Chanelling NYC experts again!

motion · 02-17-2015, 08:07 AM

The wife and I are on our way to South Africa next week. We're flying through JFK both ways, and have longish layovers: 17 hours on the way there, and 1 1/2 days on the way back. On the way back, we'll take the AirTrain in to Manhattan and stay there.

On the way there, I am trying to figure out what to do with the 17 hour overnighter. I don't think its enough time to get into Manhattan (don't want to pay the ginormous cab fares or be stuck in traffic), so am looking for alternatives on Long Island. I also don't want to just hunker down at a hotel by the airport for the night. I could rent a car and drive somewhere on Long Island. I've been there a few times, but don't know much about it, honestly. Assuming we will be arriving when its almost dark, and departing very early in the morning, is this worth it? Are there any GREAT destinations within an hour or so of JFK that we could drive to and are worth spending the evening exploring?

Gotham Helicopters can get us into Manhattan in 6 minutes for $200 each way, but I'm not that much of a baller

Thanks mucho, again!

GH85Carrera · GH85Carrera's Garage

Just curious, if a chopper ride for two is $200 how much is a "ginormous cab fare"

I understand basic math and $400 bucks for a round trip is some coin.

TimT · 02-17-2015, 08:16 AM

If you travel out to Long Island now..... all you will be able to see is lots of giant mounds of dirty snow,...

The taxi fee from JFK to NYC is a fixed fee $52 + tolls...

official taxi rates

stomachmonkey · 02-17-2015, 08:59 AM

Long Island is a summer destination.

Right now with the amount of snow on the ground I'd be hard pressed to think of something.

Also depends on the day of the week you are there and what time.

Anything that is going to occupy you for any appreciable amount of time is farther away than Manhattan.

Public transportation exists to move people East / West, in and out of the city, trying to go North / South is not easy.

Really to get around LI a car is a necessity.

You could go hang out in DUMBO but at that point you may as well just cross the bridge into the city.

motion · 02-17-2015, 09:04 AM

Thanks... looks like we'll party in the SkyClub till we get kicked out, then a nearby hotel.

Gogar · 02-17-2015, 09:42 AM

The express bus from JFK or LaGuardia to Grand Central is like $9 and goes the same speed as the cab.

craigster59 · craigster59's Garage

The driver I always use is Albert. Good guy, can get you around at a reasonable rate and is always on time. If interested you can reach him seven one eight, 2 oh seven, two seven 8 zero. He can also give suggestions on alternatives, great guy.

javadog · 02-17-2015, 10:52 AM

I'd head into Manhattan for a nice dinner, rather than pound back drinks in an airport bar.

JR

304065 · 02-17-2015, 11:22 AM

Land at JFK.
Take Airtrain to LIRR $5
Ride LIRR to Penn Station $14.50 MTA - Airtrain JFK: Make the Connection
This evolution should take you around an hour. That is cheaper and faster than waiting in line for a cab.

So now you are at Penn Station. What do you want to do when you're here?

stevej37 · 02-17-2015, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gogar

The express bus from JFK or LaGuardia to Grand Central is like $9 and goes the same speed as the cab.

This... At Grand Central you can take the subway or a cab to get anywhere fast.

motion · 02-17-2015, 02:40 PM

Thanks, fellas. I don't think we're too excited about taking several hours roundtrip to make it into Manhattan only to walk around freezing our tails off. We'll hit it up on the way back in a couple weeks. Hopefully, it will be warmer then.

304065 · 03:05 PM

Come on Motion!

Manhattan cannot possibly be experienced in a single day (or in a lifetime for that matter).

You could easily kill 4-5 hours inside any one of the Guggenheim Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the American Museum of Natural History, the New York Historical Society, The Frick Collection, The Whitney Museum, the Neue Galerie. Any one of those is worth the trip, and you can ride the subway up there from Penn Station. Take the E train to 53rd street to get to MoMa, for example. ($2.50 per person, you can buy a MetroCard at the station).

