THE ENTIRE EAST COAST IN LESS THAN A WEEK?

3 PM to 8 PM – We are driving to New Jersey. But why not New York? Well, unless you are looking for a crazy nightlife party, it’s in our best interest to stay out of Manhattan. The hotels will be twice the price, and remember, you have a rental car – that means 40 dollars overnight in parking! So, by staying in New Jersey, we are saving hundreds of dollars just for 8 hours of sleep.

8 PM – Get into Hoboken, have dinner, and get ready to tour Manhattan bright and early. 

Day 2 – NEW YORK CITY 

Doing New York City in one day … is it possible? With so many must see locations, I will admit … it’s not possible. But, we will do our best. After all, how many of those people in the MOMA are going to see the White House, Disney World, The Empire State Building, and Old Ironsides in one week? So, we need to make some sacrifices. But if you plan right, you can save A LOT of time, and A LOT of money for New York. Sleeping in New Jersey won’t only save you money, but a slew of time as well. Here’s how:  

FIRST – The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island 

            The lines in Manhattan are incredibly long. The lines in New Jersey are not as long. Also, in NJ, you can purchase a “Reserve Ticket” from www.statuecruises.com. You want to reserve an 8 AM ticket … no lines … less security. You just saved yourself 2 hours for the price of 6 extra dollars. Well worth it. Oh, by the way, you can park at Liberty State Park where the cruise leaves. To get there from Hoboken, just take the Light Rail to the park. Anyone in the hotel will be able to help you. After your informative tour of the Statue and Ellis Island is completed, you can hop on a ferry to the other side of the River and continue your day in Manhattan. Or, if you wanted to do New York City first, and leave your car in that parking lot, you could take the PATH subway to Manhattan, and pick up your car at the end of an afternoon ferry ride. 

You can honestly save a lot of time by not getting off the ferry to go to the Statue of Liberty. You have a wonderful view of the outside of it, and unless you want to climb a lot of stairs, there isn’t much of a need to go into the statue. The National Park website says to allow for 5 hours to do both. No one does that. If you look at the statue from the boat, and just do Ellis Island, you could be taking your ferry back to Manhattan by 11 AM the latest. 

12 PM … Lower Manhattan. This is my favorite part of Manhattan. The ferry will drop you off at The Battery. Walk North, and then follow signs for the South Street Seaport. The Seaport itself is not a MUST for me, but the walk is. New York City has recently put up a lot of friendly signs for tourists. In the same short walk, you can see Federal Hall where Washignton took the first Inauguration, The World Trade Center Memorial, and at the corner of Broadway and Wall is Trinity Church, where Alexander Hamilton and Robert Fulton are buried. From there, a walk through Little Italy or China Town (blocks apart) is a perfect spot for lunch. Don't forget to admire the Brooklyn Bridge while you are in lower Manhattan. Follow signs, as it is only a short walk from The Memorial.

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