Driving to NYC - Best way to get into city?

I will be driving from Ohio to New York City with my wife and two children, nine and five, for a week in April at the Doubletree Guest Suites (Broadway and 47th). I will arrive on a Sunday and depart on a Saturday. I would like to avoid taking my car into the city to avoid the parking cost and driving headache.

What is my best option for parking in New Jersey and taking alternative transportation? I see that there is a ferry from Weehawken to about 38th street with connecting buses to areas in midtown. Is this an option with luggage, or is this really a commuter ferry that I should avoid? Also, is there long-term parking there or is the parking really just meant to be daily?

Another alternative would be to take Amtrak in from some point in New Jersey. Is there a natural place to do that, where there is inexpensive, safe, long-term parking? I assume all the trains arrive at Penn Station and then I would take a taxi from there.

Any other options I haven't considered?

Thanks for the help.

Andy

Congrats on seeing that it's expensive, stressful and wholly pointless to drive a private car into Manhattan. If it were me, I'd probably drive as far as Trenton or Princeton Junction, NJ, drop the car in Amtrak long-term parking, and take Amtrak the rest of the way:

http://www.amtrak.com/stations/tre.html
http://www.amtrak.com/stations/pjc.html

Another option, if you're up for more of a driving hassle, would be to drive up to Newark Airport on the NJ Turnpike, drop the car in long-term parking, then catch the EWR Monorail to the passenger terminals, where you can get the fast & convenient Olympia Trails bus into Midtown... or on to the Newark Amtrak station where you can get the train into Penn Station.

I wouldn't take the ferry wth luggage.

I would park in a New Jersey Transit lot and take the train in.

You are lucky, parking on a sunday should be a breeze, probably no lot will be anywhere near full.

Take the train to Penn Station, then a cab to the doubletree. Great hotel, you'll like it.


From their website (www.njtransit.com):

I am visiting/driving to New Jersey and I want to take a train into New York City. Where can I find daily/overnight parking lots adjacent to your stations? Back to Top

If you are traveling from Southern New Jersey, you may consider parking at Trenton Train Station where you can catch a Northeast Corridor train to New York Penn Station located in midtown Manhattan at 33rd Street and 7th Avenue. For related parking information at Trenton Train Station, please call (609)599-9614.
If you are in Central New Jersey, you may consider taking the New Jersey Turnpike to Exit 11 and taking the Garden State Parkway North for two miles to Exit 131A to Metropark Train Station where you can catch a Northeast Corridor train to New York Penn Station. For related parking information at Metropark Train Station, please call (732) 906-1661.
If you are coming from the Northwestern portion of New Jersey via Route 80, you may want to consider parking at the Dover Rail Station and taking a MidTOWN Direct train to New York Penn Station. For related parking information at Dover Train Station, please call (973) 366-2200.
For parking information at any other NJ TRANSIT rail station, please call the Transit Information Center. Agents are available to assist you daily between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and midnight at 1-800-626-RIDE in the NY, NJ, and PA vicinity, or at 1-800-772-2222 within New Jersey. South Jersey callers may dial 1-800-582-5946. All other areas should dial 1-(973) 762-5100.

I have driven into NYC while living in DC and RI numerous times. It's not that hard. And I think it's preferrable to parking in NJ and take public transport. Just ask the hotel for good directions, arrange for parking if necessary, and drive there. Yes, it'll cost quite a bit for parking, but you still have to pay for parking in NJ.

Plus, I'd be worrying about the car for leaving in a lot in NJ for 7 days, except at Newark Airport.

IMO, Newark Airport is the way to go. Park at long term parking where it's not too expensive and your car will be safe. I've done it numerous times. It's a lot cheaper, and less of a headache, than driving into Manhatten.

I disagree. I also drive into Manhattan a lot and have no problem, but if were going to spend a week in the city, I'd leave my car elsewhere. The car will be perfectly safe at one of the Amtrak or Newark Airport lots mentioned in the other posts. I guess I'd feel less comfortable about a NJ Transit lot.

Newark Airport long term parking. The rail from there to Penn station will be a breeze on weekends and you can get a cab from there to the hotel. Also lots of travellors use that (as opposed to the ferry) so it is really good about luggage. If I could get service like that to LGA and JFK I would save a ton of money on limos.

I would agree with leaving a car at a rail station the problem is some rail stations require you had a permitt to park there and without one you will get towed.
http://www.njtransit.com/sf_train_sc...on_parking.jsp
Above is a link with all the new jersey transit stations offering parking and there parking rules.What route are you planning on taking into the area?Drop me an email at [email protected] and ill be glad to help .
-howie
ps.smart move to leave your car in nj it would cost you 25+/day to park at the hotel

I'm not from NY so call me an idiot for posting. Has anyone considered driving into Manhattan then parking the car on the street in Staten Island? Another probably silly idea is to park the car in Westchester County.

I have an idea of some streets to park in both of these two places but will the neighbors protest if I post them?

Consider the cost and convenience factors, and decide for yourself. Call the hotel to find out how much they charge for parking. Let's say it's $25/day. Find out out much it's to park at EWR's long-term lot.

If you drive into NYC, you pay the bridge/tunnel once, for about $8. If you park in NJ, you have the fees for R/T transportation for 4 people. And you have to take luggage with you onto shuttle bus, a couple of trains (or another bus), and to the doors of the hotel, and the extra time, etc...

If you park at a NJTransit lot, really ask around security.

Ok, you're an idiot. In order to get to SI from Manhattan by car, you would either go back through NJ or go through Brooklyn and then cross the Verrazano. Westchester is not convenient unless one were coming from the north. Parking at EWR is better than that.

Drop your family off at the hotel and then keep circling the block until you find a parking spot or pick them up at the end of the week (which ever comes first).

Seriously, I'd valet park with the hotel. If you charge it to your room you'll get FF miles for the money spent (less the tip).

The New York City forum below?

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“I did absolutely nothing and it was everything I thought it could be.”

I did do that once -- I was heading to Europe for two weeks, out of EWR, and i had this idea that the car would be safer if I parked it on the street on S.I. near the home of a family friend.

So, park the car. Walk to bus stop with luggage. Take bus to St. George ferry. Take ferry to Manhattan. In my case, walk to another bus stop, wait for bus to EWR... ah, the heck with it.

This guy's got two small kids; the hassle factor goes way down if he can just ride the train from the hinterlands straight into Penn Station. And the Amtrak lots in NJ are safe and no, no permits required; this is what they're there for.

As for valet-parking the car in Manhattan: a week of that action will probably come to more than $200.

What's the total cost of the Amtrak deal both ways, plus cab rides round trip to Penn Station? $75? I say park at the hotel and avoid the luggage schlepping hassle - unless you can't afford $125 for this convenience. Plus you have your car handy in the unlikely event you will need it.

As a former NYC taxi driver, I assure you the experience of driving in Manhattan is worth it.