NYC lodging help: apartment in Lincoln Center or motel suite in Queens?

[pharmjenn]

Please help me figure what will work best for my family. My DH, DS (2yo) and I will be in NYC for 5 days in January. We will be tourists for the weekend, then DH has business in Bronx for a day. Won't be doing too much walking, and open to using the subway with a POP stroller. Never been to NYC, and want to do a relaxing weekend but get as much done as possible: ground zero, liberty and ellis islands, Mus. Nat History, Central Park, etc. May end up moving there, so not stressed about getting everything in. DS will nap in stroller, and goes to be at 7pm, so will be back in the room early for movies/tv. Will be renting a car for the last 2 days, and if stay with option 1, would move to Yonkers for the last 2 nights for ease of getting to meeting.
My two best options are as follows:
1. 1bd apartment through metro-home in Lincoln Center area. High rise with indoor pool/hot tub, wifi, childrens play room and rec room. Shuttle to subway during weekday business hours. Cost: $159/night
2. 1bd Country Inn &Suites in Long Island City. 2 blocks to subway, 10min to Manhattan. Breakfast included. $115/night.

All you New Yorkers, please help me figure out what sounds best!
TIA

[lizzywednesday]

Apartment in Lincoln Center area.

Lincoln Center is a good area, high rent, lots to see, including Lincoln Center itself.

The ferries to Ellis Island and Liberty Island are out of Battery Park. You need to make reservations for Liberty Island before your trip so you can be sure you'll get a ticket to the pedestal.

Info about visiting Liberty Island is available online here:

http://www.nps.gov/stli/planyourvisit/index.htm

Info about visiting Ellis Island is available online here:

http://www.nps.gov/elis/planyourvisit/index.htm

I would take one day and do the islands in the morning; Battery Park is one of the ferry terminals to which FDNY/NYPD/PAPD evacuated survivors of the WTC attacks, so you would be able to grab some lunch and head to Ground Zero from there.

Be advised that the Hudson can get choppy if the weather stinks, so you may end up scrubbing one or the other Island visit if you are prone to seasickness. The ferries are nice, but you do feel waves if the River's rough.

Another day-trip is the AMNH, which actually backs to Central Park. I don't remember which subway line Lincoln Center is near, but my recommendation with AMNH is to take the subway directly to the underground entrance (I usually take the A-C-E line from Port Authority or Penn Station) because the lines are shortest there.

They are having a lot of really interesting special exhibitions right now; the special exhibitions are an extra charge. Even without them, the museum is awesome, especially since they re-did the dinosaur galleries. More info on planning your visit is available here:

http://www.amnh.org/visitors/

In January, it might be too breezy to expect to do too much in Central Park, but check out the Central Park Conservancy's website for kid-friendly stuff to do ... and a map of other things to see, like Strawberry Field and the "Imagine" mosaic near the Dakota:

http://www.centralparknyc.org/site/PageServer?pagename=aboutpark_main

Hope this helps - and enjoy your visit!!!

[bnme]

Do you know exactly where the Licoln Center apt is? Just wondering if it is way over on the west side which may not be such a great neighborhood. The fact that it said 'shuttle to subway' caught my eye, so how far from the subway is it? I used to live on 58th between 9th and 10th, which is Lincoln Center area but slightly off the beaten path, yet totally fine.

Generally a great location! Being in the city would be so much easier so you can go back and forth during the day. And there is so much to walk to right in that area, one of you could hit BN or Starbucks (as an example) after DC went to bed.

The '10 minutes to NYC' Queens hotel could be a lot longer during rush hour, and very crowded for traveling with a little one.

Have a great trip!

[pharmjenn]

Thanks for the great advice. The address is 180 Riverside, says it is Trump Place, so right on the Hudson. Not too close to the subway, but doable I think. Unless anyone comes up with other thoughts to suggest Queens is better, we should go with Lincoln Center. Now just to figure out how to get there at 11pm. I think a taxi is the only real option, but cringe at the cost.

[lizzywednesday]

Thanks for the great advice. The address is 180 Riverside, says it is Trump Place, so right on the Hudson. Not too close to the subway, but doable I think. Unless anyone comes up with other thoughts to suggest Queens is better, we should go with Lincoln Center. Now just to figure out how to get there at 11pm. I think a taxi is the only real option, but cringe at the cost.

Which airport are you flying into? LGA, JFK or EWR?

