for the ESB, I just want to see it not visit it, I would also like to see the Chrysler building and the flatiron building, just don't have a desire to go into, or on them, and it would be cool to go to Jersey and get a night shot of the Manhattan skyline as long as I'm there.

I think this is going to end up being a recon trip, my wife is a school teacher and can't go, but wants to, so at some later date if it works out I am sure she will want to see more than I do.

As for great restaurants I'm not really a restaurant person, I have no desire to go to places with "great eats", McDonalds and Wendy's work for me, I am sure my son is going to want to try some stupid thing tho ;-)

Thanks again everyone

TL Mair
http://tlmair.com

 

David Bridburg

8 Years Ago

TL,

There are two prices for food in NYC. One the rich and the visitors pay which is high. And the other what the locals eat which is much much cheaper and good.

Ask any cab driver where to eat.

Dave

 

Diana Angstadt

8 Years Ago

I walk around NYC at night often. And I go alone, no issues whatsoever about safety. It is safe. I don't think I would venture down a deserted street alone by myself at night though. YOU MUST go to Times Square for night photography. It is amazing! Rockefeller Center is a good place to visit too, with perhaps going to the "Top of the Rock" for pics. You could easily see lots of the midtown sites by foot. If you want to go to the 9/11 memorial, that would be downtown and you would have to take the subways down there or a taxi.

 

David Bridburg

8 Years Ago

Diana,

You know where you are when walking around NYC.
You are not from out of town. And you are at times taking on some risk.

The hour and how many people are around matters.

Basically I agree NYC is very safe at night, but as an out of towner you do not have carte blanche at night.

Dave

 

Diana Angstadt

8 Years Ago

keep your camera around your neck..... Ladies need to keep their purses around their neck as well, or not carry one. Just need to be aware of your belongings and hold on to things. Wear comfortable shoes!

 

David Bridburg

8 Years Ago

TL,

Wearing comfortable shoes might be the only advice you need.

Dave

 

David Smith

8 Years Ago

If you're only going to be here for a couple of days, bite the bullet and stay in Manhattan. The price difference between a good hotel near the airport and one in the city is negligible once you factor in cab fare to and from the area of LGA or the time you'll lose taking public trans. Bus and subway service to the outer boroughs drops dramatically after 10:00 PM and a trip that takes an hour during the day can take 2 or more late at night. Keep your wallet in your front pants pocket, if your room has a safe keep most of your cash and credit cards there.

Keep your camera and bag in front of you in crowds. The biggest danger is pick pockets and people cutting open your bag with a razor and pulling out stuff when your in a crowd. If you put your bag on the floor while at a restaurant put a chair leg through the strap. At a going away party for a friend at a restaurant recently, one of the guests hung his laptop bag on the back of his chair and someone lifted it while he was seated in it and with 30 of us sitting right there.

 

David Randall

8 Years Ago

I went to art schools and lived there for a time doing the artist loft bit years ago. The trick in New York is to keep your eyes open, look around you, who is near always. Don't go wandering about looking up at tall buildings which is nearly impossible but makes you a mark as the tourist and helps you trip over park benches.

Go to at least one museum or some galleries. The Frick, the Met and the, Gugenheim are not to far from one another but there is no way you could do more than one. The Met is gigantic but very much at Central Park. The Whitney and MOMA are two others. All of it's going to give you a shot in the arm if you have not been before.

The Empire state Bldg. could take almost half a day. It often has a line to get in and go up.

SOHO, Little Italy and China Town aren't that far from The 9/11 site. The Brooklyn Bridge is walking distance.from 9/11 site

 

Toby McGuire

8 Years Ago

The Brooklyn Bridge is awesome... Great to walk across, especially when it isn't completely crowded with people. I love the Fulton Ferry Park too. Right in between the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan bridge. GREAT place to get photos of the bridges.

If you want a pic of the New York skyline do Top of the Rock, not the Empire State building. That is if you want the Empire State Building in your photo.

 

Toby McGuire

8 Years Ago

And I REALLY hope your son steers you away from McDonald's and Wendy's while you're in NYC :). There are so many amazing local restaurants there!

 

Bob Galka

8 Years Ago

TL...

I think your best bet would be to have your son contact the nyc fire department and explain your situation and plans. I will that they will take care of everything. They might even find a couple of empty bunks for the two of you and escort the 2 of you around the city in style.

That's what I would do.. after all being a firefighter is like belonging to a brotherhood.

 

Bob Galka

8 Years Ago

Oh... Lombardi's pizza in Greenwich Village.. I think you will enjoy that... certainly nothing fancy, but the best pizza... and yes I know that is a controversial statement in N.Y.C. LOL

 

TL Mair

8 Years Ago

Toby first congrats on your sale, how cool is that!!! I am sure we will indulge in some finer foods wile we are there.

Bob that is an excellent idea, I texted him and he said he would give them a call, I told him to ask about reasonable priced hotels, and then told him if they offer a couple of bunks to NOT turn them down ;-).
I'm not a real traveler, but I am starting to get a little excited about this!!
thanks all for the replies!!!

TL Mair
http://tlmair.com

 

Diana Angstadt

8 Years Ago

You can find some great food in Little Italy or China Town.... authentic family run restaurants with lower prices and amazing goodness!

 

Louise Reeves

8 Years Ago

Times Square has become a motley collection of scammers, half naked people and gullible tourists. Skip it.

 

This discussion is closed.