Traveling to and in NYC from South Jersey (New York, Liberty: living, cost)

[elizabethw001]

I recently moved to south jersey and am planning on a visit to NYC with 2 young kids. I plan to drive up to NYC but am wondering should I drive right in to NYC? And if so should I park somewhere and take some other form of transportation or should I drive my own car to somewhere and then walk? If so where should I park that is within reasonable walking distance to most sites...I was also thinking maybe I should just take some sort of tour bus that stops at the sites and lets you on and off??

Of course I've heard that driving is a nightmare in NYC and so I am just trying to plan ahead a bit so I dont just drive into NYC and am completely lost on what to do...or where to go...

Thanks

[nybbler]

Originally Posted by elizabethw001

Of course I've heard that driving is a nightmare in NYC and so I am just trying to plan ahead a bit so I dont just drive into NYC and am completely lost on what to do...or where to go...

Driving around NYC from place to place is pointless. Either take New Jersey Transit in and skip driving in entirely, or park in one place (look up garages beforehand) and go from there. The rest depends on what you want to see.

[uptown_urbanist]

When we lived in Delaware we drove to the nearest New Jersey Transit station (in our case, Trenton) and took the train from there. I can't imagine that you would want to drive into NYC itself. Besides, the train itself will be fun for your kids! Don't try to pack everything into a day, either; you'll be living close enough that you'll have ample opportunities to go back in the future. Take it easy and just enjoy walking around, maybe pick a few highlights and go from there.

[bmwguydc]

If you want to look for parking, check out http://nyc.bestparking.com or http://iconparkingsystems.com/for discounted rates. Are you bringing a regular sized vehicle with you? If you have a van, or an SUV, look for an open lot as many garages either have limited spaces for vehicles of that size, and if they do have spaces, charge significantly more. You can get weekend special rates in areas that are close to the Lincoln and Holland Tunnels on the west side, from which you can walk, take the bus, subway, etc. to places that you want to go. The train can also be convenient to Penn Station, but with several people, the cost could exceed driving. If you do drive, plan to arrive earlier in the day on a weekend, as that will help avoid traffic delays at the tunnels.

Initially, you may want to plan a trip to take the Grey Line bus, where you can hop on and off. In the Spring, you may want to take a Circle Line Cruise. You can also easily get to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island from Liberty State Park in NJ, and also don't miss the science center for your kids. You should also visit the Museum of Natural History and the Planetarium, as well as a multitude of museums.

[Dreamshot]

I recommend driving to Secaucus Junction and taking the train into New York Penn Station; 12 minute ride. Don't drive in to NYC...