Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with travel and luggage

where can i leave my luggage for the day in boston?

gcat — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 04:24:53 -0800

please help me see boston for a day! (anyplace i can leave my luggage for a few hours?) i fly into boston this afternoon. i will be having dinner with an acquaintance and then spending the night at his home. the next morning, we will part company. he will go to work and drop me off somewhere in boston (apparently he lives 10 minutes north). then i am meeting another friend at 6pm and we are driving up to maine.

so, between 8-ish am thursday morning and 6 pm that evening, i will be free, so i would like to see at least one historic tourist attraction.

the problem: i will be carless and will have my luggage - a heavy suitcase and a carry-on bag. is there *anywhere* i could leave my luggage for the day?

i know, poor planning on my part, but is it a lost cause?

so my question is essentially this: can anyone help me think of anywhere i can leave my stuff that is both 1) safe (for my luggage) and 2) very close to public transport? i would be willing to pay if necessary.

it wont be at all practical to leave my stuff at my friends place for the day.

oh, and also, havent had a chance yet to research public transport. any tips? where should i have my friend drop me off thursday morning? (i.e., maybe somewhere close to something really cool that is not too far from public transport?)

im not really coming up with any ideas, so it may not be realistic, but if the hive mind could help me i would be very grateful.

thanks so much!!

A bag for all seasons

AnnaRat — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 05:02:06 -0800

I am looking for a new bag - hopefully, you can help me find one bag that will do my international business trips, day hikes, and weekends away. The bag needs to serve as carry on luggage, to-the-office luggage, day hike, or overnight trip luggage.

I want something that can fit a laptop, preferably in a compartment/sleeve for that purpose. My own laptop is a 12 inch Apple, but when travelling for work, I have to carry a larger laptop (15 inch?). I usually put their laptops in my checked luggage, so as not to cripple myself in the airport, but then need to carry it between the hotel and office while away. I find it too heavy to use a messenger bag or shoulder strap bag.

I accept that the only way I can do this sensibly, given the brick laptops from work, is with a backpack (despite a visiting consultant snootily remarking that she doesn't think people should have backpacks for business - fine for her, as an independent, she has bought a 10 inch laptop). Wheels will be a pain for the other uses and the main office I visit overseas is in a country where there aren't nice smooth surfaces to drag the bag along.

But it needs to look somewhat professional (not bright colours or too sporty looking). Also, I am female and small, so not too large, should be comfortable for me to wear.

I would like an easy to access compartment to put my passport and travel docs when moving through the airport. But not heaps of little compartments inside.

For day hiking, waterproof/resistant is good, and I would like a water bottle holder on the outside.

I want it of a size that I could fit a change of clothes and small toiletries, if I am going somewhere just for a few nights.

I am in Australia, but will consider online possibilities also (oh, I have a MEC membership!). No particular cost restrictions - I think you get what you pay for with luggage. Having said that, my last bag that I used for these purposes was maybe US$50 and has lasted for 12 years or more (zip broken, and waterproof lining has deteriorated).

Tell me your favourites!

Storing my stüff for a few weeks

trouserlouse — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 15:42:38 -0800

I arrive in Frankfurt next Sunday. I leave Frankfurt in the beginning of August. I will not be in Frankfurt in the meantime. Where do I keep my stuff? I've been looking at long-term storage of various types. The airport seems to want 5 euros for a "normal" bag per day, which for my two checked bags for 45 days is...a lot. Not very good for my student budget. The main train station wants 4 euros per day per locker, and it's not clear that I could keep stuff for that long anyway.

What other places exist for long-term storage of things in Frankfurt? (Also, if I stayed at a hotel for a night, is there any way they could hold my things?) If all else fails, what are the available shipping services?

Getting a Guitar and Computer Back to the US

andoatnp — Sun, 31 May 2009 06:49:08 -0800

How do I get a guitar and macbook laptop from Israel to Los Angeles when I am going on a three week detour through Europe. I am leaving June 10th on a flight to Rome from Tel Aviv, then on June 30th I am taking another flight from Rome to Los Angeles. I have a guitar and laptop with me in Israel. I'll be backpacking and staying in hostels, so I assume that bringing either with me would be unsafe and a giant hassle, but I'm considering taking the laptop. I'm not sure how else to get either of them back to LA. Options include:

1) Shipping the guitar. This probably isn't a good idea for the laptop, though. And the largest boxes they had at the Israel post office to ship items were too small for the guitar, so I'm not sure how to do that anyway. Anyone know of any companies that can send a guitar from Israel to the US? Time is no factor at all, it doesn't matter how long it would take, and money is only a slight factor. Is there a shipping option that people would trust a laptop to or is that a bad idea?

