CAPE LIBERTY 411 (and NYC too) Version 4!!

[138east]

Wondering if we can get this all in in a day. Four of us taking taxi from Ramada Plaza in Newark to Penn station. Take path to WTC and walk down to Battery Park to catch the ferry to SOL and then Ellis Island and back over to south ferry and walk back up to see WTC and museum. Then catch the path back to Penn station Newark and call taxi to go back to hotel. Do I have you confused yet? Next question how long I should plan to get from hotel to the Ferry for SOL I'm wondering what time I should Buy my tickets in advance for the SOL tour and then over to Ellis Island? After that the ferry back and walk to WTC and museum wondering what time I should buy my tickets for that? Can you tell I have no concept of locations, distances and times when it comes to ferries and trains and subways. We plan to get going early in the morning. We are not going tell Sept.2016 but I like to get all my ducks in a row. Thank you for your help.

 

I'm not confused - or least not too confused. What day of the week would you be doing this? What do you consider "going early in the morning"?

Edited November 18, 2015 by 138east

[Photofinish4]

I'm not confused - or least not too confused. What day of the week would you be doing this? What do you consider "going early in the morning"?

 

It will be on a Wednesday and I would say 7 or 8 am

[138east]

Wondering if we can get this all in in a day. Four of us taking taxi from Ramada Plaza in Newark to Penn station. Take path to WTC and walk down to Battery Park to catch the ferry to SOL and then Ellis Island and back over to south ferry and walk back up to see WTC and museum. Then catch the path back to Penn station Newark and call taxi to go back to hotel. Do I have you confused yet? Next question how long I should plan to get from hotel to the Ferry for SOL I'm wondering what time I should Buy my tickets in advance for the SOL tour and then over to Ellis Island? After that the ferry back and walk to WTC and museum wondering what time I should buy my tickets for that? Can you tell I have no concept of locations, distances and times when it comes to ferries and trains and subways. We plan to get going early in the morning. We are not going tell Sept.2016 but I like to get all my ducks in a row. Thank you for your help.

 

On a Wed morning you will be competing with rush hour. Trains will run more frequently, but they will be crowded. If you leave at 8, you should be at Newark Penn Station by 8:30 and at World Trade by 9. Walking to the SOL ferry shoud be 20 minutes. I'd be looking at a 10 am ferry. Don't take much stuff with you - read about the security requirements on http://www.statuecruises.com/security.aspx

You're going to have to figure out how long you want to spend at the SOL (ie are you going to the crown or the pedestal) and how long you want to spend at Ellis Island. Look at the ferry schedule and add all the times up to figure out when you would be be back in NYC. That will tell you a time frame to get 911 museum tickets.

 

Let me throw you a curve ball. If you want to spend more money on a cab, you can take a cab to Liberty State Park in Jersey City to get the SOL ferry. This ferry goes first to Ellis Island and then on to the SOL, but once you are out at the SOL you can take any ferry. This means you can go back to Ellis Island and return to Lower Manhattan. Nobody checks tickets. This option would cut out your public transit commute inbound during the rush hour. Figure $55-60 for the cab. It is much less crowded going to the SOL from NJ and you should be able to just walk up and get tickets on a Wed morning if you don't want the crown or pedestal.

[Photofinish4]

On a Wed morning you will be competing with rush hour. Trains will run more frequently, but they will be crowded. If you leave at 8, you should be at Newark Penn Station by 8:30 and at World Trade by 9. Walking to the SOL ferry shoud be 20 minutes. I'd be looking at a 10 am ferry. Don't take much stuff with you - read about the security requirements on http://www.statuecruises.com/security.aspx

You're going to have to figure out how long you want to spend at the SOL (ie are you going to the crown or the pedestal) and how long you want to spend at Ellis Island. Look at the ferry schedule and add all the times up to figure out when you would be be back in NYC. That will tell you a time frame to get 911 museum tickets.

 

Let me throw you a curve ball. If you want to spend more money on a cab, you can take a cab to Liberty State Park in Jersey City to get the SOL ferry. This ferry goes first to Ellis Island and then on to the SOL, but once you are out at the SOL you can take any ferry. This means you can go back to Ellis Island and return to Lower Manhattan. Nobody checks tickets. This option would cut out your public transit commute inbound during the rush hour. Figure $55-60 for the cab. It is much less crowded going to the SOL from NJ and you should be able to just walk up and get tickets on a Wed morning if you don't want the crown or pedestal.

 

Thank you, we thought of taking the other couples private car to Liberty park but axed that when the last ferry was at 3:30 and new we would not make it. The cab to Liberty and path back sounds like an option, do you know how far Ramada Plaza is to Liberty Park? You are such a wealth of info and so very helpful to people.

