New to New York

My friend and I are traveling to New York in October for a few days prior to our Viking Ocean Cruise to Montreal. We will be arriving at JFK around 3 pm and would welcome suggestions for transportation and hotels.

My friend is over 80 so conserving energy is important when it comes to transportation options.

I believe traveling from the airport by bus or train would be too tiring for her.

We would like to visit Ellis Island and Central Park but not sure if there is a tour that would handle to transportation to the sites.

For hotels, we would like to be near Central Park but in a quieter area.

We are very used to living in Los Angeles, but New York seems rather overwhelming...and exciting.

My friend and I are traveling to New York in October for a few days prior to our Viking Ocean Cruise to Montreal. We will be arriving at JFK around 3 pm and would welcome suggestions for transportation and hotels.

 

My friend is over 80 so conserving energy is important when it comes to transportation options.

I believe traveling from the airport by bus or train would be too tiring for her.

 

We would like to visit Ellis Island and Central Park but not sure if there is a tour that would handle to transportation to the sites.

 

For hotels, we would like to be near Central Park but in a quieter area.

 

We are very used to living in Los Angeles, but New York seems rather overwhelming...and exciting.

What are your exact dates that you would need a hotel in October? What is your hotel budget? That is high season in Manhattan and hotels will be expensive, particularly Sun-Thur nights.

Booking a car service like Dial7 or Carmellimo is your best option from JFK to Manhattan.

You need to research Ellis Island. It requires taking a ferry ride and walking as well as getting from a midtown hotel all the way downtown to South ferry at the tip of Manhattan to catch the ferry.

Thank you for the info on Ellis Island. It may be too demanding for my friend.

As for hotels - we are arriving on 10/2/17 and board the ship on 10/5/17. We would like to keep the cost around $350 per night.

Central Park is huge but if you can get to the South edge near The Plaza Hotel, you will see a very beautiful section of the park. If you wish to see more, in this area is where you find the pedicabs giving tours or the hansom cabs.

Of course you won't stay in the Plaza but you can stay a few avenues away and either take a crosstown bus or splurge with a taxi or Uber

Instead of Ellis Island you might want to consider a Harbor Tour or Circle Line boat around Manhattan. These tours leave in midtown area and then again you can take the cab, Uber or bus back and forth.

My mom is 81 and healthy but after walking a couple of blocks she gets pooped. And I wouldn't even suggest the subway to first timers from LA [emoji3]

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Thank you for the info on Ellis Island. It may be too demanding for my friend.

As for hotels - we are arriving on 10/2/17 and board the ship on 10/5/17. We would like to keep the cost around $350 per night.

What kind if bed configuration do you require? Can you do a king or do you need two doubles?

You might want to look at the Salisbury and make a placeholder reservation immediately. They have a promotion going. With taxes just at your $350 budget for two double beds. Pay later and cancellable until Sep 30.

You might want to look at the Salisbury and make a placeholder reservation immediately. They have a promotion going. With taxes just at your $350 budget for two double beds. Pay later and cancellable until Sep 30.

Great find! Especially since October during the week is a very expensive season. An inexpensive cab ride to the port from there too.

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I would also get the Uber app, it is not always easy to find a taxi, but Uber is quick and reasonable price.

Thank you for the hotel recommendation and especially the info on sightseeing. We have no idea about how to get around and how much energy it might take. What would be the highlights of Central Park?

Thank you for the hotel recommendation and especially the info on sightseeing. We have no idea about how to get around and how much energy it might take. What would be the highlights of Central Park?

How much can you walk, and are you willing to pay for a carriage ride?

The highlights of Central Park really depend a lot on who you are and what your interests are. Most people aren't going to make it much beyond the lower 20% of the park, and probably really only the southeast corner. If you enter the park at 59th and Fifth Avenue, you can go by the Wollman Rink (no skating in October) and up through the Mall to the Bethesda Terrace and Fountain to the south shore of the Lake. Strawberry Fields is a roughly 10-15 minute walk to the west (there's really not much to see there, other than the other tourists visiting) along the north side of the Sheep Meadow. That gets you to roughly 72nd Street; the park goes to 110th! It really is huge...

Central Park also has a small but nice Zoo, not far from south entrance

If you are interested in a museum, Central Park is adjacent to the 2 world class museums. Visit the museum for a couple of hours then visit the park.

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When I lived in NYC I used Carmel limo often for getting to and from the airport. Good drivers and I always had prompt pickups, no matter what the hour. Uber is good, as well as the yellow city taxis, to get around NYC, if walking is a problem. The Hop On/Hop Off buses are fun and will let you do a great overview of the city--downtown tour and uptown tour (includes Harlem), but it depends on how easily your friend can do these. Perhaps your hotel concierge can also arrange private transportation for a tour. The suggestion of the boats like Circle Line is great--easy on and off, and there is also a dinner cruise. You would just have to get a taxi to the piers, and then one back to the hotel. NYC is a great place to visit so enjoy every moment--I loved living there!

