Best Place To stay In New York - Follow-up
 

A reminder re a post I started:

We are both late 40's, prefer an apartment (or even B & B!) to hotels, like eating out at good local restuarants as opposed to posh places, like art/ theatre/architecture etc. but not drinking, like chatting and people watching, but not gossiping, we're not sporty types - if we ever feel like exercise we lie down until the feeling goes away! Our kids are grown up so we are family types with grandkids now!

Thanks to lots of good advice here, Carol and I are now booked for New York! Flying into JFK on the 11th September at lunchtime (and we will certainly have people in our thoughts - we were driving from Miami to Sarrasota on that fateful morning and were deeply saddened) and staying for 5 days or maybe more.

I bid on Priceline for 3* plus in Jersey City and ended up with a suite at the DoubleTree instead of the Hyatt, but no matter as it is also on the river, has two rooms and cost £233 ($400) for 5 nights including tax!

A few more questions if I may:

* Best way to get from JFK to Jersey City. Is a cab the only practical way?
* I seem to remember reading about New Yorkers who enjoyed introducing first timers to the Big Apple. Kinda 'greeters' Did I imagine it? Maybe we will meet a couple like us would like to do the honours. We have always found that to be a good way to discover a place.
We are looking at the nycvisit.com - is there stuff we should also look out for during our visit?
* If we go the see the opera or something, is it safe to get back to New Jersey at night? Pardon my ignorance (fuelled mainly by TV!) but shouyld we avoid the trains/subway etc. after a certain time?
* Good genuine diners/local restaurants/someone mentioned a Cuban Cafe that was worth trying?
* And any other hints/tips

Thanks all - I shall drop some money in tne next child-ralated charity box I see to say thanks

New York - Here we Come!

Re: Best Place To stay In New York - Follow-up
 

Can't you change your flight to land at Newark instead? It would be much better for you. You may be able to change it at no extra cost with it still being a NY airport.

If not there is the new airtrain which connects you to the subway system and the LIRR (long island rail road) from JFK airport.

There are taxis but they would prove very expensive to go all the way to NJ. If using a taxi is your only option then, personally, I would do it to just Manhattan, getting them to drop you off at the subway station, and then get the subway (PATH) to Jersey City.

Re: Best Place To stay In New York - Follow-up
 

You can take the train into the city from Jersey City. The hotel should be able to tell you exactly where to get it and yes, it is safe to take at night. It is a train, not a subway.


Yes, there are greeters. If you do a search online you will find them easy enough, I did. http://gonyc.about.com/cs/toursbr/a/bigapplegreeter.htm

Also you can contact the tourism office for NYC. If you are going to the Met then the area about Lincoln Center is surrounded with large and small restaurants. Some border Central Park, others only a block away.

For a Cuban Restaurant, you can do a search online as well or purchase a Zeguts book for NYC.

Enjoy your trip.

Rete

Re: Best Place To stay In New York - Follow-up
 

<<snip>>

You could also look at NYC's tourist website. There should be up-to-date info on there about things to do, etc.

As for places to eat, it's Zagat that Rete is referring to. However, www.chowhound.com's boards for New York (it's 4 separate boards) should be a reliable source for top tips. I've relied on Chowhound for suggestions about places to eat when I've been travelling.

Re: Best Place To stay In New York - Follow-up
 

************************************************** ********

You have got an excellent rate at $400 for 5 nights *including tax* in the NY Metro area! This hotel has some reviews on http://www.tripadvisor.com....see if you can get a high floor with a view & corner room!

1). As Ben says.....see if your airline goes to Newark airport (EWR) and see if you can change your flight without a penalty. Non-stop airlines flying there from London are British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Continental Airlines have at least two flights per day, but I don't know if you're on another carrier or not. If you're on another European carrier, then Air France, Lufthansa, Alitalia, TAP Air Portugal & SAS have daily flights into Newark too. It would be very convenient if you can change your flight, but there are other options if you can't.

Newark airport is only about 10-15 mins by car from Jersey City and the taxi fare is fixed price by the taxi dispatcher at the airport (you get a coupon to give to the driver so you don't get ripped off).

You can plan your journey either from JFK or EWR by going to the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey website. It has the listings of 'ground transportation' options (ie. by car/taxi/bus/shuttle/limo) or the 'Airtrains'.

Also on the Port Authority website there is the info for the PATH (subway=underground) trains between NJ and Manhatten. PATH = Port Authority Trans Hudson. The Port Authority operates the three area airports (LaGuardia, JFK and Newark), the PATH trains and the PATH bus terminal which is located just one block from Times Square at 41st & 8th Streets.

http://www.panynj.com
http://www.newarkairport.com (A summary of taxi fares can be found too).

2). Yes, NJ is safe at night.....I've been on public transport or waiting alone in NYC and NJ late at night with no worries. However, in any major city I don't flash jewellery around (don't wear a Rolex etc., a cheaper watch from Argos is fine to use on holidays!) also expensive handbags eg. Luis Vuitton isn't a good idea and don't 'stand out' like a tourist.....getting out and poring at maps in a scarcely populated place etc.

Don't miss these places in Hoboken - both on Washington St:

http://www.laislarestaurant.com (more of a bustling cafe, great atmosphere but very small so you may have to wait for a table. The plantains and polenta and cuban pork sandwich ...mmmmm).

My very favourite restaurant:

http://www.amandasrestaurant.com (Fantastic value is the 'early bird' special...$25 for two people! Beautiful, elegant and romantic restaurant with fab food.

Getting around:

Again: PATH subway info on the http://www.panynj.com site

NY Waterways Ferries between NJ & NY inc. maps:

http://www.nywaterway.com

http://www.njtransit.com (for bus services from Jersey City to Hoboken and Port Authority terminal in NYC...see schedules).

Entertainment:

Check out:

http://www.timeoutny.com (You can buy the New York edition of Time Out with the daily event listings - updated every Thursday - at Heathrow airport, maybe Gatwick and any news-stand in NY).

http://www.tkts.com (Theatre listings. Seats never as good as from the TKTS booth in London, so be warned!). Best place to buy them is at South Street Seaport (opposite Coach handbag shop) as queues are nowhere near as long as at Times Sq. and you can buy matinee tickets the day before, unlike at Times Square.

Hope this helps!