Becky

My family will be driving from Ohio to NYC June 10th.We will be staying at Beacon Hotel(thanks for the great reviews).I originally thought we would pay the $29/night garage fee. Our arrival time being peak rush hour,I'm wondering if we'd be better off leaving the car in New Jersey and taking a train? We'll be in the city for 4 days.Is there long term parking at these stations,safe to leave a car that long. I would like to avoid traffic,because it will probably cause traveltensionarguements between myself and hubby. What a way to start your time in NYC.I would like help knowing what station to use. I went to the new jersey transit website, and not knowing what location to use,became confused. I do have a "Flashmaps New York" that is map guide.It has a map of the passenger rail network. HELP!I did read the post on someone coming from Newark airport-nyc, i'd like to park farther out if possible. Remember, Ohio has no subway/train system,so we're rookies!Thanks so much for help!I am getting so excited to come to NY!

Paul Rabe

The URL you want is

www.njtransit.com/faq.shtm#e

It answers EXACTLY the question you're asking.

thereuare

Since the above site doesn't mention where to park when coming from the West (thanks for the link though, i had never seen that before) i'd suggest parking in Dover, Denville, or Lake Hopatcong... as i believe all of these are easily accessible from Rte 80, not too far over the border from when PA turns into NJ.

It appears from the website that Lake Hopatcong doesn't charge a daily fee, but the other two do. I'd call to find out the fees and train schedule (to make sure the schedule is convenient when you want to come into and leave NYC).

nyer

Isn't Lake Hopatcong a little far from Manahattan?
Why drive that far, then take a train,then a cab from the station to the hotel?
Just drive straight into the city and park.

nyer

Sorry-you would think I would be able to spell Manhattan

thereuare

NYER,

If you re-read the post, the poster would like to park far out... and if making a 10 hour trip, why not make it 9 hours and take the train for the last hour.

Mel P

I think parking all the way out in Lake Hopatcong is being pound foolish (sorry I forgot the first part of the saying <g>). First, the train from there will only take them into Hoboken, where they will have to then change to the PATH to get into the city, then they will have to get from Penn Station to the Upper West Side, which they could do by subway or taxi. By the time you factor the three fares round trip x 4 (poster didn't say how many kids or other adults nor ages), they're already looking at spending the equivalent of close to two days parking anyway (possibly 3 if the kids are too old for the child fare or if there is a 3rd adult) ...plus they have to schlep luggage through two connections. I'd probably just bite the bullet and spring for the parking in the city.

nyer

Farther out from Newark does not mean they have to go to Lake Hopatcong!and they still have to find trains,cabs and still during rush hour.And Becky says that they are rookies with the trains systems.
I would think just driving in and being there in the most direct way would be less tiring and trouble.

nyer

Melenny wise-pound foolish

thereuare

You're right, i forgot the NJ Transit train goes to Hoboken and not directly into Penn Station.

My next suggestion (if you can excuse my mistake above) if you don't want to drive into NYC is to Park at the NJ Transit Park N Ride in North Bergen/Secaucus. It may cost ~$5/day to park (just a guess) and ~$2.50/pp to take the bus into NYC (it's less than a 10 minutes bus ride and will leave you off at the NY Port Authority on 42nd St and 8th Ave)

nyer

No matter where you get off in NJ, after the long drive from Ohio,you will still be standing there with your luggage,and not even in NY yet.
You will have to park your car,lug the luggage to the next mode of transportation,then once in the city,hail a cab,if that is still during rush hour,it will be a long wait for that cab,then to the hotel.
Then in 4 days you can do it again,this time with more stuff,because you know you are going to shop!
Drive into the city, park and forget about the car.
You will really NOT be better off going through all of that to avoid rush hour and the traveltensionarguments will only be about "waiting on a platform for a train with this heavy bag"! instead of where "you were supposed to turn and didn't!"
You see, I,too,have been on those trips.
Have a great time in NY

rqf

I assume you arrival time in the late afternoon. If so, the traffic problem may not be as bad as you think. There certainly can be a delay getting over the GW Bridge. But once over the bridge it will take less than 15 minutes to get to the Beacon since most traffic is heading in the other direction. If you decide to drive into the city tune your radio to either 880AM or 1010AM for traffic reports as to which level of the bridge is less conjested. I am assuming the $29 is a price the Beacon quoted and is it for 24 hour parking. The convenience of parking near the hotel, in my opinion, is better than the inconveniece of parking in NJ, dragging your luggage to a bus or train not configured for carrying luggage and then changing to a taxi to get to the hotel.

deevee

I think part of Becky's concern is that the traffic in New York is going to be terrifying. As a fellow corn country resident, I can understand that.

