7 hour layover at LaGuardia...

[LeeD]

Hi guys...and gals.
Flying to PuertoRico on the 15th his month, layover at LaGuardia NY. for 7 hours. Is it feasible to bus/train it in to the Village or Soho? And eat there and get back to the airport in time?
Or is another breakfast destination closer a better idea.
I haven't been to the Apple since 1989.

[heycal]

. .

[heycal]

Originally Posted by LeeD

Hi guys...and gals.
Flying to PuertoRico on the 15th his month, layover at LaGuardia NY. for 7 hours. Is it feasible to bus/train it in to the Village or Soho? And eat there and get back to the airport in time?
Or is another breakfast destination closer a better idea.
I haven't been to the Apple since 1989.

Do it.

Figure an hour's ride each way. Busses run to and from Grand Central and Penn Station and perhaps other points every half hour or so. From there you can take a subway or taxi downtown.

If you want to save a little time and have the money, cab it directly to and from airport.

No matter what, you'll have an ample 3 or 4 hours to bop around Manhattan.

[ollinger]

You're both showing your age. The hipsters would stay in Queens. For example you're a short trip from Schripriphai, considered perhaps the best Thai food in NYC, in Woodside, Queens. Little Asia in the Main St./Northern Boulevard area of flushing is about a mile away from the airport. And you can practically walk from the airport to Astoria, for the Little Athens and some authentic Greek food. The NYC food scene has shifted to Brooklyn and Queen; silly to schlep into Manhattan from the airport just to eat.

[heycal]

Originally Posted by ollinger

You're both showing your age. The hipsters would stay in Queens. For example you're a short trip from Schripriphai, considered perhaps the best Thai food in NYC, in Woodside, Queens. Little Asia in the Main St./Northern Boulevard area of flushing is about a mile away from the airport. And you can practically walk from the airport to Astoria, for the Little Athens and some authentic Greek food. The NYC food scene has shifted to Brooklyn and Queen; silly to schlep into Manhattan from the airport just to eat.

It was my assumption that his intentions weren't strictly to obtain a good meal, but to see the city. Those areas you mention are a tad dreary compared to the glamor of Manhattan. Where would you rather spend 4 or so hours during a layover? The Village and Soho, etc, or Woodside, Queens?

[SoBad]

Take the bus to jackson heights, the koreans are open 24/7.

[krz]

7 hours is plenty of time to get to the city and back.

But, you are also very close to Astoria and it is a very nice neighborhood to explore now, especially around 30th ave between 31st and Steinway. There's also the park.

Famous for its Greek community but, in my experience it is very, very diverse now. Kinda hipsterized... but not to the Williamsburg extent.

[heycal]

Gentlemen, the guy hasn't been in New York in 25 years, and you want him to waste his visit wandering around Queens??

[ec51]

Originally Posted by heycal

Gentlemen, the guy hasn't been in New York in 25 years, and you want him to waste his visit wondering around Queens??

This.

That's plenty of time. Possibly plan to book a car out of the airport to drive you. Will be pricey, but worth it IMO.

[acura9927]

Dont drink too much fluids, NYC is a hard city to find a public restroom. Grand Central Station has not one restroom, you are suppose to pee in the alley.

[Fearsome Forehand]

Take a lot of cash and go directly to Bed Sty.

[LeeD]

Thanks, but being Chinese, I'll probably just go into Manhattan, as I don't have a clue where Queens is, in relation to Soho.
Are there direct train lines linking LaGuardia to Manhattan? I remember taking the Penn station, and all the construction in the late '80's, and the alternative tunnels that weren't being used except as homeless shelters for those trying to stay warm in Dec of '89.
Gotta keep the eat thing very basic, no fun to get tummy aches and diaria during a vacation to the Caribbean.

[krz]

Originally Posted by LeeD

Thanks, but being Chinese, I'll probably just go into Manhattan, as I don't have a clue where Queens is, in relation to Soho.
Are there direct train lines linking LaGuardia to Manhattan? I remember taking the Penn station, and all the construction in the late '80's, and the alternative tunnels that weren't being used except as homeless shelters for those trying to stay warm in Dec of '89.
Gotta keep the eat thing very basic, no fun to get tummy aches and diaria during a vacation to the Caribbean.

