Grand Central Terminal parking

I am making my yearly trek to NYC. I am planning on going to the USS Intrepid but will be arriving well before it opens. Looking at my maps I see that I am only a few blocks from GCT and thought I would check it out.

What's the parking like there? I assume there is parking but is it right at the terminal or just street parking?

Any recommendations?

Thanks

Well, first the Intrepid may look only a few blocks from Grand Central (12th Ave/West Side Hwy <--> Park Ave.), but those are very long blocks -it's a bit of a hike, but the areas you walk through are pretty safe.

Parking near Grand Central is very, very tight - street parking is restricted during the daytime, and hard to come by at night (and expensive with the darn multimeters everywhere). Even more expensive are the garages in the area, but at least they tend to have spaces. Few lots (less pricey than garages) out that way too -need to park on the far West Side or in Chelsea for that (again a schelp to midtown)
I dunno, unless you plan to park only late at night, you may have to park really far (and too far gets you to the East Side, where street parking is nearly non-existant) - and don't waste your time trying to street park in Mid-town during the day. Yeah, it can be done, but not for a first-timer to the city.

I hope you plan to come to NY after Labor Day-- it is going to get crazy here in the next few weeks!

Parking around GCT is possible-- one garage I know off 39th street and 5th Ave is $20 per hour. There is parking off 11th Ave (West End Avenue) right near 60th street. This lot charges a lot less (you might get away with $20 for the whole day!) I'd recommend this unless you want to park in the 'burbs and take the train . Weekend parking is often FREE at many RR stations.

As Sir Ray said, GCT is a long walk from the Intrepid. Not a bad one if you are used to walking, but if you aren't you'd be better off taking a cab (which would run about $8 from the Intrepid).

GCT is beautiful inside, and it has some good places to eat (The Oyster Bar, Two Boots, Michael Jordan's). Perfect after a day on the Intrepid!

*parking?* For like, a *car*?

Not at GCT.

Stay parked at the Intrepid and take a cab over. On the cab ride over, you'll thank yourself for not walking all the way over from the West Side.

-otto-

Since you appear to live in or near Buffalo (and this is a railroad forum, after all), let me offer three perfectly appropriate suggestions:

1) Leave the car at home (Manhattan has more than enough traffic congestion, thanks).

2) Take Amtrak. There are four trains every day from Exchange Street. And a fifth from Buffalo-Depew.

3) During your time in New York, walk or take the subway. It will broaden your horizons immeasurably.

If not via Amtrak to Penn Sta. then drive to NJ or Upstate NY and get commuter trains in...Dover or Denville NJ are convenient to RT 80, Port Jervis off I88 and on I84; Poughkipsee, Peekskill and others on the east shore of the Hudson convenient to MetroNorth; or drive to Albany and Amtrak in. But don't really think about driving...or parking...in the city!

My ultimate destination is Long Beach, LI and park my but on the beach while watching JFK traffic. If I had taken advantage of the hotel special last month I would have taken Amtrak to Penn Station and the the LIRR to Long Beach. Unfortunately I didn't take advantage of it. So, I'm driving cause it's less expensive.

I'm also headed out to Smith Point Park for the TWA memorial on the beach and then headed to Riverhead. Then I need to be back in Long Beach for...entertainment purposes. The RR's can't meet my skd'ing needs so that's also why I'm driving.

Thanks for the parking advise around GCT. Probably what I'll do is take the taxi. I'll also have my bike with me so maybe I'll just ride up to the terminal.

The bicycle may be the best means of travel than all the others combined!

Just for the heck of it here is the address for parking near the USS Intrepid with rates if anybody is interested. Love those "add-on" taxes!

http://www.parkright.com/Location_1.htm

Wow, $187 a month for monthy parking...dang.

Next time I get my bill for $60 a month I'll jump for joy.

LOL.

Dan...

Keep your car in Long Beach, take mass transit (bus/train) or cab to where you need to go in NYC. Parking in Manhattan is a bitch - and a very expensive one at that. The upcoming GOP convention won't make things any easier.

I recall an old line, don't recall the source," that only two types of people drive in NYC. The crazy and the rich."

My timing was perfect. Traffic or parking wasn't a problem at all. I came down from 87 along the Palisades PKWY to the GWB. Slight delay at the entrance. Then headed down the Henry Hudson and turned left at 44th. Turn left onto 11th and into the parking lot. No Sweat. Total cost for parking and taxes was $12.

I didn't have time to visit the GCT unforutunately. But on leaving NY going up 42nd street I did pass by it before finding the Queens Midtown for the LIE.

But, to make up for RR time on my trip I did spend nearly 4 hours at the LIRR station in Long Beach. I'll post another thread for that. Time for work.