What she may not have been considering is the luggage problem - which can really complicate her options. And switching from one mode of transportation to another - which can be a whole new brand of terror. Imagine this, Becky -- you're on a train, with your crabby hubby and a couple of bags (and maybe a couple of kids), listening intently for the stop you want and the announcer sounds just like Charlie Brown's teacher with a New Jersey accent.

If you've driven in Chicago, Indianapolis or even Cleveland during rush hour, you can drive into New York. It's not that bad. On your way into the city most of the traffic will be heading the other direction. Once you're in there will be a lot of cars but they will all be going fairly slow.

Just make sure you've got good directions printed out ahead of time and think of it as an adventure.

xx

Getting to the Beacon from the GW Bridge does not involve much driving on city streets. Once over the bridge she gets on the West Side highway which will not have much traffic going southbound. She gets off at the 79th St. exit, drives two blocks to Broadway, makes a right an goes four blccks to the Beacon. There is a time factor involved. Even with a 45 minute delay to get across the bridge it will take an hour to get to the Beacon. Whatever alternate used from NJ is going to that long or even longer. The delay at the bridge is more likely going to be 20 minutes

a

You never indicated cost was a factor. When you figure the cost of parking in NJ, train, bus or ferry cost to the city and then taxi to the Beacon you might find the difference to be less than $50. The convenience factor of driving into the city might be worth the additional cost.

rqf

You mention avoiding "travelrelatedarguements". Look at it this way. June 10 can be a warm or even hot day (it was in the high 80's yesterday. First Problem - finding and getting to the parking lot from the highway (how long is that going to take and getting lost is quite possible). Second problem - toting the luggage to the train or bus or ferry and then waiting for it to show up. Third problem - No place to store luggage whatever means is used to get to the city. Fourth possible problem - whatever conveyance is used could be crowded with no place to sit. Fifth Problem - Lugging the luggage to wherever you have to get a cab or public tranportation to the hotel. Just hope it isn't raining because getting a cab can be difficult.
Waiting to get across the bridge or tunnel into the city could be a joy as opposed to enduring the above. Think about it. Load up the car at the start of the trip. Unload the car right in front of the hotel and then drive to the garage which I believe is one block from the Beacon.

Becky

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!! I forgot the nightmare of luggage. I traveled to Europ as a 21 yr old,thinking i would be changing clothes every day. I lugged 2 suitcases and an overnight bag around Paris and Germany,like a FOOL!!
I needed that reminder and refresher of how much I hated that!It's still a nightmare to me,and that was 24 yrs ago!There will be 2 adults, 2 teens 14,16.I know my kids, they will not like lugging luggage around,especially after a long trip. My husband is use to city traffic,we live outside the capitol of Ohio.As someone mentioned I was concerned about "the traffic".And as someone else said, we'll be going in,they'll be leaving. I thought cost- wise it would be cheaper to park in New Jersey, but all the other hassles would make it worth the cost of parking. The garage is only a block away according to the information I've read.Thanks again for the good advice.Becky

njgirl

Have Fun,Becky!!!

rqf

If you decide to drive and use I80 to get to the city here are instructions on how to get to the Beacon. It is better to use the upper level of the bridge. Once on the bridge stay to the right. You will see a sign indicating "West Side HIghway'. Get on the ramp and stay to the left (a lane merges from the right midway down the ramp) Follow the sign directing you to the "West SIde HIghway" and "Downtown". YOu will be going southbound and the river will be to your right. You will pass the following exits: 158th ST, 125th ST and 96th Street. You exit at the next exit, 79th St. The first traffic light you come to will be Riverside Drive. Go straight ahead to the next traffic light, West End Ave. Make a right onto West End and go to 74th St. Make a left onto 74th and go one block to Broadway. Make a left onto Broadway and you will see the entrance to the Beacon just beyond the Beacon Theatre. I believe the garage is on W. 76th. Drive one block to 76th, make a right and the garage is midway down the block. You can stock your refrigerator at the Fairway Market across the street from the hotel. Leaving the City go straight ahead on Broadway to 79th St. Make a left and go two blocks where you enter the West Side Highway. Go straight ahead about six miles and you will see the ramp to the bridge. At the top of the ramp get to the left so you can get to the upper level of the bridge.. Bridge toll is $6 - you pay entering the city, no toll leaving the city. If you have questions about the west side just ask and you will get plenty of answers from the many upper west siders who contribute to this forum.

nyer

Rqf's driving directions are very detailed, but I would change one thing--take the lower level of the bridge. Due to security restrictions, all trucks are delegated to the upper level only. This sometimes causes extra delays if/when they are stopped for inspections.

If you take the lower level, stay in the
LEFT lane (as opposed to the right lane if you're on the upper level). Then, as you exit and round the corner, the Downtown lanes will be in the middle as rqf indicated.