Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with york and travel

Cheap Bus NYC-DC

mixer — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 15:48:43 -0800

Cheap buses from NYC to Washington D.C.? The question's been asked and answered in the past, but I'm wondering if that information is outdated. Thanks!

New York for the Young

ashaw — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 09:06:24 -0800

Help planning a 5 Day trip to NYC - Do you know of any secret delights that New York City has to offer? I need recommendations/advice on everything from where to stay to where to go. Much more details inside. Just to spark some ideas, I'm a twenty year old single british male traveller who has clichéd hipster young adult interests like: music (open mic, gigs, records), antique fairs, flea markets, good cheap vintage/secondhand clothes, coffee shops, cheap carnivorous food, literature, art, film as well as all the usual tourist traps (brooklyn bridge, statue of liberty, modern art museum etc).

I'm very much boggled by my research, NYC is huge and I don't know where to stay which is relatively cheap ($80 a night would be pushing it) and in a good location to get to all the areas. I know the US hasn't got the travellers mentality to hostels, so any recommendations would be excellent.

Would be great if someone could tell me if there is a sightseeing tour which can hit most of the tourist spots leaving more time to do the more unique, quirky stuff. I've been told the Lower East Side and Williamsburg are all good places to spend some time.

Remember the cheaper the better and bearing in mind I'm not of drinking age, so alternatives for night life would be really great.

Zipcar Update?

The Whelk — Thu, 28 May 2009 13:35:30 -0800

Daytrip Dreamin': I've read the previous question about Zipcars in NYC, but it's about a year old and I have some specific questions. I am considering joining, but have heard that the availability is not terrific. What's it like for a daytrips out of the city? Any big problems? Does it make sense if you're only planning to use it 2 or three times a year?

Parents coming to visit in NY. Where should I take them?

falameufilho — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 22:23:07 -0800

Parents coming to visit in NY. Where should I take them? My parents are coming to visit me in New York for a week in late March. They are in their 60's, have been all over the world and like to try new things. I want to take them to see some great stuff around the city, but there's one problem - they don't speak a word of English. They have been many times to NY in the past so all the obvious touristy stuff has been done already.

An example of what I'm looking for: last time they were here I took them to the ballet (Kirov) and to a couple of lowbrow shows (Fuerzabruta and Blue Man Group). They loved it all.

So, what can I do with them that they'll like and will be able to enjoy even with the language barrier? I know you know the answer, hive mind.

P.S.: I'd like to avoid Broadway musicals if possible. They would probably like it, but I fucking hate musicals. Thanks!

Need advice on somewhere to go on the Thanksgiving weekend in the greater New York area

falameufilho — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 13:02:03 -0800

Need advice on somewhere to go on the Thanksgiving weekend in the greater New York area. Hello, hive mind. Me and the wife are expats living in New York City, so we don't have any family to visit on Thanksgiving. So we're feeling like doing something different that weekend - like getting out of the city, breathing some fresh air, taking a couple of days off from our ridiculously small apartment, you get the idea.

So here are the constraints:

1) It must be reasonably close to the city
2) It must be reachable by public transportation - train, bus, etc (I don't feel renting a car unless absolutely necessary)
3) It must be reasonably cheap
4) Not being crowded is a big plus
5) If we can see some nice fall foliage that's great as well (it might be too late for that, but maybe we're lucky)

That's about it. Thanks, hive mind!

How to jettison jetlag?

metaxa — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 05:42:13 -0800

I'm travelling on a short trip to New York, from the UK. The last two times I've travelled to the US (Las Vegas, New Orleans) the first few days of my break have been ruined by jetlag - waking up at 4am and being zombified by early evening - but, this was ok because they were 10 and 14 day holidays. However, my trip to NYC is for 3 days. How can I try and combat this on such a short trip, without losing the couple of days I have in New York?

Which self-catering flat in York, UK?

infodiva — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:20:10 -0800

Colleague and I are staying in York, UK for a week in October. Help us decide which flat we should rent. One is at 16 Park Crescent, just off Monkgate. The other is in a converted warehouse on Peter Lane, near High Ousegate. We want good pubs and walks nearby, and we value quiet and safety. More info: 16 Park Crescent is a Victorian rowhouse; the Peter Lane place (called Peter Warehouse Apartments) is comparable in size, but in a converted warehouse. Both offer similar amenities in the flat, and both are about the same price. We don't have a car, so parking isn't an issue. I'm more concerned about the amenities in the area, and the general atmosphere. We have both visited York several times, and love it. Thank you in advance!

