We will be watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade live this Thursday, even if it rains. And we will stay until the end, when Santa arrives. And we will be expected in south New Jersey that afternoon.
How can we get out of Manhattan quickly? I’m thinking of parking the car downtown, close to the Holland Tunnel. Then take a subway up to the parade. Then take a subway back downtown. I’m thinking that traffic around the parade will be really slow and awful.
Does this make sense? And does anyone know when the parade actually ends?
If you’re thinking of hopping on the subway when the parade is over, be prepared for massive passenger gridlock. It might be easier to park near where you’ll be watching the parade from, but far enough west to avoid the crowds. So you’ll only have to walk to the car, then head for the Lincoln Tunnel.
Philadelphia has a big parade also, and isn’t on an island. Depending on where you’re starting from, and where in South Jersey you’re going, that might work as a Plan B.
I wouldn’t bring a car onto the island of Manhattan for love or money on Thanksgiving. Park it near a PATH on the Jersey side. Be prepared for complete clusterfuckery.
“Fast” “NYC” and “Thanksgiving” are not three words that go together.
Park a short walk from where you will be seeing the parade and get there early enough to be close to the front of the parade if you can. Don’t try and take a train after that. You are going to end up with a bunch of angry, tense people fighting for space on the trains after the parade and you don’t want to deal with that if you can avoid it.
Why exactly do you need to watch the parade? Can’t you just watch it on TV from the coziness of the place in South Jersey?
I really don’t like gambling on Thanksgiving. I’ve been a mile back in the security line outside of LAX 3 hours before my flight the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and if it weren’t for me being both aggressive and smiling at the guards I’d probably still be there.
I’d sure as hell never put myself in the situation with kids.
I’d vote for this. Park at Metropark or New Brunswick and train in. It might seem like a huge pain in the ass in the morning, but will probably end up taking less time. (I would probably park in Jersey City and take the PATH, but I’m familiar with the area.) Driving in and out of Manhattan can bite you in the ass any number of ways on normal days, let alone Thanksgiving.
My memory is that the parade ends pretty early. Check the TV schedule.
People, don’t forget the water taxis. If you know where they go, and a lot of people don’t, you can get a leg up. One lands at the train station in Hoboken, so in from (or out to) PATH, Conrail, or ACELA… you’re good.
Also, assuming all else fails (its a looooong last resort) after the parade, most people aren’t going to take the boat to Liberty Island. So, you could (technically) park at the museum parking lot in JC in the morning, boat it to Liberty Island, then take the NY boat over to Manhattan.
Then do the parade.
Then fast step it back to the boat and motor back to Liberty Island and switch to the JC boat to get back to your car. You’ll be 3 blocks from the Liberty Science Center. Follow the NJ Tpk signs, take it over the bridge to the Tpk South to exit 11 to the GSP South.
(PS- Souvenir shop on the Island has some decent T-shirts and you don’t need to pay admission just to shop.)
I would agree with people saying don’t take your car into Manhattan. I would probably park at the Metropark station which is not far from the intersection of I-95 and the Jersey Turnpike. This would avoid many possible traffic jams near the city. Take the train (either Northwest Corridor or Amtrak) from Metropark to Penn Station in NYC. After returning to Metropark, you would be right near your freeway to go to South Jersey.
I wish I had some words of wisdom, but don’t.
All I can tell ya is that when I was living in NYC, one Thanksgiving I was trying to go visit friends for dinner.
I had totally forgotten about the parade.
All I needed to do was cross the street - anywhere - to get to the other side of the parade route.
I wound up walking about 30 blocks until I was able to get to the other side of the street. Then I had to walk the 30 blocks back up the other side.
That year was cold and there were snow flurries and I was freezing by the time I got to the friends’ apartment - more than fashionably late.
I wish you the best of luck and would strongly suggest finding a spot closest to the subway entrance as possible. Then, the minute you see Santa’s hat in the distance, run like hell.
Park in Jersey near the GW Bridge. Walk across it, and down to the parade. Walk back when finished. It’ll be nearly a marathon on walking, but still probably faster than anything else.
Well if you hadn’t specified needing to be in South NJ that same afternoon, I’d have suggested waiting out the crowd rush by chilling in Manhattan. You know, like David Blaine did.
Macy’s Herald Square is right by Penn Station so if I were you, I’d park on the Jersey side and take PATH/NJ Transit in. I’m sure they’ll run lots of extra trains for the parade.
The water taxi idea is pretty good too. Not many people know about or think about them, they could well be a quicker way in/out than the trains, though probably more expensive.
The other problem is that even once you’re back in your car on the Jersey side, you’ll be dealing with TG traffic on the Turnpike or GSP. But, one problem at a time…
