I'm considering doing a mileage run to NYC next month where I would arrive at 8 pm and leave at 7 am the next morning. Given that NYC is "the city that never sleeps," I would forego a (very expensive) hotel room for the first time and just consider going out all night.

I kind of have my nighttime plans set (though I'll ask for suggestions in another thread), but I was thinking about the best way to get to LGA in the middle of the night without taking a taxi from the city. The plan is to arrive at LGA somewhere between 4:30 and 5:00 am.

I have always used the A and the AirTrain to JFK, but I don't seem to be able to find a good, middle of the night subway or train route to LGA. I see some subway stations that are close, but then I would have to get out of the subway and look for a cab in areas where I don't know that it would be safe, or that there would even be cabs available at that time of night. I realize that taking a cab from the city is probably quick and easy, but I don't want to get to LGA much before 5 am, and I suspect that I will be starting to fade around 4 am and won't be able to do much after that.

Any suggestions?