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Discussion relating to the past and present operations of the NYC Subway, PATH, and Staten Island Railway (SIRT).

Moderator: GirlOnTheTrain

 #735413  by Fred Rabin
 
I plan to visit NYC with my 10-year old son who is interested in riding subway trains. Looking for a good inexpensive hotel in a safe neighbourhood and near a subway station. On the Internet, I found the Marriott Queens, on Hillside Avenue in Queens. What's the immediate area like? Suggestions for other hotels would also be welcome. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 #735492  by gjk1716
 
Fred,

The area around Hillside Ave is not the worst in NYC, but is not really safe, either. In addition, there isn't much to do out there. Try looking into the La Quinta on Queens Boulevard, or search hotels in Long Island City. This area safer, and you will be close to several trains, restaurants, and Manhattan.

-G-
 #735529  by 3rdrail
 
Fred - If you're not familiar with NY's burroughs, be careful with your 10 year old. You don't want to have a bad experience with him with you. If you don't know the area where you're going, ask me off-line. If I don't know it, I'll give you the Precinct number to call for that area, so you can call and speak with a policeman there. If I were doing this (which I have many times with my son around that age), I have always stayed with him in Midtown Manhattan in one of the larger hotels. I think that in spite of the fact that he is saying that his objective is to ride subway trains, that you will find (especially now approaching Christmastime) that he is going to want to see and do a lot of things in Manhattan. Toy Stores, museums that are great for kids, displays, Wollman Rink inside Central Park, Central Park, and many other things are things that he is going to want to check out. Also, the buildings and lights of Manhattan are part of an amazing experience that will stay with him. I've always liked the Milford Plaza on W45th St. when I wasn't staying on the USS Denebola courtesy of the U.S. Navy.
 #735577  by R36 Combine Coach
 
There are hotels/motels in downtown Flushing, at the east end of the #7. From there, its a 30 minute trip to Times Square. Also nearby is Flushing Meadows Park, which has the Corona Railroad Yard, where the 7 is based. R36 "Redbird" World's Fair cars can be seen in the yard along with modern R62As in service.
 #736921  by Aces
 
I would agree about staying in Manhattan. Maybe give Priceline a try. Once here make sure you take a D,or B,or N,or R, trip to and from Brooklyn, the view from the Manhattan Bridge is spectacular.
 #737084  by pennsy
 
If you are a member of AAA, they would be an excellent source for such information, and maps of the streets, stations, etc. They would also know where the good restaurants are.
 #754762  by Otto Vondrak
 
Fred Rabin wrote:I plan to visit NYC with my 10-year old son who is interested in riding subway trains... Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Find a nice hotel in the suburbs and take the train to the city then transfer to the subways. Or... stay at one of the hotels in midtown Manhattan that caters to tourists.

-otto-
 #754785  by umtrr-author
 
You might consider the Doubletree in Jersey City...

...OK, you can stop laughing now... :-D

it's a short walk or a free courtesy shuttle over to the Pavonia/Newport Station of the PATH, from which you can go to 33rd Street or the World Trade Center for easy transfer to the NYC Subway system. Plus it's another ride on a subway train. As a bonus, the light rail is nearby to the hotel.

Disclaimer/bias: There is a photo of me at about five years of age, taken at the Pennsy's Harismus Cove yard, which was just about on the site of the hotel.

To be fair, I picked a random day in January and some of the Hilton chain of hotels directly in Manhattan came up with lower prices, so the best advice I can give is "shop around." Don't forget AAA or other discounts. This time of year it's a bit of a buyer's market, even in Greater New York City.
 #757158  by Noel Weaver
 
Otto Vondrak wrote:
Fred Rabin wrote:I plan to visit NYC with my 10-year old son who is interested in riding subway trains... Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Find a nice hotel in the suburbs and take the train to the city then transfer to the subways. Or... stay at one of the hotels in midtown Manhattan that caters to tourists.

-otto-
I agree with OTTO, you will liikely get much more for your money and it is not that expensive to trot into Manhattan on the
train. Hudson or Harlem but avoid Mount Vernon and Yonkers. You might find something in New Rochelle or Pelham too.
Another possibility is Long Island. It seems to me that there are stations on the Babylon Line that have hotels within a
reasonable walk from the station. Might be on other lines close by too.
Noel Weaver