2) Finding somewhere safe and secure to leave the guitar (and laptop?) in Rome for three weeks while I am in Europe so I can pick them up for my flight home. Does anyone know if there are lockers or some other option at the airport in Rome or somewhere near the airport that I could do this?

Other than that, I'm not really sure what to do. Any other ideas or suggestions on how to get these items back to the United States would be a big help. Thanks!

How fussy are Easyjet about hand luggage?

monster max — Sat, 16 May 2009 14:40:50 -0800

Easyjet flight UK to Spain hand luggage: can I use a M&S Xenon medium rollercase? It's 22.5cm wide but limit says 20cm - too risky? I'm traveling by Easyjet in a week's time and wanting to use a Marks & Spencer medium Xenon rollercase. Its given dimensions on the website are H52 x W39 x D22.5cm but the limit on the Easyjet website is 55 x 40 x 20. So it's technically 2.5cm too deep - are they that fussy? Or is it not worth the risk and should I take a different bag?

Help me grab a bag

TheOnlyCoolTim — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 13:53:35 -0800

I would like to know a superior form of backpack. It should be primarily appropriate for day to day backpack and school usage but also useful for light travel use or light camping use. I am ~6'4", usually weigh about 185 pounds, and male. A backpack is a item of function, so I do not care at all about the aesthetics.

Durability is the prime concern; I am tired of buying a normal backpack and within a year it's deteriorating and after a few years it's useless. This would ideally be the last backpack of this type I buy in my life; I don't like today's throwaway consumer goods.

Waterproofing is another important concern. I am not as afraid as most people are these days to get wet when it rains, but I've found normal waterproof backpacks to be barely so, and then the rubber layer on the inside flakes off ant they're not at all.

Comfort and adjustability also matter.

I think the durability and waterproofing I like for my day to day use covers most of my requirements for the level of travel and camping I'm thinking of. Basically in addition it should be big enough for several day's worth of clothes and sundries or a couple nights of camping. Despite my last question this pack is not intended for actual serious backpacking, so don't really worry about things like strapping on tents and sleeping bags or that it won't have a frame. I'm just thinking I'd like to be able to use it to hike a few easy miles and plop down for a night or two and for that I will strap my big luxurious sleeping bag to myself in an ad hoc fashion and carry my big luxurious tent in my arm.

I'd prefer zipper closures, but with powerful zippers that will not break or malfunction.

I also prefer an absence of goofy specialized pockets or features for MP3 players, water bottles, laptops, and cell phones.

No wheels.

Should I take a suitcase or a pack to Whistler?

girlgeeknz — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 18:54:20 -0800

Should I take a suitcase or a pack to Whistler? I'm going to Whistler for 3 weeks of skiing (yay). Leaving from Auckland (New Zealand), with 2 nights stopover in Vancouver on the way, and 3 nights in San Francisco on the way back. There'll be a few transfers on buses or in taxis during the journey.

I'm 5' 4", and not very strong. I prefer a suitcase with wheels, because I can roll it along and my strength isn't an issue. My boyfriend thinks I should take a pack, because I can put it on my back, and if there's snow on the ground a suitcase on wheels wouldn't be suitable. I think a pack will be too heavy for me (I have used one before to get up the mountain when we ski locally, and always find it very difficult).

Which would you take?

want to tourist without cumbersome luggage

waltzing astronomers — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 13:21:07 -0800

Where can I leave three small carryon bags in Paris this Sunday? (or what can we do while lugging around rolly suitcases and a backpack?) our hotel is sketchy so we can't leave stuff with them. We are in our mid-20s so probably don't look nice enough to leave bags at a random hotel.