[138east]

Thank you, we thought of taking the other couples private car to Liberty park but axed that when the last ferry was at 3:30 and new we would not make it. The cab to Liberty and path back sounds like an option, do you know how far Ramada Plaza is to Liberty Park? You are such a wealth of info and so very helpful to people.

 

Terrific - you have a car! Parking is $7 at Liberty State Park. How late will you be coming back? Liberty Landing ferry runs until 8:45 pm. If you save your SOL ticket stubs, you can take it from the World Financial Center (near World Trade) to Liberty State Park for $5 ($2 discount). It's a short walk to the parking area. http://www.libertylandingferry.com

 

Liberty State Park is open until 10:00 pm, so if you miss the ferry you can take PATH one stop to Exchange Place and get a cab at the Hyatt to take you to your car.

 

From the Ramada you get on the NJ Turnpike and follow the signs to Exit 14B, which is close to Liberty State Park. I'm sure there are signs and that it is well marked. The day we went there from the Exchange Place area we had no trouble finding it via local streets.

 

I'm so glad I mentioned this option - you are the perfect demographic - personal car and 4 people to split the cost. Driving and ferries is the cheapest and easiest way to go. No going to downtown Newark and having a public transit adventure!

[Photofinish4]

Terrific - you have a car! Parking is $7 at Liberty State Park. How late will you be coming back? Liberty Landing ferry runs until 8:45 pm. If you save your SOL ticket stubs, you can take it from the World Financial Center (near World Trade) to Liberty State Park for $5 ($2 discount). It's a short walk to the parking area. http://www.libertylandingferry.com

 

Liberty State Park is open until 10:00 pm, so if you miss the ferry you can take PATH one stop to Exchange Place and get a cab at the Hyatt to take you to your car.

 

From the Ramada you get on the NJ Turnpike and follow the signs to Exit 14B, which is close to Liberty State Park. I'm sure there are signs and that it is well marked. The day we went there from the Exchange Place area we had no trouble finding it via local streets.

 

I'm so glad I mentioned this option - you are the perfect demographic - personal car and 4 people to split the cost. Driving and ferries is the cheapest and easiest way to go. No going to downtown Newark and having a public transit adventure!

 

Good info I will kick it around with other couple. We didn't know about the other ferry. I'm sure Ill have more question at later date

[138east]

Checking Google maps it's 9-10 miles from the Ramada to Liberty State Park, most of which is on the turnpike. Newark Penn Station is closer, but the estimated drive time is similar - about 15 minutes - because of the local streets. Even at rush hour it will be very doable. The turnpike can back up from the Holland Tunnel, but usually not as far as Exit 14B.

 

As I said our family did the Liberty a State Park thing last year by car (I've done the SOL from NY several times) - four of us and an infant. IMO much easier. I was tired, so I just did the ferry ride and went back to the hotel while the others explored Ellis Island. I walked from the SOL ferry over to the Liberty Landing ferry and rode across the channel to Warren St. From there I walked the 4 blocks to the light rail and took it up past Exchange Place to Newport to get back to the Courtyard. Lots of options in this area.

 

Normally having a car in this area is a liability because of the traffic and parking cost, but going round trip to the SOL and lower Manhattan from NJ is the exception. IMO the ferry back is discounted to encourage folks to do just this exact trip.

[Photofinish4]

Checking Google maps it's 9-10 miles from the Ramada to Liberty State Park, most of which is on the turnpike. Newark Penn Station is closer, but the estimated drive time is similar - about 15 minutes - because of the local streets. Even at rush hour it will be very doable. The turnpike can back up from the Holland Tunnel, but usually not as far as Exit 14B.

 

As I said our family did the Liberty a State Park thing last year by car (I've done the SOL from NY several times) - four of us and an infant. IMO much easier. I was tired, so I just did the ferry ride and went back to the hotel while the others explored Ellis Island. I walked from the SOL ferry over to the Liberty Landing ferry and rode across the channel to Warren St. From there I walked the 4 blocks to the light rail and took it up past Exchange Place to Newport to get back to the Courtyard. Lots of options in this area.

 

Normally having a car in this area is a liability because of the traffic and parking cost, but going round trip to the SOL and lower Manhattan from NJ is the exception. IMO the ferry back is discounted to encourage folks to do just this exact trip.

This seems to be our best option, we won't be that late that we would need to get the path. thank you again

[Johnel]

Any other new parking garage user experiences?

[Guest maddycat]

Any other new parking garage user experiences?

 

We used the garage on our Oct. 22 cruise. The garage had just opened. It's self park, very convenient, and still $19 a day. You park, take an elevator down to ground level and then walk a short distance to the terminal. The garage is not attached to the terminal so you must go outside.

Edited November 20, 2015 by maddycat

[Johnel]

We were wondering if it was connected. Too bad...

