New York for a day

January 29, 2023 7:42 AM

I’ll be doing a flight to New York soon, arriving and departing from JFK within a single day. What's the most cost effective way/method from the airport to Manhattan and what do you recommend I do/see doing the day?

Found a great deal for a New York flight and figured I’d visit for a day. But I don’t know the city at all and didn’t realize the JFK airport is some distance from Manhattan (or at least seems to be). If I’m landing at JFK at 9:30am and need to be back at the airport by 7pm, what do you recommend as a reasonably quick, reasonably cheap, and reliable way/method of getting from the airport to downtown Manhattan and back?

Or is there somewhere else I should go besides Manhattan, from JFK, for the day?

Either way, what do you recommend I go see? This is totally spur of the moment thing, so I'm up for whatever. I like museums/galleries and outdoors stuff exhibits/parks and am generally being cheap this day.

All I'll have with me is small backpack.

posted by Brandon Blatcher to Travel & Transportation (26 answers total)

Wow wow wow, that is a really, REALLY fast trip. It will take an hour plus to get to manhattan from JFK via the Air train, and realistically I'd budget an hour and a half-2 hours to account for the long schlep through the airport to the air train.

If I were you, I would point myself towards the essex market in the lower east side. It's literally right above the Delancey/Essex Subway Stop, so You can get there on the airtrain+J Train so it's not a lot of train transfers, and the surrounding neighborhood feels very new york. (lower east side, east village) You could take a walking tour of the neighborhood with the Tenement Museum and there's tons of great food and a wifi seating area inside essex maket.

but honestly, I would see if you could swing changing your flights to spend more time in the city. The subway is good people watching at least, but you're gonna spend a good portion of the day in transit.

alternative would be to stay in queens and take a cab to the Museum of the moving Image or Flushing meadows corona park?
posted by wowenthusiast at 7:58 AM on January 29, 2023

Generally, you could take the airtrain to Jamacia station, and then the LIRR to Penn Station, which would put you at the heart of midtown and all that it entails.

If you are specifically trying to get to Downtown Manhattan aka Lower Manhattan, you can take the A train from JFK to Fulton St. or Canal St. This option eventually leads to midtown and beyond as well - just takes longer.

Roundup of public transit to & from JFK: https://new.mta.info/guides/airports/jfk
posted by niicholas at 8:00 AM on January 29, 2023

Allowing about 1.5 hours each way for transit, plus 2 hours through security on your way back, you've only really got 5 or 6 hours in the city proper. A cab might be faster, but not necessarily. (Last time I went through JFK, landing at 2, I didn't get to Times Square until nearly 4.)

Assuming you get deplaned and through the airport by 10-ish, take the AirTrain --> A train to Fulton Street (by now it'll be 11-11:30), walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, lunch at Grimaldi's, take photos of the skyline of Lower Manhattan from Brooklyn Bridge Park get back on the A train around 4pm from the High Street Station back to JFK. If you have some extra time, go to the Transit Museum and then back on the train at Hoyt-Schermerhorn.
posted by basalganglia at 8:23 AM on January 29, 2023

I was in New York for work last month, didn't have much time to sightsee but I had one free afternoon, which factoring in time getting to the airport meant I had about an hour and a half to actually do something. I saw the big Edward Hopper exhibit at the Whitney, which was fantastic (and is only on through the beginning of March.) Could have spend longer but even a brief visit is absolutely worth it if you like Hopper. And with the amount of time you have, you could stroll on the High Line too -- the southern end is right at the museum.

(But I'm not sure how often you're in NYC and how much you've been to the museums -- it sounds like not much? As much as I like Hopper, if I were rarely in NYC and hadn't been to the Met or MOMA I would probably do one of those, depending on what you like in art. They are incomparable. Feeling like you don't have time to see it all, especially at the Met, is part of the experience.)