Where to store a suitcase in Manhattan?

prozach1576 — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 07:57:56 -0800

I'm flying into LaGuardia at 10:30 on Friday morning. I'm staying with a friend in Brooklyn but won't be able to get into his apartment until the evening. I would like to spend the day in Manhattan, but will have a large rolling suitcase (like the biggest standard size one you can buy) that I don't particularly want to tote around all afternoon. Where can I leave it? I plan on taking the M60 bus from LGA to the 125th street stop for the 4/5/6 train (I've done this before with no problems), and then the subway downtown to go to a museum or do some shopping in SoHo. From there I will take the subway to Brooklyn in the evening. I'd kind of like to minimize any running around solely due to the suitcase, if possible. I don't even care what kind of place I leave it, as there's nothing particularly valuable inside, or what I have to pay, within reason. Thanks!

How much worse is the carry-on baggage situation getting?

Kat Allison — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:39:01 -0800

Question for frequent flyers: have airlines' new pay-to-check-a-bag policies significantly affected how much baggage passengers are trying to carry on board? To the point where it's gone from just aggravating to completely !%@#!*#@ impossible? I have to fly in a couple of weeks (SEA-ORD), and I'm booked on American, which now charges $15 for every checked bag.

In the past I've always travelled very light and packed everything in a modest-sized carry-on. However, my expectation is that the new baggage fee will lead people to act even more egregiously than before with regard to carry-ons, and that I would be competing with teeming hordes trying to jam steamer trunks into the overhead bins. Hence, I'd been thinking, "Oh, the hell with it, I'll just pay the fee, check the bag, and reduce my aggravation" (which is, of course, making the large assumption that the airline doesn't lose it).

But I was wondering if there's actually been a significant, discernable increase in the amount of carry-on luggage on those airlines that charge the checking fee. Those of you who fly often -- have you seen a change? Do you think ponying up the $15 and checking the bag would lead to any appreciable decrease in hassle?

Help me pack for a long-term trip overseas.

huskerdont — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 09:09:34 -0800

I am moving from the US to Israel for a year. What should I bring with me, apart from the obvious, that is hard to find/incredibly expensive in Israel? I'm an American who will be living in Israel for year while I work on an MA at an Israeli university. Before I depart, I'm trying to figure out if there's anything I should bring that is either:

A) Hard to find in Israel
B) Significantly more expensive in Israel than the US.

I've been led to understand that blue jeans are much more expensive there, as are consumer electronics like laptops, ipods, etc. What else should I keep in mind as I pack up the standard clothing/personal effects package?

General bag storage tips?

champthom — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 17:14:49 -0800

Where are some general places I can store my luggage? I tend to go traveling via backpacking and what I usually do is spend a night on a bus, spend a day in a city, then take another overnight bus to the next city.

While the times I've traveled to Mexico I've had no problem, as nearly every city has a baggage storage place at the bus station, I have never encountered this sort of service in the US or elsewhere (except for JFK Airport, but that involved me spending $20 just getting to JFK to store my bag).

As I hate having to carry around a heavy backpack on my bag and being denied entry to places just because of my bag, does anyone have any suggestions of places to try to store my bag?

I know this has been covered before, but only in the specific case of Florence, London, and NYC. I'm trying to look for some sort of general list of places to try for baggage storage so I can move around easier and with far less hassle.

Your bag is in [insert location here]

yellowcandy — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:46:56 -0800

Delta lost my bag and ruined an important business trip to Ukraine and Russia. Need advice for how to be appropriately compensated. When I flew Delta--business class, if that makes a difference--from JFK to Ukraine two Sundays ago, Delta left my bag in NYC (apparently). What followed was a bumbling series of incompetent events that saw my bag not leave JFK, get stuck in Paris, then arrive in Kiev long after I'd left for Moscow, and then never make it to me, even after I returned to New York. I still don't have the bag, and I've been back for four days. Delta alternately claims they have it and that they don't.

The upshot for my trip is that I: (1) had to wear my traveling clothes in Ukraine and Russia, including a pair of brown casual slacks that wound up rather ripe, (2) had to purchase a new dress shirt and jacket in Ukraine ($500), (3) had none of my toiletries (including some prescribed skin cream that couldn't go into a carry-on), and (4) **the most important one to me** looked grimy and wasn't able to be at my best (or even adequate) for the clients I met up with in Kiev and Moscow. This is embarrassing to me, my group, and my entire company.

So I'd like to hear from people with some experience here about what approach works best in dealing with Delta in order to get them to compensate me adequately for this tragedy of a business trip. And yes, I'd still like my bag.

