NYC: Arriving and Getting to Your Hotel
Arriving
Fly into LaGuardia if possible.
If you have a choice, I recommend flying into LaGuardia Airport. LaGuardia is smaller, easier to manage, and closer to Manhattan than either JFK or Newark. Newark is fine; JFK is a huge and busy international airport which I prefer to avoid.
Don’t Drive! *
If you are thinking about driving to New York City, or renting a car once you are there, all I can say is “Don’t!” Ignore this advice at your peril. Driving and parking in Manhattan is chaotic, stressful, confusing, and expensive. You’ll get around by taxi, subway, bus, or on foot.(My BFF Shirley drove there once, said it was one of the most stressful experiences of her life, and she’d never do it again.)
* Note added 8/6/2007: “Don’t drive” has been my advice, and most guidebooks concur. However, I was just chatting with my Aunt Lois, who mentioned that she and Uncle Don drove to NYC a few years ago, and that with MapQuest, it was “a piece of cake!” So maybe I’m wrong here … anybody else want to chime in?
As for taking the train to Manhattan:
I just don’t know enough about it to make any recommendations. I’ll work on that. If you know about train travel into Manhattan please post a comment at the end of this page, or contact me and share your knowledge.
Getting from the airport to your hotel
My advice: Don’t try to save money on this one. Take a taxi or a private car service from the airport to your hotel.
You will start (and end) your getaway with the least amount of stress, hassle, and confusion, and will be delivered directly to your hotel door with no stops or transfers.
Yes, there are a number of other forms of airport transportation which might save you money — bus, shuttle, subway, AirTrain, and van. But I say: Forget about saving money on this one. Just take a taxi or limo, get to your hotel, drop off your luggage, and start having fun!
How to taxi from the airport
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Use Only the Yellow Cabs.
They are New York’s official taxicabs and are licensed by the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC). They are easy to find in designated, well-marked areas outside the terminal.
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Do not use any of the unregulated “gypsy cabs.” Ignore any hustlers inside or just outside the terminal.
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Follow signs to Ground Transportation, and look for the uniformed dispatcher at the official taxi stand.
Tell the dispatcher the general area you are going to (e.g., just “Midtown” or “Upper West Side” or “Brooklyn,” not the street address) and they will summon the proper cab for you.
For approximate fares, travel times, and a basic intro to using taxi cabs in New York, see NYC Taxi 101
About Car Services (Limos)
While I think taking a taxi is easier, some folks like the security of having pre-arranged transportation and knowing the rate ahead of time. And in the unlikely event that you are arriving after midnight (when it could be hard to get a taxi) a car service would be the best, safest choice.
You will need to make a limo reservation online or by phone, generally 24 hours in advance (although they may be able to accommodate you on short notice).
You provide your estimated arrival time and flight information; call them upon arrival; they tell you where (outside the terminal) to meet the radio-dispached driver, who should be there in a few minutes and have your name on a card in the window. It costs extra (quite a bit extra) if you want the driver to meet you inside the terminal.
There are many car companies in New York; my friends and I have used these two:
Carmel www.carmellimo.com 1-800-9-CARMEL or (212) 666-6666, and
Tel Aviv www.telavivlimo.com 1-800 222-9888 or (212) 777-7777.