Get me to Chapel Hill from NYC!

greta simone — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:33:52 -0800

How to get to Chapel Hill from NYC? Hey y'all. So I'm riding up to NYC from Chapel Hill, NC around the first of August, with a friend who is moving there. I was hoping to hang around for a few days and see friends, but I'm struggling with the best way to get back. I have always flown round-trip when visiting NY, when airline prices were more reasonable. Presently, I have very little money, so I'm trying to come up with the most economical way to take a one-way trip back to CH from NYC. I have looked at one way flights and Amtrak. While those options aren't super-expensive, I am looking for alternative ideas that I might not have considered.
A few things:
Please do not suggest taking a bus. I have my reasons for not wanting to take a bus.
As long as I can get to the general Chapel Hill area (Greensboro to Raleigh), I could have someone pick me up at the end.

Mostly, I'm just looking for secrets that others may have discovered when making this trek. Is there a website to find a good rideshare? I have looked at craigslist already, but haven't found much, and I'm not sure I would trust anyone from craigslist. Is there a place to find discounted Amtrak deals? Do you or any of your friends want to drive me?

I'm just trying to save a couple of bucks.
Thanks!

How do I get to Toronto from Rochester, NY?

scooterdman — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 12:35:04 -0800

What's the best way to get from Rochester, NY to Toronto? I will be up in Rochester for several days for business, and I have never been to Canada before. I have a passport, and I should have some time in the evening to explore.

I know a ferry used to run between the two cities, but I understand that it is not anymore. How do I get to Toronto? It seems so close...

what the hull?

twistofrhyme — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 19:21:26 -0800

what should i do in hull, england? i'll be there in late october for a few days. i'll also be in york for a bit, and plan to spend a weekend in london. seeking advice for things to do. i won't be driving, so travel tips would be nice too, and i would like to not spend one zillion dollars, i mean, euros.

i like:
independent / avant garde / alternative theatre
science (esp. medicine & zoology & bugs & gross things & evolution)
running in big safe parks
seeing the behind-the-scenes of places people don't often go (i know hull has food-processing plants, anyone have connections that could get me a tour? i'm very well-behaved.)
television studios
cafes with tasty, interesting, inexpensive food
wandering around in hipster neighbourhoods
shopping for hipster clothes and hipster kitsch in hipster shops
hipsters
bright, relaxed internet cafes
free wifi

i'm not fanatical about, but can certainly appreciate:
art galleries (both small & large)
museums

i'd be 100% up for meeting new people, too.
any askmefi peeps in hull wanna meet a real live canadian?
(please don't be scared off if you're not a hipster, i was being semi-facetious.)

thanks!

Get-a-way betwen Boston-NYCy

quiverandquill — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 14:47:33 -0800

I am looking for a great city, or place to have a weekend get-away. It should be accessible by train, no more than 2-3 hours from Boston or New York, for a relaxing weekend. Any suggestions? (I've already been to Mystic, CT).

How to buy train tickets in England?

jeff-o-matic — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 09:18:19 -0800

I need to make one trip by rail from London to York and back in early April. We'll be spending two nights in York. I've read and heard conflicting information about this. Anyone know the best way to buy a ticket? Most of the info I could find here and online in general is about various rail passes and multiple trip tickets. I only need to buy one roundtrip ticket for my wife and one for myself.

I've traveled by rail in Italy and Spain, but have read that rail travel in England is more costly, and similar to the US airline industry, where fares vary, and are best purchased in advance. A frind of mine was in England a few years back, and tells me I should just show up to the station the mornig I need to and buy the tickets there. Online info I've read seems to contradict this, though again, we only need to make one round trip, and have no need for any kind of multiple day/week/month pass. We're both around 40, so I don't need student or seniors info, nor is penny pinching my ultimate goal. I just want us to have guaranteed seats on a train that will get us where we need to be at the correct time.

So, how should I do this? Buy at the train station the morning of my trip? Or should I purchase in advance online? If I should buy online, could you point me to the exact site where I can do so? Thank you.

Brooklyn! Where to go?

zaphod — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 17:23:31 -0800

Brooklyn, where to stay what to see that's not obvious? Going to visit cousin John whose over from Ireland for 2 weeks and staying in Brooklyn, near the corner of Washington & Lafayette Aves (NE of Prospect Park).