Oakland/east bay left luggage suggestions?

adamsc — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 21:13:45 -0800

I'm staying in Berkeley and catching a late flight out of Oakland on my last day. I'd like to stash my bag for the day but the airport left luggage service has closed due to their remodel. I've found a past discussion of SFO options but was curious whether anyone had east bay recommendations or tips for BART-convenient storage in downtown San Francisco since I'm likely to spend the day there and won't be anywhere near SFO

Why is this blowing my mind?

andrewdunn — Thu, 01 May 2008 08:39:17 -0800

International flights. Multiple carriers. Checked baggage. Layovers. My friends and I are going to Athens this summer. They already booked their flights and are taking multiple carriers that includes one layover. They booked the flights together online.

However, I'm trying to book the flights now and for some reason the second flight isn't showing up on the "aggregate flight search" websites, but it is showing up on the carrier's website. So, I'm going to have to book the flights separately.

My question is, how will this work with checked baggage? Would I have to get my luggage, go through customs, and check in for the next flight (which is not feasible)?

Also, what if one of my friends just checked the bags for me? How does the carrier for the second flight know that I'm already in the airport... would I have to re-check in with the new airline?

Traveling with iMac

DoctorFedora — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 08:32:03 -0800

MacFilter: How hard is it to travel with a current-gen 20" iMac? I.e. is the back "arm" detachable? How hard would it be to fit it into my carryon luggage (since I know better than to put something that valuable into checked luggage)? I'm aware that it weighs twenty pounds.

I got on the wrong plane and wound up in the wrong country. Am I owed anything by the airline?

Challahtronix — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 07:39:38 -0800

I got on the wrong plane and wound up in the wrong country. Am I owed anything by the airline? Back in September 2007 I was supposed to fly from Amsterdam to Barcelona on ClickAir/Iberia Air; the short version is that due to some confusion* over a gate change and a very-delayed charter flight, I wound up getting on the wrong plane (TransAvia, but my Iberia ticket says " AviaPartner" so it didn't raise any flags) and wound up in Faro, Portugal instead. The gate attendant didn't take my ticket and whomever did the headcount botched it. The flight crew was apologetic but unhelpful as they were going to be staying there through the weekend, and it was after midnight so nothing in the airport was open. I had to take an overnight bus to Lisbon and fly to Barcelona the next day at my own expense (~$150). I was traveling throughout Europe for the next two weeks and did not have my luggage; Iberia botched the delivery instructions for Europe and finally delivered one of my bags to me in October after I returned to the US, and the other one in late December. All belongings were intact.

Iberia said that they will reimburse me for expenses incurred from traveling without luggage- clothes, toiletries, etc... purchased along the way as long as I have receipts, which I do for most stuff. Transavia on the other hand has been terrible- I sent them a (non-angry) e-mail explaining what happened and asked them to follow-up, they responded with a reference# and asked for scanned copies of documents, which I provided. I've heard nothing from them since, they don't respond to e-mails, and they have no way to easily call from the US. I've e-mailed them politely three times asking for an update and gotten nothing.

I guess my questions are:
-Does Transavia owe me anything? Reimbursement for my return flight, bus trip, lost night (pre-paid for the pension) in Barcelona?
-If Transavia doesn't respond to my e-mails what are my other options? Is there a higher authority to report them to? Legal action?

If it makes any difference I'm a US citizen and may be going back to Europe later this year.

*_{not high.}

One piece of luggage to rule them all?

gtr — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 10:20:19 -0800

Any suggestions for a single piece of luggage for someone that travels light? I've done some traveling in the past and will be doing more in the future. More and more this has become air travel. I travel very light and I hate checking bags at the airport. I'd like one bag that can be carried on most of the time.

I was hoping more experienced travelers could point me in the right direction. I see airline personnel using basically the same small black bags on wheels when strolling through the airport, but I have no idea the brand or type of bag.

Myar! What satchel will it be?

ageispolis — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 19:21:49 -0800

What size of backpack should I get for a 6-8 month backpacking trip through Southeast Asia? I've already shopped around, and I've seen packs that range from a volume of 40 litres to 85 litres. I've spoken with several acquaintances who have travelled for this duration of time and their suggestions have left me confused, and thus, I am here looking to see if the wise collective can help me out.

