Tons of NYC questions

[TNIris]

Hi everyone!

 

We're going to spend Sun-Wed in NYC before our cruise leaves on Thursday in October.

 

I have a few questions if someone can help me out:

 

(1) I am hoping to take the subway everywhere in NYC to avoid expensive cabs. Is this perfectly doable? We're hoping to hit a lot of the major sites in NYC. I'm thinking of buying each of us a $30 unlimited subway pass for 7 days, even though we won't be there for 7 days, I still think we'll come out cheaper. Yes?

 

(2) Eating options during the day. How much $$ do you think I should budget for four people to eat lunch and dinner in Manhattan during the day? If we were in Nashville (where we live), I would budget $90 a day for the four of us for two meals, that is if we were eating at sit down places like Chili's/Applebees, etc. Which we don't have to do. I prefer to avoid Fast Food because I eat Paleo, but I can make do with a salad if I have to.

 

(3) We are going to need to take a car service from Bayonne to Laguardia on Debarkation Day. Any favorites? I think I've heard Dial 7 mentioned.

 

(4) My daughter wants to go and see the Statue of Liberty. Is this going to be an all day affair? Worth going to see? Is it expensive? Any tips on how I should coordinate this?

 

Thank you in advance! Navigating NYC will be perhaps the bravest thing I have ever done! ;)

[138east]

Where are you staying in New York?

 

At $30 I think you would get your money's worth from a 7 day Metrocard. It will save you a lot of fussing around with ticket vending machines and will give you the flexibility and freedom to take short rides that you otherwise might think twice about spending $2.50/pp to do.

 

The subway will get you almost anywhere you want to go, but also consider the bus or a combination of both. There are good PDF maps showing subway and bus routes in Manhattan.

 

You will need a car service to get to Bayonne unless you are planning to take public transit. From Bayonne to LaGuardia you will definitely need a car service.

 

Going out to the Statue of Liberty will take a good part of the day and tickets are recommended. You can also do Ellis Island in the same trip if that is of interest.

 

Most New Yorkers use the subway and bus and walking to get around.

[Got2Cruise]

Prepare for sticker shock when checking prices at those chains that you mentioned. The price in Manhattan will be much more expensive for the same exact order back home in TN. There are plenty of soup/salad places which are not national chains and less expensive. I was going to suggest pizza or chinese, but I guess that is not Paleo.

 

Does your daughter want to see the statue up close without actually climbing it you might want to consider a roundtrip ride on the Staten Island ferry. It is free. I like the view from the water, that is what the immigrants saw when coming into NY Harbor. If you do it this way it won't be all day, probably half a day when you add in travel time.

 

Do you have a hotel, because October is a very popular month in NYC for visitors.

[texasmomoftwo]

Agree with all the above

 

 

No issue with using he subway and walking. Easily doable Worth the pass The locals are generally helpful if you have a question. There are also attendants at each stop, or a "help" phone.

 

Expensive expensive expensive food. I would budget probably closer to $175 per day. Try to avoid eating in Times Square. However there are lots of great pizza and deli places that you can eat for $10-15 per person (Bagels and donuts from street vendors)

 

Statue of Liberty: Secure your tickets in advance. Do a google search. Reserve times in the morning. Early is so much better due to the very lengthy security lines. I also agree if you just want to "see" lady liberty you can grab the free Staten Island ferry for great views. If you want on the island, reserve in advance.

 

I also recommend tickets to the 9-11 memorial You can reserve those in advance. Make sure to visit the church across the street from the works trade center site.

 

No idea on car service

 

If you want broadway show tickets reserve those in advance if it is a popular show. (Wicked, lion king, etc

Bargain shopping in Chinatown!!!!!!

 

 

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[Nitemare]

We go to NYC at least 6 times/year, and we always have at least one lunch here: http://choptsalad.com/

 

Big fresh salad bar (they do the combining for you) at a very reasonable price. Lots of locations all over Manhattan.

 

Do that for lunch and you can afford more for dinner!

[greatam]

JMHO but one of the best values and most fun ways to eat lunch is from the mega variety of gourmet food trucks on NYC streets. They all have twitter feeds to let you know where they are parked, post on facebook and their own websites so you can locate them. Do a Google search to find descriptions, locations and menus.

 

Luke's Lobster is one of my personal favorites and is usually around 46th and Park. While $18.00pp is NOT a particularly cheap lunch, the lobster rolls are huge, the slaw is good and it is all fresh.

