5AM-4PM at JFK Airport.. What to do?
April 7, 2017 3:02 PM Subscribe
Arriving on an overnight flight at JFK at 5:10AM on a Thursday, flying out on an international flight at 3:15PM on the same day. What do we do from 5:10AM until whenever we need to be back at the airport, and what time would that be, realistically?
We're US citizens. We have very realistic expectations, we're from Los Angeles and know what traffic is, and we know we're not going to "see New York" in 6 hours on a Thursday. Please give us ideas of what we could possibly do and how to do it in the limited timeframe we've got.
We're not at all familiar with New York. We love amazing food and local stuff, are used to public transit of all types, and are used to navigating cities including not-so-great areas, but we'll likely be a little tired (and also saving up for another overnight flight overseas) and not up for major urban street hiking.
Also, what time should we be back at JFK to get on a 3:15PM flight to Germany?
We're US citizens. We have very realistic expectations, we're from Los Angeles and know what traffic is, and we know we're not going to "see New York" in 6 hours on a Thursday. Please give us ideas of what we could possibly do and how to do it in the limited timeframe we've got.
We're not at all familiar with New York. We love amazing food and local stuff, are used to public transit of all types, and are used to navigating cities including not-so-great areas, but we'll likely be a little tired (and also saving up for another overnight flight overseas) and not up for major urban street hiking.
Also, what time should we be back at JFK to get on a 3:15PM flight to Germany?
Response by poster: Addendum: Short-term hotel time or airport lounge time is not on our to-do list -- we're seasoned travelers, and totally appreciate and understand the value of it, but we'll be skipping it on this particular journey. We're used to coast-to-coast flights, we're flying business class on Lufthansa out of JFK later that day, and will be in very nice hotels with plenty of relaxation time on our hands for two weeks as soon as we land in Germany. We have accepted that our travel schedule for these first few days is exhausting and want to do something interesting while we're in New York.
I haven't been to NY since I was a child, my husband has never been there. We want to see SOMETHING while we're momentarily there. We also may spend a full day there on the way back in a few weeks, hoping suggestions may carry over.
posted by erst at 3:20 PM on April 7, 2017
I haven't been to NY since I was a child, my husband has never been there. We want to see SOMETHING while we're momentarily there. We also may spend a full day there on the way back in a few weeks, hoping suggestions may carry over.
posted by erst at 3:20 PM on April 7, 2017
Best answer: I'm assuming this is a domestic red-eye so you don't have to clear customs. You should probably aim to get back to JFK by 1:30 PM. People will scoff and tell you they turn up 45 minutes beforehand, but for an international flight, there's no reason to roll the dice. Especially if it's a foreign carrier, since many of them do not observe the "flat tire" rule and if you miss your flight--tough noogies for you.
If you'll have luggage, there's a luggage check at T8 (or was--I haven't looked in a while, so you may want to double-check). You won't want to be dragging it all over the city.
JFK is unfortunately about as remote from the more conventionally interesting parts of NYC as it is possible to get. Though there is public transit, it would use up a lot of your limited time, so I recommend getting a cab. It's a flat fare into Manhattan, so you can essentially pick your destination. You'll probably be into Manhattan before most of the major attractions are open, though, so I'd suggest going for a nice breakfast somewhere first, to allow some recharging, like Balthazar. Soho (where it is) has been mall-ized over the past 15 years or so, but you might like to stroll around there; some of the architecture is still interesting. From there, you'll be close to the 6, which will take you uptown to the Met (get off at the 86th St. stop and walk west to Central Park). Look at the art and/or take a nice stroll in the park (if you are very lucky with timings, you may arrive before the Met opens, but maybe not), jump in a cab around 12:45. The Neues Gallerie is also right there, so if you prefer that style, you can easily go there. Unfortunately, their Cafe Sabarsky doesn't open til 9 am.
If you're taking a cab, many Brooklyn locations may be closer, but I'm not as familiar with the borough so someone else may come along with great closer suggestions.
posted by praemunire at 3:21 PM on April 7, 2017 [8 favorites]
If you'll have luggage, there's a luggage check at T8 (or was--I haven't looked in a while, so you may want to double-check). You won't want to be dragging it all over the city.