They say, "Get a large backpack because with the amount of stuff you'll need to shove in there, you won't have an inch of room leftover."

They also say, "I sure wish I went a size smaller, your pack really becomes your worst enemy after a while."

I will be scraping by and budget travelling (less than $20 a day) primarily by train, if that makes a difference. I am a typical sized 5'11 young adult male. I'm not looking for any backpacks in particular, just the appropriate volume for my circumstances. And as always, thanks in advance for your suggestions.

Prev iou sly.

Should I use a suitcase or backpack?

qslack — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 22:16:42 -0800

I'm leaving in a week for a 6-week trip through China. Should I bring a suitcase (with wheels or no?) or a backpack? I'll be traveling (mainly by train, but also some airplane) around for the entire time and won't stay in one place longer than a week. Most of the time I'll be in cities staying in hostels or hotels. I'll be bringing ~4 days' worth of clothing (4 shirts, 1 shorts), a digital SLR, and a 15" MacBook Pro. This trip is essentially tourism. I won't ever need to dress up, and I don't care about bringing nice clothes or avoiding wrinkles in my shirts.

There are three ways, as I see it, that I can do this. 1) Wheeled suitcase for clothes and small daypack for laptop+camera+day stuff; 2) Non-wheeled suitcase for clothes (which would fit more than a wheeled) and the same daypack; or 3) Big backback for everything, no daypack. I'm physically capable of carrying any of these; I'm just wondering which is the best. I am leaning toward #1.

The main advantage of having a backpack, as I have been told, is that you can carry all your stuff and have your hands free. But I'll almost always go straight to my ho(s)tel when I arrive in a city, so that doesn't seem to apply to me. The disadvantages of having just one big backpack are 1) I can't carry a daypack for outings; 2) it's harder to fit into small spaces since it is one big bag; 3) if it's stolen, everything's over; 4) it makes me look like a tourist; and 5) it's more difficult to pack and unpack from; and 6) it's annoying to carry everywhere when I could just wheel something around, since usually I'll be on hard surfaces.

When I've asked people who have backpacked on similar kinds of trips (city-to-city, not wilderness), they think it's crazy I'd think of bringing a suitcase. Even when I tell them why I think a backpack would be a bad choice, they kind of shrug and say, "Well, I kind of still think you should just have a backpack. A suitcase just doesn't feel right." I feel like there is something I am missing.

Please help me decide whether to bring a suitcase or a backpack. When you are traveling with a big backpack, what bag do you take with you on day outings? Do big backpacks even fit in airplane or train carryon compartments? Have you ever traveled with a suitcase and wished you had a backpack, or vice-versa?

[Acoustic] guitar gets run over by a [baggage] car

Tiresias — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 21:30:22 -0800

Am I a complete lunatic for flying with my guitar as checked baggage? I'm moving to Tokyo in less than a week, and basically need to bring my guitar with me as a way of keeping me sane during the month before I get Internet set up at my apartment (and presumably afterwards, for the rest of my life. If you play an instrument, you know.) I've always been nervous about flying with my guitar, which, as far as guitars go, isn't actually worth that much, but you know, the sentimental value is through the roof. After reading numerous articles about it, I'm suddenly terrified.

The problem with these articles is that they all invariably advise that I check the guitar (which given the fact that it's an acoustic guitar is almost certainly not a possibility), and were written well before all of these new-fangled airline regulations, so I mean, how likely is it that I could get an item that is very obviously not regulation-sized carry-on past security? Let's imagine, realistically, that I will become pants-wettingly terrified when confronted with this, will stammer and tremble and will not be able to smooth talk my way past even a well-intentioned child.

Every article I read said 'Do Not Check Your Guitar' and then said no more about the issue...but, I mean, could I check the guitar? A few facts: I just bought a fairly heavy-duty hard-shell by Taylor; it won't stop a bullet, but it's got a raised top and nothing rattles around inside and it seems pretty secure. The guitar is an acoustic, and while not huge, is definitely large-medium. If it seems even at all possible that I might get it into carry-on, there's a soft-shell case too, but...I mean, it would be horrible to show up with this flimsy fabric piece of crap protection and then be told that I have to check my flimsy, piece of crap (but beloved) guitar, and then spend 15 hours worrying about its inevitable demise.

