Hotel for after Anthem

[scottygirl]

We are on the July 23-July 28 Anthem. Driving from MI the day before and have hotel reservations at a Fairfield Inn in Parsippany using Marriott Rewards for the night before. When we return we are going to stay one or two nights after and see NYC. Right now I have a reservation at a Fairfield Inn in Midtown Manhattan using Marriott rewards so it's free other than parking. Will it be a crazy drive into Manhattan Thursday morning? We certainly don't plan on driving the car anywhere, we will use public transportation. How long will it take from Cape Liberty to Midtown?

 

Thanks!

[MarlboroBell]

The obvious answer is 'leave as late as you can' just to avoid the craziness of driving into Manhattan in the rush hour.

 

The next question is whether you even want to drive into Manhattan. Figure it'll take about an hour and be very stressful. And of course parking isn't exactly easy or cheap.

 

A couple of alternatives:

 

(1) Journal Square PATH station allows long-term parking, I believe. $14 per day. Take the PATH to 33rd St (20 minutes, $2.75) and then it's about a five-minute walk (or very short cab ride) to the hotel. There are elevators everywhere you need them.

 

(2) Park at Port Imperial and take a ferry across the Hudson. (Parking is about the same price, the ferry is more.) Free shuttle buses meet each ferry and run very close to the hotel.

 

Personally, I'd probably choose to go to Journal Square and take a reduced amount of luggage on the train, but all of the possibilities have some appeal.

[scottygirl]

The obvious answer is 'leave as late as you can' just to avoid the craziness of driving into Manhattan in the rush hour.

 

The next question is whether you even want to drive into Manhattan. Figure it'll take about an hour and be very stressful. And of course parking isn't exactly easy or cheap.

 

A couple of alternatives:

 

(1) Journal Square PATH station allows long-term parking, I believe. $14 per day. Take the PATH to 33rd St (20 minutes, $2.75) and then it's about a five-minute walk (or very short cab ride) to the hotel. There are elevators everywhere you need them.

 

(2) Park at Port Imperial and take a ferry across the Hudson. (Parking is about the same price, the ferry is more.) Free shuttle buses meet each ferry and run very close to the hotel.

 

Personally, I'd probably choose to go to Journal Square and take a reduced amount of luggage on the train, but all of the possibilities have some appeal.

 

Thank you for those ideas. The parking at the hotel is $40/day so that will save me money and stress!

[138east]

Thank you for those ideas. The parking at the hotel is $40/day so that will save me money and stress!

 

I'm thinking about your question. My concern is the availability of parking after commuter hours at Journal Square and I don't have an answer to that. Im thinking Port Imperial could be tough to get to from Bayonne in the morning. You are going to need options in case parking is full. I'm thinking Grove St in Jersey City might be an alternative and IMO easier to get to than Journal Square (just did the grand tour in this area at the end of a cruise in March on a Monday morning to sneak into the Holland Tunnel). I'm trying to find out if you can reserve parking somewhere.

 

How many people are doing this?

 

A second set of manageable luggage for 2 nights in NY is a necessity.

[scottygirl]

I'm thinking about your question. My concern is the availability of parking after commuter hours at Journal Square and I don't have an answer to that. Im thinking Port Imperial could be tough to get to from Bayonne in the morning. You are going to need options in case parking is full. I'm thinking Grove St in Jersey City might be an alternative and IMO easier to get to than Journal Square (just did the grand tour in this area at the end of a cruise in March on a Monday morning to sneak into the Holland Tunnel). I'm trying to find out if you can reserve parking somewhere.

 

 

 

How many people are doing this?

 

 

 

A second set of manageable luggage for 2 nights in NY is a necessity.

 

 

There will be four adults and I agree on the luggage!

 

 

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[mjkacmom]

I've been driving in the city since I was 17. It's not too bad - you're not going that fast, and it's a grid. Google maps puts the drive at 43 minutes right now, it's rush hour and raining. If you wait as long as possible to disembark, it will probably take you less time to go the 13 miles. I'd suck it up, and not bother parking elsewhere and taking public transportation - that won't save you any time. If you add up the cost of the train and a taxi both ways, I don't think you will save much money.

[scottygirl]

Thank you everyone for your thoughtful replies. You've given me a lot to think about.

 

 

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[138east]

I like mjkacmom's suggestion. I haven't been able to come up with options for you that I feel comfortable recommending. Personally I feel that I could deal with scrounging up parking in Jersey City on the fly, but I once lived there for 5 years and have been there several times in the last few years with a car. I know where the PATH stations are and have been in many of them with luggage going to and from Cape Liberty.

 

Add up the numbers. Figure out exactly how long you would park for and get a quote from the hotel. $40/day sounds very reasonable, but you are actually there over 3 calendar days, so it could be more. Tunnel toll is up to $15 depending on whether you have an EZ pass. There will be some NJ Turnpike toll. You need to tip the guy who gets your car when you leave.

 

For reserved parking you will pay $50-60 to be close to the Grove St station. This station us not accessible, so you will be carrying luggage down steps. PATH fare is $2.75, so that's $22 round trip for 4. When you get to NY it is 2 1/2 avenues and one street to your hotel, so you can walk or take a cab.

 

You've never mentioned what you plan to do in NYC. If you want to go out to the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island at all, then I would have an entirely different suggestion for you.

[scottygirl]

I like mjkacmom's suggestion. I haven't been able to come up with options for you that I feel comfortable recommending. Personally I feel that I could deal with scrounging up parking in Jersey City on the fly, but I once lived there for 5 years and have been there several times in the last few years with a car. I know where the PATH stations are and have been in many of them with luggage going to and from Cape Liberty.

 

Add up the numbers. Figure out exactly how long you would park for and get a quote from the hotel. $40/day sounds very reasonable, but you are actually there over 3 calendar days, so it could be more. Tunnel toll is up to $15 depending on whether you have an EZ pass. There will be some NJ Turnpike toll. You need to tip the guy who gets your car when you leave.

 

For reserved parking you will pay $50-60 to be close to the Grove St station. This station us not accessible, so you will be carrying luggage down steps. PATH fare is $2.75, so that's $22 round trip for 4. When you get to NY it is 2 1/2 avenues and one street to your hotel, so you can walk or take a cab.

 

You've never mentioned what you plan to do in NYC. If you want to go out to the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island at all, then I would have an entirely different suggestion for you.

 

Our son goes to college in Cleveland so we have an EZ Pass. We live in the Metro-Detroit area so traffic really doesn't scare me (I will make my husband drive.) We have two seasons; Winter and Construction! My husband and I have been to NYC several times but our 19 year old kids have not. We haven't ironed out everything we are planning on doing while in the city. I am open to suggestions. 9/11 Memorial is definitely on the list.