Posted on: 15-02-11 10:51:32
I am planning to visit Newyork in coming March Break. This is our first visit to New York. I need advise /suggestions from fellow CDS.
1. Places of interest for first time visitor
2. Budget accommodation ( near to attractions and Indian restaurants)
3. Which is good option for sight seeing driving around or to use public transit ?
4. It is adviseble to stay in new jersy or not ? ( hoping that hotels/motels are cheap over there)
5. How long to stay ? I am planning for 3 full days.
6. Good places for shopping.
I am also planning to visit Washington DC. Is one day is enough for DC for sight seeing or not?
All suggestions and advise are appriciated.
Quote:Check out any travel site or search previous threads on Canadian Desi.
Originally posted by metallurgy
1. Places of interest for first time visitor
Start from the best attractions and work down.
So, Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Time Square, etc.
Quote:Budget and New York don't belong together in the same sentence
2. Budget accommodation ( near to attractions and Indian restaurants)
If you want to be close to attractions, you have to stay in Manhattan.
Hotels are very expensive there.
What is your budget?
With less than 1 month to go until March Break, you are looking at well over $100 a night.
A better option may be to stay across the river in NJ and take the train.
Midtown is another option - again you will have to take the train.
In either case, you are looking at $70 or more per night.
Quote:Forget driving yourself.
3. Which is good option for sight seeing driving around or to use public transit ?
Use NY metro trains and cabs.
Or book a sight seeing bus tour.
Quote:See above.
4. It is adviseble to stay in new jersy or not ? ( hoping that hotels/motels are cheap over there)
Yes, it is be cheaper to stay across the river.
But cheap is a relative term in NY.
Don't expect standard hotels for $30 a night !
Quote:Depends on what all you want to do.
5. How long to stay ? I am planning for 3 full days.
3 days is tight, but adequate for the main attractions.
Quote:Fifth Avenue, what else?
6. Good places for shopping.
Quote:You are kidding.
I am also planning to visit Washington DC. Is one day is enough for DC for sight seeing or not?
1 day is barely enough to look at a Washington DC postcard.
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"Mah deah, there is much more money to be made in the destruction of civilization than in building it up."
-- Rhett Butler in "Gone with the Wind"
Thanks a lot pratickm
for detailed information.
How much it will cost to stay in manhattan ? If it is 100 $ per night and $ 70 in new jersy , in that case which is best option ?
Can you suggest particular place or area in NJ or midtown to stay from where it is easier to catch trains to attractions?
or suggest any sight seeing tour operator .
Quote:$100 was just a guess.
Originally posted by metallurgy
How much it will cost to stay in manhattan ? If it is 100 $ per night and $ 70 in new jersy , in that case which is best option ?
I did a quick search on Travelocity for the week of March break and most of the hotels in and around Manhattan are upwards of $160.
Lower Manhattan is upwards of $200.
Hotwire indicates that you can get a 3* hotel in Midtown for about $140.
But you have to be careful if you are booking an offer hotel, without knowing its exact location.
One very important thing to keep in mind if you are booking in Manhattan is that hotel rooms are usually very small with 1 bed only.
So if you have 2 or more kids, it may not work for you.
You will either have to upgrade to a bigger room by paying extra (assuming they have bigger rooms) or book a second room.
Also, you will pay a lot for parking (I'm assuming you are driving there).
Quote:I suggest towns just across the river and connected to the transit system.
Can you suggest particular place or area in NJ or midtown to stay from where it is easier to catch trains to attractions?
Such as Hoboken, Jersey City, etc.
You have to add about 45 mins. each way to/from hotel to Manhattan if you stay in NJ.
But the savings and comfort will be better, IMO.
Hotels will be slightly cheaper, rooms larger and usually free parking.
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"Mah deah, there is much more money to be made in the destruction of civilization than in building it up."
-- Rhett Butler in "Gone with the Wind"
The cheapest place to stay would be near Newark airport. Normally hotel rooms go for about $ 40. There would be a shuttle to the nearest rail link for new york.
having done both, stayed in NJ and driven to New York every day and having stayed in NY, the best option is to stay in downtown.
It also depends as to how many people you are in the group.
I stayed in Holiday Inn Express near route 4 (you can google that location). It was around $89 cheapest i can find, nice room, clean and you can take bus next to the hotel to go to train station - around 10 mins ride by bus to train station. But the difficult part is its located on a highway, if you return late, you have to call a cab to drive you to the opposite side of the highway. and bus timing is limited too. Still its a bit cheap and you can get those discounted rate on the coupon books (you can collect on yr way). Around Manhattan price are very expensive $200 to $300 upwards and very small
Have you looked into bus tours from Toronto. They tend to be a bit hectic, but you don't have the hassle of hotel bookings, planning etc. Keep in mind you may have a problem with food, especially if you're veggie, but as long as you're willing to compromise, by living on pizza and subway, you should be fine. Not that you won't get hot food, but if you don't get it, don't throw a fuss 
You can cary some food with yourself too.
Here's the link to Tai Pan Tours -> http://taipantours.com/Travel/US_Canada/US_CANTourList.aspx#loading
They have a few tours to NY, Boston, Washington. They won't give you as much time at the Washington Museums as you'd like.
I've been on their 7 day tour to Eastern Canada. We had long days, but then we got to take naps on the bus. We carried some food with us, and managed on veggie burgers, pizza, fries and subway for about 50% of the time. The rest we got veggie Chinese food.
Washington is not a big deal, you can drive and find tons of reasonably priced hotels away from the main city, the problem is NY city. As others have said above, very expensive and driving in NY city another nigtmare.
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