JFK is unfortunately about as remote from the more conventionally interesting parts of NYC as it is possible to get. Though there is public transit, it would use up a lot of your limited time, so I recommend getting a cab. It's a flat fare into Manhattan, so you can essentially pick your destination. You'll probably be into Manhattan before most of the major attractions are open, though, so I'd suggest going for a nice breakfast somewhere first, to allow some recharging, like Balthazar. Soho (where it is) has been mall-ized over the past 15 years or so, but you might like to stroll around there; some of the architecture is still interesting. From there, you'll be close to the 6, which will take you uptown to the Met (get off at the 86th St. stop and walk west to Central Park). Look at the art and/or take a nice stroll in the park (if you are very lucky with timings, you may arrive before the Met opens, but maybe not), jump in a cab around 12:45. The Neues Gallerie is also right there, so if you prefer that style, you can easily go there. Unfortunately, their Cafe Sabarsky doesn't open til 9 am.
If you're taking a cab, many Brooklyn locations may be closer, but I'm not as familiar with the borough so someone else may come along with great closer suggestions.
posted by praemunire at 3:21 PM on April 7, 2017 [8 favorites]
Best answer: You could sort out a foodie tour of Queens, you know. Go to Flushing, Jackson Heights, Astoria ... eat all the things.
posted by bunderful at 3:39 PM on April 7, 2017 [8 favorites]
posted by bunderful at 3:39 PM on April 7, 2017 [8 favorites]
The belt parkway that early on a workday will have very heavy traffic. A ride into Manhattan or Brownstone Brooklyn and back out could take up the 5 or so hours you have. Maybe take a cab to Brighton Beach and eat some Russian food and then wander around empty Coney Island for a bit?
posted by overhauser at 3:50 PM on April 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by overhauser at 3:50 PM on April 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
Best answer: This may only appeal to a specific sort of person who really likes the urban environment, but I really enjoyed walking around the neighborhood of JFK. We stayed at an airport hotel at 111th and Van Wyck Expressway, and the houses were so distinctive from a decoration standpoint. I've never seen houses so ornately decorated so close to the street and surrounded with security fencing. I walked up to the unfortunately named Golden Krust bakery and had salt fish and ackee, which is the Jamaican national dish. It's a steam tray hole-in-the wall, but man is that a filling and satisfying breakfast. Their dumplings are also very good. Definitely not a tourist area at all.
posted by wnissen at 4:08 PM on April 7, 2017 [8 favorites]
posted by wnissen at 4:08 PM on April 7, 2017 [8 favorites]
You won't be far from the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. Opens at 9 a.m.
posted by bunderful at 4:14 PM on April 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by bunderful at 4:14 PM on April 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Arriving at 5:10 AM... if a domestic flight, then probably takes you 30 min to actually get off the plane and out of the airport, so let's say 5:40 AM
Public transport from JFK to Manhattan is honestly fine, it takes about 1 hour, which depending on traffic can be the same amount of time as with a car. And yes if you have not been to NYC before then you want to see Manhattan, don't let anyone talk you into hanging around Queens & BK, those places are awesome too, but that's for when you have more time, not a 6hr layover.
To get to Manhattan from JFK on public transport, you take the AirTrain to a subway stop - I usually go to Jamaica. From there, you can take the E train all the way to 42nd street Times square. That will take you a bit over 1 hour, so it is now 6:50 AM. Get out at Times Square and enjoy the flashing lights. All the local NYC people will tell you Times Square is awful, they are just jaded, go there and enjoy it as a tourist.
From Times Square, you can walk a few blocks east to Bryant Park, enjoy the little patch of green in the middle of the city, you can look at the big library too.
Next, you can walk north to Rockefeller Center and look at the mermaid statue. You can go up to the observation deck too, I've never been, but hear it is one of the best views of the city accessible to a tourist.
By now depending on how fast you walk it is probably something like 7:40 AM. Continue walking north and you have reached the southern border of Central Park. But before you go inside, walk west to get to Columbus Circle at the southwestern corner, alternately walk east and look at the glass cube Apple store.
Go inside Central Park and walk around, you can spend a lot of time here, but let's say it is something like 9AM now and you are near the lake. By now you are probably hungry, so make your way out of the park. You could eat at some "iconic" NYC institution place like Barney Greengrass, but only other tourists will be eating there. So instead I recommend you eat like a local and get breakfast from one of the hundreds of generic delis in our city. Order "ham egg and cheese on a roll" or something similar.