Also, in terms of lost luggage: I have one stop-over (in Detroit) and no address for a week after my arrival date, and no phone number for, I don't know, a couple.

And the airline is Northwest Airlines.

So: can I check my guitar? Am I a fool and a dreamer for even thinking of doing so? Will they kill my best friend???

Where and how can I store luggage in Brussels, Belgium for ~8 days?

ejames — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 10:27:35 -0800

Where and how can I store luggage in Brussels, Belgium for ~8 days? I'm traveling to Europe next weekend for a study abroad program in The Netherlands. I'm flying into Brussels, Belgium and need to store my luggage (2 large duffel bags) while I travel to Italy for a week before classes start. I'm flying into Brussels airport, then need to store my luggage somewhere, and go to Charleroi airport. When I return, I'll need to go from Charleroi, pick up my luggage, and take a train to Maastricht, Netherlands. So storing at a train station might be a good idea.

1. I've heard that I can store luggage at the Gare du Midi train station for longer than 24 hours, but I don't have that confirmed. I'd rather not have to make an international call to find out ($$).

2. Is Gare du Midi the right train station I'd want to store it at to then be able to take a train to Maastricht? Would it be better to store it at Gare du Nord or Centrale? Or would it be best to store it in Charleroi, and then could I head to Maastricht right from Charleroi?

3. What's the best way for me to get from Brussels airport to Charleroi airport for cheap? Taxi, bus, train?

I'm a little new to this. It's my first time in Europe and I'm also on a budget.

Has anyone had to store baggage while traveling in Europe? I'd rather not lug my huge bag around with me that first week. What did you do?

Looking for ways to store 1 large bag in Paris for 1.5 months this summer.

evadery — Mon, 14 May 2007 08:22:52 -0800

Where in Paris can I find a cheap or free place to store 1 duffel bag for 1.5 months this summer? For the break between my girlfriend starting law school and my beginning a new job, we are going on an extended trip together. We're spending 2 weeks in Paris from June 11th to the 25th, then bouncing to Barcelona, Morocco, Senegal, the Gambia and Mali, then back to Paris just in time to get our August 7th flight back to Toronto. Good times will be had.

We're planning on packing light enough, but reducing our packing even further upon leaving Paris (ie: leaving dressy clothes, maybe a pair of shoes apiece, some books, etc). We have an extra duffel bag for this purpose.

However, the friends we were hoping to store stuff with are unable to do so (long story, don't ask), and their connections seem to be ineffective. So, are there places where you can store a tiny amount of stuff for a short period of time? We'd rather not go through the hassle of renting a storage locker, but if we have to, we will...Any suggestions would be appreciated.

(and if anyone wants to tack on some off-the-beaten-path things to do in any of the aforementioned places, I wouldn't be disappointed).

MAN PURSE!

Hands of Manos — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 16:14:32 -0800

Looking for mini daypack for walk abouts in the 30 dollar range Hi, I know there are many answers for "sleek backpack" in the ask.meta archives however I'm looking for something specific.

What I'm looking for is a small/sleek/backpack (or sling) that I can fit a plethora of small gadgets and a book in for around 30 bucks (or so). Unisex or Masculine would be a bonus.

I'll be taking 4-6 hour walks on a 3 day week basis for the next year and I'd like a bag I can just "throw stuff in" but if I were to go in a department store or something, it would be small enough to not warrant "please check your bag in."

Luggage storage in Manhattan?

electric_counterpoint — Fri, 06 Oct 2006 07:06:03 -0800

Where can I leave my luggage for a day in Manhattan? So, the lovely Ms. Counterpoint and I are visiting New York for a long weekend in a week's time, and we're staying in a hostel. It's the West End Studios (850 West End Avenue), and since we have a private room we'll be leaving our stuff there when we go out.

But! We're checking out Monday by 11, and we've got the rest of that day to explore the city before we get to La Guardia in the evening. What can we do with our bags during that period?

I saw this thread on the same subject, but our situation is different: 1) we don't have a room (having checked out of it by this time), and 2) we don't have any friends in New Jersey. With those conditions in mind, none of the advice in the previous question seems to help us.

Oh, there's this: We want to spend some time in Brooklyn -- if that's more conducive to dropping off luggage, we could schedule that trip for Monday.