New York City Travel Forum

We will be in NY in mid January for 3 nights (via JFK) and a friend said that she always stays in New Jersey and takes the train into the city to save money. Is this a good idea? How cold and what is the chance that it will be snowing? Any other tips greatly appreciated.

it all depends on WHere in Jersey you'll be staying. You'd like to stay near mass transit. Yes, it gets cold here in January. I'd say around 30 F during the day. It doesn't snow as often as it used to. NYC is the safest big city in the US. I've lived here all my life, and I have noticed the difference. But as in any other city on the map, you want to be aware of who's around you, where you aware. Don't isolate yourself on the street or on the subway.

Hotel prices in mid January should be low. I would suggest you determine what your budget is. Yes, you'll save money by staying in NJ, but it's certainly not as easy to get around, as you won't likely be returning to the hotel during the day to rest, change clothes, drop off packages, etc., and it will be more difficult to get home if you have a late night out. Besides, you'll be joining all the commuters... doesn't sound like a vacation to me.

Check the popular suite hotels. The Affinia Group always gets great reviews on tripadvisor. Also check the budget Salisbury -- great location and big rooms by NY standards. Radio City Apts. is another popular suite hotel, just off Times Square. And I'm pretty sure the upper west side hotels The Milburn, Belleclaire, Beacon, all have suites. The Hotel Newton is a great option...about a mile up Broadway from the other UWS hotels, it's often much cheaper, and the neighborhood is still terrific and very convenient to public transportation. From any of the UWS hotels, you can be in Times Square in 10 minutes.

Check out www.bestweekends.com forsome info on NYC.