Guys, I need help (going to Oakland game 12/31/06)

You've got the Sheraton and Crowne Plaza right near the Meadowlands (both very nice).

"Reasonable" means different things in different parts of the country - NYC area hotels (decent ones) are expensive.

 

Here we go again... someone had this question the other day.

For openers, I'd definitely stay on the Jersey side if I were you. I don't know why someone would suggest Lakehurst, however, I think that's too far south.


The problem is, the closer you get to Elizabeth and Newark, the worse the selection gets in hotels/motels. There are some along Rte. 1 in Elizabeth, near Newark Liberty Airport, that you might consider. I've never stayed in them but some are a little more upscale than the usual flop-houses along there. You could do a search of Sheratons and other hotels to come up with one of them.

Anyway, then you'd be staying just south of Giants stadium, which would be just a short distance up the Turnpike, and you'd also be close to Newark if you wanted to take the train into the city (I'd take the train, not a bus). If you can find a place in the Linden-Rahway-Woodbridge area, there's a train station in each one of these towns that goes right into Penn Station (around 34th Street), which is where you'd probably want to be in the city.

I'd recommend taking a subway down to Little Italy for lunch. You can also walk Chinatown and the Village from there too... always a fun thing to do during the holidays.

 

If you're still curious, go to the Jets experience thread, there's a bunch of responses in there.

 

isn't there something on route 3 west ?pass medival times and Harolds?

 

"Somewhere that is reasonable" is always the elephant in the ointment. I recommended the Milford Plaza in NYC to someone the other day, only to find out it's $400 a night now.

 

Yeah, here is the thread we were discussing lodging in the other day. Should give you some ideas. If you have additional questions let us know...

http://forums.theganggreen.com/showthread.php?t=15103

 

Problem you are gonna have is, it is new years weekend. Besides the fact that probably every hotel in the NY area is already booked, I don't think there is such a thing as reasonable on new years weekend in the NY area..

 

I was thinking the same thing, but maybe he has a shot because it's the night before New Years Eve.

 

yeah that was me. In fact because the exchange rate from the pound to the dollar is so good at the moment Virgin and BA have doubled their flights to NY to cover the influx of Xmas shoppers. In response a lot of the NY hotels have doubled their rates and are mostly booked up.

So hotels that freinds and guys on here had recommended have prices through the roof. I could not find anything i wanted that was less than about $400 a night, cheaper on a weekday by about half but the Friday and Saturdays are killers.

I also mentioned i was happy with Staying in New Jersey and managed to get a booking at the Sheraton for this weekend though not on the friday as it was booked up. Its only a short distance from the stadium and the rooms are half the price of those in the centre of NY and yet its only a quick bus or train ride into town.

Im still yet to experience this all, and can give an update when i get home next week. But i would say if you want a decent hotel and dont want to pay over the top then stay in NJ.

 

The Hotel "Coral Essex" is still available!

 

Consider camping out? I'm sure that is "reasonable"

 

Jersey City?

If you can get a room in one of 3 hotels, The Hyatt, Courtyard by Mariott, or Doubletree, Jersey City is very convenient to NYC and the Meadowlands. You can choose your transprtation into the city: 2 PATH lines, ferry, or bus. By car it's 15 minutes to the Swamp.

 

I live in Elizabeth and the turnpike trip is fairly easy to the stadium. I would listen to 227. The hotels near the airport are actually not bad and generally you could get a room cheap since its right by the hotel (though it is new years so book early) but Also the trains go right to Penn Station and put you in right in NY. (I believe its actually 7 dollars round trip also) and you definately want to take a train. Driving in the city or even cabs or buses are ridiculous.

 

If you get into the city at Penn Station, you can do the usual walk up 5th Avenue... see Macy's, Toys R Us, Broadway, etc., etc. Then, like I said, take the subway down to Little Italy for lunch. There are the famous joints like Umberto's (clams in white sauce over linguine is the "signature dish"), or, if that's too crowded, try a little joint I used to go in, Luna's. The place is about 15' wide but the Italian food can't be beat. Don't forget to get some cannoli around the corner at Ferraro's.

 

Now you're over the top. For a Saturday, December 30th, you have to be from out of town to even be asking that question! (LOL)

Still, you might get into a matinee. In Times Square you've got the walk-up ticket thing... half price shows... but prepare yourself for a long line. Your best bet would be to go online ahead of time and try to find reasonable tickets. There are dozens of great shows.

 

Its not a great hotel by any stretch -- but check out the Hilton GATEWAY/Penn Station in Newark. Its attached to Penn Station Newark which will be a 15 minute train ride to NYC Penn Station (34 Streeet -- Madison Sq. Garden).

http://www.hilton.com/en/hi/hotels/index.jhtml?ctyhocn=EWRHGHF

It is probably a lot cheaper than staying in Manhattan and you have the train right there.

It is a short 15-30 minute drive up to the stadium (depending on traffic). Its actually only about 10 miles from the stadium

Good luck.

 

Your problem is going to be, you need more than one day in the city to do all this stuff. The time will fly. Doing a play should really be like a dedicated event. Unless you get into the city at an ungodly early hour, the time it takes to buy the play ticket and see the show is most of the day right there.

There's no way you can take the subway downtown for lunch at Luna's, walk around Little Italy, see a little bit of Chinatown (with the ducks and eels in the windows), shop at some of the street vendors who'll be all over the place with tantalizing things and take a quick tour of Greenwich Village and still have time to do the matinee.

Maybe this would work, but it's a long day. Get into Penn Station fairly early. Do the 5th Avenue walk uptown, then come back down B'Way to Times Square for the tickets. Now you grab a quick knish or a sandwich at the Stage Door Deli (only order one... they're huge). Then you go to the play.

After the play, you take the subway to Little Italy for dinner. It'll be dark and the Christmas atmosphere is incredible. You have some clams at Umberto's (but duck if you hear any loud sounds like gunshots outside) and you call it a day later that evening after having cannoli on the sidewalk in front of Ferraro's. You take the subway back up to Penn station and back to Jersey you go.