New Year Eve is coming (New York, York: hotels, shop, buses)

[Mo-77]

Hi New Yorkers,

My wife is flying to Europe in Dec 28th from DC. I thought that would be a good opportunity for me to be in NY and enjoy couple nights there until the New Year eve.

I never been in NY so, what are your advices with regards to decent-cheap hotels, things to do & visit?

Some of my friends mentioned a city in New Jersey called Secaucus that is 15 minutes away from Manhattan.

Thanks

[cmv138]

i doubt that you will find a "cheap" hotel during that time of the year. bring extra chas too because most places charge a cover charge to get in that night.

[Stac2007]

You better watch your wallets and pockets books. My dad was a cop for the city and worked overtime every New Years Eve. You get a little drunk and some dude will pick your pockets so fast you won't even know about it. Just a little advice for you dude.

[Mo-77]

Thank guys for the comments. what about nice places to visit during the day time??

[bmwguydc]

Originally Posted by Mo-77

Some of my friends mentioned a city in New Jersey called Secaucus that is 15 minutes away from Manhattan.

Secaucus is 15-20 minutes from Manhattan by car, with no traffic. Via train, it's more realistic to expect 40-60 minutes for door-to-door transit. Secaucus has a network of buses that serve the Port Authority terminals as well, so that is another option for transportation to Manhattan that can be faster, depending upon final destination.

Jersey City is much closer to Manhattan, but will also be more expensive in terms of hotel rooms. The PATH lines serve Jersey City, making for quick transit to Lower Manhattan or the Penn Station area. Similarly, Hoboken is just across the river from Manhattan, but can be more expensive than surrounding areas.

Hackensack is about an hour on the train as well and has some decent hotels, some of which might be less expensive than some other nearby areas. Hackensack is only about 15 miles from Midtown, so it's not exactly the middle of nowhere. And, there are numerous bus routes to the Port Authority terminals, which are sometimes faster than the train.

So, there are numerous choices in New Jersey that have proximity to Manhattan and might give you a better value for hotel room.

Originally Posted by Mo-77

Thank guys for the comments. what about nice places to visit during the day time??

Well, there's just about something for everyone. What do you like to do? Museums? Shopping? Sports?

[Fred314X]

Just after the ball drops in Times Square, there's a New Year's Eve "mini-marathon" in Central Park, with its own little fireworks display. I was there one year, and I found it much more enjoyable and, believe it or not, less crowded, than trying to squeeze my way into Times Square. Head for the entrance to the park in the low 70s, right by Tavern on the Green.