After you take your breakfast it will be around 10AM, at which point 2 nearby museums will be open: American Museum of Natural History and Metropolitan Museum. You can kill as much time as you want at these places. If you're like me and don't care for museums though, I suggest taking the subway down to 34th street. It will be around 10:30 AM by the time you arrive. You can see Koreatown, walk past the Empire State (don't bother going up you don't have time), walk down to Madison Square Park, then walk down Broadway to Union Square. Depending on how fast you walk, it should now be around 11:15 AM.
You should now start getting back to the airport. Go in the reverse route (E train to Jamaica, AirTrain to JFK) and get to the airport around 12:30 - 1PM. Tada, you have seen a fair bit of Manhattan and still arrived at the airport with > 2 hours to spare. Eat at Shake Shack in the airport for lunch then get on your plane.
I do mini layover trips all the time..definitely worth it, don't hang around in the airport. And you have plenty of time. Enjoy.
posted by pravit at 5:13 PM on April 7, 2017 [32 favorites]
Public transport from JFK to Manhattan is honestly fine, it takes about 1 hour, which depending on traffic can be the same amount of time as with a car. And yes if you have not been to NYC before then you want to see Manhattan, don't let anyone talk you into hanging around Queens & BK, those places are awesome too, but that's for when you have more time, not a 6hr layover.
To get to Manhattan from JFK on public transport, you take the AirTrain to a subway stop - I usually go to Jamaica. From there, you can take the E train all the way to 42nd street Times square. That will take you a bit over 1 hour, so it is now 6:50 AM. Get out at Times Square and enjoy the flashing lights. All the local NYC people will tell you Times Square is awful, they are just jaded, go there and enjoy it as a tourist.
From Times Square, you can walk a few blocks east to Bryant Park, enjoy the little patch of green in the middle of the city, you can look at the big library too.
Next, you can walk north to Rockefeller Center and look at the mermaid statue. You can go up to the observation deck too, I've never been, but hear it is one of the best views of the city accessible to a tourist.
By now depending on how fast you walk it is probably something like 7:40 AM. Continue walking north and you have reached the southern border of Central Park. But before you go inside, walk west to get to Columbus Circle at the southwestern corner, alternately walk east and look at the glass cube Apple store.
Go inside Central Park and walk around, you can spend a lot of time here, but let's say it is something like 9AM now and you are near the lake. By now you are probably hungry, so make your way out of the park. You could eat at some "iconic" NYC institution place like Barney Greengrass, but only other tourists will be eating there. So instead I recommend you eat like a local and get breakfast from one of the hundreds of generic delis in our city. Order "ham egg and cheese on a roll" or something similar.
After you take your breakfast it will be around 10AM, at which point 2 nearby museums will be open: American Museum of Natural History and Metropolitan Museum. You can kill as much time as you want at these places. If you're like me and don't care for museums though, I suggest taking the subway down to 34th street. It will be around 10:30 AM by the time you arrive. You can see Koreatown, walk past the Empire State (don't bother going up you don't have time), walk down to Madison Square Park, then walk down Broadway to Union Square. Depending on how fast you walk, it should now be around 11:15 AM.
You should now start getting back to the airport. Go in the reverse route (E train to Jamaica, AirTrain to JFK) and get to the airport around 12:30 - 1PM. Tada, you have seen a fair bit of Manhattan and still arrived at the airport with > 2 hours to spare. Eat at Shake Shack in the airport for lunch then get on your plane.
I do mini layover trips all the time..definitely worth it, don't hang around in the airport. And you have plenty of time. Enjoy.
posted by pravit at 5:13 PM on April 7, 2017 [32 favorites]
Best answer: Nah.. airtrain to lirr is pretty riskless. Actually it's probably the same time and hassle as going to Woodside. Plus if you live in LA I'm not sure Woodside holds any great jewels.
