ATTN: NYC memebers. I need some help

[IrritatedTrout]

I'm going to see the Maiden show at MSG on July 12th but now that I've finally gotten around to figuring out where to stay I realize that I have zero understanding of how your city works. Like, I'm not even sure how to go about getting into Manhatten. I'm going to be in Holmdel, NJ on the 11th for the show there and I'll have my car but I've heard that I don't want to drive in the city. So I have a number of questions.

1) How do I get into NYC? Do I park somewhere in Jersey and take a subway over?

2) Should I find a place in Jersey to stay after the show on the 11th or would it be safe enough to travel into NYC late at night and stay at the hostel I think I'll book?

3) Do the subways run all night? Do you just buy a ticket for them right before you go to board?

4)What do I need to know about safety? I've been in places like DC and Baltimore but is there anything special I should know about NYC to stay out of trouble? I don't plan on going anywhere besides Manhattan BTW.

Here's where I'm planning on staying either both the nights of the 11th and 12th or just the 12th if y'all think it's best that I stay in Jersey the 11th.

http://www.broadwayhotelnyc.com/index.asp

It's at the corner of Broadway and W 101 Street.

Any help is appreciated.

[bt11763]

well first off are you going by yourself?

[Maiden33]

As a non-New Yorker who has been to the city about 5 times a year over the past 5 or 6 years, here's what I can offer:

Drive to New Jersey and take the train in. Madison Square Garden is literally on top of Penn Station (where your train would go). It'd be basically just a walk up a few flights of stairs and you'd be there. Very, very little confusion to worry about in the city. The train schedule can be a tad confusing though, so be sure to study that ahead of time. Normally I always drive into NYC but since MSG is right on top of Penn Station, the train is the best option.

The subway runs all night but it has a restricted schedule. It's kinda complicated, and I've only ever been on the subway in NYC twice I think.
Basically, I think your best bet is drive into Jersey, get a hotel there - take the train in and out, stay at that hotel that night. Should be your best, safest, least confusing option I think.

I've never had any problems with safety in the city. Never lost anything, never had anything stolen, never been too harassed. Manhattan is so full of tourists that you don't have too much to worry about. Just keep your wallet close to you - and keep about a dollar in loose change in your pocket so if you get harassed by bums you can throw em a quarter and they'll be on their way.

[DethMaiden]

Originally Posted by Maiden33

keep about a dollar in loose change in your pocket so if you get harassed by bums you can throw em a quarter and they'll be on their way.

Hey man, you got a quarter? You ain't got nothin'? That's okay, man, that's okay. I used to live uptown once before too, y'know...

[SomewhereInTime72]

Was going to lend my glorious NYC knowledge to this thread, but it seems that everything's pretty much been covered already. Nicely done.

[IrritatedTrout]

Originally Posted by Maiden33

As a non-New Yorker who has been to the city about 5 times a year over the past 5 or 6 years, here's what I can offer:

Drive to New Jersey and take the train in. Madison Square Garden is literally on top of Penn Station (where your train would go). It'd be basically just a walk up a few flights of stairs and you'd be there. Very, very little confusion to worry about in the city. The train schedule can be a tad confusing though, so be sure to study that ahead of time. Normally I always drive into NYC but since MSG is right on top of Penn Station, the train is the best option.

The subway runs all night but it has a restricted schedule. It's kinda complicated, and I've only ever been on the subway in NYC twice I think.
Basically, I think your best bet is drive into Jersey, get a hotel there - take the train in and out, stay at that hotel that night. Should be your best, safest, least confusing option I think.

I've never had any problems with safety in the city. Never lost anything, never had anything stolen, never been too harassed. Manhattan is so full of tourists that you don't have too much to worry about. Just keep your wallet close to you - and keep about a dollar in loose change in your pocket so if you get harassed by bums you can throw em a quarter and they'll be on their way.

