Sheraton Newark -opinions, travel and eating options

[uktog]

I wonder if I can ask some questions ahead of our Summit cruise out of Bayonne next June

 

Firstly can I say we have booked an excellent cruise, flight, accomodation and transfers package which is not changeable so we will be flying into Newark, be transferred by the cruiseline to the Sheraton Newark and on embarkation day they will transfer us to the port.

Therefore based on these non chageable factors and the fact that we are actually flying in three days before we sail so have the opportunity for two full days sightseeing and NO desire to hire a car, here are our questions

 

1 On arrival day we will have jet lag, by the time we arrive our bodies will think it is midnight and we will have been travelling for 12+ hours, where can we pick up a reasonably priced snack and is there anywhere we can walk around to so as to keep up awake or should we just hang around the hotel

 

2. Next two days we want to sightsee, we have been to New York pre 9/11 and in the winter so we want this time to see NY in the summer and also Ground Zero. What are our best options for getting into/out of Manhattan and around - we are reasonably agile?

 

3. Should we eat in town and if so how safe are the trains at night and how late do they run? Any areas in town that are near the station that have a particular good range of eateries, we love fine dining but will get that on the cruise, so are looking more for good value steak bar, italian, pizza etc

 

4. If we focus on Manhattan are we missing anything in the New Jersey area that is accessible and worth seeing (we are not over concerned about a repeat Statue of Liberty trip but wonder how easy it would be to take a ferrry over to Manhattan on one of the days just to ring the changes, but cannot work out how we would get to it from the Sheraton)

 

5. Are there any multiple day travel passes we should be aware of?

 

I hope our questions are clear and thanks for the advice in advance

[boo214]

seems to me you are staying by the airport so the best place to get snacks would be at the airport or the hotel (depending what time you arrive and what if any dining options they offer). there is no place to walk near your hotel. getting to the city, your best option is taking the nj transit train from the airport. they run fairly late and are safe.

[138east]

I wonder if I can ask some questions ahead of our Summit cruise out of Bayonne next June

 

Firstly can I say we have booked an excellent cruise, flight, accomodation and transfers package which is not changeable so we will be flying into Newark, be transferred by the cruiseline to the Sheraton Newark and on embarkation day they will transfer us to the port.

Therefore based on these non chageable factors and the fact that we are actually flying in three days before we sail so have the opportunity for two full days sightseeing and NO desire to hire a car, here are our questions

 

1 On arrival day we will have jet lag, by the time we arrive our bodies will think it is midnight and we will have been travelling for 12+ hours, where can we pick up a reasonably priced snack and is there anywhere we can walk around to so as to keep up awake or should we just hang around the hotel. Not much to walk around to at the Sheraton, but there is a sports bar called Teddy's in the Ramada Inn next door - that would give you a short walk and some "pub" food.

 

2. Next two days we want to sightsee, we have been to New York pre 9/11 and in the winter so we want this time to see NY in the summer and also Ground Zero. What are our best options for getting into/out of Manhattan and around - we are reasonably agile?

 

a) hotel shuttle back to the airport, monorail to the train station, and train to NYC - $12.50/pp each way or train to Newark Penn Station and Path to NY

b) NJ Transit bus #40 to Newark Penn Station (http://www.njtransit.com/sf/sf_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=BusTo) $1.50, Train to NY $5 or Path to NY $2

c) Cab to Newark Penn Station - $20-25. Train to NY $5 or Path to NY $2

If you're going to the WTC, you want to take Path from Newark Penn Station. Are you 62+? If so, you get 1/2 fare on NJ Transit, but not Path unless you go through a complicated application process.

 

 

3. Should we eat in town and if so how safe are the trains at night and how late do they run? Any areas in town that are near the station that have a particular good range of eateries, we love fine dining but will get that on the cruise, so are looking more for good value steak bar, italian, pizza etc

 

New York and Newark are highly urban areas so you need to be vigilant. NJ transit runs until about 1 am, but Path runs 24x7. Having said that, trains are busy if not crowded in the evening so I would not worry too much. For eating near the station in Newark check out the Ironbound district which has many Spanish and Portuguese restaurants - http://www.goironbound.com/portal/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=36&Itemid=34. I would advise taking a cab.

 

 

4. If we focus on Manhattan are we missing anything in the New Jersey area that is accessible and worth seeing (we are not over concerned about a repeat Statue of Liberty trip but wonder how easy it would be to take a ferrry over to Manhattan on one of the days just to ring the changes, but cannot work out how we would get to it from the Sheraton)

 

What days of the week would you be doing this? Ferry service between NJ and NY is limited midday and on weekends. How about the free Staten Island Ferry ride? I don't think you're missing anything in New Jersey if you've done the SOL already.

 

5. Are there any multiple day travel passes we should be aware of?

 

There are strategies for buying subway passes in NYC - perhaps someone will post about that. No "tourist" passes for NJ Transit or Path.

 

I hope our questions are clear and thanks for the advice in advance

 

I've stayed at the Sheraton and you should be fine there. It's one of the closest airport hotels to downtown Newark and the cruiseport. Nothing special, but it should work well for NY sightseeing because there are lots of options.

[uktog]

Really appreciate the clarity of your advice

 

Ann