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blackbat April 20th, 2010 03:30 PM

New York advice
 
Hi all,

Contemplating a visit to NYC this summer. Family with young / teenage
kids
..
Grateful for advice on some budget hotels that you might recommend.
Also advice on which areas are safe to stay.
Been to NYC a couple of times before but never with kids and therefore
feel a little more vulnerable.

Any advice on transferring from the airport to hotel?

Probably stay for approx 4 or 5 days then leave NYC and spend another
8 or 9 days touring by car before returning to fly back from NYC.
Any input here would be good. I'm going to look into what's available
along the i95 towards Boston / Cape Cod. Don't want to go into Boston
as we don't want two city vacations but would be interested in some
areas of natural beauty or maybe coastal towns and villlages with a
plenty of restaurants and shops to choose from.
Also are there any large Belz style factory outlets in this general
area?
--

blackbat /\x/\

blackbat April 21st, 2010 09:25 PM

New York advice
 
On Tue, 20 Apr 2010 23:45:41 -0400, Shawn Hirn
wrote:

I am not sure about hotels, but try checking the popular travel-related
web sites such as priceline.com and expedia.com to see what's available.

Will do


There is a submarine museum in CT which is just off I95, and of course,
there's Mystic, which is a nice rustic town in CT. There is an area in
CT with outlet stores near I95. I forget the details though, but google
for "CT Outlet stores" or something like that and you'll find the
details.

Thanks - this is very useful.
Although don't say "of course" I know absolutely nothing about that
stretch of coastline :-)
Mystic sounds nice.
Seems there are large outlets at Clinton and Westbrook.
What other towns are of interest along this coastline?
BTW very roughly, how long would it take to drive from NYC to Mystic?
Google suggests 3.5 hours in traffic.
Would Mystic be a good place to base ourselves for a week and take day
trips out?
Any areas good for a swim? I guess the water's gonna be cold though.



In NYC, you can stay in the Times Square area, no problem and you'll be
close to lots of sites by subway or walking. If you haven't taken the
kids to see the Empire State Building's observation deck, do it, but do
it at dusk. A walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and around Battery Park is
always nice if the weather is nice. Of course, there's the Statue of
Liberty and Ellis Island. If your kids enjoy zoos, don't miss the
Central Park Zoo.


Thanks - duly noted.
--

blackbat /\x/\

Brian[_1_] April 22nd, 2010 01:58 AM

New York advice
 
On Wed, 21 Apr 2010 21:25:39 +0100, blackbat
wrote:


Thanks - this is very useful.
Although don't say "of course" I know absolutely nothing about that
stretch of coastline :-)
Mystic sounds nice.
Seems there are large outlets at Clinton and Westbrook.
What other towns are of interest along this coastline?
BTW very roughly, how long would it take to drive from NYC to Mystic?
Google suggests 3.5 hours in traffic.


Perhaps. On Friday afternoons it can be very very slow. I've spent an
hour going between Stamford and Fairfield.

Would Mystic be a good place to base ourselves for a week and take day
trips out?


I wouldn't think that there would be enough around for a week of day
trips.
Have you thought of going to Maine or other areas in northern New
England?

Any areas good for a swim? I guess the water's gonna be cold though.


There are a number of beaches in CT along Long Island Sound which can
be fairly warm in the summer. It's a relatively small body of water so
it will warm up more than the Atlantic.

[email protected] April 22nd, 2010 11:40 AM

New York advice
 
https://www.longislandferry.com/Comm...?page=visitors

blackbat April 22nd, 2010 07:18 PM

New York advice
 
On Wed, 21 Apr 2010 20:58:42 -0400, Brian
wrote:

Perhaps. On Friday afternoons it can be very very slow. I've spent an
hour going between Stamford and Fairfield.

Would Mystic be a good place to base ourselves for a week and take day
trips out?


I wouldn't think that there would be enough around for a week of day
trips.

Shame.

Have you thought of going to Maine or other areas in northern New
England?

I have but I'll be driving from NYC so don't wan't to go too far.
Is it feasible to drive from NYC to Maine by car with a family?
Wherever we drive, we'll have to return by car.
Have you got any recommendations in particular for Maine?



Any areas good for a swim? I guess the water's gonna be cold though.


There are a number of beaches in CT along Long Island Sound which can
be fairly warm in the summer. It's a relatively small body of water so
it will warm up more than the Atlantic.

OK. Do 'normal' people swim in these conditions or just hardcore
nutters?
--

blackbat /\x/\

SMS April 22nd, 2010 11:38 PM

New York advice
 
On 20/04/10 7:30 AM, blackbat wrote:
Hi all,

Contemplating a visit to NYC this summer. Family with young / teenage
kids
.
Grateful for advice on some budget hotels that you might recommend.
Also advice on which areas are safe to stay.
Been to NYC a couple of times before but never with kids and therefore
feel a little more vulnerable.


Check Venere.com and quikbook.com for good deals in NYC. Last year we
stayed at Best Western Seaport Inn, near the Brooklyn Bridge. We had
kids 11 & 15 with us. It had some advantages over the Times Square area:
1. Very large room with 2 queens and a refrigerator. 2. Free breakfast.
3. Free wi-fi. 4. Close to Battery Park and S.O.L.. 5. Close to
Chinatown for cheap good food. 6. Not too far from two different subway
lines. 7. Close to Jack's Stir Brew, the best coffee in NYC. 8. Less
expensive than other areas of Manhattan, though still $199/night. 9.
Afternoon fresh cookies. We did a lot of walking, from South Seaport
through Chinatown and the lower east side then through the village and
up to midtown.