(But note also, since you're doing a cheap day -- NYC museums are expensive. $25 for the Whitney, and $30 for the Met, which used to be "pay as you wish" but it seems that's just for New York State residents now.)
posted by escabeche at 8:39 AM on January 29, 2023

I take day trips from DC to NYC on the regular, although generally train or bus which cuts out the annoying JFK leg. One I’ve done recently from JFK: Air train to Jamaica, LIRR to Penn, walk to Chelsea Market (touristy but honestly an easy way to have many many food options), then walk the high line to the Whitney and get your museum fix, maybe a small gallery, Porchlight for cocktails if that’s your thing.

I have also taken a day trip that consisted of breakfast in Nolita, three hours at the Met, back down to Union Square for an early dinner at Union Square Cafe, then back to midtown to catch the bus home (could have just as easily been Amtrak or back out to JFK). I could make a lot of similar pitches for fun days in Brooklyn but most of them would be better if you’re staying the night because you start having to factor in a lot of extra transit time.
posted by aspersioncast at 9:21 AM on January 29, 2023

If you decide to go to the Lower East Side (and the Essex Market and Tenement Museum are great + Chinatown is around the corner), the New Museum has a Theaster Gates show currently that seems great. And if you walk to SoHo you could spend 5 minutes in the Earth Room. Five hours is not enough for all of these things tho -- last time I had this much time in New York (long connection), I just had lunch and walked a bit in the Central Park.
posted by plant or animal at 9:29 AM on January 29, 2023

There are already a ton of great art recommendations here, but note there's a cluster of good galleries in Tribeca around Walker/Broadway. If you have an iPhone, you can use the See Saw app to see if you like what's on (always a risk, not a proven winner like the Hopper show) and build an itinerary with map. Then you could hit up Chinatown/LES for a snack -- anything from noods at Xi'an Famous Foods to a slice at Scarr's.
posted by birds at 9:30 AM on January 29, 2023

One other nice thing about the Lower East Side idea is that the delancey street subway stop is only about 20 mins walk from the waterfront at Pier 35, which has a great view of the manhattan and Brooklyn Bridge, an the a walk through the neighborhood is scenic. Even if you just walked around within this little map, you'd have a pretty scenic day, there's tons of gallaries on Orchard and Ludlow and Hester, and the neighborhood is a lil hotbed of Vintage shopping and vibes, even if you were to only explore the blocks outlines in the map linked to above.

In addition to the cheep food in Essex Market, the Dumplings at North Dumpling are World famous and ~$4
posted by wowenthusiast at 9:33 AM on January 29, 2023

What day of the week are you going to be there? Some museums have free days. The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is pay what you wish through February; if the weather is reasonably nice, it's a beautiful place to go and so is the adjacent Prospect Park. The Brooklyn Museum is right there, too, and you could then walk or take the subway to Brooklyn Heights and walk around the Promenade, see the view of Manhattan, and walk over to Books are Magic if you like a good bookstore. I would take the subway from the airport, though it does take time (waiting in line for a taxi or for your Lyft driver would likely also take a while, though, and depending on traffic the subway could be just as fast). If you like classical music, you might be able to go to a lunchtime concert somewhere (e.g., if you ended up going to the Met, you could walk through Central Park to see Julliard students play at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church free at lunchtime if you're there on the right day of the week.)
posted by pinochiette at 9:43 AM on January 29, 2023

On my first pitch I forgot to mention that the recent-ish Little Island is spitting distance from the Whitney and offers some amusing views for free.
posted by aspersioncast at 10:20 AM on January 29, 2023

Last November, it took me about 2 hours to get from midtown Manhattan to JFK on a Sunday. One thing I would suggest it to buy all the necessary fare cards before you start your trip to the airport. It costs extra to get to JFK and there was a huge line of people buying fares at that stop for the last leg. Had I not bought mine ahead of time I would’ve missed my flight.
posted by girlmightlive at 10:25 AM on January 29, 2023

JFK is a long way from Manhattan.

