Travel Answers

New York City

For my US trip in July I'll be staying in midtown Manhattan and will need to go to New Haven again. Last time I took the Amtrak train from Penn (which was fine, though I didn't enjoy Penn itself) but I'm wondering if Metro North from Grand Central is a better option. It is cheaper but I'm iffy about a) personal safety and b) seats and baggage storage.

Getting to either station isn't a problem. I've already used Amtrak so I suppose I''m really looking for pros or cons about Metro North. I'll have a rucksack and a smallish wheeled suitcase which I can handle myself but which won't fit into overhead racks.

I need to make a decision soon because I'll book my Amtrak ticket way in advance if I decide to stick with that option.

Thanks in advance for any comments. :-)

hello all,
Looking for a chines restaurant in NYC.
any recommandation?

Thanks.

is it good value for money and will i be able to use the metro

Hi there!
I’m preparing for a 2-week trip to northeastern USA, landing at N.Y late May, while doing some (desperate?) efforts to keep the budget low (in this expensive country…) due to recent financial restrictions.
Could you please advise me about how to choose and combine some interesting sights with low budgets? Hoping that $ 60-70 per day plus intercity transport is feasible.
Initial thought is to stay within the corridor Boston – New York - Philadelphia - Baltimore – Washington, sleeping at hostels and moving with public buses…
My main interests are cityscape, street life, nature... (but no shopping, drinking)
Do you think the areas above make a good choice for that reason?
Also, could you suggest possibilities for hiking in nature around there (seaside/ mountain) accessible by public transport?
Any other tips for good sightseeing at earthly costs, will be a big big help, totally welcome!
Looking forward to hearing your tips guys, happy travels!
Nikolas

best hidden restaurants and bars in manhattan ???

As a tourist looking to enjoy the sights, is there a time that would be best to go on the Staten Island Ferry? I'd like a time when it isn't too crowded. I will probably do Lower Manhatten in a Friday, I would really appreciate recommendations of when to aim for the Ferry Trip!

Thanks!

My wife and I are in our 50's and 60's (in good walking shape) and are staying down by Battery Park. We were hoping to find a nice Italian restaurant & a couple other nice places to eat at in that area and also all over Manhattan. Looking for a good atmosphere, no black tie dress code, no 4 or 5 star places just nice, good food and drink. Looking at around $40 - $50 a plate without cocktails and beer (or somewhere in that neighborhood).

I lived in Europe for a while & when I was in the UK I spent most of my time in the good old Pubs (not bars). So we are looking for some great old Pubs with pub food, good beer, wine & cocktails and having some fun. Heard of a couple called the Spotted Pig & Blind Tiger but I know there are many. Just would like to hear about the
local's favorites. We'll hit as many as we can.

We love our music as well so any bars that have blues, jazz, rock (not to loud), folk etc.....that is a good time and not too expensive would be great.

My last question for the night.....is there any where over by LaGuardia Airport that has good sights and everything above? Thanks so much in advance.

2 old hippies

As mentioned in my former post, we are flying into LGA and staying in Jersey City. We are still trying to determine the best, most economical way to get from the airport to NJ.
One car service adds a $25 toll fee and another car service adds $15 for tolls. Is the toll just for the trip to New Jersey or is the toll also paid on the return trip to LGA?
These will probably seem like dumb questions, but staying in NJ is a new situation for us. Are the New Jersey transit systems connected to the NYC systems? Are tickets interchangable between the two systems? Are the transitions between the two easy? We will do most of our sightseeing travel by subway and walking. We will arrive May 13 and leave May 17 and welcome information on events going on during our visit to NYC.

I was wondering what the best way to get from Manhattan to Metlife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ would be? I was thinking of taking a taxi but I just wasn't sure what the cost would end up being if it would be cheaper/easier to just rent a car or what would work best. We are going there just for on day, heading there in the morning and back at night. Any help or direction in this area would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks a lot :-)

Hallo, I would like to know whether I can use the bus to get from JFK to Bedford Styuvensant, is it a problem to carry luggage on board a bus? Do I need to pay an extra ticket for them? Is there a special area on the bus where one should store their luggage? Thank you

Can anyone advise on the most efficient ( in time and money) transportation from LaGuardia to Jersey City? Two adults traveling with several pieces of luggage.

Hi I am trying hard to find a seafood restaurant that open on Sat lunch time and they serve skate fish or monk fish? It was so difficult to search as most of them only open at night time. Any recommendation is appreciated! Many thanks!

