Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Tunnel
(lower Manhattan), the
Lincoln Tunnel
(Midtown), and
the
George Washington Bridge
(Upper Manhattan). From
upstate
New York,
take the
New York State Thruway
(I-87), which crosses
the Hudson River on the Tappan Zee Bridge and becomes the
Major
Deegan Expressway
(I-87) through the Bronx. For the East Side,
continue to the Triborough Bridge and then down the FDR Drive.
For the West Side, take the Cross Bronx Expressway (I-95) to the
Henry Hudson Parkway or the Taconic State Parkway to the Saw
Mill River Parkway to the Henry Hudson Parkway south.
From
New England,
the
New England Thruway
(I-95) connects
with the
Bruckner Expressway
(I-278), which leads to the Tribor-
ough Bridge (Robert F. Kennedy Bridge) and the FDR Drive on the
East Side. For the West Side, take the Bruckner to the Cross Bronx
Expressway (I-95) to the Henry Hudson Parkway south.
You'll pay tolls along some of these roads and at most crossings.
Once you arrive in Manhattan, park your car in a garage (expect
to pay $20-$45 per day) and leave it there. Don't use your car for
traveling within the city. Public transportation, taxis, and walking
will easily get you where you want to go.
BY TRAIN
Amtrak
(
&
800/USA-RAIL;
www.amtrak.com) runs frequent serv-
ice to New York City's
Penn Station,
on Seventh Avenue between
31st and 33rd streets, where you can easily pick up a taxi, subway, or
bus to your hotel. To get the best rates, book early (as much as
6 months in advance) and travel on weekends.
If you're traveling to New York from a city along Amtrak's North-
east Corridor—such as Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, or Wash-
ington, D.C.—Amtrak may be your best travel bet now that they've
rolled out the high-speed Acela trains. The
Acela Express
trains cut
travel time from D.C. down to 2
1
⁄
2
hours, and travel time from
Boston to a lightning-quick 3 hours. (If you book a seat on a Metro-
liner or regular unreserved service, the fares are cheaper, but expect
to spend longer on the train).
MANHATTAN'S NEIGHBORHOODS IN BRIEF
Downtown
Lower Manhattan: South Street Seaport & the Financial Dis-
trict
At one time, this was New York—period. Established by
the Dutch in 1625, New York's first settlements sprang up here,
on the southern tip of Manhattan island; everything uptown was