I see that some people above are recommending that you take the AirTrain to the Jamaica terminal, then take the J subway line from Jamaica to Manhattan.

I live along the J line. It is a looooong slog between Jamaica and Manhattan on that line -- likely an hour or more. I wouldn't recommend it if your time is limited.

Much better to take the AirTrain to Jamaica, then catch the LIRR (Long Island Railroad) commuter train, which will get you to Manhattan in about 25 minutes. The LIRR will allow you to access Penn Station, which is close to a whole bunch of stuff.

And you're in luck -- just this past week, the ribbon was cut on a decades-long project to allow the LIRR to travel to Manhattan's other big train station, Grand Central, as well. So you can choose which Manhattan destination works better for you, depending on what you want to do when you get there.

Grand Central is the more beautiful train station. It's also got the Grand Central Oyster Bar (a nice seafood restaurant) and the Campbell Bar (a fancy bar on an upper level of the station that was once the private pied a terre of a railroad executive). And it's a couple blocks from the iconic central New York Public Library at 5th Ave. and 42nd Street.

The LIRR trains travel on set timetables, so you can figure out in advance exactly which trains you'll want to take to get into the city and back to Jamaica. If you download the MTA TrainTime app, you can check the timetables and buy tickets on your phone.
posted by Artifice_Eternity at 10:58 AM on January 29, 2023

I live along the J line. It is a looooong slog between Jamaica and Manhattan on that line -- likely an hour or more. I wouldn't recommend it if your time is limited.

I am STRONGLY SECONDING that taking the J into Manhattan will eat up the majority of your time to stay in NYC. As others mentioned, the LIRR is much faster into Midtown. (The A from the other Airtrain terminal is much faster, but only every other A train actually goes to JFK, so you could be waiting up to half an hour for a train--or wind up stranded in Queens on the way back.)

If you are intrigued by the Essex Street Market and Lower East Side in general, you'd be better off taking the C or E from Penn Station and transfering to a Brooklyn-bound F or M at W 4th. Note that the Penn Station subway stops at W 34 street are unique, in that the express and local trains are not on the same platform and you'll have to choose beforehand. Choose the local; the added frequency will make up for the extra stops.

If you go to the Whitney (which also has an excellent exhibit of contemporary Puerto Rican artists' work post-Maria right now) and still want a food hall, you can stop by Chelsea Market on the way. Los Mariscos (delicious fish and shrimp tacos) and Miznan (incredible Mediterrean) are there, and two of my favorite places in NYC to get a quick lunch.
posted by thecaddy at 11:21 AM on January 29, 2023

Oh good lord, I’d just take a cab.
posted by functionequalsform at 12:08 PM on January 29, 2023

tl;dr What they said. Or, findsomething closer and easier than Manhattan. Museum of the Moving Imag e in Queens? Brooklyn Museum? Jamaica Bay Wildlife Center? or just fuhgeddaboudit.
posted by JimN2TAW at 3:00 PM on January 29, 2023

Are you up for a splurge? Blade can helicopter you from JFK to Hudson Yards in 5 minutes. The round trip will run you around $500.
posted by JoeZydeco at 4:26 PM on January 29, 2023

You could also split the difference and take AirTrain/LIRR for the less time-sensitive trip into the city, then a cab back to JFK from wherever you find yourself at the end of the day (don’t have to worry about ending up back at the train station). That may be the best balance of saving money and maximizing time.
posted by staggernation at 5:47 PM on January 29, 2023

Cab will likely take at least half an hour off your transit time to Manhattan. Though it’s worth checking the google maps estimates for travel time by transit vs driving just in case traffic is even worse than usual. It’s a flat fare (not metered) of $70 from JFK to Manhattan, plus tolls/tip. If you’re going to lower Manhattan you can have the driver take the Williamsburg bridge to avoid tolls.