LH is in terminal one and you are flying business class. Assuming you checked bags when you got off the red-eye you could show up at 4:15 and be fine. That's actually not a peak hour flight for that terminal. You are still a bit early for that terminal.
posted by JPD at 5:13 PM on April 7, 2017 [3 favorites]
LH is in terminal one and you are flying business class. Assuming you checked bags when you got off the red-eye you could show up at 4:15 and be fine. That's actually not a peak hour flight for that terminal. You are still a bit early for that terminal.
posted by JPD at 5:13 PM on April 7, 2017 [3 favorites]
Unless you are in midtown east I feel strongly LIRR is the dominant strategy to the airtrain, not the subway.
posted by JPD at 5:15 PM on April 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by JPD at 5:15 PM on April 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
Take the A train - to Jay Street in downtown Brooklyn. Get a Bagel and a coffee, walk around, and then visit the New York Transit Museum when it opens at 10. It's a lovely small museum full of subway trains. At noon, get back on the A headed back to JFK.
posted by gyusan at 5:16 PM on April 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by gyusan at 5:16 PM on April 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
Sorry. I misread the question. You need an hour max if you have boarding passes and priority security. I'd risk less, but I wouldn't tell anyone else that.
posted by JPD at 5:23 PM on April 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by JPD at 5:23 PM on April 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
Also unless you are particularly interested in Russian stuff, don't go to Brighton Beach from JFK. It is still a pretty long drive by car, almost as long as to Manhattan, and public transport from JFK to Brighton Beach would take even longer than to Manhattan.
posted by pravit at 5:25 PM on April 7, 2017
posted by pravit at 5:25 PM on April 7, 2017
If you get to the Hi-line the Chelsea galleries can be pretty great, but yeah not until 10.
posted by sammyo at 6:08 PM on April 7, 2017
posted by sammyo at 6:08 PM on April 7, 2017
Best answer: If it's a nice day, I think it would be fun to go to Prospect Park and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. The Botanic Garden opens at 8am. Alternately, take the A train to Brooklyn Heights, get breakfast, enjoy the views of Manhattan from the Promenade and/or the new-ish parks by the waterfront, wander around some beautiful brownstone neighborhoods, maybe walk onto the Brooklyn Bridge, get some snacks at Sahadi's, and head back to the airport.
posted by pinochiette at 6:45 PM on April 7, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by pinochiette at 6:45 PM on April 7, 2017 [3 favorites]
Best answer: And yes if you have not been to NYC before then you want to see Manhattan, don't let anyone talk you into hanging around Queens & BK, those places are awesome too, but that's for when you have more time, not a 6hr layover.
I'm going to disagree and urge you to privilege the non-Manhattan itineraries. The reason? You will likely have lots of other chances to get back to Manhattan for vacations and short trips, and once you're there you'll be busy enough that there's no way you'll leave to go see much of Brooklyn or any of Queens. This is one of those chances to do something you'd never otherwise do, and yeah, I wouldn't play too fast and loose the transportation. Keep it conservative and closer to JFK, and choose one of the interesting non-Manhattan suggestions above. Honestly, some of the Manhattan jaunts suggested sound very over-optimistic to me.
posted by Miko at 7:37 PM on April 7, 2017 [8 favorites]
I'm going to disagree and urge you to privilege the non-Manhattan itineraries. The reason? You will likely have lots of other chances to get back to Manhattan for vacations and short trips, and once you're there you'll be busy enough that there's no way you'll leave to go see much of Brooklyn or any of Queens. This is one of those chances to do something you'd never otherwise do, and yeah, I wouldn't play too fast and loose the transportation. Keep it conservative and closer to JFK, and choose one of the interesting non-Manhattan suggestions above. Honestly, some of the Manhattan jaunts suggested sound very over-optimistic to me.
posted by Miko at 7:37 PM on April 7, 2017 [8 favorites]
Best answer: So, just to show you that New Yorkers have lots of opinions, I am going to disagree with the disagreement and say that no, you should go to Manhattan (although I'd agree with Miko in that some of these Manhattan itineraries sound a little ambitious.) FWIW, I speak as someone who currently lives in Brooklyn, is in Queens probably every weekend, and grew up in the Los Angeles area.
First off, I am not a fan of the "you'll have lots of chances to see it later" philosophy. In my experience, life has a tendency of getting in the way of travel plans, and if you haven't been to NYC since you were a child and your husband has never been, I'm going to guess you do not have family or close friends here drawing you to NYC often.
Second, I think that Manhattan is the most un-Los Angeles-like part of New York, and I think that if you're going to do a whirlwind first-time (for your husband) trip in New York, you should do the most "New Yorky" of boroughs, and to me, that's Manhattan. (Mostly for the New Yorkers: I am not saying Manhattan is the "best" borough! I myself don't live in Manhattan for many reasons! But as the densest borough of the densest major city in the US and as the cultural and historic center of the city, Manhattan to me is the heart of New York.)
