1 hour “NYC” experience near jfk (neighborhood, airport, safe)
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We’re flying into jfk late March. It’s a 4 hour drive to MA to see my folks the next day.
(Renting car, 1 night at hotel near jfk as flight gets in late).
We will get coffee and bagel sandwiches anyway. Is there any nice neighborhood to stop for 45 min?
I don’t know NYC well but seems like Forest Hills or Flushing are candidates.
Was thinking that might be nice for my wife and 8 year old vs a pitstop at a random Dunkin.
It will be about 10 Fri am when we pick up the car at jfk.
Thank you!!! I know this sounds a bit absurd!
Ignore most of these posters.
Frist and foremost, be very careful nowadays around JFK airports. They are full of homeless as well as lots of prostitutes. Even the "nice" hotels. So keep your eyes open. Also, and this is serious, there are a ton of car jackings hapenning all over Queens and Brooklyn. Especially Southern Queens, where you are. They will box you in a a red light and then come out guns a blazing. Just had one this morning in Flushing. My advice is to keep a full 2 car lengths back at stop signs and red lights. Look out for cars with out of state plates with tinted dark windows driving by young males. You can just google "queens car jackings" and see all the incidents recently. A lot of the posters here are crime deniers.
As for your short excursion, google Bell Blvd in Bayside, Queens. It's one of the safest areas of NYC, has a lovely villagy type look to it, tons of restaurants/bagels/shops...not far from Utopia Bagels (on Utopia parkway). And the best part is your minutes from either the Whitestone or Throgs Neck bridge which takes you north to MA. I drove to Boston a few months ago in about 4.5 hrs.
Thank you very much for this. I haven’t been to Queens in about 25 years (since I was 25).
Definitely not worth being robbed! We’re staying at the Springhill suites, about 10 min north of JFK. It’s funny EVERY hotel in that area got horrible reviews- the was the best rated of the worst.
I’m looking up your suggestion. Thank you again.
Quote:
Originally Posted by islanders2021
Ignore most of these posters.
Frist and foremost, be very careful nowadays around JFK airports. They are full of homeless as well as lots of prostitutes. Even the "nice" hotels. So keep your eyes open. Also, and this is serious, there are a ton of car jackings hapenning all over Queens and Brooklyn. Especially Southern Queens, where you are. They will box you in a a red light and then come out guns a blazing. Just had one this morning in Flushing. My advice is to keep a full 2 car lengths back at stop signs and red lights. Look out for cars with out of state plates with tinted dark windows driving by young males. You can just google "queens car jackings" and see all the incidents recently. A lot of the posters here are crime deniers.
As for your short excursion, google Bell Blvd in Bayside, Queens. It's one of the safest areas of NYC, has a lovely villagy type look to it, tons of restaurants/bagels/shops...not far from Utopia Bagels (on Utopia parkway). And the best part is your minutes from either the Whitestone or Throgs Neck bridge which takes you north to MA. I drove to Boston a few months ago in about 4.5 hrs.
Would recommend you get to Flushing Meadows Corona Park .very nice place to take a walk, some pictures,maybe you will be in time for the cherry blossom. Very easy access to the RFK or whitestone bridges.
I’m ok with suburban if it has a villagey commercial street. Just to stroll and see the architecture and grab (good) bagels, muffins- both of which aren’t very good in LA where we live. Of course I’m biased to Northeast fatty, huge, sweet bakery stuff having grown up near Boston!
We’ll do Manhattan on a dedicated future trip. We went last about a decade ago.
Forest Hills Gardens does have a village feel to it. There is Austin St. (close to the cobblestoned plaza next to the FH LIRR station) on its southern border and Metropolitan Avenue on its northern side. Both streets are very commercial but probably Metropolitan has blocks that might be more "villagey".
We’re flying into jfk late March. It’s a 4 hour drive to MA to see my folks the next day.
(Renting car, 1 night at hotel near jfk as flight gets in late).
We will get coffee and bagel sandwiches anyway. Is there any nice neighborhood to stop for 45 min?
I don’t know NYC well but seems like Forest Hills or Flushing are candidates.
Was thinking that might be nice for my wife and 8 year old vs a pitstop at a random Dunkin.
It will be about 10 Fri am when we pick up the car at jfk.
Thank you!!! I know this sounds a bit absurd!
Howard Beach. 5 minutes from JFK. Great and ultra safe neighborhood.
Shopping and eats. Everything on one strip. Everything on Crossbay Blvd.
If you are parking on Crossbay pay the meters (quarters ) or risk a ticket.
You can park on side streets. No meters. Some places have free parking lots.
Sugar Buns on Crossbay Blvd/ parking in rear. ( Bagels,Bread, Coffee ,Pastry, restrooms.)
Brothers is a great place for sandwiches/heroes. No rest room.
Then Pizza Restaurants, McDonalds,Burger King ,Popeyes, etc....plenty of tables and rest room.
Dunkins further down. No rest room.
Stop in at Charles Park if the weather is nice.
Grab a Picnic table or sit on the park bench and enjoy the view of ocean sand, seagulls and sunshine.
When finished hop back on the Belt Parkway and head to your destination.
You will have a very pleasant 45 minutes of time.
Best wishes.
Last edited by Mr.Retired; 02-20-2023 at 04:57 AM..
Correct. Parents live 1.5 hours outside (south) of Boston.
By the way I’m flying to jfk because I prefer to Widebody planes, none from lax to bos these days.
I get severe motion sickness and a bit less likely on Widebody. A 4 or even 5 hour drive plus one night hotel is nothing to me considering how bad my reaction is in turbulence.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mightyqueen801
Read the first post. He is flying INTO JFK and then DRIVING to Boston. What flight are you imagining he is going to miss?
Ok it's settled. We're gonna drive to Astoria, check out Brooklyn Bagels- super highly rated, and Utopia Bagels I just ordered through Goldbelly.
Is there a coffee place near by? Brooklyn's espresso (my go to drink is a double espresso) wasn't so highly rated. I see there's a Dunkin and a few local places (Mikel - greek).
Quote:
Originally Posted by Metromoxo
Astoria is nice. You can park at the muni lot on 30th Ave and 38th St and wander along 30th Ave between Steinway and 31st St. There are a lot of nice shops and places to eat.
There’s a Brooklyn Bagel along that stretch. Also for fun check out the Mediterranean shop at
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