NY State geography for Kiwis - Hewlett to NYC commute

May 26, 2005 1:21 AM

My US-resident sister will be moving to Hewlett, NY in August this year. I am planning a trip from New Zealand to see her, and I need some advice.

I expect that we (partner + 10 year old) will not stay with her, but will need accomodation. Also, I would like to make the trip around the world have some tourist value. So is it feasible to stay in NYC and make day-trips to Hewlett? Conversely, is Hewlett likely to have some suitable accomodation that would be a base for NYC? Or should I not bother combining the two? Comments on rail/bus transport particularly appreciated; I really don't want to drive.

posted by i_am_joe's_spleen to Travel & Transportation (5 answers total)

Considering Hewlett's proximity to NYC, I would think there'd be a hotel near your sister where you could stay. I can't say that for sure -- never been there. But I do know that there's plenty of transportation to and from NYC and Hewlett. You'd take the LIRR (Long Island Rail Road), and according to the timetable it's about a 40 minute ride from Penn Station. From there, you could surely either cab or bus yourself to your sister's abode, or maybe she'd be kind enough to pick you up at the train station. You are, after all, visiting her.

Since it's a 40 minute train ride between Hewlett and NYC, I say:
Combine the two, definitely.
Stay in Hewlett if you're looking for more family time, stay in NYC if you'd rather have the hustle bustle of the city.

Mapquest your sister's address and search for nearby hotels. As for NYC possibilities, that's all a matter of price.
posted by incessant at 2:21 AM on May 26, 2005

I grew up on pretty much the exact opposite end of Nassau County so I know the area generally but not much about Hewlett.

I would say that if you are not spending the bulk of your time with your sister you guys should definately stay in the city. I think Valley Stream is pretty close station that will have lots more trains than Hewlett. If you time it right you could even avoid having to change.

I wouldn't rank Hewlett very high on the list of exciting places to visit. Very boring, wealthy suburbia. There are all other sorts of stereotypes as well that I won't get into. But I am willing to bet you will be rather peturbed by what you see.

Hotels on LI can be very difficult to find. At least ones that aren't terrifying.
posted by JPD at 5:49 AM on May 26, 2005

If I were you, rather than take day trips to Hewlett, I would plan to to spend a few days in the city and then the rest with your sister. This way you won't have to travel back and forth too much.
posted by gfrobe at 7:10 AM on May 26, 2005

I got married in Hewlett -- it's really a beautiful little town.

It's an affluent area, and plenty of people routinely commute from there to the city, so you have nice trains with comfy seats that run hourly both weekends and weekdays (however, the timetable shifts to a slightly different schedule on weekends, so be sure to stay aware of that). It's a very easy commute.

Personally, I'd rather have a room in NYC. Otherwise, if you intend to do any amount of shopping, you'll be stuck hauling all your stuff around all day and on the train -- not fun. Also, it's nice to have close access to a bed and a shower after walking around the hard streets all day; NYC can get awfully exhausting, even if you're not jetlagged with a 10-year-old in tow.

Have a wonderful time!
posted by melissa may at 10:10 AM on May 26, 2005

Response by poster: Thanks folks. It's awfully hard to figure out the scale and gauge the accuracy of the few bits of information I've been able to find on my own - this fleshes it out a lot.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 12:21 PM on May 26, 2005