Arriving early at LGA what to do???

Travelling on the Explorer of the Seas leaving from Port Liberty June 5th. Unfortunately the only flight (points) gets us in to LGA at 8 am. We have a 5 year old so we are looking for suggestions on what to do.

Were thinking of getting a car service to take us into Manhattan for a few hours and then take us to the port for noon. Any other suggestions are greatly appreciated.

We travelled on NCL out of Mahnattan last year and used a service, read 'guy standing in the airport 'hey need a car''. Took a chance and it worked out really great. Took us to Macey's for a couple hours then to the port in Manhattan. Total time was about 3 hours for $125.00. Unfortunately i didn't save his card.:(

This will be our third RCL cruise. Can we skip the long line and just get into the past passenger line?:D You and me both do not want a bored 5 year old whining in a long line.

Thanks for any responses.

My first choce would have been Intrepid aircraft carrier, but I just checked and the comples is closed for rennovations until Nov.

How about the Natural History Museum on Central Part West at 79th St? http://www.amnh.org/ It has a wide variety of exhibits from dinosaurs to space shows. It does not open until 10:00, but it should be almost 10 by the time you collect your luggage and get into the City.

You were very fortunate that the guy that you found at the airport did not rip you off. Seriously. There have been several incidents where tourists have been taken advantage of by these "car services". Taxis at the NY airports are strictly regulated. Car services can pick you up, but the consumer must call the car service, they can't hang around looking for fares. That said, the Explorer leaves from NJ and there is a wonderful park, Liberty State Park, in Jersey City, which is on the Jersey side of the Statue of Liberty, and you can catch a ferry to the Statue of Liberty from there. The only problem would be the logistics of getting to and from the park to the pier.

You will land at 8 am, maybe. It's a Thursday morning, so you really don't want to be in a rush to go into NY. Perhaps you could arrange a car service that would give you a mini-tour - down the East River Drive to see the midtown buildings and around the tip of Manhattan to Battery Park, where you could get out and take a look at the Statue of Liberty and try to find the Explorer at the Bayonne pier. If you left the airport at 9:30, you would be at the port by 11. They start boarding at 12 - lunch in the Windjammer Cafe - and you can get into your cabin at 1 pm. Then you have the whole afternoon to explore the ship and decide where you'll be when she sails.

If the Explorer is not on time, you can change your plans accordingly.

http://www.sailwx.info/shiptrack/cruiseships.phtml

*****/schiffsposition.php?schiff=Explorer+of+the+Seas

First, let me reiterate what someone else posted - getting in a car service operated by someone who was just standing around soliciting is not a good idea.

There are lots of great things to do in the city - one place that comes to mind is the Children's Museum of Manhattan. It is a museum especially for kids and the exhibits are typically hands on. Your little one might enjoy spending time there.