I think I'd like to stay in the city after the gig though, Maiden have a day off on the 13th so all I have to do that day is make a 6 hour drive to Pittsburgh for the next show. I was hoping to walk around Manhattan for a few hours before hitting the road. I'll have to look at the schedule but would I be correct in assuming that a fair number of trains still operate throughout Manhattan even late at night?

Good tip about the change though.

Also, is there a certain train in from Jersey that is better than the others? I assume the one coming from Newark Airport would be good.

Thanks for all the help so far.

And yeah, BT, I'll be alone.

[Maiden33]

Originally Posted by IrritatedTrout

I think I'd like to stay in the city after the gig though, Maiden have a day off on the 13th so all I have to do that day is make a 6 hour drive to Pittsburgh for the next show. I was hoping to walk around Manhattan for a few hours before hitting the road. I'll have to look at the schedule but would I be correct in assuming that a fair number of trains still operate throughout Manhattan even late at night?

Good tip about the change though.

Also, is there a certain train in from Jersey that is better than the others? I assume the one coming from Newark Airport would be good.

Thanks for all the help so far.

And yeah, BT, I'll be alone.

If you want to stay in the city that's your call, but I can't imagine it's going to be more affordable than staying in New Jersey for the night. All the trains are part of the NJ Transit system, so more or less they're all the same. I tend to take the train from fairly far away from the city - which can be a bitch because it's a longer ride - but seriously, the further you stay from the city and the whole Newark/Hoboken/Jersey City/Sports Complex/NJ Turnpike disaster that exists around the city is better for you.

If your tickets are not GA tickets - if it's possible I'd just recommend you do what I initially suggested and get into the city a couple hours early if you want to walk around.

[SomewhereInTime72]

Originally Posted by Maiden33

If your tickets are not GA tickets - if it's possible I'd just recommend you do what I initially suggested and get into the city a couple hours early if you want to walk around.

A lot more to do and see during the day anyway. Unless you want to get drunk at some club and then be extremely confused in Penn Station a few hours later and find out that the train out of the city comes a lot less often than you expected.

[IrritatedTrout]

Originally Posted by Maiden33

If you want to stay in the city that's your call, but I can't imagine it's going to be more affordable than staying in New Jersey for the night. All the trains are part of the NJ Transit system, so more or less they're all the same. I tend to take the train from fairly far away from the city - which can be a bitch because it's a longer ride - but seriously, the further you stay from the city and the whole Newark/Hoboken/Jersey City/Sports Complex/NJ Turnpike disaster that exists around the city is better for you.

If your tickets are not GA tickets - if it's possible I'd just recommend you do what I initially suggested and get into the city a couple hours early if you want to walk around.

Surprisingly, it'll cost me a total of $75 for two nights in the city. That's because I'd be staying in a hostel though. What was the price of your train ticket into the city? I'm coming from Holmdel which doesn't seem to be that close to Newark so getting a train from further away from that area sounds like a good idea as long as the added length of the ride doesn't make the price skyrocket. I do have a GA ticket so I'll be spending all day on the 12th standing in line. But I if I stay in the city after the gig then I figure I can explore from like 9 am on the 13th until like 3 pm, then I'll need to get on the road to Pittsburgh.

[Maiden33]

Originally Posted by IrritatedTrout

Surprisingly, it'll cost me a total of $75 for two nights in the city. That's because I'd be staying in a hostel though. What was the price of your train ticket into the city? I'm coming from Holmdel which doesn't seem to be that close to Newark so getting a train from further away from that area sounds like a good idea as long as the added length of the ride doesn't make the price skyrocket. I do have a GA ticket so I'll be spending all day on the 12th standing in line. But I if I stay in the city after the gig then I figure I can explore from like 9 am on the 13th until like 3 pm, then I'll need to get on the road to Pittsburgh.

I can't remember exactly how much I paid for the ticket (you can look up fares on the NJ Transit website) but I took the train from Berkeley Heights, NJ which was definitely far enough to out to avoid all the BS and it wasn't more than $15 round-trip.