Most of the subway entrances are now equipped with “Omny” tap-to-pay, so you can pay with a credit card or your phone at the turnstile, but I believe that is not true for the jfk airtrain, which is a separate trip - you still need a metrocard (which you can buy at machines but there are often long lines) for those turnstiles.
posted by yarrow at 5:58 PM on January 29, 2023

Radical idea time: how about not going to Manhattan in the first place?

New York City is HUGE. And there are LOADS of things to do in the outer boroughs - some of them a hop, skip, and a jump from JFK. For instance:

* Rockaway Beach is less than an hour away on public transit. Take a walk on the beach, check out surf shops and taco stands.

* Floyd Bennett Field is a historic former airport that's now part of the national park system; in the 1930s it was a state-of-the-art airport that was used by Amelia Earhart, Howard Hughes, and other famous early pilots, and there is a small museum devoted to that part of its past; and today, the grasslands between the old runways is a protected wildlife area. People also use the grounds for nature hikes, remote-control model airplanes, biking, fishing, and other outdoor pursuits; there's even a campground on site. You'd probably have to get an Uber to get there, but it's only a 20-minute ride or so.

* Or you could even just stay put at JFK and check out the new TWA hotel. This is a hotel on the site of the old TWA terminal at JFK, and has been fit out to look close to the way it did back in the 1960s.


You may want to read this blog post from a pilot who addresses "what should I do with a 7 hour layover in JFK"; he discusses some of the logistical particulars, has some planning/scheduling tips, and has ideas for what to do and how to be efficient about it. (He backs me up on the "head to Rockaway Beach" as well.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:15 PM on January 29, 2023

A Hopper exhibit at the Whitney? Shit yeah, that sounds like a plan, via public transport and train, catching a cab back if needed. Thanks for suggestions all!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 1:00 PM on February 1, 2023

The Hopper show is excellent! There's some other good stuff on view at the Whitney too.

Transit will take you pretty much all the way there:

1. AirTrain to Jamaica
2. LIRR to Penn Station
3. A/C/E subway to 14th St.
4. Walk a few blocks to the museum

Do the reverse to get back to the airport. Or cab it... but traffic is HIGHLY variable. I would check Google Maps' realtime traffic data before getting in a cab. And don't try it anytime close to rush hour.
posted by Artifice_Eternity at 4:21 PM on February 1, 2023

3. A/C/E subway to 14th St.

True story, never lived in a city with a major subway. Does the above mean riding three separate subway lines?
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 4:29 PM on February 1, 2023

Does the above mean riding three separate subway lines?

That phrase, "A/C/E subway to 14th Street," just means that you can ride the A train OR the C train OR the E train to the 14th Street stop. Those three trains follow the same track most of the way - but the A train skips some of the less-busy stops, the E train only covers part of the track and the C train hits every stop. All 3 of those trains stop at 14th Street.

I looked into what Artifice was describing in their full answer - and what they're suggesting is to get on the "Airtrain", which is a sort of shuttle service connecting JFK passengers to various transit lines, and connect on that to the Long Island RailRoad (LIRR), and ride that into Penn Station in Manhattan; from there, you would transfer onto the A, C, or E subway to ride down to the Whitney.

I'd instead do something different, and here's why: The Airtrain also connects directly WITH the A train in a couple places as well - and if you're a little unfamiliar with the subways, you may be better off just making one switch (Airtrain to the A train), instead of 2 (Airtrain to the LIRR to the A train), to reduce the chances of your getting lost or going the wrong direction or something. According to Google Maps, it'd take you about an hour and change to get from JFK to the Whitney either way.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:09 PM on February 1, 2023

Went yesterday and had a blast, thanks for all the directions, made it super easy.

But also amusing! When I was leaving JFK to head into town, I got off a stop too early on the AirTrain. I thought I heard the auto stop announcer say I could get off at Lefferts Blvd to catch the A Line, so I got off, realized my mistake and decided to wait for the next train to continue on to Howard Beach. I was alone on the platform and Transit cop or helper, not sure which, came along, asking if I needed help, told him where I want to go and he pulls out a special tablet to help me find the direction, advises me to take the bus, that way I save $8, 'cause you wanna do that right?

