Against my better judgment, we will have a car in NYC next week. I'm trying to figure out the best plan for where we stay (with friends/ family or in a hotel I have reserved in Chelsea).....
So, what are your recommendations for what to do with the car.

How expensive is it to drive into the city from Jersey (from Middlesex county) and park for the entire day....

vs. Parking it for several days (if we were to stay in Manhattan)....

What are some good alternatives?
I'm concerned that the car be safe as it will have out of state plates.... and might not be moved for a few days.

What are the rules for alternate parking (for street cleaning) in the Bronx and Manhattan?

How much does it cost to park for let's say 13 hours vs...... 24 hours....?
If you park for 24 hours do you have in and out privileges?

Any recommendations for a reasonable lot?
It can be in virtually any part of Manhattan as I am a native NYer (been gone for almost 20 years) but am very comfortable getting around the city by public transit (but not at all comfortable driving in Manhattan).

Thanks for your help (again!)

[This message has been edited by Sammy (edited 12-09-2000).]

Here's my personal opinion:

The ONLY place to park in Manhattan is the three-level garage on top of the Port Authority Bus Terminal, entered at 9th Avenue and 41st Street. It's easily accessible almost directly from the Lincoln Tunnel (and even easier on the way out). It's reasonably well-lit and patrolled by real police. It's usually crowded -- also a safety element. It's reasonably priced, something like $15/day last time I used it. And you never really have to drive in the city.

Bruce

I have not used this lot, but have had it recommended to me. Go over the Queensboro Bridge (59th St) from Manhattan to Queens. After you leave the bridge, take the first exit to the right into Queensboro Plaza. There should be a parking garage immediately on your right. The cost is $10/day and the garage is patrolled. Additionally, there is a subway entry next to the street entrance garage. You can connect there to several subway lines into Manhattan.

There is a special ongoing deal now with the NYC Conv & Visitors Bureau offering parking for as little as $3 along with a metro card or something! Tough to beat!

Remember, after so many years as a student, I still just park on the street!

Also see:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum94/HTML/000170.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum94/HTML/002161.html

Doc,

With all due respect, parking on most New York streets is crazy if your car has any value at all. The probability of having it broken into is amazingly high. The thieves will take anything of value, and the property damage (broken windows, etc.) is substantial, even if they get nothing. I've had it happen to me twice.

Bruce

Sammy - I live in Manhattan and my office is down near where you live in Middlesex County. If you're in the proper residential neighborhood, parking on the street is no big deal, especially during the holiday season when alternate side of the street parking is suspended for many days (this year from the 25 thru the 28th and again on Jan 1). In those neighborhoods it is not very difficult to find a spot in the late afternoon, about 4PM when the contractors and doormen are knocking off, in the early evening about 7PM when some of the daytime restricted spots come off prohibition and relieve the pressure, and about 1130PM when the bridge and tunnel crowd which has come into town for the evening starts heading for home. Obviously, it is no problem at all to find a spot just as the prohibitions are coming off, at either 1045AM where 8AM-11AM is street cleaning time or at 145PM where 11AM-2PM are the times.
Don't worry about your car even it is one of those popular with the car thieves. There is very little chance of anything happening unless you do something dumb like leaving something of possible value exposed in the interior of the car. I have at times left newish fancy cars with Jersey tags out there for days and nothing happened. I would certainly not expect the same thing to happen in or around Newark or New Brunswick, which are probably your frames of reference for that sort of thing.
Remember, driving in town is OK even during the holidays as long as you avoid the center core. Stay near the rivers, use the Drives, 9th and 10th and 1st and 2nd Avenues, and you'll generally have little or no problems, except in rush hours, when all bets are off.
The info above about those less expensive lots is right, but a specific answer to one of your questions is that most parking lots and garages generally charge $20-27 a day with no discounts for multiple day stays and no in-and-out privileges anyhwere unless they are part of your hotel stay and the hotel has an arrangement with the garage.

Thanks for all of your great advice. I understand that the PA parking garage isn't open 24 hours a day, but can you park overnight there?

doc any chance you could give me more details
about the parking deal at the convention
center. I visited their website, but found
no mention of the offer.
I will be in the big city 23-25 Dec.
Thanks for the tip.

I believe that the PA parking garage is open 24 hours a day. You definitely can park overnight. I've done it. Much much much safer than parking on the streets.

Bruce

Go to the lot on 21st between 6th and 7th and ask for Oscar. He'll take care of your car for you for $20 per day. Also, you can park on 22nd between 9th and 7th aves. Just make sure you read the signs carefully.

Well, it does sometimes happen and probably more often around the holidays. Someone broke into the trunk of my Infiniti this weekend at 7th Ave and 38th St. There was nothing inside to take, but the lock and finish are damaged anyway. Oh well, what can you do?