Third, and I have a feeling I'm going to get flamed for this *ducks*, I am not a fan of Queens for this layover, for you. I think more Manhattan and Brooklyn residents should venture to Queens, but many of the strengths of the borough and the things that I like about it -- vibrant immigrant communities, GREAT diverse food, big parks, a slower pace -- are also strengths of Los Angeles. IMHO it is not worth it for Angelenos on a short layover in New York to venture to Flushing for Chinese food, Elmhurst for Thai, Jackson Heights for Indian, or Corona for Mexican, quite frankly because this food is equally good in LA. (Queens almost certainly has better Greek and Middle Eastern food than LA, though, and I can't speak to other cuisines that I don't know much about.)
As for Brooklyn, I think a better case can be made for it, especially if you really do want to focus on local stuff. But I don't think Brooklyn is best taken "at speed" -- to me, its strength comes from longer stays, from wandering the neighborhoods and sampling stores, restaurants and local bars (especially the bars).
Ultimately, though, you can't go wrong in a place like New York. If you end up going to Queens or Brooklyn or Manhattan you will have a good time. You know best what kind of experience you're looking for, and if Manhattan just sounds too frenetic for you, feel completely free to ignore my advice. But if I were you and I had never been to NYC, I'd be heading to Manhattan.
posted by andrewesque at 10:18 PM on April 7, 2017 [6 favorites]
First off, I am not a fan of the "you'll have lots of chances to see it later" philosophy. In my experience, life has a tendency of getting in the way of travel plans, and if you haven't been to NYC since you were a child and your husband has never been, I'm going to guess you do not have family or close friends here drawing you to NYC often.
Second, I think that Manhattan is the most un-Los Angeles-like part of New York, and I think that if you're going to do a whirlwind first-time (for your husband) trip in New York, you should do the most "New Yorky" of boroughs, and to me, that's Manhattan. (Mostly for the New Yorkers: I am not saying Manhattan is the "best" borough! I myself don't live in Manhattan for many reasons! But as the densest borough of the densest major city in the US and as the cultural and historic center of the city, Manhattan to me is the heart of New York.)
Third, and I have a feeling I'm going to get flamed for this *ducks*, I am not a fan of Queens for this layover, for you. I think more Manhattan and Brooklyn residents should venture to Queens, but many of the strengths of the borough and the things that I like about it -- vibrant immigrant communities, GREAT diverse food, big parks, a slower pace -- are also strengths of Los Angeles. IMHO it is not worth it for Angelenos on a short layover in New York to venture to Flushing for Chinese food, Elmhurst for Thai, Jackson Heights for Indian, or Corona for Mexican, quite frankly because this food is equally good in LA. (Queens almost certainly has better Greek and Middle Eastern food than LA, though, and I can't speak to other cuisines that I don't know much about.)
As for Brooklyn, I think a better case can be made for it, especially if you really do want to focus on local stuff. But I don't think Brooklyn is best taken "at speed" -- to me, its strength comes from longer stays, from wandering the neighborhoods and sampling stores, restaurants and local bars (especially the bars).
Ultimately, though, you can't go wrong in a place like New York. If you end up going to Queens or Brooklyn or Manhattan you will have a good time. You know best what kind of experience you're looking for, and if Manhattan just sounds too frenetic for you, feel completely free to ignore my advice. But if I were you and I had never been to NYC, I'd be heading to Manhattan.
posted by andrewesque at 10:18 PM on April 7, 2017 [6 favorites]
I'd go to Manhattan but I wouldn't go above 14th Street. If you're big on walking (and NYC is all about walking), here's what I'd do:
From JFK, I'd take the AirTrain to the A, then the Manhattan-bound A (no transfers!) straight to W 4th Street/Washington Square. From there, I'd wander over to Buvette and spend the money I'd saved on the cab ride on an expensive and yet so very yummy fancy breakfast. It opens at 7 a.m. (I also liked the idea of Balthazar for breakfast/people-watching, although the route isn't so easy-peasy.)
