Driving to NYC--logistics

[bears]

If you were driving to Long Island from the South (I-95/Jersey Turnpike) and making a stop-over in NYC, for ~3 nights where would you stay?

We are 100% not planning to drive around, but we're wondering where makes sense to stay considering that we have a SUV that will be challenging to park. Would love to park it someplace safe and not have to worry about it. Most of what we are doing is focused in Manhattan.

Previously, we've done this trip and stayed in Greenpoint (to stay near friends) and just did street parking, which was actually fine. This year we're looking into all options and can't figure out what makes the most sense logistically.  However, it seems like there are infinite permutations that I'm struggling to understand.


We're open to all options that make sense and we're really comfortable using subway/train.

[deadwing]

A couple of years ago, my friend and I stayed in Jersey City and took the hotel shuttle into NYC. The hotel had plenty of parking for the SUV. The shuttle ran frequently and was very convenient. I'd do it again.

[wanderingback]

Are you saying you’ll be staying in Manhattan at a hotel? If so, although expensive I would just park there. Or you could find a garage, that’ll still be expensive but most likely a bit less. Or you could stay in Jersey and park there. I personally wouldn’t want to deal with street parking and having to switch sides.

[bears]

Nov 3, 2024 11:43:05 GMT -5 wanderingback said:

Are you saying you’ll be staying in Manhattan at a hotel? If so, although expensive I would just park there. Or you could find a garage, that’ll still be expensive but most likely a bit less. Or you could stay in Jersey and park there. I personally wouldn’t want to deal with street parking and having to switch sides.

Really opening to stay wherever that is reasonably close by transit, or staying in Manhattan. So, if we stayed in Manhattan, we would get a garage.

When we were in Greenpoint doing street parking, the only place MH could find when we had to switch sides was under a bridge and I'd never seen so much bird shit on a car afterwards. Lol.

[erbear]

I’d either park overnight at a NJ transit station and take the train in, or I’d pay a million dollars to park at my hotel. I would not park on the street for three days because you’ll have to move your car at least twice.

[tacokick]

We’ve stayed in Long Island City in Queens and it’s like a 5 minute train ride to Manhattan. We’ve always just parked on the street but there are day lots.

[lovelovelove]

I've done both parking at a transit lot outside the city and a garage near the hotel in Manhattan. If I have money for it I prefer a garage near the hotel due to bags, but other than that both options are good.

[lavenderblue]

Whenever I drive into New York City, I actually only drive as far as Princeton Junction. I park my car there and then take New Jersey transit into the city. I can’t remember if there is a fee for parking but if there is, it’s not much. I will actually be doing this exact thing at the end of the month.

[wanderingback]

Nov 3, 2024 11:43:05 GMT -5 wanderingback said:

Are you saying you’ll be staying in Manhattan at a hotel? If so, although expensive I would just park there. Or you could find a garage, that’ll still be expensive but most likely a bit less. Or you could stay in Jersey and park there. I personally wouldn’t want to deal with street parking and having to switch sides.

Well then I guess it really is personal preference cause like you said there’s lots of options haha.

Thankfully at this stage in my life I often am able to "throw money at problems" so I would pick a hotel in Manhattan if you’re planning to do general nyc sightseeing and park my car at the hotel valet.

Parking at a NJT station would obviously be cheaper but then you have to go back and get it. Staying at a hotel in Jersey would obviously be cheaper but then you’re staying in Jersey…

So do you want inexpensive and less convenient or more expensive and more convenient?

[sproctopus]

Park near-ish to your hotel and use SpotHero to get a cheaper deal (particularly if you don't want/need in/out privileges).

[livinitup]

When I lived in Maryland, I would drive north on 1-95 to Long Island & take the Outer Crossing bridge through Staten Island to LI. But there are many ways to get into NYC - so where is your hotel? Are you still picking? That’s fine. Listen to traffic reports ‘inbound’ at any time of day - ex: AM 1010 (on the 10’s).

Where are you staying on Long Island? I’d be tempted to drive & park at your LI destination and take the LIRR back into the city with a 3-day vacation bag. Depending on the town and (maybe) day of the week, you can park for free at the train station.

If that’s not an option, I’d drive to the hotel and get parking near it. Call ahead and ask for parking options, there are a few parking apps, etc. I’d just do a garage or lot and leave it for 3 days. I would drop bags in front of the hotel first & then park the car. The city varies widely about options, so do you know your preferred section to sleep/hotel? I had a friend in Battery Park & I’d drive in, park in a big garage a bunch of blocks away and not drive again until I drove home.

