I will be back in the US for a couple of weeks in February. It is nice to see family, but I always try to “do something” in order to have something to do. I think I might like to drive up from Washington DC to NYC.
I could spend a couple of nights there, hit some tourist spots, the usual stuff.
OK, so how the heck do I do this as a practical matter? I drive up to Jersey, wave at Tony Soprano, then where do I park? How do I get into the City?
Any thoughts on this little urban safari?
I know it’s not exactly what you were after, but when I lived in Baltimore, I used to enjoy going to NYC by Amtrack train. The fare from Union Station in DC to Penn Station in NYC is anywhere from 60 to 80 dollars one way on week days. If you really want to drive, you can park at Newark airport and take a train into Manhattan from there.
You could get a hotel room in downtown Jersey City, right across the river from Manhattan, and park there. You could get on the PATH train for $1.50 and be on the island in 10 minutes, without your car to worry about, and subway and cab it around from there.
Why not take the train instead? The Northeast Corridor has the best and fastest train service in the country; unless you have to have your car in New York, it doesn’t seem worth the trouble and fatigue of driving. And even if you do need a car you could always rent one while you’re there.
The quickest and safest but most expensive way is the NJ Turnpike. Just take it to the Lincoln Tunnel; that way you’re close to Midtown Manhattan instead of the Holland Tunnel which lets you in at Chinatown and a traffic nightmare. The Hampton Inn has a hotel in a great area and they have a parking facility. Look here for a pic and info about the hotel. I’d suggest checking into exactly how the parking works and the cost.
http://myreservations.starlodging.com/index.jsp?pageName=hotInfo&cid=92746&hotelID=108833
From here, you’re within walking distance, or a short subway or bus ride, from most attractions in NYC. You don’t want to drive in Manhattan at any time. One block west on 9th Avenue you’ll find a bunch of affordable restaurants and take-out places. One block east to Broadway and you’re well within the theater district.
It’s usually cold in NYC in February but you have the 8th Avenue subway stop right on the corner. One stop downtown to 7th & Broadway where you can switch trains for one stop to Rockefeller Center (Top of the Rock viewing platform is open) or continue another stop downtown to Times Square & 42nd Street. One more stop to Empire State Building (and their own viewing platform). Keep going further south on the E train and you’ll end up at the site of the destroyed World Trade Center.
Staying outside of Manhattan may be a tad less expensive but, especially in winter, the convenience is worth the extra cost. I’m sure there are cheaper hotels in Manhattan also, but you may be out of luck with convenient parking, etc.
I’m with those that say, “Park in New Jersey.”
I stayed a week in NYC at a hotel just north of Columbus Circle, next to Central Park. I walked, subwayed, or taxied everywhere; no need for a personal car.
Whenever my wife and I drive to Maine from DC, we do whatever possible to avoid Manhattan. Once, taking the Palisades Parkway (NJ) southbound, I took a right exit at the end of it. Instead of joining onto I-95 S, it ramped over the left exit and into Manhattan. Besides paying a $6 toll, I then had to figure out how to get back over.
Driving close to NYC is OK, but don’t drive in. The route we take:
Although I don’t do it that often, I find non-rush hour driving in Manhattan much less intimidating than most people think it is (actually, I think it’s fun), but I agree that you probably don’t need your car in the City – either park in Jersey or take an Amtrak train from D.C. If you do take the train, take an Acela or Metroliner, not a Regional – that is, if you want to reach you destination before your beard turns gray.
–Cliffy
I made reservations online, I wound up staying at a small hotel on 51st street, IIRC. Same street as Radio City Music Hall and the north end of Rockefeller Plaza.
Left Virginia around dinner time. Took 95 all the way, a lot of tolls in NJ but roads weren’t bad. Got into NYC around 10 on a Friday night and traffic was no big deal. I had detailed directions printed out from Mapquest and a passenger guiding me. Parked my car in the nearest parking garage, IIRC it was like $30 per night.
From where we stayed you could walk to everything we wanted to see, Central Park, Broadway, Times Square, FAO Schwartz, Rockefeller Plaza. Except the Empire State building, we took a short taxi ride to get down to that.
No car? (shudder)
I’m too Californian!
That being said:
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Driving this over to IMHO.