 

There are much cheaper food trucks and most are very, very good. They won't last in business in a city like NY if they are not clean and the food is not well above average. Some have become so popular and prosperous they have actually opened brick and mortar restaurants (which is a REAL high risk proposition most places but doubly so in NYC). Luke's has at least 6 brick and mortar locations in NYC and is expanding to Washington DC and the Hamptons.

 

Go and enjoy NYC street food from the food trucks. Find a place to sit, people watch and enjoy!!!

[texasmomoftwo]

So Chelsea market is a great place to eat!

 

 

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[marco]

Agree with all of the above. But regarding the Statue of Liberty. I think it's most impressive seeing it as you approach it. I'd take the ferry that goes there and then continues on to Ellis Island. Don't get off at the SoL, spend a few hrs at Ells Island. Keep in mind, the ferry goes to SoL, then Ellis Island, then back to the Battery. You can't go from Ellis Island to SoL. But if Ellis Island is of no interest, I'd agree with just taking the Staten Island Ferry past the SoL.

[TNIris]

Very, very helpful info! Thank you so much everyone!

 

We are going to stay at The Hyatt Place near Laguardia, as we are using my husband's hotel points and all the ones near the city took too many points.

 

But it looks like there is a subway very close to the hotel, so yay for that!

 

 

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[beckntom]

JMHO but one of the best values and most fun ways to eat lunch is from the mega variety of gourmet food trucks on NYC streets. They all have twitter feeds to let you know where they are parked, post on facebook and their own websites so you can locate them. Do a Google search to find descriptions, locations and menus.

 

Luke's Lobster is one of my personal favorites and is usually around 46th and Park. While $18.00pp is NOT a particularly cheap lunch, the lobster rolls are huge, the slaw is good and it is all fresh.

 

There are much cheaper food trucks and most are very, very good. They won't last in business in a city like NY if they are not clean and the food is not well above average. Some have become so popular and prosperous they have actually opened brick and mortar restaurants (which is a REAL high risk proposition most places but doubly so in NYC). Luke's has at least 6 brick and mortar locations in NYC and is expanding to Washington DC and the Hamptons.

 

Go and enjoy NYC street food from the food trucks. Find a place to sit, people watch and enjoy!!!

 

 

Oh, my goodness, what a great thing to know! I've made many trips to NYC but never bought from a food truck! Will definitely be checking them out in September!

[mking8288]

Excellent choice (& with Points ;) ) for the brand new Hyatt Place LGA, about 10 minutes from the airport with a free shuttle, in downtown Flushing - knowing locally as NY's largest Chinatown (there are 3 CT's) but really a mosiac. One block to the #7 subway's last stop (run express or local service, about 35+ minutes to Times Square) or 1.5 block to the LIRR train to NY Penn Station. Skyview Mall (indoor) is 1 block away with Target, Best Buy & Applebees, etc. - McD, BK, DD, and Starbucks all walking distance within a 4 blocks area plus good old Macy's - plus Asian supermarket that stock all the basic goodies, bottled waters, sodas, fresh fruits & veg's at bargain prices vs. big national chains.

 

We live close to LGA, 10 minutes NE of the airport with a clear & direct roof-top (not balcony) view of the runways, and prefer Carmel over Dial7 car service - either one of them are fine. A full size sedan (lowest rate) will take 3 passengers and 3 checked luggage + personal bags, quoted base fare is about $72 + one-way tolls ($15 to $20, depending on exact route used going to LGA) plus tips. On a weekday, allow 4 hours for making the way to LGA due to traffic after disembarkation - in other words, book your flights after 1 PM and do the Express/Self Walk-Off to be among the first groups to be off the ship. On weekends, 3 hours is considered adequate by some but ... 2 river crossing plus highways & roads to get thru, so plan accordingly. Car service costs from HP LGA to Bayonne will run about $75 to $80 including tolls, add 20% for tips - allow 90 minutes to 2 hours to get to the pier on a weekend, more time on a weekday due to rush hour inbound traffic to Manhattan.

 

Licensed (metered) taxi to/from Bayonne pier will be using special chart/zone rates since they are crossing statelines and charging for round-trip tolls, and will be MORE expensive. Otherwise, MTA with the Metro Card, free transfer between bus & subway is the best way to get around Manhattan - and there's a free mobile App for getting around, including ETA for next bus/subway approaching your stop.

 

Depending on location, a typical fast food meal with small drink & fries will run you about $10 p/p in most of Manhattan. Salad bar at midtown deli's is priced at $7 to $9 per pound.

