New York / New Jersey Itinerary recommendations

[kprm77]

I'll be going to the US over Easter with the family. Mrs kprm77 and I have been before in 2005 so have an idea of what to see, but I'd be interested to hear if there are any other less obvious places worth seeing.

We are there for 8 nights, so plenty of time to do Manhattan and some other bits. Our trip will encompass Manhattan and New Jersey as we will be staying in Secaucus. (30 minute bus ride from the hotel to the Port Authority Terminal which is very close to Times Sqaure). Here are some of the things already on the itinerary:

Top of the Rock
Central Park
Empire State Building (if there first thing)
Helicopter ride - ruled this out as way too expensive
Cruise round Manhattan
Visit Hoboken
Liberty Park & Ellis Island from Jersey side
Battery Park
Staten Island Ferry
WTC memorial
Intrepid
Walk over Brooklyn Bridge
Natural History Museum

I will be hiring a car at some point so we can explore the less touristy bits of New York state and New Jersey. Anyone know anywhere worth a visit?

There is a disused railway in Manhattan that you can walk down - have seen this on TV a few months ago - anyone know where this is and where to get access to it?

Edited by kprm77 on Tuesday 12th March 10:15

[chazola]

The disused railway line park is the high-line: http://www.thehighline.org/

The ESB is good at night too- when I've gone there later in the evening there's been hardly any queue and the view of the city at night is great.

New Jersey isn't a very interesting state. My ex in-laws lived there and it was just suburbs in the way before you got to New York.
New York state has some nice bits like the Catskills and if you drive south Philadelphia is about 1 & 1/2 hours away with all it's 1776 links and Art Museum etc. Further out west you have Lancaster county with the Amish communities.

[stu67]

Spend a bit of time over there at our office. The walk you are talking about is the High Line, basically a disused railway and it runs from Gransvoort st in the lower west side up to I think 30th st in the meat packing district, it runs alongside 10th Ave. Well worth a stroll if its warm its about a mile long.

Another thing worth doing that you haven't mentioned is the guided tour of Grand Central station and the Metropolitan Museum up in Central Park. The Zoo if you have kids?. To be honest I wouldn't bother with the empire State building 30 Rock is better (you get a great view)

[kprm77]

chazola said:

The disused railway line park is the high-line: http://www.thehighline.org/

The ESB is good at night too- when I've gone there later in the evening there's been hardly any queue and the view of the city at night is great.

New Jersey isn't a very interesting state. My ex in-laws lived there and it was just suburbs in the way before you got to New York.
New York state has some nice bits like the Catskills and if you drive south Philadelphia is about 1 & 1/2 hours away with all it's 1776 links and Art Museum etc. Further out west you have Lancaster county with the Amish communities.

Thanks for the link chazola

I'll look into the Catskills and Philadelphia.

[furtive]

Liberty Park & Ellis Island are still closed following Hurricane Sandy (at least they were when I was there a couple of weeks ago)

[andy-xr]

The Amtrak from Newark Liberty stops in Secaucus before going on to NYC, or it did when I was last there. It'd save you about 20 minutes if you're going in regularly

[kprm77]

furtive said:

Liberty Park & Ellis Island are still closed following Hurricane Sandy (at least they were when I was there a couple of weeks ago)

Poo - thanks for the heads up. I'll check before we go. Shame if they're still closed - get a great view from Liberty Park from what I can see, and apparently the queues for Ellis Island are a lot shorter on the New Jersey side. I know Staten Island got heavily battered - hope they're getting the help they need to get back on their feet.

[furtive]

The boats were still running but they don't stop - they just circle the islands. And there was no queue (but it was -4 with -10 wind chill when I was there)

Looks like they are closed until the end of May:

http://www.statuelibertytours.com/

Hurricane Sandy: The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island are temporarily closed through May 2013. Guests can experience the sights of New York Harbor aboard the Statue of Liberty Harbor Cruise.

Edited by furtive on Tuesday 12th March 11:59

[anonymous-user]

If you get the weather, a great place for photos of the Manhattan skyline is from the Hyatt (on the Hudson) over in Jersey City, right next to the Exchnage Place PATH station (which is only one stop out of the the WTC on Manhattan).

Stayed there last month on business, fortunate to get some decent 'phone shots, examples below..

[LostCroc]

kprm77 said:

We are there for 8 nights, so plenty of time to do Manhattan and some other bits. Our trip will encompass Manhattan and New Jersey as we will be staying in Secaucus.
I will be hiring a car at some point so we can explore the less touristy bits of New York state and New Jersey. Anyone know anywhere worth a visit?

I guess you are staying at one of the hotels around the Harmon Meadows area of Secaucus (or worse the Sheraton next to my office opposite Giants Stadium). I would forget the bus and see if they have a shuttle to Secaucus station to pick up NJ transit to Penn Station Manhattan (7th and 33rd) or to Hoboken direct. They run frequently and it is 1 stop to each destination - about $3-4pp for a ride.

You have hit the obvious places to visit. I also encourage you to just wander around - 5th avenue between 59 and 45 is fascinating if only for the people watching. Exploring Soho is interesting for the architecture.

Since you cannot get on to Ellis island or Statue of Liberty Island then maybe forget the Liberty ferry tour and consider saving money by going on the Staten island Ferry. It is free and sails past Miss Liberty twice. At the Staten Island end walk off the ferry and follow the aisle around until you get to the waiting room doors and then walk back onto the same ferry you got off to return back to downtown Manhattan.

I would not bother about trying to get to Liberty State Park (as was suggested) without a car. It is possible to do with light rail and then NJ transit bus but it takes a long time and then you are just looking at her back! (although really close)

Given you are at Secaucus then maybe take the train to Newark and pick up an express Amtrak to Philadelphia for a day trip exploration. No car needed and Philly is a decent walking city.

If you do rent a car then maybe consider doing a day exploration up the Hudson River valley - Palisades Parkway to Bear Mountain state park, West Point, FDR residence/museum/library/memorial, some of the old villages/towns along the river, maybe stop off at Woodbury Commons for some bargains on the way back?

I would skip NJ - the only thing I find interesting is NJ Motorsports Park but that is too far away.

[kprm77]

Thanks for all the replies. Following up on the leads

Just found out through Autocar that the New York Motor Show is on whilst we are there - we should just be able to catch the first public day.

Last motor show I went to I sat in a newly released Scimitar SS1 - so it was a couple of years or so since I last graced a motor show