Man even with the cold weather anything beats sitting around at JFK in the low humidity.

mpeastend · 03:43 PM

What Tim said is true about Long Island right now...not much to see or do other than some restaurants and in the short amount of time you have, not really feasible. I can suggest one thing: Stay in the Garden City Hotel overnight. It is nearby (about same distance to Manhattan in the other direction) and if you're averse to taking a cab, you can take the Airtrain to Long Island RR Jamaica train station & take the Hempstead branch to the Garden City train station which is literally 500 ft or so from the Hotel. I suggest this only because all the hotels near JFK are absolute crap and are in a sketchy area. You will not want to wander about outside the local hotels, I assure you.

There is shopping 1 block away from the GC Hotel on Franklin Ave with many nice restaurants. If you want high-end, the Polo Steakhouse within the GC Hotel has you covered. There is the Red Door Spa in the Hotel to relax and pamper your wife. There are nearby golf courses/countryclubs but of course, this is winter & your time is limited. There is a chocolate expo going on now nearby at the Cradle of Aviation Museum. The GC Hotel concierge will have many other suggestions, I'm sure.

Garden City Hotel: Garden City Hotel in Long Island, NY | The Garden City Hotel

motion · 02-17-2015, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpeastend

What Tim said is true about Long Island right now...not much to see or do other than some restaurants and in the short amount of time you have, not really feasible. I can suggest one thing: Stay in the Garden City Hotel overnight. It is nearby (about same distance to Manhattan in the other direction) and if you're averse to taking a cab, you can take the Airtrain to Long Island RR Jamaica train station & take the Hempstead branch to the Garden City train station which is literally 500 ft or so from the Hotel. I suggest this only because all the hotels near JFK are absolute crap and are in a sketchy area. You will not want to wander about outside the local hotels, I assure you.

There is shopping 1 block away from the GC Hotel on Franklin Ave with many nice restaurants. If you want high-end, the Polo Steakhouse within the GC Hotel has you covered. There is the Red Door Spa in the Hotel to relax and pamper your wife. There are nearby golf courses/countryclubs but of course, this is winter & your time is limited. There is a chocolate expo going on now nearby at the Cradle of Aviation Museum. The GC Hotel concierge will have many other suggestions, I'm sure.

Garden City Hotel: Garden City Hotel in Long Island, NY | The Garden City Hotel

Thanks!! We've stayed at JFK hotels before. They are not too nice. Recently, I Ubered over to a T-mobile store in Queens. Neither the staff or the Uber driver could understand why I wanted to go there. Wasn't too bad, though.

304065, I've been to NYC many times and have already visited many of those on your list. We love visiting the city, but just with a bit more time to deal with the trip into midtown!

stomachmonkey · 02-17-2015, 03:54 PM

Yeah GC Hotel and the area are nice.

About a 30 minute run from the airport on a good day but for 17 hours the area is very hospitable.

Don Plumley · Don Plumley's Garage

I'll try to dig up a cool late night spot in Brooklyn so you can stay on the Island - Uber over, enjoy, Uber back to the airport. Easy peasy. PM to follow if you are interested.

motion · 02-17-2015, 05:03 PM

PM me if you have it, Don!

Kraftwerk · 02-19-2015, 02:22 PM

For that 17 hr layover I would leave the airport. NYC is not far away or the 'fun-parts' of Brooklyn are even closer. With out traffic the airport is less than 25 min from N1st street in Brooklyn, (I think my record was 18 min at 11:30 night in the Porsche.) No reason not to exit the airport compound . Just as John said above: the Air Train does not connect the airport to NYC > Stupidest urban planning decision ever IMO but still a good deal and easy enough to do especially w/o luggage.
Stay out until 4 am then head to the airport!

Don Plumley · Don Plumley's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by motion

PM me if you have it, Don!

Okay, I've asked the two coolest Somm's I know in town for some ideas.

zelrik911 · zelrik911's Garage

VERY interested in the answers - for my wife & I. We live in Australia and our (only) son has moved to Washington. Usually have to O/night there & back.

But what will you do with your suitcases/luggage ???