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For a single traveller, the train may be the best way for you to go. You will likely spend $130+ in gas, parking costs, and tolls to drive. The train will cost $200 for a round trip, and you can read or nap or plan your activities, instead of having to drive the whole way. I took Amtrak’s regional service from Baltimore to NYC recently, and it was quite nice. The little bit of extra cost provides you with huge benefits and a much more enjoyable trip. The train puts you right into Penn Station where you can grab a subway to wherever you need to go.
I lived in Manhattan, and had a car with a reserved parking spot, I never used the thing except to leave the island. The biggest problem is that you have to find (and pay for) a spot at your destination. If you drive, your car will most likely sit in the lot until you leave.
If you insist on driving, don’t park in NJ, you’ll just make the trip that much more of a hassle. Manhattan traffic can be bad, but plenty of people drive in and out every day just to go see a show or go clubbing, you don’t need to be scared off. Get a hotel with on-site, or affiliated parking, drive through the Lincoln Tunnel so you’re right in midtown. Listen to AM 880 and 1010 while you’re on the turnpike, 880 does traffic every 10 minutes on the 8’s and 1010 does it on the 1’s. You can detour to the Holland Tunnel pretty easily if it is clear when the LT is crushed. Rush hour is bad for the tunnel, don’t try it around 5pm, go for 8 or 9, or try in the early afternoon. If you get stuck in traffic, just relax and go with the flow, getting mad doesn’t make anyone drive faster.
I live in Brooklyn. So I don’t have a car but I do rent one from time to time and I think, the NJ highways, just next to NYC, are the worst roads ever. You won’t be driving around town much at all. unless you really want for some reason.
I hope one of the things you want to do is meet up with some NYC dopers.
Thank you all. That was the sort of information I was looking for.
I love the train, but want to do something different. A long drive sounds nice. Further, AMTRAK is so crowded nowadays I understand you need reservations for the Acelea service. Of course there is the regular shuttle I suppose.
I may or may not do it. Half the fun is thinking about it.
I have done this. There was a shopping mall in New Jersey that I parked at and then took the PATH train into NYC. The drive? I started in Arizona and ended up in New Jersey. Still, well worth it!
I really need to do some research, Manhattan is so overwhelming that if you do not have a plan, you end up wasting too much time. I have not yet seen Ground Zero, so that makes the list. The huge Barns & Noble’s bookstore. Down to Battery Park for the view.
There’s like, six of those.
I thought one was famously large.
Barnes & Noble and Borders are chains and pretty much the same. You might be thinking of The Strandat 12th & Broadway. Huge cheap used bookstore. Best in the city.
I love driving into NYC.
First of all, be careful around Delaware.
You want to take the Delaware Memorial Bridge (Del-Mem-Br, or “del member”) onto the NJ TPK. If you stay on I-95, you will eventually wind up here (just North of Philly) where I-95 NORTH magically turns into I-295 SOUTH. Although, by way of compensation, 20 miles east of your location, the NJ TPK magically turns in I-95 NORTH. Miracle, that. Not very straightforward for a driver, though.
Why should they worry about that though? It’s not like I-95 between DC and NYC gets very much traffic.
After that, go into NYC via the Lincoln Tunnel. You come in on 42nd street. Look for a place to park. 
If you’re staying at a hotel, they might provide parking. We’ve “pricelined” 4-star hotels in midtown for like $125 per night.
Don’t expect this to be a $200 weekend or anything. A few hunny on hotels, some money on gas and tolls. But from there, you should be able to walk around, and YES you can eat for not much money in Manhattan.
It’s fun driving into NYC, and worth it on the “urban adventure” angle.
Also, there’s a big Barnes & Noble at Colombus circle, if I’m not mistaken. That might be what you’re thinking of.
Yeah, it’s not TOO bad during the off-times, although there are sections (Times Square, Rock Center) that you should never drive near at all.
There’s a big Borders bookstore in the Time-Warner building in Columbus Circle, but the nearest B&N is a four-story one in Lincoln Center, a few blocks north. I agree about the Strand being a must-see and my fave B&N happens to be a few blocks south in Astor Place, two stories and a nice cafe.
If you come, we NYCDopers’ll take you out to dinner. I’ll throw on an abaya to make you feel at home. 
I seem to recall being in some huge multi-store that had a huge medical section with all sorts of doctor bags, coats and stuff. Why I remember that I don’t know.
I would also like to go up the Empire State Building again. Great view. Maybe visit McSorrely’s in the Village, maybe the 7th Avenue Deli. Not a good place to wear a thobe and Guttrah.
Of course the present weather conditions in the US may just keep me at home under an electric blanket.