Edited June 28, 2014 by mking8288

[138east]

Well, you're in for a real NY experience! The subway ride from Flushing to Times Square is scheduled at about 45 minutes!

[Got2Cruise]

Well, you're in for a real NY experience! The subway ride from Flushing to Times Square is scheduled at about 45 minutes!

 

 

Yes but they'll get a seat from flushing since it's the first stop. :-)

[margincall]

There are several areas of Manhattan that you can get reasonable meals in

Chinatown,Little Italy and Greenwich Village.

also those 3 are great areas to walk around.

[x lindsay x]

Tip on the train - some 7 trains runs express from Flushing on weekdays (making limited stops inbound during the morning rush and outbound in the evening). Those trains will have a red diamond around the 7 to signify that they are running express, there will also be announcements to let you know it will make express stops only. That should save you some commuting time.

 

My cheap lunch suggestion – get a fantastic NYC bagel with a large schmeer of cream cheese from one of the top bagel joints. They are usually huge and filling enough for a meal, check out Ess-a-bagel, Murray’s Bagels, and Brooklyn Bagel and Coffee. For four people it should come in under $20 and then you can splurge for dinner. I am going to say that $90 won't be enough if you plan to have a sit down meal for lunch and dinner for four people. I would suggest doing a food truck or counter service meal once a day and then have a sit down meal once, that will help you cut down on costs.

 

Some other very popular spots you should look into for either dinner or lunch to have a full NYC experience – Shake Shack, Katz’s Deli, Lombardi’s or Grimaldi’s for pizza, Eataly or the Chelsea Market (near the Highline which is worth checking out), and if you like Chinese food Flushing IS the place for that, check out some stuff near your hotel, the front desk staff should have some recommendations. I would avoid eating anywhere near Times Square because the prices are not a bargain even for the pubs if you are looking to save some $$.

 

Download an app like menu pages so you can look up dining in whatever neighborhood you are in if you have no set plans for that afternoon/evening.

[Got2Cruise]

The OP said she eats Paleo so I think that eliminates a lot of choices. Good tip on the 7 Express. There are so many choices on the 7 line for dining. Colombian, Indian, Chinese, all on 7 Line. All fresh food.

[Desert Cruizers]

We are a a group of 5 adults planning on visiting NYC mid Oct of 2015 before flying into Quebec for our cruise, what recommendations do you have for staying either near JFK or nearer the 9/11 Museum. I haven't been to NYC in a long long time so not familiar with the subway system and differant stations we would need. Someone told me staying near JFK is not recommended? Thank you.

[138east]

Staying at JFK is not recommended. Will you be there the weekend before the Serenade repo? If so, you will get better deals if you stay downtown near the 911 Memorial. The weekend rates in downtown Manhattan can be very good on weekends. Hotwire often has very good deals. The hotels in this area tend to be much newer and occupied by business travelers during the week.

[mjkacmom]

We are a a group of 5 adults planning on visiting NYC mid Oct of 2015 before flying into Quebec for our cruise, what recommendations do you have for staying either near JFK or nearer the 9/11 Museum. I haven't been to NYC in a long long time so not familiar with the subway system and differant stations we would need. Someone told me staying near JFK is not recommended? Thank you.

 

It's been stated here that the hotels at JFK are also used as shelters for families. Stay in Manhattan.

[Desert Cruizers]

Our SOS departs Quebec City on Oct 20th, 2015, so we are looking at coming into NY on the 15th ( Friday) & departing for Quebec on Sunday the 18th. Myself personally I think it would be easier to stay closer to the 9/11 Museum and things to see in Manhatten then to commute back & forth from JFK. I have been to LI but this was some 10 yrs ago and even longer for NYC. I have a cousin in Massapequa PK. Thank you for your recommendations, I will look for hotels in Manhatten.

[138east]

Why are you flying into JFK? Do you have a Newark option from Palm Springs? I believe Porter Air flies from Newark to Quebec.

 

You will have a lot more hotel options in NJ between Newark Airport, Secaucus, and Jersey City. For the same weekend in 2014 I'm seeing our hfavorite 4* hotel in Jersey City for $188 plus tax on Hotwire. This would likely be the Westin or Hyatt with easy access to lower Manhattan via Path, which should be running again on weekends in Oct 2015.

[Desert Cruizers]

From Palm Springs, our option would either be PSP via DFW to JFK or LAX Non stop to JFK, both on United. We have other choices but United seems right now to give us the best times and connections. I figured JFK would be more direct as I mentioned, it has been yrs since I have been to NY and more familair with coming into JFK when I visited my Aunt, who lived in Massapequa.