Airport to hotel depends on the airport and how much luggage you have.
From Newark you take the airport train to NJT train to Path, though as
someone pointed out to me it's much cheaper to take the bus to the Path
station, and no slower but might be more of a hassle if you have a lot
of luggage. From JFK you take the SkyTrain to one of two subway lines
depending on where in NYC you want to go. With 4 people, a taxi is not
going to be that much more than the train, but it could be slower. Avoid
services like Super Shuttle at all costs.

The best part of the trip for me was a bicycle ride around Manhattan.
They've put in some great bicycle/multi-use paths around the island.
"http://www.nycbikemaps.com/maps/manhattan-bike-map/"

I never felt unsafe, but I didn't venture out to the Bronx or other
areas like that. The trip before I went over to Brooklyn to the NYC
Transit Museum, and even though the neighborhood was a little dicey it
was fine in the daytime.

The last thing you want to do on vacation is go to factory outlets.

Brian[_1_] April 23rd, 2010 02:02 AM

New York advice
 
On Thu, 22 Apr 2010 19:18:56 +0100, blackbat
wrote:


Shame.


Huh?

I have but I'll be driving from NYC so don't wan't to go too far.
Is it feasible to drive from NYC to Maine by car with a family?
Wherever we drive, we'll have to return by car.


It could be done in a fairly long day each way. It would be about 500
miles.

Have you got any recommendations in particular for Maine?


We like the Bar Harbor area but the drive up is beautiful. Our
daughter liked it even when she small.



Any areas good for a swim? I guess the water's gonna be cold though.


There are a number of beaches in CT along Long Island Sound which can
be fairly warm in the summer. It's a relatively small body of water so
it will warm up more than the Atlantic.

OK. Do 'normal' people swim in these conditions or just hardcore
nutters?


In CT? Water temps should be in the 70's during the summer.
In Maine, you would have to be hardcore or Canadian. G

blackbat April 24th, 2010 12:37 AM

New York advice
 
On Thu, 22 Apr 2010 21:02:44 -0400, Brian
wrote:

Shame.


Huh?

Shame that "I wouldn't think that there would be enough around for a
week of day trips"


I have but I'll be driving from NYC so don't wan't to go too far.
Is it feasible to drive from NYC to Maine by car with a family?
Wherever we drive, we'll have to return by car.


It could be done in a fairly long day each way. It would be about 500
miles.

Maybe spread it over a couple of days then.


Have you got any recommendations in particular for Maine?


We like the Bar Harbor area but the drive up is beautiful. Our
daughter liked it even when she small.


Thanks - I'll check it out.



Any areas good for a swim? I guess the water's gonna be cold though.

There are a number of beaches in CT along Long Island Sound which can
be fairly warm in the summer. It's a relatively small body of water so
it will warm up more than the Atlantic.

OK. Do 'normal' people swim in these conditions or just hardcore
nutters?


In CT? Water temps should be in the 70's during the summer.
In Maine, you would have to be hardcore or Canadian. G


heh

--

blackbat /\x/\

Brian[_1_] April 24th, 2010 01:36 AM

New York advice
 
On Sat, 24 Apr 2010 00:37:17 +0100, blackbat
wrote:

On Thu, 22 Apr 2010 21:02:44 -0400, Brian
wrote:

Shame.


Huh?

Shame that "I wouldn't think that there would be enough around for a
week of day trips"


It probably depends on how you define a day trip. An hour each way? 2?
3?

blackbat April 24th, 2010 09:49 AM

New York advice
 
On Thu, 22 Apr 2010 15:38:06 -0700, SMS
wrote:


Check Venere.com and quikbook.com for good deals in NYC.

Good idea.

Last year we
stayed at Best Western Seaport Inn, near the Brooklyn Bridge. We had
kids 11 & 15 with us. It had some advantages over the Times Square area:
1. Very large room with 2 queens and a refrigerator. 2. Free breakfast.
3. Free wi-fi. 4. Close to Battery Park and S.O.L.. 5. Close to
Chinatown for cheap good food. 6. Not too far from two different subway
lines. 7. Close to Jack's Stir Brew, the best coffee in NYC. 8. Less
expensive than other areas of Manhattan, though still $199/night. 9.
Afternoon fresh cookies. We did a lot of walking, from South Seaport
through Chinatown and the lower east side then through the village and
up to midtown.


This is really useful.
Thanks for such an in-depth answer.


Airport to hotel depends on the airport and how much luggage you have.
From Newark you take the airport train to NJT train to Path, though as
someone pointed out to me it's much cheaper to take the bus to the Path
station, and no slower but might be more of a hassle if you have a lot
of luggage. From JFK you take the SkyTrain to one of two subway lines
depending on where in NYC you want to go. With 4 people, a taxi is not
going to be that much more than the train, but it could be slower. Avoid
services like Super Shuttle at all costs.

I'm a family of me plus 4 women.
Believe me, they are not the "toothbrush in the top pocket" type of
travellers :-(
I guess a cab will be the best option.
What sort of price might I expect to pay for a cab from either
airport?


The best part of the trip for me was a bicycle ride around Manhattan.
They've put in some great bicycle/multi-use paths around the island.
"http://www.nycbikemaps.com/maps/manhattan-bike-map/"


This sounds great, but I'd need to get my wife used to a bike in time.



I never felt unsafe,

Good to hear

but I didn't venture out to the Bronx or other
areas like that. The trip before I went over to Brooklyn to the NYC
Transit Museum, and even though the neighborhood was a little dicey it
was fine in the daytime.




The last thing you want to do on vacation is go to factory outlets.


Not when in NVC but after that even I don't mind one day at a mall.
USA malls are great for me, I have big feet and have difficulty
getting shoes to fit in the UK so tend to stock up in the States.
And USA T-Shirts are generally better quality than ours.

But you're right in some ways, 4 women in a USA mall is a lethal
combination,

--

blackbat /\x/\


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