We're planning a family vacation out east this summer, and one of the things we'd like to do is visit NYC, but stay in New Jersey west of the metro area.
I know that NJT has extensive service in North Jersey, and we're thinking of staying somewhere along the NEC, Raritan, M&E or Montclair lines -- ideally west of say. Plainfield -- and "commuting" in for a couple days. The kids (11 and 16) are looking forward to the train trips as much as the idea of seeing NYC.
So we're looking for a town that would have some affordable motels (like Holiday Inn types) and parking at the local NJT station. Ideally, an area where crime isn't a big issue, too.
Any recommendations?
I recommend Gladstone, end of the Gladstone branch. One of the most rural and laid back communities on NJT. I don't know the motel situation, but they must have something. They do have the Brass Penny Restaurant, one of the best in New Jersey and close to the railroad terminal. The line branch from Summit to Gladstone still looks like an interurban line, but they are going to replace the wood catenary poles with steel soon. The branch aslo is quite scenic. Friendly townspeople.
-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/)
I would suggest Princeton Junction on the NEC--no changing trains to get into Penn Station, and there are affordable hotels nearby on US 1. It's also one of the best and safest stations on the corridor for railfans.
ScottFlood wrote: We're planning a family vacation out east this summer, and one of the things we'd like to do is visit NYC, but stay in New Jersey west of the metro area. I know that NJT has extensive service in North Jersey, and we're thinking of staying somewhere along the NEC, Raritan, M&E or Montclair lines -- ideally west of say. Plainfield -- and "commuting" in for a couple days. The kids (11 and 16) are looking forward to the train trips as much as the idea of seeing NYC.So we're looking for a town that would have some affordable motels (like Holiday Inn types) and parking at the local NJT station. Ideally, an area where crime isn't a big issue, too.Any recommendations?
Once you get to Manhattan, consider getting a day pass for NYC transit. Unlimited rides for $7 a person. The subways are actually pretty easy to ride and go everywhere you could possibly want to go. It's helpful to have a subway map. I think they sell them for a few bucks at the information boothes. Thjere's lots of good information on the Transit Authority's web site.
PRRModelRailroader wrote:I went to NYC this summer and also decided to stay in New Jersey. I would recommend staying around Newark Liberty International Airport. AirTrain links you to the terminals and hotels from the station. Lots of traffic, NJ Transit and Amtrak. Costs about $15 for an adult and around $3 for a child.
(Of course, there was supposed to have been an extension of the Newark Subway connecting EWR with both Newark and Elizabeth; the portion between Newark Penn and EWR was funded a few years back, but never built! Must be that priority they're putting on THE Tunnel, whose estimated costs were $2 billion a few years back, but have ballooned up close to $8 billion. At this point, I hope that tunnel never gets built…NJ remains in dire need of rebuilt intrastate routes…)
I've really enjoyed and appreciated the above posts, because I will go East in about three weeks, and the second part of the trip will have us tying up somewhere near rail transit in No. New Jersey.
If you're interested, see my new topic, "HOW MUCH NJT IS GOOD FOR ME?" also in TRANSIT.
I lived in the central New Jersey for probably 50yrs.Anyplace that you are thinking about staying will be difficult to park.The commuters have yearly station parking permits and the residents around the stations are required to have resident parking passes on their cars to park in the street.
I would recommend staying in Raritan Center -about 1/2 mile from both Metropark and Metechuen(?).There are 2 new motels in Raritan Center-cost unkown but that entire area is expensive.You can either get a cab or shuttle from the hotel.
In lower Manhatten you can take a ferrys to the Statue of Liberty,Ellis Island,Liberty State Park(unbelinable view of NYC or a hydrofoil to the Atlantic Highlands.
Hope that this helps,
Vince
Wrangler wrote: I lived in the central New Jersey for probably 50yrs.Anyplace that you are thinking about staying will be difficult to park.The commuters have yearly station parking permits and the residents around the stations are required to have resident parking passes on their cars to park in the street.I would recommend staying in Raritan Center -about 1/2 mile from both Metropark and Metechuen(?).There are 2 new motels in Raritan Center-cost unkown but that entire area is expensive.You can either get a cab or shuttle from the hotel.In lower Manhatten you can take a ferrys to the Statue of Liberty,Ellis Island,Liberty State Park(unbelinable view of NYC or a hydrofoil to the Atlantic Highlands.Hope that this helps,Vince
I agree with Vince but also want to add our experience to this thread. We stayed two nights at the Robert Treat (yes, "Treat" not Trent) Hotel at 50 Park Place in downtown Newark, roughly midway between Newark - Penn Station (all Amtrak, much NJT and PATH) and Newark - Broad Street (many other NJT lines incl. many of those originating in Hoboken, at this time unfortuntely decimated by refurbishment activities). The hotel has a free van and we used it to get to either RR station (it's best to reserve). Otherwise, metered taxis and gypsy cabs (Lincolns with quasi-official standing) cost about five bucks to Newark - Penn, seven to Broad Street. We did not have a car on the trip, didn't want one, so I can't tell you whether parking is included. (For all its nighttime emptiness and eeriness, this is a high-risey area and I would guess that any convenient parking is probably not cheap, unless the hotel offers some to its guests.)
Including tax, a room for one night midweek comes to about $125 apiece. It incuded a basic and mediocre free continental breakfast. (The hotel also has a typically high-priced hotel restaurant and gift shop.) But basically, a nice, first-class hotel with tasteful furniture, basic cable TV, individual thermostats, good beds, liberal checkout times and good service. Kind of like an urban Comfort Inn, say, with more service.
I don't know anything about activities in downtown Newark other than that there's an archtecturally advanced and high-gloss cultural arts center across a side street. The eastern loop of the Newark Light Rail trolley runs near the hotel; walkable to ride it for fun but not practical transport IMHO. I repeat that after rush hour downtown Newark is not scary as much as empty, after the state and local and utility-company employees flee for the suburbs. The scale is monumental and wandering around downtown during the day in search of the few retail businesses probably would not scare me as much as bore me [to be fair, there are a couple of historic churches]. Strictly as a base of operations, though, the Robert Treat served us very well. We went to Gladstone out of Broad Street and Manhattan (Penn Station) out of Newark - Penn, using NJT both times but it's also possible to cross the Hudson via PATH.
The Robert Treat costs no more than similar suburban lodgings--perhaps less than the most "corporate" types. And it was an easy shot into Penn Station - Manhattan, elapsed travel time van - train - cab about 45-50 minutes to the "name brand," retail part of Fifth Avenue; round-trip off-peak via NJT six dollars, cab ride approx. ten dollars. I would have been happy, if we had had more time, to use the Robert Treat as a base to tourist-commute into Penn Station for Manhattan sightseeing or transfer to LIRR. The Robert Treat came recommended by the AAA (Triple-A) with a three-diamond rating and it was good value; you would spend nearly three times as much to book a room on impulse in a comparable Midtown Manhattan hotel. Boring area -- great strategic locale for us. - a. s.
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.