One more suggestion--museums! Near Central Park is the American Museum of Natural History, the Met Museum of Art, and the NY Historical Society. All are great places to visit, have handicapped entrances if needed, and are only a taxi ride away. Check out their websites. It is easy to hail a taxi from the street--I do it all the time when I go back to visit and when I lived there. Also, each museum has good cafes and restaurants. You are also near a lot of restaurants near Central Park--just ask your hotel concierge for suggestions. You are close to Times Square as well. Another really favorite museum for me is the Rubin Museum, the only museum of Himalayan Art in the West. It is on 17th Street between 6th and 7th, in the Chelsea area of the city--very safe area and I used to live a couple of blocks from there. It is a small museum, has a great gift shop and a wonderful cafe, and is very elegant and well presented. I used to go there a lot. It would be about a 15 minute taxi ride going south in Manhattan. Again, lots of taxis in the area would get you back to your hotel. Good luck and have fun!!!!!!!!!

There's plenty to see in NYC however Manhattan is quite large. I'd suggest that you figure out exactly what you want to see and do and then catch cabs between those places. If you want a general overview of the city, the hop-on hop-off tour buses are quite good.

It's nice to stay near Time Square if you plan to take in a Broadway show or two. Half-priced tickets can be purchased at a kiosk in Time Square for shows that evening. Enjoy your stay!

http://NewYork-NYC.com

Hi, as a NYC native and long time resident, I can tell you that as lovely as Central Park is, it is just that....a park. Other than the zoo, it is grass and trees. I am not sure I would call it a tourist destination, unless walking thru parks was your priority. Since your friend is a senior, this might not really be the best place to visit.

Coming to NYC could include broadway shows, off-broadway shows, comedy clubs, and museums. This would be a more complete NYC visit. If walking is do-able, then walking in soho, lower east side, williamsburg (bklyn) is always fun. Great bars and restaurants are available of course.

Hi, as a NYC native and long time resident, I can tell you that as lovely as Central Park is, it is just that....a park. Other than the zoo, it is grass and trees. I am not sure I would call it a tourist destination, unless walking thru parks was your priority. Since your friend is a senior, this might not really be the best place to visit.

 

Coming to NYC could include broadway shows, off-broadway shows, comedy clubs, and museums. This would be a more complete NYC visit. If walking is do-able, then walking in soho, lower east side, williamsburg (bklyn) is always fun. Great bars and restaurants are available of course.

Totally disagree with your opinion that Central Park is not a tourist destination. Some of us enjoy the beauty and esthetics of the park. Central Park is more than just "a park".

I'm not sure the OP is interested in drinking and hanging with hipsters or wannabe hipsters in the neighborhoods you mentioned.

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Hi, as a NYC native and long time resident, I can tell you that as lovely as Central Park is, it is just that....a park. Other than the zoo, it is grass and trees.

Can't disagree more, native Brooklynite and I just love our city parks be it Prospect or Central Park.

Just a zoo and trees?

What about Alice in Wonderland or the Obelisk or the Loch, the Great Lawn or Belvedere Castle?

Stawberry Fields? Wollman Rink the Carousel or Bethesda Fountain and many more...

I love how walking down the Mall the City literally disappears.

That's my point of view it can still just be a park for you.

NYC resident here. For hotels I'd consider some of the Upper West Side hotels such as NYLA, Belleclaire, the Empire Hotel, or the Lucerne. Easy subway or taxi commute to wherever you need to go and being in a more residential neighborhood you won't have to worry about getting plowed down by pedestrians immediately upon exiting your hotel. Will also place you in close enough to visit Riverside Park, which is also incredibly beautiful.

I recommend taking a yellow cab from the airport for its ease. If you take a car service or Uber you'll spend some time standing in the passenger pickup area waiting for you driver. For someone who has trouble getting around you'll be better off walking right up to the taxi stand and grabbing the first yellow cab that arrives.

I'd also recommend staying away from Ellis Island. Even with reserving your entry time in advance, you'll spend many hours on your feet and will likely be extremely tiring and uncomfortable for your friend.

The person who recommend the hop-on hop-on bus was right on the money. It'll be a fantastic way to get a good overview of the city.

Regarding Central Park, I recommend getting some take-out food from the Todd English food hall in the basement of the Plaza Hotel and bringing it to a quiet bench in the park for a picnic. And while you're in the neighborhood, you might as well do high tea at the Plaza. It's a really lovely experience.

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This is a great thread, thanks to the OP for posting. We will also be travelling to NY in October. I was wondering why it is so expensive in October? I expected November to be busy/expensive but never thought October would be. Just curious and thanks to all that provided hotel options.

We are from small town Ontario so NY is super exciting and scary at the same time.

This is a great thread, thanks to the OP for posting. We will also be travelling to NY in October. I was wondering why it is so expensive in October? I expected November to be busy/expensive but never thought October would be. Just curious and thanks to all that provided hotel options.

 

We are from small town Ontario so NY is super exciting and scary at the same time.

The weather tends to be good in Oct - not too hot and not too cold. All sorts of college activities kick in. Fall foliage peaks in October. Boston is the same - crazy hotel prices in Oct.

The weather tends to be good in Oct - not too hot and not too cold. All sorts of college activities kick in. Fall foliage peaks in October. Boston is the same - crazy hotel prices in Oct.

Yes and businesses are usually in vacation mode in summer and once Sept October comes are back with conventions and meetings etc. plus the UN is in session.

You can still get some good hotel deals on weekends in October in Financial District

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Yes and businesses are usually in vacation mode in summer and once Sept October comes are back with conventions and meetings etc. plus the UN is in session.

 

You can still get some good hotel deals on weekends in October in Financial District

 

 

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Thanks! Good to know. Unfortunately we are mid week. Never even considered that when planning but it will be great.