MGoRoadTrip - NYC

Submitted by karpodiem on

I’ll be driving from the Detroit area to NYC. What’s a good suburb to park my car (and stay in a hotel) and take public transit into the city? Thanks,

*Edit - looks like AirBnB's in Brooklyn yielded the best result if anyone else is thinking about getting there on the cheap (flights are stupid expensive now, $400). Parking in Brooklyn is probably going to be a PITA though.

CC_MFan

February 24th, 2018 at 4:41 PM ^

We went to NYC a few years ago and stayed at a Hilton Garden Inn at Ridgefield Park.  Hotel was nice and there was a bus stop at the road outside the hotel.  

LLG

February 24th, 2018 at 5:21 PM ^

Honestly, I just checked out Airbnb.  There are beds and rooms for okay prices near 14th and 2nd Ave in Manhattan.  If I did not know anything about New York, and I just needed a place to crash, I'd be going there.

The reason is that it is going to be close to Professor Thom's and also the East Village (and everything below and to the west of that).  Professor Thom's is a big Michigan bar, so if you go there and say "I did a road trip from Ann Arbor" you are going to be appreciated.  No one is buying you drinks or anything like that, but you'll instantly be able to talk to people and have a good time.  This is particularly true if you aren't getting tickets for all the games.

 

nappa18

February 24th, 2018 at 5:27 PM ^

In NYC and environs. Now 70. I wouldn’t stay near 14 th and second but that’s me. Don’t know your financial constraints. If you are driving, New Jersey is your best bet. Check near I 80 no more then 25 miles from downtown NYC.

El Jeffe

February 24th, 2018 at 5:36 PM ^

No offense, but how long has it been since you were in the East Village/Grammercy Park area? Not sure if you're saying it'd be unsavory or dangerous, but it certainly wouldn't. I mean, you'll have to fight giant fucking rats for space on the sidewalk, but it's a pretty posh area nowadays. When you're a stone's throw from not one but two Momofukus, you're in a pretty nice area.

LLG

February 24th, 2018 at 5:23 PM ^

You can park your car in Jersey City and it will be fine if you want to stay in the City. 

Or go to Bay Ridge and then take the subway up.  Of those two ideas, I'd personally park in Bay Ridge and then go in.  The neighborhood is perfectly safe for parking a car as it is a more family oriented neighborhood.

The subway line (the R) is on 4th Ave (Brooklyn, not Manhattan) so as you get closer to the water, more parking opens up.  

If it is me driving in (and most important, cost is a factor), I go to Bay Ridge, find parking and then go into the City where I would stay in an AirBnB for a few days near the East Village.

This saves you money because you aren't paying for parking.  As a side note, you could probably find parking near the Box Hotel too, but it is more of a pain to wind your way through the streets to northern Brooklyn. 

If you want to minimize the pain the butt part, just go stay at the Gregory in Bay Ridge.  You'll pay for it with the longer subway ride, but that okay.  The only thing you'll regret is if you get ripped at Professor Thom's or anywhere in Manhattan and have to cab it home.  It'll cost you $60 or so.  The advantage to staying in the City is you can drink and not fret about getting home quickly.

LLG

February 24th, 2018 at 4:54 PM ^

Check out the Box Hotel in Greenpoint Brooklyn or the Best Western Gregory down in Bay Ridge.

The latter is located right on top of a subway, so as long as you are cool with the 45 minutes to get to MSG, you'll be fine.  

Of the two hotels, I'd pick the Box Hotel (named after Box Street).  Great views of the city as you walk across the bridge to get to the 7 line.  Perfectly safe and there is a decent amount  of fun stuff at night in that neighborhood.

The Best Western Gregory is going to get the job done, but the subway ride home can seem a bit long if you aren't use to it.  

mgobob

February 24th, 2018 at 5:42 PM ^

Nice hotel reasonably priced next to the subway. My daughter lives in Bushwick and have had family use it, There are some free parking spots there.

M-Lemon

February 24th, 2018 at 6:04 PM ^

Hotels in Brooklyn are a relative bargain and give you easy access to Manhattan via subway.  The NU Hotel is good, and there are lots of others I have not tried. 

LLG

February 24th, 2018 at 8:51 PM ^

The Nu is close to solid subway lines that go to MSG:  https://goo.gl/maps/1bQsLuWxu1r

The three variables on the Nu (or any hotel that is not in Manhattan) are (1) do you want to do anything other than go to MSG,  (2) are you drinking, and (3) do you want to hang out with new people?

The Nu gets high marks on lower cost and access to lots of subways.  But, if it were me, I'm crashing in the East Village at an AirBnb so I can drink (while minimizing the risk that I get lost) and meet new people.  Of course, you can meet new people anywhere in New York.  But going to Professor Thom's makes it guaranteed and there are just a ton of bars in a three block radius from there.

jblaze

February 24th, 2018 at 6:21 PM ^

My only advice is to use the Best Parking app when you park in Brooklyn (or wherever you’re hotel is). It’s saved me a lot of money by making parking prices transparent.

Leatherstocking Blue

February 24th, 2018 at 6:53 PM ^

If you are approaching the city from the north (if you cut across Canada and upstate NY), try Tarrytown. It is right at the end of the Tappan Zee bridge and easy to access. We will almost always park at the train station in Tarrytown and the Metro North  train is 38 minutes to Grand Central. You avoid city traffic and city parking. Free parking on the weekend and you can pay by mobile if you are parking during the week.

For what it is worth, I prefer to park outside the city but stay in Manhattan. Parking in the city can easily run $50+ a day. There are excellent hotels in Tarrytown for half the price of NYC but if you plan to explore the city, it is hard to beat staying in the city.

Harbaugh's Lef…

February 24th, 2018 at 7:03 PM ^

Park on the street, wherever you are staying. I'm sure you won't be staying in area's you wouldn't feel safe staying so your car will as well be fine. Don't park it on the Avenue's but on the Streets instead. No meters and they are free. Depending where you stay, you just have to move it for Alternate Side Parking. In Brooklyn, most places are once a week per side, in Manhattan, almost all places are two times a week per side.

 

 

Andy213

February 24th, 2018 at 8:25 PM ^

Yeah I'm looking at the airbnb around town now.  probably the route for me. last time I was in NYC was for a NOFX show and slept in my car so I guess I could do that again for a week lol  thank you guys for all your input