Help a tourist? luggage, car, parking, mta etc. (Newark, York: rental car, fit in)
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I'll be arriving at JFK 11p on 12/19 for a holiday trip back to my native Wilkes-barre. My wife and I want to spend the night at a hotel near jfk, then head off to the city for the day. Our rental car will be picked up at JFK for us to drive into Pennsylvania. We'll be traveling with enough luggage for 2 weeks of travel.
I'm struggling to figure out what is the most time and cost efficient way to get through this trip.
Is there a place to store luggage for the day in the JFK area?
should I pick up the car, store my luggage in it, pay to park at the airport and take a the subway into Manhattan only to return later that night to drive to Pa?
Should I drive into Manhattan, pay a times square area parking garage and skip the subway? Is it reasonably secure leaving my baggage in the trunk with the parking attendants? Would I have access to the car if I wanted to drop something I bought off?
Is there another, more logical idea I'm overlooking? I think driving in would be the best choice, but I want to make sure before I end up regretting it!
I would take the car that night, take it to the hotel, then drive in the morning to an area just off midtown, like the Upper East along York to 2nd Avenues- you would pay like $30 for 12 hours in a garage. Take the Queensboro bridge in and you'll avoid a toll too.
I'll be arriving at JFK 11p on 12/19 for a holiday trip back to my native Wilkes-barre. My wife and I want to spend the night at a hotel near jfk, then head off to the city for the day. Our rental car will be picked up at JFK for us to drive into Pennsylvania. We'll be traveling with enough luggage for 2 weeks of travel.
I'm struggling to figure out what is the most time and cost efficient way to get through this trip.
Is there a place to store luggage for the day in the JFK area?
should I pick up the car, store my luggage in it, pay to park at the airport and take a the subway into Manhattan only to return later that night to drive to Pa?
Should I drive into Manhattan, pay a times square area parking garage and skip the subway? Is it reasonably secure leaving my baggage in the trunk with the parking attendants? Would I have access to the car if I wanted to drop something I bought off?
Is there another, more logical idea I'm overlooking? I think driving in would be the best choice, but I want to make sure before I end up regretting it!
The simplest thing w/b to not stay at a JFK hotel, but a hotel in Manhattan or just over the hudson river at a hotel in Newport, NJ. In either case park the car in the hotel's garage.
Manhattan of course w/b most expensive, ut you'll be in Manhattan, and parking will also be expensive, but the most convenient.
The hotels at Newport are comparatively reasonable, parking is likely free. This w/b the best, as there is a PATH train right there which you can take into Manhattan's Penn Station. Its also a relatively short taxi ride as well.
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Regarding your luggage, none of your thoughts are good. There is no place to keep your luggage, and the car is a very poor option. Even in the lot at JFK, a car full of luggage is a tempting target. Cars are stolen right oiut of the lot. Parking anywhere else is a fool's move with the luggage.
You should simply rent the JFK hotel room for another day and keep your luggage there, while you sightsee. It NEVER pays to be *cheap* in NYC!!
****
I suppose you have your travel plans set. If not, I suggest you fly into Newark, rather than JFK. Newark is a far nicer and more efficient airport imo, but most importantly it w/b easier to stay at a hotel near the airport, or Newport or Hoboken, then to keep you luggage in the room. It is very easy to get to Manhattan by public transport or taxi. Then you can return to the hotel, pick up your luggage and you'll have a MUCH shorter and EASIER drive to W-B from New Jersey.
Better than JFK, staying at JFK, you'll need to travel from Manhattan back to Queens, pick up your stuff, then travel thru Queens again, into and through Manhattan, over/thru the bridge/tunnel.... you can skip all that by flying into Newark or staying at a NJ hotel.
Luck!
Last edited by jcoltrane; 12-03-2012 at 01:06 PM..
Thanks for the replies! Unfortunately changing the airport isn't an option. The luggage is really the killer for me. I was really hoping it would be safe concealed in the trunk of the car, but I guess that's not the case.
Thanks for the replies! Unfortunately changing the airport isn't an option. The luggage is really the killer for me. I was really hoping it would be safe concealed in the trunk of the car, but I guess that's not the case.
Will all the luggage fit into the trunk?
Even if, why take the risk? If somethiing were to happen, then your vacation w/b ruined. How much might you save? A couple hundred?? Is even the remote possibility of ruining your vacation worth it?? That's the real questiion.
Probably the loss of luggage might not be so bad, but having to listen to the wife gripe the whole trip..... I think I rather shoot myself!
Even if, why take the risk? If somethiing were to happen, then your vacation w/b ruined. How much might you save? A couple hundred?? Is even the remote possibility of ruining your vacation worth it?? That's the real questiion.
Probably the loss of luggage might not be so bad, but having to listen to the wife gripe the whole trip..... I think I rather shoot myself!
Ya, it will all fit. We are pretty light travelers, but there will be some electronics I'd be concerned with. realistically we will have one suit case and a back pack.
I just wanted to update this thread for others with the same questions.
We ended up staying at the holiday inn on 57th between 9th and 10th. The hotel had an attached parking garage that was $24 for the night. This hotel also had a secured luggage storage room that was free of charge (plus gratuity of course.) Using these services made my trip smooth and enjoyable.
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