I'm down for an adventure, figuring what the hell, I'll be able to say I rode on a real live New York bus, so we walk downstairs and outside and the cold reminds me I don't want to be outside and dealing with the various stops of a bus line. So I thank the very helpful worker and tell him I'll take the subway and he looks at me incredulously and is like "you gonna spend that $8 bucks, really?" and shakes his head as he walks away.

When heading back to JFK, I couldn't quite remember the exact stop where I had gotten off at the 14th street exit. So I just found one of the entrances, figuring it's all the same stop, which isn't quite right maybe? It was a bit of curveball to realize that I could get on different lines based on what level of an underground station I was on (I think that's correct?).

Anyway, I'm at a 14th stop and nothing is looking right, so I ask an attendant, tell'em I want to hop on the A line to get to the Airtrain to get back to JFK. He's like "The A train? Nah, you want the E train, that'll get you there faster and easier. You're at 8th Avenue, you wanna walk down to 7th and get the E line there." Again, I'm up for adventure and figure ok, fine!

But I rode that to the very last stop, which was Jamaica Center, fully seeing that the next to the last stop was called just Jamaica (I might be remembering this in reverse). I should have gotten off at the next to the last stop, realized that once I was at the Last Stop, check Apple Maps and realized the stop was only about a quarter mile away, so decided to walk back. It was dark now and I figured walking the mean streets of New York at 6pmish at night might make for an interesting story.

Not really though, I mostly walked past a lot of cold and shivering people angrily walking their dogs. "C'mon, why are you taking so long, we go this route almost every night" yadda yadda.

Anyway, I make it to the other stop, find the AirTrain, hop on that and make it back to JFK with plenty of time to spare.

For any future readers, definitely do not fuck around with getting to JFK late, the screening lines can be hella long and you might find out that you'll miss your flight. Saw several people take off running once they finished getting through the screening line. It honestly didn't take that long, despite that seemingly endless line that looked like it would take an hour at least, was all of 20ish minutes. But don't fuck around and find out, the airport is obviously huge and you can still have a ways to go to reach your terminal.

Was a great day, the Whitney and Hopper exhibit was amazing, absolutely, would highly recommend. Flew direct from Savannah, GA to JFK for $100, courtesy of Scott's Cheap Flights.

On walk to the Whitney, came across La Belle Epoque, which deals with original vintage posters, covering 1850 to early 1900s. Too rich for my checkbook, but they were very welcoming and encouraging for if you want to look around. Absolutely recommended if you have any interest in that era of poster art.

Ate at Jack's Wife Freda, chosen just for the name, where I had a Manhattan or three while in Manhattan. Had liquor infused ice cream at Aubi & Ramsa which was delicious and added to the general good vibe I was having. Would have probably have eaten food from street vendors instead of a restaurant, if the weather was warmer, but having a place to sit and take the jacket, hat, and scarf off made the difference this time around.

New York seems like the grungy chaotic sibling to Chicago (where I've spent a lot of time recently). I can see how the former might ever so slightly look down its nose on the latter, but New York don't care, it's too busy having its own brand of fun.

Thanks again to everyone who gave advice and suggestions, y'all made it so much easier to get around!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 11:23 AM on February 3, 2023

Wow, great adventure! Living here, I sometimes forget how complicated it can be to navigate the various transit systems and their interfaces. Glad it all worked out.
posted by Artifice_Eternity at 12:21 PM on February 3, 2023

Mister Brandon Blatcher, next time you're gonna be in my town, just say so and I'll meet you at the airport and you won't have to sort it out alone. I really did appreciate the transit story, just like I always have since I moved here and got to tell tales of what the 4 train was up to that day. I'm sorry I missed this when you posted it and I'm glad you had a cool day. You have friends in this city.
posted by lauranesson at 1:34 PM on February 3, 2023