JFK has an AirTrain, which connects to the LIRR, which can take you into NY-Penn Station (34th Street & 7th Avenue) ... from which you can get a cab for less than from the airport. Of course, if you're not intimidated by luggage and a toddler, there's always the subway!

From EWR, the AirTrain hooks you up with NJ Transit, which can also get you to NY-Penn.

More info about AirTrain is available online -

AirTrain JFK: http://www.mta.info/mta/airtrain.htm

AirTrain EWR: http://www.panynj.gov/airports/ewr-airtrain.html

There are also airport shuttles available at flat rates (no worries about tipping or over-charges due to traffic/construction delays) ... check with a tourist information website, like http://www.nycgo.com/, for help.

Also, TripAdvisor's message boards may help with more details or suggestions on how to get your DC, luggage and yourself to your destination without wearing yourselves out!

[jayali]

As far as these two options I would definitely go with the apartment at "Lincoln Center". I think it may be a stretch to call Trump Place Lincoln Center, but I guess you can. I am not that familiar with the area, but it is pretty far west (as far west as you can be with out being in NJ!). Be prepared to walk and in January that can be dicey due to weather, but I would rather be right in Manhattan as opposed to Queens, as there are more options to commuting.


I know the cost of a Taxi is unappealing, but at that time of night (if you arrive at 11pm) connections are not super reliable and your apartment is really not very close to a subway. The only thing I would suggest is taking the Academy bus - I believe it stops at every airport terminal - and then a taxi from midtown up to the apartment. I would not suggest making train connections that late in the evening.

[pharmjenn]

I actually missed out on the Trump Place apartment, so booked this morning one in the Financial District, 100 Maiden Lane. Still need to figure out transport there late a night, but atleast we will be close to the sites I know we want to see, like Liberty/Ellis islands, Ground Zero.
It looks like we are just a couple blocks from a subway stop that is a direct line out towards the airport, but will look into shuttles.
Thanks for all the great advice everyone!

[vludmilla]

Apartment in the city, absolutely. Hands down. I think you'll be very happy to be in the city, proper.

[lizzywednesday]

I actually missed out on the Trump Place apartment, so booked this morning one in the Financial District, 100 Maiden Lane. Still need to figure out transport there late a night, but atleast we will be close to the sites I know we want to see, like Liberty/Ellis islands, Ground Zero.
It looks like we are just a couple blocks from a subway stop that is a direct line out towards the airport, but will look into shuttles.
Thanks for all the great advice everyone!

Definitely use the NYC Visit site as a resource! (I believe it's NYC's official "travel & tourism" site, so it should be well-maintained.)

I've had great success directing friends to AirTrain and have used it myself at odd hours, but never with a child in tow, so use your own judgment.

Airport shuttles are probably your best, easily located option.

[LMPC]

By the time you figure in tickets for everyone for the shuttle, I don't think a taxi would be that much cheaper. And at that time of night....after traveling all that way...with all your stuff....I would splurge for the taxi. Or better yet, take the number of a car service with you. It's no more than a taxi....you call them when you get your luggage and they pull up to the curb. You will wait in a line for the taxi at the airport...very annoying after flying all that way. Does anyone out there have the number for a good car service?? If not, then a quick internet search might do the trick. Or PM me and I will get the number from my mom of the one she uses all the time!

Have a great trip!!!

[lizzywednesday]

By the time you figure in tickets for everyone for the shuttle, I don't think a taxi would be that much cheaper. And at that time of night....after traveling all that way...with all your stuff....I would splurge for the taxi. Or better yet, take the number of a car service with you. It's no more than a taxi....you call them when you get your luggage and they pull up to the curb. You will wait in a line for the taxi at the airport...very annoying after flying all that way. Does anyone out there have the number for a good car service?? If not, then a quick internet search might do the trick. Or PM me and I will get the number from my mom of the one she uses all the time!

Have a great trip!!!

On the NYC GO! website they have a whole section on the shuttles:

http://www.nycgo.com/?event=view.article&id=55504

The biggest advantage of a shuttle over a cab, IMO, is that they will not charge you extra for your luggage because they expect it to be with you. Also, like I mentioned earlier, there's no need to tip the driver and tolls are included as part of the flat rate.

(We usually fly in/out of EWR ourselves ... but if going from SFO to NYC, it's often most economical to fly into JFK. The shuttle is really a good way to go; and I think the OP's DH will be joining her & her DC later in the trip, so there's no need to think she'd be buying 3 passages on the shuttle.)