[Cruisin' Ya Ya]

I just read on another board that there are people in the garage with the iPads to do your check in also, but you still have to go through the terminal to get to the ship. I am also wondering how early we can get into the garage to get available parking space, since the ship will be off-loading passengers.

[138east]

I just read on another board that there are people in the garage with the iPads to do your check in also' date=' but you still have to go through the terminal to get to the ship. I am also wondering how early we can get into the garage to get available parking space, since the ship will be off-loading passengers.[/quote']

 

What time are you considering arriving? Many folks self disembark at Cape Liberty because they want to get on the road.

[Cruisin' Ya Ya]

What time are you considering arriving? Many folks self disembark at Cape Liberty because they want to get on the road.

 

 

our check-in is schedule for 10:30, but we wanted to get there earlier - like 9:30. Not as much concerned about disembarkation.

[joand452]

We've decided to drive up from northern Virginia morning of our cruise. Our plan is to leave at 6:00 am. We should arrive around 10:30-11:00. Hoping there are plenty of spaces left!!

 

 

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[MisterBill99]

We've decided to drive up from northern Virginia morning of our cruise. Our plan is to leave at 6:00 am. We should arrive around 10:30-11:00. Hoping there are plenty of spaces left!!

Good luck with that, hopefully you're doing it on a Sunday when there isn't likely to be any traffic. Just the stretch on the NJ Turnpike can be terrible at times and the section getting thru Maryland is often bad, at least when I've driven it.

Edited November 24, 2015 by MisterBill99

[CruisingChick]

Good luck with that, hopefully you're doing it on a Sunday when there isn't likely to be any traffic. Just the stretch on the NJ Turnpike can be terrible at times and the section getting thru Maryland is often bad, at least when I've driven it.

I have to agree. If you want to drive up the day of the cruise you should leave at 4 am, not 6 if its a week day.

 

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[Johnel]

I've been on I-95 when all 3 lanes of traffic were going 85 miles an hour one minute and become a parking lot the next. :rolleyes:

[joand452]

Good luck with that, hopefully you're doing it on a Sunday when there isn't likely to be any traffic. Just the stretch on the NJ Turnpike can be terrible at times and the section getting thru Maryland is often bad, at least when I've driven it.

 

 

Definitely Sunday morning--Easter, at that. We're hoping no one is on the road. I'm still going to work on DH into leaving on Saturday!

 

 

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[CruisingChick]

One more note. There is tons of construction going on around the exit and entrance ramps for 14 A and around Cape Liberty. As a matter of fact traffic getting back on after the cruise has been rerouted since at least September.

 

Since your cruise is on Easter Sunday you should have no problems with traffic or construction.

[138east]

My advice is to check back on this forum about two weeks before you cruise to see what might have changed with the construction at Exit 14A. Folks who have recently cruised have been sharing their experiences with the construction as well as the new parking garage.

[MisterBill99]

One more note. There is tons of construction going on around the exit and entrance ramps for 14 A and around Cape Liberty. As a matter of fact traffic getting back on after the cruise has been rerouted since at least September.

Maybe I won't go the wrong way when trying to follow my GPS's directions this time and will not end up in Jersey City! Happened to me the last two cruises! On the bright side, no turnpike tolls, since I was heading to Route 3 in both cases and eventually got there.

Edited November 24, 2015 by MisterBill99

[CruisingChick]

Maybe I won't go the wrong way when trying to follow my GPS's directions this time and will not end up in Jersey City! Happened to me the last two cruises! On the bright side, no turnpike tolls, since I was heading to Route 3 in both cases and eventually got there.

 

When we went on our October 22nd Liberty cruise Waze had us going a crazy way to get to Cape Liberty and coming back.

 

I could not even duplicate the way it had us go down on the 22nd.

 

Coming back on 11/1 we had a wonderful tour of Routes 1&9 and Tonnelle Avenue in New Jersey.

Edited November 24, 2015 by CruisingChick

[MisterBill99]

When we went on our October 22nd Liberty cruise Waze had us going a crazy way to get to Cape Liberty and coming back.

 

I could not even duplicate the way it had us go down on the 22nd.

 

Coming back on 11/1 we had a wonderful tour of Routes 1&9 and Tonnelle Avenue in New Jersey.

Been there, done that. Twice. I keep saying I'm going to figure out where the GPS is misdirecting me so I can report it, but never do.

 

I've had no problems getting there.

[CruisingChick]

Been there, done that. Twice. I keep saying I'm going to figure out where the GPS is misdirecting me so I can report it, but never do.

 

I've had no problems getting there.

 

Our cruise on Liberty was left on a Thursday. Traffic on the Cross Bronx and I-95 were a mess. We came home on a Sunday, and someone on our roll call later reported traffic on I-78 North/South to get to the Jersey turnpike was a mess. Not sure why, I assume that's why Waze redirected us.

 

My DH has it set for "fastest time" route.