*as published in North Canton Living Magazine
For more than ten years I traveled to New York City to meet with the talented physicians at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Initially, after my cancer diagnosis, I met with them every three months for a span of five years. I am the embodiment of planes, trains, and automobiles when it comes to finding my way to the Big Apple.
Planes
There are three airports that service the island. LaGuardia (LGA) and JFK in Queens, NY; and Newark (EWR) in New Jersey. Newark is on the subway/train system but transfers can be confusing if you are new. I used LaGuardia and watched for flights from CAK as well as Cleveland and Pittsburgh.
Keep in mind that while LaGuardia is the closest to the city, there is no direct subway connection. Taxicabs are plentiful but expensive yet sometimes the easiest. Be prepared to pay up $75 for a cab to or from the city.
If you have time to get into the city, consider a rideshare program. It may take longer as you drop people off but the cost can be considerably less including a tip. Uber and Lyft are popular choices. I used SuperShuttle and their coupons reduced my fairs quite a bit. There is a dedicated phone by the luggage carols in LGA to order the service and reservations can be made in advance.
Trains
Amtrak is real and fairs into the NYC Grand Central are reasonable. The upside of train travel is the beauty of the countryside. Riding through the Hudson River Valley with spectacular views is incredible. Tip: watch for West Point Military Academy perched high over the river.
The downside is boarding at 2 am in downtown Cleveland.
This travel option is unique and affordable if you are OK with the boarding times. The seats are comfortable and napping is easy. I do caution those with motion sickness tendencies to speak with the porter so he can seat you in a part of the train that rocks less. Read up on what you can take with you if you need drinks and snacks. Consider a neck pillow to help with the napping.
The train option is perfect if are traveling with young children. Plan ahead with some family-friendly travel games and look at this as a family adventure. My young son was thrilled to ride on a real Thomas-like train. We packed magnetic games as well as UNO and played our way through the long stretches of the ride.
Final advice, if you book an overnight fare, take a blanket. Trains run cold.
Automobiles
I admit that driving appears to be the easiest. It’s only a 7-9 hour drive from North Canton to NYC. The direct route is straight over I-80. Surely with today’s Google, Apple, or Waze GPS maps, easy, right?
Not really. I’ve done this a few times and each time is scary and expensive. Really expensive. Putting aside the tolls to get into the city, there is parking. You can find parking easier with apps nowadays, but you spend about $50 to $75 a day to park in the city. The cost plus the headache of driving makes this the least favorable option.
But, you can do it if you add the final piece of the puzzle, a bus.
Buses
For the past few years, the bus option worked best for me. I would do this in two ways. Drive to Allentown, PA, or Clinton, NJ, and take the TransBridge Bus into the city. The roundtrip ticket for the bus was only $40 – $60 and that includes overnight parking.
I also used the MegaBus out of Pittsburgh with fairs beginning at literally $1. The drop-off point in the city varied so I usually budgeted for a taxi or Subway on the other end. My latest search of the traditional Greyhound service found fairs for one-way $86 and only twelve hours of riding time. Greyhound and TransBridge always dropped me off at Port Authority where I easily hopped on a subway for my final destination.
I recommend that you book your seat and opt for the pricier seat with a table or near the front. That extra fee gives you better visibility and a little more room to make your trip a bit more comfortable.
What I Learned
LaGuardia planes use every inch of the runway often taking off right at the water’s edge. Both are cool and terrifying at the same time.
Talk to your cabbie. They are the most interesting people from incredibly diverse backgrounds.
Take cash everywhere you go for tips. Singles, fives, tens, and twenties folded in individual sections – so you don’t take out your whole wad – you only take out a section at a time for that individual tip. I usually wore pants with a zippered pocket or a cross-body bag with outside zippered pockets for easy yet safe access.
Pack light. On my first few trips, I wheeled a suitcase thinking I would be coming back with souvenirs for my kids. During these last trips, I packed a change of clothes, a toothbrush, deodorant, and a hairbrush in a backpack. I find that the lighter and fewer things I carry really ease my anxiety. I can focus on subway transfers and directions instead of juggling bags.
Buy a subway map, get a subway pass for the length of your stay, and use mass transit. This is truly the easiest, cheapest, and really a best way around the city. Added bonus, people-watching.
Check out the website hotelscombined.com for great deals on hotels. Most hotels in NYC are not chains and are independent. Hotels Combined charges no fees so you can find real deals.
TKTS in Times Square is the place for last-minute reduced tickets to a Broadway show. The waiting line can be long so if you have a handicapped pass for parking – take it and show the attendant for help.