[bignatslover]

I am going to drive into New York City with my own car and visit for about a week.  I don't want to spend a fortune on the hotel, so it seems like it would be smartest to stay in a hotel in either Brooklyn, Queens or the Bronx and keep my car at the hotel and use the subway to get around - especially to take the subway into Manhattan.  But I don't know.  Seeking advice.  Thanks!

[TheZookie007]

If it were up to me, I wouldn't drive to New York. I would drive to a town close enough to Manhattan, park the car in a park-and-ride short term parking facility, and then take the train (either Metro-North or the Long Island Railroad) into Manhattan. But that's just me.

As for whether it would be better to stay in Brooklyn, the Bronx or Queens, it would depend upon what you want to do while visiting the five boroughs (for one should not forget Staten Island). If most of the places you want to visit are in Manhattan, then it would make a lot of sense to be as close to Manhattan as possible. That would mean either staying in Long Island City or Astoria (both in Queens) or staying in a hotel in Brooklyn. If you also want to visit sites in "the outer boroughs" (i.e. Queens and the Bronx), it might be best to be in Brooklyn, which is pretty much equidistant from both Manhattan and the outer boroughs.

To save even more money, if you could, instead of staying in a hotel, you could always use AirBnB to find a place.

Give me an idea of the sites you want to visit, etc. and I could probably narrow down the choices even more for you, but on the face of it, Brooklyn seems to be your best bet.

[Robin_K2]

I had business in New York just a couple weeks ago. I stayed at the New York-Brooklyn Holiday Inn Express. Very nice staff, free breakfast, and comparatively affordable -- key word is comparatively. FANTASTIC pizza around the corner. Subway was a half block away (R line is a straight shot in). They have a lot behind, but I had no car. I flew in with just carry-on.

I hadn't been to NYC since 9/11. Really.

When I was still pricing hotels I priced a "pod" hotel in Manhattan, one of those places with room for a bed and that's about it. Too much $$ even for that.

[TheZookie007]

Hey bignats, any updates?

[Tugboatcap]

There is a Hilton Garden Inn on Staten Island that is really nice and one of the best prices I've found for the proximity to Manhattan.  Driving, it's a quick 15-20 minute trip from Newark International via the Goethals Bridge and 30 minutes from the Business District.

[TheZookie007]

Even better, there's a Hyatt around 200 yards away from the Exchange Place PATH station in Jersey City NJ. And since the PATH runs pretty much 24/7 and can have you in midtown Manhattan within 15 minutes...

[mastert]

Definitely don't rule out staying in Jersey City. As Zookie said, take the PATH. It's cheap, convenient, and reliable. It can take you both to downtown and midtown. A hotel is probably a little cheaper than staying in NYC.

And unless you are coming in from the north, your wallet will feel Chris Christie and Andrew Cuomo dip right in there when you go over either river. And you don't have to sit in some ungodly traffic

[Palomine]

I am going to drive into New York City with my own car and visit for about a week.  I don't want to spend a fortune on the hotel, so it seems like it would be smartest to stay in a hotel in either Brooklyn, Queens or the Bronx and keep my car at the hotel and use the subway to get around - especially to take the subway into Manhattan.  But I don't know.  Seeking advice.  Thanks!

Sorry, I'm gonna go against the trend and say that if you're going to visit NYC you might as well stay in Manhattan, since that's where the majority of what you're going to want to see already is. To be sure, an outer borough hotel will be cheaper, but it's a visit/vacation... make the most of it.

I will point out a couple things: parking isn't always free, even at outer-borough hotels, so be sure to check that out (when you do the math/costs) before you pick one.

Personally, I'd leave the car at home entirely and take public transit to and from the city. Once you're in the city, having a car is going to be more of a hindrance and expense than a benefit... you'll forever be looking for/paying for parking and/or worrying about whether it's safe where you left it. Even a novice can get around NYC via subway pretty well... just use the map... it's actually just as easy as getting around Paris or London via rail IMO.

I lived in NYC half my life: in Manhattan and the other boroughs. If you've only got a week to spend there, I think that it's realistic (though perhaps not politically correct) to say that most of the places you're probably going to want to go, eat at, etc... will be in Manhattan.

JMHO. Enjoy your trip bignatslover!

[TheZookie007]

Personally, I'd leave the car at home entirely and take public transit to and from the city. Once you're in the city, having a car is going to be more of a hindrance and expense than a benefit... you'll forever be looking for/paying for parking and/or worrying about whether it's safe where you left it. Even a novice can get around NYC via subway pretty well... just use the map... 

Or ask a New Yorker! They don't bite!

And every word of these two videos is absolutely true!

"Johnny T's Subway Tips"
"Johnny T's NYC Tourist Tips"

[bignatslover]

Hey bignats, any updates?

Yes, I just booked a hotel in Queens where I can keep the vehicle and just use the subway the whole time.

I really appreciate all the posts on here - I wasn't sure if it would get any responses at all.  So glad to hear how fond everyone is of NYC.  Thanks!

[rtpoe]

Whatever you decide, you MUST get one of these:

[Palomine]

Whatever you decide, you MUST get one of these:

I shake my fist at you in a curmudgeonly manner and fling a handful of dirty tokens in your general direction.

I haven't visited NYC in years... do the turnstyles even accept tokens anymore? If so, must you now buy them from a vending kiosk instead of a surly person behind a half-inch of plexiglass? If so, then it's too late... Skynet has already won.

Also, atm it's blissfully free of collateral rule violations so I'll risk posting this link to "15 Cracked-Out Subway Riders" which is amusing and a good follow-up to "Johnny T's Subway Tips" http://www.oddballdaily.com/2011/11/01/15-cracked-out-subway-riders/

Also (part two): there are SO MANY results in google images to "subway nudity" it's almost overwhelming. I posted one or two pix in other threads, but it feels like trying to empty the ocean with a dixie cup.

[Robin_K2]

do the turnstyles even accept tokens anymore? If so, must you now buy them from a vending kiosk instead of a surly person behind a half-inch of plexiglass? If so, then it's too late... Skynet has already won.
[/i]

Yup. All little cards. I highly recommend the transit museum in Brooklyn, though. They have turnstyles from every era and examples of subway cars going back to the 1900s. You can go in all of them, sit as long as you want. Wicker seat cushions!

[TheZookie007]

I highly recommend the transit museum in Brooklyn, though.

I concur. Last time I was there, I picked up one of these maps...they're a little bit awkward to use to navigate the subway system but they are quite comfortable!

[pedonbio]

Gawd, I'm getting nostalgic.