From Buvette, I'd meander southeast through the village, SoHo, etc., windowshopping and zigzagging my way through town as the whim takes you and down to City Hall to walk over the Brooklyn Bridge. It's wonderful and I never get sick of doing that. Then walk through Brooklyn Heights/Cadman Plaza, over to Jay Street, where you catch the JFK-bound A, which'll zip you back to JFK.
posted by mochapickle at 10:35 PM on April 7, 2017 [3 favorites]
From JFK, I'd take the AirTrain to the A, then the Manhattan-bound A (no transfers!) straight to W 4th Street/Washington Square. From there, I'd wander over to Buvette and spend the money I'd saved on the cab ride on an expensive and yet so very yummy fancy breakfast. It opens at 7 a.m. (I also liked the idea of Balthazar for breakfast/people-watching, although the route isn't so easy-peasy.)
From Buvette, I'd meander southeast through the village, SoHo, etc., windowshopping and zigzagging my way through town as the whim takes you and down to City Hall to walk over the Brooklyn Bridge. It's wonderful and I never get sick of doing that. Then walk through Brooklyn Heights/Cadman Plaza, over to Jay Street, where you catch the JFK-bound A, which'll zip you back to JFK.
posted by mochapickle at 10:35 PM on April 7, 2017 [3 favorites]
Also, in terms of transportation, I agree that you should take the LIRR if you end up going to Manhattan, unless you are going to somewhere directly along the A or E trains, and in all cases I think you should take the LIRR BACK to JFK, as it's generally more reliable in terms of travel time. It's generally much faster than the subway and is about a 18-22 minute trip from Jamaica to Penn Station.
On the way to Manhattan, you will be taking the LIRR in the morning peak, which obviously has the downside of more crowded trains, but has the upside of many more trains so you won't be waiting around too long for a train. I did a quick search for next Thursday at 6 am and I see trains from Jamaica to Penn Station leaving at 5:59, 6:11, 6:13, 6:20, 6:23, 6:25, 6:28, 6:31, 6:34, and so on.
(Jamaica, where the AirTrain stops, is a major hub for LIRR so many, many trains pass through Jamaica on the way to Manhattan.)
On the way from Manhattan back to JFK, I would identify a specific train time ahead of time and stick to that; I'd also probably pick one train earlier than the train you would otherwise be inclined to get, as that gives you some leeway if for some reason you are running late or miss the first train.
posted by andrewesque at 10:36 PM on April 7, 2017
On the way to Manhattan, you will be taking the LIRR in the morning peak, which obviously has the downside of more crowded trains, but has the upside of many more trains so you won't be waiting around too long for a train. I did a quick search for next Thursday at 6 am and I see trains from Jamaica to Penn Station leaving at 5:59, 6:11, 6:13, 6:20, 6:23, 6:25, 6:28, 6:31, 6:34, and so on.
(Jamaica, where the AirTrain stops, is a major hub for LIRR so many, many trains pass through Jamaica on the way to Manhattan.)
On the way from Manhattan back to JFK, I would identify a specific train time ahead of time and stick to that; I'd also probably pick one train earlier than the train you would otherwise be inclined to get, as that gives you some leeway if for some reason you are running late or miss the first train.
posted by andrewesque at 10:36 PM on April 7, 2017
Best answer: I was also going to suggest Jamaica Bay Refuge. It's pretty cool.
posted by fshgrl at 10:43 PM on April 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by fshgrl at 10:43 PM on April 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
It also needs to be noted that given how the air train runs you aren't actually saving time going to the outerbouroughs. Bbg and Central Park are basically the same travel time. Now BBG is great, it is. But for a tourist who doesn't know New York there isn't much of a question which is more essential.
And while I live downtown and avoid midtown like the plague on non-work days, there is a reason why it is flooded with tourists. Yes on your third trip to NYC there is probably no reason to go above 23rd Street, but not the first time.
posted by JPD at 4:04 AM on April 8, 2017 [1 favorite]
And while I live downtown and avoid midtown like the plague on non-work days, there is a reason why it is flooded with tourists. Yes on your third trip to NYC there is probably no reason to go above 23rd Street, but not the first time.
posted by JPD at 4:04 AM on April 8, 2017 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Conveniently, JFK is very close to the Rockaways, an area that was clobbered by Hurricane Sandy but has been undergoing a lot of renewal and is now trying to pitch itself as the Hipster Coney Island.
Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge is also close. In fact, quick geography lesson: Jamaica Bay is a big bay shaped like a comma on the south end of the land mass where you find Brooklyn and Queens. JFK is on the northeast shore of that bay; the Rockaways is on a sandbank along the southern edge of the bay. The Jamaica Wildlife Refuge is on a spit of land that stretches from the north shore of the bay into the middle.
And there is another thing on the north-west shore of the bay - Floyd Bennett Field, a former airport from the 1930s that's now part of the national park service. It's more of a sports-and-recreation area than a museum, but there are still some displays devoted to the site's history in the visitor center - or you could just wander and look at some of the old hangars and peep through windows. I think somewhere on site there's a guy who's using one of the hangars to restore some old airplanes. Or if you're looking for a surprisingly rural hike in the city, the part of Floyd Bennett they call "the north forty" is a patch of land given over to woods and trees, and they have hiking trails through it - and even some blinds set up for birdwatching enthusiasts.
Canarsie Pier is also along the northwest shore. It looks like the only thing really to do on Canarsie Pier is to fish and kayak, but it may be a nice stroll. The surrounding neighborhood is residential and working-to-middle-class, but may be worth a stroll. There's also a historic house musem on the edges of Canarsie, although it's only open to the public on Friday and Saturday afternoons.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:11 AM on April 8, 2017 [2 favorites]
Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge is also close. In fact, quick geography lesson: Jamaica Bay is a big bay shaped like a comma on the south end of the land mass where you find Brooklyn and Queens. JFK is on the northeast shore of that bay; the Rockaways is on a sandbank along the southern edge of the bay. The Jamaica Wildlife Refuge is on a spit of land that stretches from the north shore of the bay into the middle.
And there is another thing on the north-west shore of the bay - Floyd Bennett Field, a former airport from the 1930s that's now part of the national park service. It's more of a sports-and-recreation area than a museum, but there are still some displays devoted to the site's history in the visitor center - or you could just wander and look at some of the old hangars and peep through windows. I think somewhere on site there's a guy who's using one of the hangars to restore some old airplanes. Or if you're looking for a surprisingly rural hike in the city, the part of Floyd Bennett they call "the north forty" is a patch of land given over to woods and trees, and they have hiking trails through it - and even some blinds set up for birdwatching enthusiasts.
Canarsie Pier is also along the northwest shore. It looks like the only thing really to do on Canarsie Pier is to fish and kayak, but it may be a nice stroll. The surrounding neighborhood is residential and working-to-middle-class, but may be worth a stroll. There's also a historic house musem on the edges of Canarsie, although it's only open to the public on Friday and Saturday afternoons.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:11 AM on April 8, 2017 [2 favorites]
Canarsie pier. ayfkm? Are you a Brothers McMullen completist?
Floyd Bennett field. You people amaze me. Have you ever been to Floyd Bennett field? Because only someone who had never been there would recommend that as a destination for a first time visitor. Hell. If you have a car to get to Floyd Bennett Field you can get to any number of locales. And yes I have been to Floyd Bennett Field. BUT I LIVE HERE.
At rush hour JFK to Floyd Bennett Field is easily 45 minutes.
posted by JPD at 9:43 AM on April 8, 2017 [9 favorites]
Floyd Bennett field. You people amaze me. Have you ever been to Floyd Bennett field? Because only someone who had never been there would recommend that as a destination for a first time visitor. Hell. If you have a car to get to Floyd Bennett Field you can get to any number of locales. And yes I have been to Floyd Bennett Field. BUT I LIVE HERE.
At rush hour JFK to Floyd Bennett Field is easily 45 minutes.
posted by JPD at 9:43 AM on April 8, 2017 [9 favorites]
Yeah, if you're a first time visitor: go to Manhattan. In addition to everything everyone else has said here, it's incredibly compact and dense, which makes for a better short trip. You can pass through three different neighbourhoods in a 30 minute walk. In the same amount of time in Brooklyn and Queens, you won't see nearly as much.
posted by airmail at 10:47 AM on April 9, 2017
posted by airmail at 10:47 AM on April 9, 2017
Er, to redirect after JPD's rant....I concede that my itinerary isn't the most obvious and touristy. But that does bring up a good point - you may want to take your transit into consideration when making your choices.