First, I need a place to stay and Brooklyn seems to have a shortage of Hotels! WTF, everyone wants to stay in Manhattan? ;)

About the best, closest place I can find is the Brooklyn Marriott at about $230 a night with taxes ($199 + $30), which for 2 nights is a wee bit steep. Do you know anywhere else that's a bit cheaper and that you'd recommend? I found a bunch of places with decent reviews on some other sites, but then some Googling turned up some interesting Police reports about hourly customers for a few places .... even somewhere the other

Secondly, what to see and do, eat & drink, avoid & run, that tourists wouldn't normally see of Brooklyn?

Before the cousin said he was going to Brooklyn I had the, incorrect, impression that Brooklyn was a bit unsafe. But, after a wee bit of research I've released that it's a vast city within NYC that has it's own character & charm that's unlike Manhattan. So, you the Brooklynite reading this, where should we (me the Paddy in Boston, and the cousin from the wilds of Ireland and his German gf) go to see the joys and experiences of Brooklyn? Always looking for suggestions for good places to eat & drink too!

Best place to grab Metro North in CT?

clango — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 14:00:57 -0800

Popping down to NYC to visit the missus, probably taking the Metro North line into Grand Central from somewhere in Connecticut. I usually park and ride from New Haven, but would love to find a slightly smaller and more humane station further down the line. Suggestions?

Best route from CT to NJ

macfly — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 07:46:08 -0800

I have to drive from southern Connecticut to New Jersey on Sunday afternoon / evening - timing is flexible, I just have to be there to start a class on Monday. Google is telling me to take 95 to the Garden State Parkway - is that the best route? I haven't driven to/through New York and with it being the end of the Thanksgiving holiday, I'd like to try to minimize my time sitting in traffic. Anybody with experience have a route / timing suggestion? Should I leave early or late? I'd like to arrive by Midnight so I'm not too tired the next day and Google is timing it out to about 3 hours.

Also, I'll be returning on Friday in the afternoon - any thoughts on that drive?

Funky family seeking fun in big cities

allthewhile — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 20:53:46 -0800

Fun things to do in NYC and Boston for a young family? I'll be in NYC with my wife and two small children (3yrs & 8months) from June 16th-19 and in Boston from the 25th-29th of June. I would like ideas for neat things that could be for my daughter but also stuff we might like to see exclusively (if you have 'em).

We'll have our car, so that's not an issue. We'd like to keep it cheap, but historical and educational (for us and the little one). Walking is not an issue at all as we are very adept at stroller pushing. Thanks for any help and ideas.

We're fans of historic and educational tours, museums with fun exhibits. I love history, architecture, off the beaten path, etc!

Thanks so much!

New York through film?

unclejeffy — Fri, 30 Dec 2005 11:46:20 -0800

Help me discover New York City through film--before I visit! My wife and I will be visiting NYC for six days and five nights in mid-May. I've never been to the city, and she's only been once. I'm the kind of guy who likes to know a lot about my destination before I arrive, so I've been scouring guide books and websites, trying to learn as much as possible.

I'd like to learn about New York through film, though, too. I have access to BlockbusterOnline.com, so I've ordered an 8-part documentary, and I've always loved the musical "Out On The Town," so I've included it, as well. (I know it's old, stylized, and hopefully out-of-date, but I love it.) What films should I order, though, that will give me an accurate idea of NYC as it exist today? Or is this too tall an order? Any other suggestions, apart from film, guide books, and the web, that will help me with my research? All help is appreciated!

Go Go Go!

Jon-o — Sun, 04 Dec 2005 20:10:24 -0800

Hey, NYC MeFites. I need some help getting around. What's the fastest, cheapest way to get from 88 East Broadway to 520 12th ave? Can I do it in a half-hour?

New York City Seeing

Hands of Manos — Thu, 17 Nov 2005 16:52:02 -0800

If you had one day to spend in New York City, what would you do? My wife and I are going to be in New York City to see a broadway show, then we have the entire next day to spend doing whatever we want to. So if you had one day to do anything you wanted to, what would you do? (A good place to eat in the Manhattan area? A really cool thing to see?). We are not looking to do the touristy thing like "see the statue of liberty" but things that are really cool.

Where to stay in New York?

davenportmom — Sat, 14 May 2005 13:50:13 -0800

I am going to NYC with a group of friends for a long weekend this summer. We have narrowed our hotel choices down to two, one near Union Square and one near Central Park. In which area would you recommend staying? I should say we are a bunch of housewives going to celebrate a 40th birthday.