New York

First time in NYC. We (4 adults) are flying into EWR, Sunday morning June 3 for our Carnival Horizon cruise departing Tuesday June 5. During our stay, we are going to the 9-1-1 Museum, Times Square and the Statue of Liberty for sure. I am looking for suggestions for a hotel (prefer 2 beds no more that $400 per night) in Manhattan. What would you suggest...a hotel with a view of Times Square or Central Park? A hotel that is centered between the museum and Times Square? A hotel near the port? Any other suggestions? As for transportation, which would be easier, Uber, cab, etc. Do the hotels provide transportation to the Statue of Liberty or the museum?

Also, we have several hours before our plane departs (around 9 pm) on June 13. What sight seeing can we do on this day? What do we do with our luggage?

First time in NYC. We (4 adults) are flying into EWR, Sunday morning June 3 for our Carnival Horizon cruise departing Tuesday June 5. During our stay, we are going to the 9-1-1 Museum, Times Square and the Statue of Liberty for sure. I am looking for suggestions for a hotel (prefer 2 beds no more that $400 per night) in Manhattan. What would you suggest...a hotel with a view of Times Square or Central Park? A hotel that is centered between the museum and Times Square? A hotel near the port? Any other suggestions? As for transportation, which would be easier, Uber, cab, etc. Do the hotels provide transportation to the Statue of Liberty or the museum?

Also, we have several hours before our plane departs (around 9 pm) on June 13. What sight seeing can we do on this day? What do we do with our luggage?

Lots of questions!

1). Can you make do with 2 double beds? NYC is short on 2 Queens, so your hotel choices will be more limited if you need 2 Queens. I would suggest a midtown west hotel for easier and less expensive access to the port as well as the evening ambiance.

2). Times Square is in midtown and the SOL and 911 Museum are downtown. Hotels do not provide transportation to the SOL or 911 Museum. The cheapest and most efficient way to go from midtown to downtown is by subway. Details can be provided once you book a hotel.

3) How are you planning to go to and from Newark Airport? Train? Airport bus? Car Service? We don't recommend cabs for the trip between NY and NJ. Folks do use Uber.

4). Luggage can be stored at Schwartz Travel on W 37th St. This is located 4-5 blocks from both New York Penn Station for NJ Transit to EWR and Port Authority Bus Terminal for the airport bus (https://www.newarkairportexpress.com/)

5). What time do you arrive at EWR on June 3?

On the issue of hotels with a view .... in NYC that is usually not one of the major points in choosing a hotel. Subways are the quickest way to travel any distance. If one is not in a hurry the extensive bus system can allow some sightseeing when getting to your destination. Also, allow more time than you think to get to the airport for your flight home.

Are you interested in going up to the crown of The Statue of Liberty? Check to see if you can still pre book. So glad we did as the day we got there signs were out saying booked out for today.

Most of your questions have been answered. I'd recommend a midtown hotel, close to Times Square or Penn Station for good subway availability, as it's BY FAR the best way around town.

To/from the airports, I always use and recommend a car service like Dial7 (www.dial7.com) or Carmel Limo (www.carmellimo.com) for professional and reliable service. When you use Uber, you're less likely to get a driver who actually knows the area than a car service driver. (Within the city, I tend to use cabs rather than Uber, when the subway isn't convenient).

We also use Dial7 when using the Red Hook and Port Liberty Piers - and if you have lots of cruise luggage for your family, you may want to prebook a car or taxi to your ship at the Manhattan Terminal.

I would definitely do advance planning and get advance tickets online to save lots of time.

Other popular family sights - Times Square (lots of stores like the M&M shop) and the American Museum of Natural History (dinosaurs, the Hope diamond, a giant blue whale model, and the famous Rose Hall of astronomy and Planetarium - home of Neil deGrasse Tyson) and Central Park outside.

I would prebook 9/11 museum , need 90 mins to a couple of hours take the tour. also midtown Rockefeller center, we can also recommend some really good restaurants if you like

Let's knock out the most important question first:

At $400/night, you may be in luck. Unless you want to do a double/double for 4 adults, right now you can actually book two king rooms at the Courtyard Herald Square, Marriott Rewards member rate, for $188/room/night. Join if you're not a member, and book the member rate. (AAA for $183). No deposit and fully cancellable. Search marriott.com using Penn Station as your search point. There are a number of Marriott properties hovering around $200/room/night for that timeframe; the Renaissance Midtown is a block the other directions and currently my favorite Marriott property in NYC; it's a little higher, but it is showing 2 queens for $289 at the AAA rate ($313 for Marriott Rewards). One king around $225/night/room. Keep in mind that NYC hotel rooms tend to be smallish, so a 2 queen configuration is going to be very tight. And probably nowhere for your cruise luggage...

The Penn Station area is centrally located, with the subway, Amtrak, and Jersey Transit all going through the area. That gives you easy access to Downtown/Battery Park/WTC. It's 8-10 blocks into Times Square, and another 10 blocks or so to the south side of Central Park. There's a little less to do at night, but Broadway and 7th Avenue are perfectly safe for walking to Times Square.

I'd check those out and book some combination. Today. And seriously consider two rooms since that will be within or very close to your budget.