Hello,urgent,important ?2females in US for 3months having been to US last time on coast FL to CA trip now NJ or can stay in NY close to it.Stay with someone close for months time.But for few months cant find economical accomodation in NJ or NY.Its long term need economical rental apartment/house or roomshare with someone looking for roommates or hotel/motel or homestay.Budget rent monthly 150dollars only. Pls only seriously reply if u know of any or lead to it.Do not reply only to say its impossible to find etc.Ty,hope this time too VT to the rescue :-)

looking for package deals for empire state building and ellis island etc where can i go for this

Has anyone picked up tickets at the Majestic before a show? I booked a ticket for Phantom for my trip in April, but after doing quite a bit of searching, I found nothing useful about picking up the ticket. Is the Will Call for this theater simply at the door before the show?

I will be departing on the coming Sunday and seeking for different means of transportation from the hotel to airport. We would like to go for a more economical way and when we search for the share van shuttle the latest pick up time is noon while our flight is at 6pm Sun. That's why I am struggling should I take the noon van to airport first or I can go at a later time in the afternoon? Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

Hansi posted a VT meet for May 3rd. Who's joining us?

VT Meeting

I'm going to spend the greater portion of my week in NYC alone. I'm also shopping for a prom dress, so suggestions of stores/streets that are affordable would be nice. What activities or places should I definitely do or visit? How safe is it for a 17 yo girl to go around alone? Any nightlife for someone my age? Any tips on safety and fun?

I will be arriving at JFK on a Sunday at 19:55 terminal 4. I plan to take the airtrain to Jamaica station, then I will take the Subway to get me somewhere near to my hotel (the Econo Lodge at 302 West 47th street). Is the Subway the same as the Metro, just a different name?
Looking at the airtrain map, it looks as if I need the subway/Metro line LIRR from Jamaica to say 50th street Subway/Metro station, then a short walk back to my hotel. Am I correct in what I've assumed, or would I need to take the E line from Jamaica. How long does it take the Subway/Metro to get from Jamaica to my destination and how often does it run. Presume I pay the fare at Jamaica?

Many thanks,
Keith

We are coming with my 6 and 3 year old in October and just wonder what you guys would recommend for kids to keep them occupied. We will take them to Central Park, to the zoo, etc also will go on the tour bus and out to Ellis Island but wondered if there are any child specific things we can be doing???
Does anyone know how much it is to do the horse & carriage ride round central park? Been told its round $200 but dont think it was anywhere near that the last time we were there.
Also is the skating in Central Park open at the start of October?
Thanks guys

I arrive next week for 11 days and my hobby is fly fishing . From what I have searched so far Long Island lakes / ponds seem to be best for trout . Any advice or suggestions please?

While I am your run-of-the-mill American I will be hosting a Kuwaiti citizen this September and he plans on visiting New York. While I have not been there since 1992 I know the layout fairly well. First and foremost is it safe for a Muslim or Arabic person to visit alone? Is there areas to avoid (not just standard crime areas but areas that resent Middle Eastern people). Is there an Arabic or Kuwaiti district (seems like one may be in Brooklyn). I have located the Kuwaiti embassy and will provide him with their contact information for emergency purposes. Any other suggestions?

I am getting married in NYC in September 2014. There will be a party of 14 (12 adults and 2 kids) coming over from Scotland for 7 nights. I have been looking for a home/apartments for us to rent however I am struggling to find any to accommodate us in the Manhattan area. Ideally I would like to find a property owner who owns a couple of apartments in Manhattan (preferably close together). I would be grateful for any help/advice you can give me. If you require any more information just let me know. Thanks, Rona.

Hello. Can anyone suggest a good place to have Chinese food for a reasonable price? Would Chinatown be a good choice to search one? I stay in Financial district and would rather not travel far from here. Thank you!

My husband and I have a trip booked to go to wrestle mania at the beginning of April. He was telling his Dad about te upcoming trip and his Dad has now convinced him that due to the recent flooding in NJ that both NJ and NYC are unsafe to be in right now and has convinced him we shouldn't go! Is there any truth in this?? I'm trying to convince him that it's fine but unfortunately he is following his dad and believing its unsafe due to crime as a result of the devastation. Has anyone had any issues whatsoever win traveling there at all?! I would love some advice to convince my husband otherwise so we can still go on the trip! Thanks so much!!

How to get good theater tickets?

In a city with so many skyscrapers, are Top of the Rock and Empire State Building really the only viewpoint options? I would love to find a cute, lesser-known tower to go up.

Also, is there any tower you can actually climb, be it short or tall? I would love to challenge myself to a climb.

I'm thinking of buying a City Pass for my 5 days in NYC, but I definitely want to go to the top observation deck, and the City Pass only gets you to the 86th floor. Can I buy an addition to my ticket while there to get me to the top? This will probably decide whether I buy the pass at all, as I don't want to miss a 100+ story view!

Looking at Adria Hotel in Bayside, Queens, anyone stayed here or heard of it at all??? Its like a minefield looking at all the options....

Anyone have any experience of renting apartments through airbnb or similar service? I'm looking at different options in the city.