LGA is in Queens and being Chinese you know should know the real china town is Flushing, Queens

Anyway, there aren't any "direct" trains from LGA. I'm not an outer boroughs guy but, You'll probably have to cab/bus it to the NQ and you can take that directly to SoHo (Prince St)

Or make it easy on yourself and cab it all the way there. Probably be maybe 30 bucks?

[LeeD]

Thanks again. Maybe a cab ride, but as usual, $$$ is tight at the beginning of a trip.
I only know Chinatown's in SanFrancisco, Oakland, and Vancouver, sorry, and the little "Ctown" in lower Manhattan doesn't qualify.
Since this is supposed to be an adventure, sightseeing Queens isn't a bad idea. I wonder what shuttle bus goes downtown there? We gotta keep it sorta cheap, as I've porportioned only $200 for my entire trip.

[mikeler]

Originally Posted by LeeD

Thanks again. Maybe a cab ride, but as usual, $$$ is tight at the beginning of a trip.
I only know Chinatown's in SanFrancisco, Oakland, and Vancouver, sorry, and the little "Ctown" in lower Manhattan doesn't qualify.
Since this is supposed to be an adventure, sightseeing Queens isn't a bad idea. I wonder what shuttle bus goes downtown there? We gotta keep it sorta cheap, as I've porportioned only $200 for my entire trip.

Cheap and New York City mix about as well as oil and water.

[LeeD]

Well, being the old fart I am, I could sit in a chair or corner and daydream to kill 3 hours alone, and eat the rest....and read.
But I'm travelling with a relative youngster, who's constantly moving and in search of action. She'd be bonkers if she sat at the airport for 7 hours, then sat on a plane for another 7, after sitting on a plane for 7 hours from SFO.
Maybe she should bring her jogging shoes on carryon.

[heycal]

Originally Posted by LeeD

Well, being the old fart I am, I could sit in a chair or corner and daydream to kill 3 hours alone, and eat the rest....and read.
But I'm travelling with a relative youngster, who's constantly moving and in search of action. She'd be bonkers if she sat at the airport for 7 hours, then sat on a plane for another 7, after sitting on a plane for 7 hours from SFO.
Maybe she should bring her jogging shoes on carryon.

You've budgeted 200 bucks for the 7 hour New York City layover, or the entire trip??

In any case, forget subways/trains. If you don't want to pay for a cab, take that fairly convenient and not terribly expensive bus that runs from Grand Central and Penn Station.

No idea about busses into QUEENS.

[sureshs]

LeeD, is your GF paying for the trip?

[krz]

Originally Posted by heycal

You've budgeted 200 bucks for the 7 hour New York City layover, or the entire trip??

In any case, forget subways/trains. If you don't want to pay for a cab, take that fairly convenient and not terribly expensive bus that runs from Grand Central and Penn Station.

No idea about busses into QUEENS.

? The bus and the train are the same price. If he's trying to get downtown it would make no sense to go from Queens to a bus in midtown...

Other than a cab the fastest way to SoHo is the NQ on 31st street in Astoria or possibly taking the 7 train and transferring to the NQ at Queensboro Plaza, again getting off at Prince St. Trust me, sadly I was actually a B&T'er in Astoria for a few months.

But, if you really wanted to take the bus at grand central, the 7 train will get you there, 2nd to last stop. That being said in this case train is the way to go...

edit: Here we go. Hopstopped it for you. Take the M60 to the NQ. Approx a little over an hour from LGA to SoHo.

http://newyork.hopstop.com/search

[SoBad]

Yes, I would definitely put the running shoes into carry-on. The locals love morning jogs along LaGuardia runways, so you get to experience the local culture firsthand. I would bring swimsuits too – the northmost tips of the venerable LaGuardia runways are just a couple of hundred feet’s swim away from the beautiful Rikers Island. Nice jog, nice swim, exploring an exotic island, some bird-watching maybe, free meals potentially… you might enjoy your tour so much you’ll never make it to the Caribbean!