The only time I parked on the street for a 3-day visit in Manhattan was when we were staying on the upper East side by Central Park. And our car was a smaller sedan. How big is your SUV? I have one and it would not occur to me to worry about finding street parking (more than the challenge of finding street parking) so, is it very big? I think you are going to end up in a random parking garage & that’s okay.

Have you considered taking Amtrak? Would it be at all convenient? How far south are you? Amtrak into Penn Station is easy. I did it from Maryland many times and it was similar to the drive time by car. Then you are in easy walking distance to great tourist hotels and spots. Then you can walk back to Penn station to take the LIRR to most of Long Island.

[waverly]

I’d probably stay in Jersey City near a path stop. Hotel rooms are bigger and cheaper and we don’t mind the path. It seems like it is on your route.

Parking in the city would be $$$ and hotels are also more expensive, so it’s more of a how much do you want to spend.

[gerberdaisy]

When I go, I park at a metro north station that allows overnight parking then take the train in. However, I'm not coming from long island. Otherwise I use a parking website and book a garage near my hotel. I would definitely stay in Manhattan. I never find driving in the city difficult, just frustrating at times and am just going straight to my hotel and then leaving to go home.

[bears]

Nov 3, 2024 19:36:20 GMT -5 wanderingback said:

Nov 3, 2024 11:43:05 GMT -5 wanderingback said:

Are you saying you’ll be staying in Manhattan at a hotel? If so, although expensive I would just park there. Or you could find a garage, that’ll still be expensive but most likely a bit less. Or you could stay in Jersey and park there. I personally wouldn’t want to deal with street parking and having to switch sides.

Well then I guess it really is personal preference cause like you said there’s lots of options haha.

Thankfully at this stage in my life I often am able to "throw money at problems" so I would pick a hotel in Manhattan if you’re planning to do general nyc sightseeing and park my car at the hotel valet.

Parking at a NJT station would obviously be cheaper but then you have to go back and get it. Staying at a hotel in Jersey would obviously be cheaper but then you’re staying in Jersey…

So do you want inexpensive and less convenient or more expensive and more convenient?

Honestly speaking, we've prices some options out and it doesn't look like it's that much more to stay in Manhattan and use a SpotHero garage. It's definitely not worth the hassle trying to do street parking in Manhattan!

[wanderingback]

Nov 4, 2024 9:44:37 GMT -5 bears said:

Nov 3, 2024 19:36:20 GMT -5 wanderingback said:

Well then I guess it really is personal preference cause like you said there’s lots of options haha.

Thankfully at this stage in my life I often am able to "throw money at problems" so I would pick a hotel in Manhattan if you’re planning to do general nyc sightseeing and park my car at the hotel valet.

Parking at a NJT station would obviously be cheaper but then you have to go back and get it. Staying at a hotel in Jersey would obviously be cheaper but then you’re staying in Jersey…

So do you want inexpensive and less convenient or more expensive and more convenient?

Honestly speaking, we've prices some options out and it doesn't look like it's that much more to stay in Manhattan and use a SpotHero garage. It's definitely not worth the hassle trying to do street parking in Manhattan!

Then I’d absolutely do that!

[Jalapeñomel]

Why not park in LI and then take the LIRR into Manhattan?

[mrsslocombe]

You might find a better deal on Spot Hero somewhere else, but Pier 40 on the West side highway is one of the cheaper garages, and it's fairly easy to access when coming in from NJ.

Also, there's a bunch of garages in my neighborhood in Downtown Brooklyn/Brooklyn Heights that are significantly cheaper than Manhattan, and we're just one subway stop from Manhattan.

[bears]

Nov 4, 2024 10:56:11 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

Why not park in LI and then take the LIRR into Manhattan?

We're visiting family that is far into Suffolk... So about an hour without traffic. And there's almost never not traffic.

[Jalapeñomel]

Nov 4, 2024 13:20:57 GMT -5 bears said:

Nov 4, 2024 10:56:11 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

Why not park in LI and then take the LIRR into Manhattan?

We're visiting family that is far into Suffolk... So about an hour without traffic. And there's almost never not traffic.

Right, but if you take the LIRR, you won't need to drive or park. 

Edit: I see you want to stop in NYC, so you don't have to drive into LI on the same day?