Toronto to New York DIY tour Help!

[larshell]

Hi to all! We have a business trip in Toronto Canada and it is our first time. Were planning to go to New York sabi nila kasi sayang naman malapit na daw. We don't know how to do it on our own. Don't have any idea what hotel to stay in New York and places to see. Any suggestions? TIA

[br733]

first of, decide whether you want to drive down to the us or go by air.

if you decide to go by air, then you will either go in to new york via jfk (in new york) or newark (new jersey). the jfk airport connects to a subway station that goes in to manhattan. hotels in manhattan can be pricey at times. but if you have only a few days to spare, it is worth the hassle.

you can get into manhattan thru newark also. there are lots of hotels scattered all over newark airport. hotels rates at newark are very reasonable. another alternative will be to stay at jersey city, new jersey, which is just a river across manhattan. hotel rates are also reasonable. there is regular train/subway service between newark/jersey city and manhattan.

i am not sure if you can fly in to la gaurdia from toronto...

my advise, use priceline to book your hotel.

as to sightseeing you can check out various online travel guides and forums or buy yourself a ny travel book.

[larshell]

br733, Thanks for the info. We only have 7 days spare for this trip. Is it wise to stay at New Jesrsey and ride a boat or train to go to manhattan? Is Washington DC near the area?

What is priceline?

Thanks!

[empy]

i would advise going by air. di masasayang oras mo sa road, you wont have to worry about getting lost, and it's a hassle to find a place to park a car in the city. trade-off is that during the winter (now), flights do have a tendency to get delayed or cancelled.

i would stay in the city if you can afford it. mas mahal, but it takes too much time IMO to commute in.

if this is your first time, i suggest you hit the main attractions - Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, the NY Metropolitan Museum of Art, Times Square, and the Financial District. kung matapos na kayo dito, you can start looking at the lesser-known (but just as nice to visit) attractions.

one of the best things about NYC is the eating. the best restaurants are in NYC, and while many of them are priced on the high side, you can still find great food for cheap. depending on what kind of food you like, your hotel concierge will be able to recommend something - better yet, if you know any locals, ask them - since NYC is so trendy, they will be able to tell you the hottest restaurant/bar/club of the moment.


ps - Washington DC is about 1 hour by air and 3 hours by car away...

[br733]

priceline.com is a website that lets you bid online for hotel accomodations, airfare... but you cannot choose exactly which hotel you want. you have to select a category in a particular neighbourhood and priceline will assign a hotel for you.

imo priceline is ok if you plan to stay in newark or jersey city. but be a bit more cautious if you plan to use it for manhattan since there are too many hotels and what you get may not be what you want. but there are savings to be derived.

before you bid online, checkout betterbidding.com for tips and info.

the beauty of it is that you can use priceline even if we are based out here in the phil.

its not for everyone but its worth a try...

for starters, you can try online travel sites to get an idea of the prevailing rates for your travel date. sites like travelocity, expedia, orbits....

[larshell]

empy, Gano ka mahal? Can you give an example? Baka hindi kayanin ng budget. Thanks!

br733, I'll check them all. Thanks for the tips.

PS We don't have US Visa nga pala. Any tips how to get US Visa? Thanks!

[110 MPH]

If traveling by car make sure to stop by at Niagara Falls. View is better on the Canadian side.
90 E will take you to NJ, NY area, its about 8 hrs. drive. Take advantage of the tourist information center at the rest areas along the way. While in NYC don’t miss to see a Broadway show, Matinee tickets are cheaper but most of the time the lead role is performed by the understudy. After the show, try Carmine’s for dinner, it’s a short walk from most of the theaters. Food is good and the price reasonable, not to mention they give huge portions. 3 orders will satisfy five persons. The place is mostly crowded and you may have to wait a while for a table.

Unless you really want to go to Liberty Island to see the Statue of Liberty, I will recommend you to take the Staten Island Ferry instead, it passes by close to the Statue. Weather permitting, go to the front deck of the boat especially on the way back to Manhattan with your camera ready. You will have to disembark though when you reach Staten Island even if you are taking the same boat back. The ride is free and the trip is every fifteen minutes during rush hours, otherwise every 30 minutes.
To better familiarize yourself, take a bus tour of Manhattan. Also a boat cruise around Manhattan is an unforgettable experience.
Have a good and safe trip.

[larshell]

110MPH, Thanks for a helpful tips

[n2knee]

bro before you buy your ticket from toronto to new york, make sure that you are allowed to enter the us. i'm assuming that you were given a visa to enter canada to conduct business correct? (unless you already hold a us visa you should hold off buying the ticket)

[larshell]

nsknee, Thanks for the advice. I'm scheduled for interview for my US visa. I'm crossing fingers.

Guys, Tips pa para masulit biyahe ko. Thanks