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Traveling to NYC tomorrow... need help

ARazorbackguy1ARazorbackguy1 Posts: 456
edited October 2009 in The Porch
This isn't really PJ related, other than I need help from those PJ fans in the NYC area. I am flying into Islip, NY on Long Island for a work trip and will have the afternoon to spend in NYC for the first time.

I don't know whether to drive into the city (I found a parking garage for $10 on 44th, very close to Times Square that I can reserve online) or to park somewhere in Queens and ride the train over? The thought of driving a rental car into the city is frightening for me, so I guess I am just asking what is the smartest and cheapest thing to do?

Any help from you guys and gals would be greatly appreciated. You can also email me at <!-- e --><a href="mailto:brandonscn@yahoo.com">brandonscn@yahoo.com</a><!-- e -->
Straight down the center for a hot chicken dinner!
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • Tuolumne MamaTuolumne Mama Posts: 1,210
    Lived there for over 10 yrs and didn't know of any parking so cheap in midtown. That said you may want to store your bags and take a bus in for the day. Then head back to the airport and collect your bags then rental to head out to LI. The buses leave Grand Central regularly and is the cheapest way to go if you don't know the subways from LaGuardia. Just a suggestion and hope it helps.
    ======================================================================
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  • say_hisay_hi Posts: 313
    Take mass transit in and walk around. Driving in the city is an art and can be intimidating if you are not ready. What are you going to see in NYC? The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Annex in SoHo is cool and you get a much different perspective of the city from there.
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  • Dirty FrankDirty Frank Posts: 37
    Wow $10!! Is that ten an hour? Anyhow, stay away from the drive.... take mass transit. Relax, enjoy and take it all in. Quite a city.. :D
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  • Dissident67Dissident67 Posts: 570
    Since you are flying into Islip I would definitely take the Long Island Railroad into the city. So I dont know what station is closest and hast he best schedule, but i would think your best bet is driving your rental to the Babylon station (Babylon is on the branch with the most trains) and take the train into the city, then the city is all yours and you can return to your car via the train when you are finished. Train ride isnt terrible like an hour 20, and sometimes there are express trains.
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  • PJ Fan est. 1990PJ Fan est. 1990 Posts: 1,788
    Dissident67 wrote:
    Since you are flying into Islip I would definitely take the Long Island Railroad into the city. So I dont know what station is closest and hast he best schedule, but i would think your best bet is driving your rental to the Babylon station (Babylon is on the branch with the most trains) and take the train into the city, then the city is all yours and you can return to your car via the train when you are finished. Train ride isnt terrible like an hour 20, and sometimes there are express trains.

    i think Ronkonkoma station is closest to MacArthur, i once tried to drive to Ronkonkoma and got lost and wound up in the MacArthur area...turned around and wound up in Lake Ronkonkoma pretty quickly...

    like everyone else, i suggest mass transit. Penn Station would be your destination when taking the train, Penn is right in the heart of NYC right next to the famous Madison Square Garden (of which every Jam Head knows) that's 34th street, if i'm not mistaken...just walk in any direction you chose and enjoy the greatest city on earth
  • ARazorbackguy1ARazorbackguy1 Posts: 456
    Thank you all for your responses. However, I will be arriving in Islip around 5 p.m. that is why I am finding parking for $10 on 44th street (found it on NYCgarages.com). I probably wouldn't get to the city from Islip until around 6 or 6:30 at best. I will also only have 4 hours in the city to do what I want. Does that change things?
    Straight down the center for a hot chicken dinner!
  • pearljam7pearljam7 Posts: 447
    If i were you i would bail on the city and take a drive up the coast to montauk on the beach, its beautiful
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  • ARazorbackguy1ARazorbackguy1 Posts: 456
    Ok, So after much researching, I am taking the LIRR from Syosset to Penn Station. It's only an hour and I figure it's better than getting caught in traffic and finding a parking spot in the city. The ticket is only $7 bucks :)

    SWEET!
    Straight down the center for a hot chicken dinner!
  • Floyd4894Floyd4894 Posts: 31
    I would train it in. Then hit up the most awesome record stores. Lower East Side is the place to go. Generation Records best place in the city.
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  • Tuolumne MamaTuolumne Mama Posts: 1,210
    ARazorbackguy1 wrote:
    Ok, So after much researching, I am taking the LIRR from Syosset to Penn Station. It's only an hour and I figure it's better than getting caught in traffic and finding a parking spot in the city. The ticket is only $7 bucks :)

    SWEET!
    
Sounds like a good plan and the trains run regularly. Sorry I missed you were flying into Islip. Enjoy the city and have a safe trip.
    ======================================================================
    "What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal." Albert Pine.


  • PJ Fan est. 1990PJ Fan est. 1990 Posts: 1,788
    ARazorbackguy1 wrote:
    Ok, So after much researching, I am taking the LIRR from Syosset to Penn Station. It's only an hour and I figure it's better than getting caught in traffic and finding a parking spot in the city. The ticket is only $7 bucks :)

    SWEET!

    yeah, 5 P.M. is rush hour, granted your going the opposite way, but it will still suck, you wouldn't get there by 6:30 like you said earlier, train is better, syosset is the Port Jefferson Line, if i remember correctly, there are a lot of stops on that line, but then again i normally use the ronkonkoma line
  • JaneNYJaneNY Posts: 4,438
    ARazorbackguy1 wrote:
    Ok, So after much researching, I am taking the LIRR from Syosset to Penn Station. It's only an hour and I figure it's better than getting caught in traffic and finding a parking spot in the city. The ticket is only $7 bucks :)

    SWEET!

    EXTREMELY WISE choice my man. Was going to suggest something along these lines. NYC isn't much fun to drive in and public transit is good. Have fun in my favorite city and the best city in the world.

    And... to relate it to PJ I've seen PJ in nyc at the garden 2x. :D You could check out MSG and see the place PJ has played, esp. since you're getting out at Penn Station.
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  • mauichickmauichick Posts: 964
    4 hours isnt a lot of time if it includes time to get into the city
    y'll def hit traffic getting to syosset, agree with ronkonkoma line best shot (assuming its easy to park there)
    islip train station is south of the airport and super easy to park, 2 stops to babylon where hopfully y'll get on an express which would be 50 mins into penn station

    driving out east is awesome, montauk, hamptons are pretty fabulous ride esp since its just past the season and you wont be sitting in traffic

    but yes if you've never been to nyc, pretty great
    times sq a must, and walking around the village also highly recommended

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