How to Minimize hell of JFK to N. Bergen NJ in Rental Car at 7:30am? (spring break)

[BannockCounty]

Am bringing some teens to NY/PA/DC for spring break. 5 of us get off a red-eye at JFK at 6:15am and pick up a free-on-points mid-sized SUV in a few days. I will buy the EZ pass thing from the rental car company and I know this is a crazy plan. We have a (also points-free) hotel over in NJ that will be waiting to give us an early check-in so the kids can sleep.

I was just going to let Google maps route me, but I can see that it's going to be 1.75 - 3 hrs to head west to our hotel no matter which we way go that fateful morning.

IF I WANT TO BRAVE CROSSING THROUGH MID-TOWN (or maybe going south to Battery Park / 9/11 area), which iconic wake-up-and-look-at-your-surroundings thing should I maybe do with them to stretch and kill a little time? One of the kids is going on a Princeton / Penn visit immediately and won't be coming back in to Manhattan at all and I (stupidly) promised her parents I'd make her wake up and do ONE stereo-typical NYC tourist thing as we crossed to the hotel that first day.

I've been to NYC enough times that I don't even care about getting out and trying to park and do "whatever" with them -- if I had a reservation I'd just kick a couple of them out of the car and make them go up the Empire State building while I killed time in the car and picked them up an hour later.

Any suggestions would be SO appreciated. The girl's parents are very good friends of mine and I know they won't understand if I just head north through Queens and cross over on 95. (And they are paying me back for doing this with a lovely week in their Park City condo so it's not like it won't be reciprocated .)

[livingsinglenyc]

My gosh these aren't babies...These are teenage kids. They need to get used to life which requires little sleep. They will be fine for a few days if they don't get a full 8 hours sleep.

[BannockCounty]

Good point and thanks. I guess I didn't make clear that the plan for the main part of the group is to get to our NJ hotel & sleep & relax &/or work-out (whatever) that first day. I didn't want to have the rental car in the city the next day, so we were just going to leave it at the hotel and go back in to Manhattan on the train the next day. I'm just trying to stop and do a little something in Manhattan (with the rental car and unshowered kids, etc.) for this ONE girl who won't be coming back in to Manhattan.

[livingsinglenyc]

I'd ask the one girl what she wants to see most? Then if all agree just go and do it. You can be in the city early do what you need to do and get out before noon and go to the hotel.

[BlakeJones]

Originally Posted by BannockCounty

Am bringing some teens to NY/PA/DC for spring break. 5 of us get off a red-eye at JFK at 6:15am and pick up a free-on-points mid-sized SUV in a few days. I will buy the EZ pass thing from the rental car company and I know this is a crazy plan. We have a (also points-free) hotel over in NJ that will be waiting to give us an early check-in so the kids can sleep.

6:15 might be your arrival time but by the time you taxi, deboard, grab your bags, pick up your car, it'll be more like 7:30-8:00 am and full rush hour. It's no big deal but just prepare to be in traffic. The best way to Bergen would be the whitestone to the GWB but the cross bronx can be a special kind of hell in traffic. If you're comfortable in traffic it's no big deal. Obviously Google Maps is your friend and will tell you the fastest way given the current traffic conditions

There is absolutely no point whatsoever to drive through midtown at that time unless you plan on parking the car in a garage and getting out to do things. If you're just going to drive you'll be getting a lot of bumper sightseeing (the passengers that it, you'll just be getting paranoid about pedestrians jumping in front of you)

[Henna]

Originally Posted by BlakeJones

6:15 might be your arrival time but by the time you taxi, deboard, grab your bags, pick up your car, it'll be more like 7:30-8:00 am and full rush hour. It's no big deal but just prepare to be in traffic. The best way to Bergen would be the whitestone to the GWB but the cross bronx can be a special kind of hell in traffic. If you're comfortable in traffic it's no big deal. Obviously Google Maps is your friend and will tell you the fastest way given the current traffic conditions

There is absolutely no point whatsoever to drive through midtown at that time unless you plan on parking the car in a garage and getting out to do things. If you're just going to drive you'll be getting a lot of bumper sightseeing (the passengers that it, you'll just be getting paranoid about pedestrians jumping in front of you)

OMG, yes, this is the absolute worst thing about driving in Midtown is that pedestrians are everywhere and it takes a special kind of hawk-eyed attention and instincts not to hit people who are running in front of your car.