Siteseing.

Your options really depend a lot on when you arrive on Sunday, and what you want to do at the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island. I've never been in even the pedestal, much less the crown, and am happy to have visited the island and seen her up close. Add time for each additional event you want to do. Ellis Island will take as long as you want it to take. Some folks don't get off the ferry; we were there for hours. Battery Park (departure for the ferry), Wall Street, City Hall, Brooklyn Bridge, and the WTC site 9/11 Memorial are all downtown. You want to see all of those that you plan on seeing on one subway ride to downtown. SOL and the 9/11 Memorial and Museum require planning and have opening hours; the rest of that is just walking around. I would generally recommend the SOL earlier in the day, and then get a timed ticket in the afternoon for the 9/11 Museum. If you're in Manhattan early enough on Sunday, do that. The subway won't be as busy, and you won't be trying to fight your way downtown through the Financial District during the morning commute.

Midtown/Times Square is a walkabout.You can do that on Monday without touching the subway. OR, you can do it on Sunday if you get in later, and just recognize that getting Downtown will be busier on Monday. Allow time to visit a museum if you wish, or the ESB or Top of the Rock. But that area is a walkabout and you can do it at your own pace. I can give you some suggestions, and have a walking trail that gives you a good overview. There are also guided walking tours, I believe. Some of those are free.

Excellent find on the Marriott properties! I didn't even want to look until the OP confirmed the acceptable bed size. 2 King rooms should certainly resolve that concern.

I'd stay in the Penn Station (NY Penn Station) area myself, as you can just take the NJ transit train right from EWR and eliminate any car service, taxi, bus needs getting into the city. You are also close enough to enjoy T.S. but just far enough away to not be overwhelmed by the mass of humanity that is there. (still able to walk there though). I tend to only use Hilton branded hotels (i have status and like to earn or redeem points) so I only price out those properties myself.

Lots of questions!

1). Can you make do with 2 double beds? NYC is short on 2 Queens, so your hotel choices will be more limited if you need 2 Queens. I would suggest a midtown west hotel for easier and less expensive access to the port as well as the evening ambiance.

2). Times Square is in midtown and the SOL and 911 Museum are downtown. Hotels do not provide transportation to the SOL or 911 Museum. The cheapest and most efficient way to go from midtown to downtown is by subway. Details can be provided once you book a hotel.

3) How are you planning to go to and from Newark Airport? Train? Airport bus? Car Service? We don't recommend cabs for the trip between NY and NJ. Folks do use Uber.

4). Luggage can be stored at Schwartz Travel on W 37th St. This is located 4-5 blocks from both New York Penn Station for NJ Transit to EWR and Port Authority Bus Terminal for the airport bus (https://www.newarkairportexpress.com/)

5). What time do you arrive at EWR on June 3?

Thank you so much for your response.

1) 2 double beds would be fine

3) Probably some type of car service/Uber.

5) We arrive at 9:20 AM.

I would prebook 9/11 museum , need 90 mins to a couple of hours take the tour. also midtown Rockefeller center, we can also recommend some really good restaurants if you like

Does the museum sell out or are there specific times they conduct tours? Yes please recommend some restaurants.

Thanks for all of the responses.

Thank you so much for your response.

1) 2 double beds would be fine

3) Probably some type of car service/Uber.

5) We arrive at 9:20 AM.

Look at Dial7 and Carmellimo for 4 people plus all your luggage. They will quotes a base rate. Expect to pay $17+ in tolls plus 18-20% tip on tge base rate.

Look at the La Quinta on W 32nd St for 6/3. Two Queens are $225 plus $36.69 tax for a total of $261.69. They offer an AAA discount. I stayed here in January and was very happy with the hotel. Nice clean modernly updated room, free breakfast, and free wifi. Super location just east of Herald Square with easy access to the R and W trains to World Trade/911 museum. Walkable to Times Square and right near Macy's and the Empire State.

If you were to opt for the train from EWR to Penn Station, it's an easy walk from the Penn Station 7th Ave exit across 32nd St to just east of 6th Ave. I came in on Amtrak and did just this in Jan. If you're at all interested, book a cancellable reservation NOW.

Most hotels are generally happy to keep your luggage for a few hours on the day you check out, which gives you another suitcase free day in the city!

Does the museum sell out or are there specific times they conduct tours? Yes please recommend some restaurants.

 

 

Thanks for all of the responses.

You can get tours all day but pre book certain times will sell out, tour was really excellent

https://www.911memorial.org/museum

I believe tour was about a hour and you will want another hour to walk around, you can also go up to top floor on a elevator , ride is amazing you see murals on NYC being built on way up, but this is about another 25 a person, great view if it is a clear day, there is a restaurant and bar on top . No need to pre book elevator

My favorite reasonably priced restaurant is Becco on 46st between 8th and 9th , this street is called restaurant row , over a dozen restaurants , I would also get a reservation asap , this is from open table

Food and wine is excellent , we will go there at least twice on our trip end of May, we always do this at least twice

Thank you so much for all of your help.

If you're at the Freedom Tower, I can recommend Eataly in tower #4 and Le District in Brookfield building. Fun places.

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