Luggage in NYC

[KrisM]

We are planning to leave our car in NJ and take the train and subway to our hotel in Manhattan. What is the best luggage for this? We usually travel with duffle bags, but we usually are in a hotel parking lot. We have some older luggage with wheels, various school backpacks, etc. We will have 4 nights/days of stuff.

[SnuggleBuggles]

On our recent trip we used rolling bags. Ones that you can quickly grab by the handles to carry vs roll are helpful when you need to keep up with the flow of traffic and encounter stairs.
You could always take an Uber or Ltft XL or taxi vs the subway of you are worried. We’ve done both ways and the car is certainly easier.
Eta- don’t attempt the subway at rush hour w luggage. And choose the most compact luggage you can.


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[KrisM]

Are taxis and Uber easy for 5 people? I've never used Uber/Lyft and haven't been in a taxi in 25 years! I don't know about using those either, haha.

I'll have us get things out and pre-pack this weekend. See what we can fit it into. Maybe we can have a couple backpacks and 1 smaller rolling suitcase.

[mmsmom]

You would need 2 taxis or an Uber XL. Max in a taxi is 4 people. There are so many Uber XL’s in city so it will be easy to get. Rolling bags are best for subway but you also need to be able to easily carry upstairs and lift over turnstiles.

[DualvansMommy]

rolling bags for adults are the easiest to travel by street, subway and stairs. Backpacks for the kids is another easiest option. I think for your group, it's best to take one large rolling bag for each adult and large backpack each kid, so this way it can easily be fitted in an uber XL if subway prove too much of a hassle for you guys. I travel to the city from NJ often and this is my to go method if I'm not driving in or using Uber at all.

[SnuggleBuggles]

OP don't do duffle bags. Unless you can carry them in front of you, they are too bulky for crowded corridors and sidewalks. You'd just be in the way.

[KrisM]

I do not plan to use a duffle bag, except for the first night in NJ. I was just saying that's what we have .

I'm getting worried now. I was thinking the subway would be the easiest overall, but maybe I need to figure out Uber instead? Do you use Uber most of the time to get around if you aren't walking?

I'll do a mock packing in a day or so and see what we need for suitcases. We only have 1 large one and 1 smaller one between us. But, I feel like we should be okay still.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Subway without luggage 100%!

Wouldn’t hurt to buy some more real luggage. 2 medium and 1 small could work so you just need to buy one more.
TJ Maxx and Marshall’s are great. I don’t think you’re a Costco member but they are great for luggage too.


Eta- 3 of us had a personal bag (ds1 didn’t bring anything extra), a medium rolling bag and a small (carry on size) rolling bag for our Saturday-Tuesday trip. It’s nice to pack light BUT if we had one more bag it would have been great. It was pouring buckets of rain every day and each kid only had one pair of shoes. Dh and I had 2 pairs. 1 more bag would have allowed for that extra, just in case stuff. Having to put wet shoes on every time was no fun!

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[KrisM]

I am a Costco member currently. I was hoping to return it, but haven't made it there. I'll see if I can get there and look.

[WatchingThemGrow]

We had both the Lyft and Uber apps installed on both our phones and have used both services to tote 5 people around San Diego and San Fran. We didn't have luggage either time though. (one we had a car at the hotel, another we took the subway directly to the hotel) You'd be amazed at how many more vehicles have a 3rd row these days!!!

Have you outlined your trip somewhere and can I copy it? I think we are going to go to NYC for 4 days this summer... and if we drive we will park and take the train.