MarylandNed

My sis-in-law and her family are arriving from the UK today for a visit (I live in DC's Maryland suburbs). Later this week they plan to drive to NYC and stay there for a few days. They are wondering where to park the car. In the past I have parked at the Staten Island ferry terminal and taken the free ferry to Manhattan. I've also parked at the Weehawken ferry terminal and taken a ferry over to Manhatten from there. Are these good options? Is there a better option? Thanks in advance.

Jerseygirl

There's a Sheraton Hotel at Lincoln Harbour...they could stay there and use the hotel car park for free. There used to be a ferry from the hotel to Manhattan...don't know if it is still in use...if not there may be a hotel shuttle to the ferry at Weehawken.

Edit: Lincoln Harbour is just down the road from Weehawken. The Chart House and Arthur's Landing restaurants are situated between Lincoln Harbour and Weehawken. IMO the very best views of Manhattan are from both restaurants.

DavidLemon

Dont do what i did

Drove to Harlem and stayed there for the weekend. Why? Because free parking on the north side of central park thats why

Not such a nice place, but the parking was as advertised

SEL_boy

I have friends that live in Cobble Hill in Brooklyn, and there is free (alternate side) street parking there.

Cobble Hill and Brooklyn Heights are nice places to visit anyway - great views of Lower Manhattan from the promenade - and then it's a quick trip into Manhattan on the F train.

Take exit 13 off the turnpike, which takes you over the Goethals and Verrazzano bridges, then take the BQE to the Atlantic Ave exit.

Rete

You park at a long term lot at the ferry stations then? I doubt that you are allowed to park free of charge at any transit authority lot. Besides I would be fearful of leaving my car at one overnight. Never know if you will ever see it again.

If they are staying at a hotel in the city, the hotel will have a place where they can garage the car at cost. Have them check it out.

MarylandNed

Thanks for the replies.

They've booked a hotel in Manhattan but they aren't keen about driving in Manhattan itself.

I've left my car overnight at the Weehawken ferry terminal (for a few days at a time). Done that quite a few times without any problems.

At Staten Island, I just parked at the ferry terminal lot for the day as I was staying in a hotel on Staten Island. I just went back and forth to Manhattan on the free SI ferry. Apparently there's an overnight option at a lot beside the Staten Island Yankees baseball stadium but I haven't used that before.

tonrob

By the time your reach Manhattan the vast majority of the scary driving has already taken place. I've driven into Manhattan countless times and always parked at one of the garages listed on this webshite. You can decide where you want to park and how much you want to pay on a fairly easy mappy thing.

Piece of piss, as they say.

Bootle

If there's a number of people going and the hotel in Manhattan is already booked then she should just drive in and park at the hotel. Most have special rates with local garages and leave it there for the time she will be in Manhattan. Once you sort out the public transport in and out of the Island and hauling around luggage she will be glad she did. Easiest way in to midtown is to take the Lincoln Tunnel in and then it's a grid from there.

Bob

http://www.bestparking.com/

Fab site, for Boston at least, don't know about NYC, but plonk in where you want to be and it'll tell you best places to park by whatever you're looking for, cost/long term, security, that kind of stuff.

Alan17

Why not leave the car in DC and take the train straight in to Penn Station? Far easier and if they're renting the car then they can drop it off and pick it up again when they return. Save on the tolls on the I95 as well.

redarmy990

hi marylandned. i also live in dc maryland suburbs. North bethesda/rockville.

when we go to nyc we get the vamoose bus. it leaves from bethesda and dc its much cheaper than the train and drops you off at penn station nyc.

and its very nice too,not having the hassle of driving/parking

Moxie

Thanks. We'll be in Boston in a few weeks. Good to know you like it. I downloaded the app but will look at the website too.

Bob

I've only used the website, but the app looks like a more convenient use of it if you're got a smart phone, I don't so stick to the web and list off the places to go when we've got to go to Boston, very handy

MarylandNed

They are driving because they are going to Niagara Falls from NYC.

MarylandNed

Yeah my daughter did that before. That would have been a good option except my guests are heading to Niagara Falls from NYC.