I've just checked the public transit situations to the destinations I've described; from JFK out to the Rockaways, it would be an hour. From JFK to Floyd Bennett, it would be two hours. However, it looks like it's more like 26 minutes by car from JFK to Floyd Bennett, and about the same for Rockaway Beach.
I also concede that it would be difficult to get a taxi back from Floyd Bennett. So - despite my having been there multiple times and therefore liking it, despite what the esteemed gentlemen from that neighborhood may feel about the site - I am going to withdraw my recommendation for Floyd Bennett, and instead re-direct you to Rockaway Beach alone.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:27 AM on April 9, 2017
I've just checked the public transit situations to the destinations I've described; from JFK out to the Rockaways, it would be an hour. From JFK to Floyd Bennett, it would be two hours. However, it looks like it's more like 26 minutes by car from JFK to Floyd Bennett, and about the same for Rockaway Beach.
I also concede that it would be difficult to get a taxi back from Floyd Bennett. So - despite my having been there multiple times and therefore liking it, despite what the esteemed gentlemen from that neighborhood may feel about the site - I am going to withdraw my recommendation for Floyd Bennett, and instead re-direct you to Rockaway Beach alone.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:27 AM on April 9, 2017
Response by poster: In case anyone is wondering, here's what happened:
Found out the luggage storage in Terminal 1 (international) doesn't open until 7AM, and Lufthansa didn't start operating until the afternoon so we couldn't just check our bags early. Sat at the Starbucks in Terminal 1 until luggage storage opened.
It was raining and the weather report showed it was going to rain all day, so we scrapped our minor urban hike plans of seeing lots of things.
Took the AirTrain to Howard Beach station, then the C train to 81st Street station, which took about an hour and a half, because we misunderstood express trains and their stops, overshot our destination and had to circle back.
Despite the weather report, the rain slowed to an occasional fine mist, so we wandered around checking out the neighborhood (not quite sure what neighborhood, but it was the area around 81st Street), admired architecture, dodged nannies herding well-dressed children. Walked through a park that was not Central Park and watched stylish people and their dogs at the dog park area. Found a great little brunch place called Sarabeth's West, lingered there for a while. Tried going to the Natural History Museum, but it was Earth Day and apparently every school in NYC sent busloads of kids there for the day. Wandered around some more, found a bunch of interesting-looking bars we would have liked to visit if we'd been there when they were open.
Took the train back to JFK (again, got on a not-quite-right train, had to get off and back on a few times). Took about an hour and a half.
Got our luggage out of storage, went through security, hung out in the Lufthansa lounge until boarding.
Overall, pretty darn good day. Thanks for all the suggestions everyone! We want to come back to NYC for an actual visit sometime in the relatively near future.
posted by erst at 7:45 PM on May 2, 2017 [2 favorites]
Found out the luggage storage in Terminal 1 (international) doesn't open until 7AM, and Lufthansa didn't start operating until the afternoon so we couldn't just check our bags early. Sat at the Starbucks in Terminal 1 until luggage storage opened.
It was raining and the weather report showed it was going to rain all day, so we scrapped our minor urban hike plans of seeing lots of things.
Took the AirTrain to Howard Beach station, then the C train to 81st Street station, which took about an hour and a half, because we misunderstood express trains and their stops, overshot our destination and had to circle back.
Despite the weather report, the rain slowed to an occasional fine mist, so we wandered around checking out the neighborhood (not quite sure what neighborhood, but it was the area around 81st Street), admired architecture, dodged nannies herding well-dressed children. Walked through a park that was not Central Park and watched stylish people and their dogs at the dog park area. Found a great little brunch place called Sarabeth's West, lingered there for a while. Tried going to the Natural History Museum, but it was Earth Day and apparently every school in NYC sent busloads of kids there for the day. Wandered around some more, found a bunch of interesting-looking bars we would have liked to visit if we'd been there when they were open.
Took the train back to JFK (again, got on a not-quite-right train, had to get off and back on a few times). Took about an hour and a half.
Got our luggage out of storage, went through security, hung out in the Lufthansa lounge until boarding.
Overall, pretty darn good day. Thanks for all the suggestions everyone! We want to come back to NYC for an actual visit sometime in the relatively near future.
posted by erst at 7:45 PM on May 2, 2017 [2 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
Order some seamless web while you're at it.
posted by slateyness at 3:12 PM on April 7, 2017 [8 favorites]