Travel

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Airports

There are three main airports that serve NYC; LaGuardia, JFK, and Newark (New Jersey). Each has a couple ways to get into the city depending on if you want to take public transportation or a cab. Only accept rides from taxis or a confirmed rideshare car. Do not accept rides from random cars offering to take you into the city.

We usually take taxis over Ubers in the city. They are generally cheaper and it’s easier to just hail a taxi than get a ride approved and then find your driver.

LaGuardia:

Taxi: Follow the airport signage for the taxi pick up area. Sample fares to Manhattan listed on LaGuardia’s website are about $30-45 not including tip but these can vary.

Uber/Lyft: Look for signage in the airport for the rideshare/car services pickup location. Order your ride once you are in the pickup area, there are usually a lot of drivers waiting to accept the app request nearby.

Public Transportation: Follow airport signage for Public Transportation. Depending on your terminal it might be a bit of a walk thanks to construction. You will want to take the Q70 (large light blue bus) to the Jackson-Heights Roosevelt Avenue subway station. The Q70 is free but you can purchase a metrocard for the subway at various machines around the airport or just wait until you get to the subway station. Once at the subway station you will swipe your metrocard to get in. Look for signs for the platforms for Manhattan bound trains. The E, F, or M will get you to Manhattan, but depending on where you stay one might get you closer than others. My advice is to use Google Maps. When you search directions to your hotel, there is the option to switch to public transportation directions right between the time estimate for driving and walking. This will give you the trains and transfers you need to take. This is how we learned to use the subway system when we first moved here!

JFK:

Taxi: Follow airport signage to the taxi services. There is an indoor line and someone will direct you to the taxi you will take. JFK has a flat rate of $70 to Manhattan, not including tip. There is a $5 surcharge during peak hours of 4pm-8pm on weekdays making it $75 without tip.

Uber/Lyft: Look for signage in the airport for the rideshare/car services pickup location. Order your ride once you are in the pickup area, there are usually a lot of drivers waiting to accept the app request nearby.

Public Transportation: Look for signs for the AirTrain. Before entering you will need to purchase a metrocard at one of the vending machines outside the airtrain gates. The Airtrain ride is $8 and the subway ride after will be $2.75. Take either the green AirTrain to Howard Beach or the Red line to Jamaica. From Howard Beach take the A train toward Brooklynn/Manhattan. From Jamaica take the E train towards Queens/Manhattan. My advice is to also use Google Maps. When you search directions to your hotel, there is the option to switch to public transportation directions right between the time estimate for driving and walking. This will give you the trains and transfers you need to take.

Newark:

Taxi: Follow the airport signage for the taxi pick up area. Sample fares to Manhattan listed on Newark’s website are about $50-55 not including tip unless you are going above 59th St but these can vary. During weekday rush hours - mornings (6AM to 9AM) and afternoons (4PM to 7PM) and on weekends (Saturday and Sunday from 12PM to 8PM) - there is an additional $5 surcharge.

Uber/Lyft: Look for signage in the airport for the rideshare/car services pickup location. Order your ride once you are in the pickup area, there are usually a lot of drivers waiting to accept the app request nearby.

Public Transportation: You will need to take the NJ Transit to Penn Station. Look for signs for the Airtrain. There is a NJ Transit ticket kiosk before the escalators that I recommend buying your train ticket at but if you miss it there are also a few before the train station, they are just generally a little busier. Buy your ticket for New York Penn Station. Take the Airtrain to Newark Airport Train Station. To exit the Airtrain area you will need to scan your train ticket so have it ready! Follow signs to the Manhattan bound train platform. There is a small waiting area that will have train times telling you when the next New York bound train is coming and which side it will be on, but in my experience they are usually on track A. New York Penn station will be the last stop. There is a New Jersey Penn Station before that so don’t get off early! From here my advice is to use Google Maps. When you search directions to your hotel, there is the option to switch to public transportation directions right between the time estimate for driving and walking. This will give you the subway trains and transfers you need to take in the city. This is how we learned to use the subway system when we first moved here! You can also go above ground and hail a taxi if you would like.

Hotels

My idea of a good hotel is a place I'd stay at - Robert De Niro

NYC is full of hotels to choose from so you can really choose the best option for you! We suggest staying in Manhattan to make it easier to get to the venue, and anything below 59th street is going to be a quick cab ride to the venue (probably ~20 minutes or less depending on distance and traffic).

We also have 2 hotel blocks to choose from if you would like. Please book before March 28th to be sure you get our wedding guest rates. Click the buttons below to book!

Hilton Garden Inn Chelsea

Renaissance New York Chelsea

Note: Hilton has offered to extend the group pricing if you are staying extra days if there is availability. Book your weekend nights and then reach out to Marissa at MGoldstein@heihotels.com with the extra days you would like and she will try to accommodate

We would also suggest are the Hyatt House New York/Chelsea, and Sheraton Tribeca.

Manhattan Penthouse

how exciting!

The Manhattan Penthouse is located at 80 5th Avenue on the top floor (17th floor).

Please wear formal attire. For men, a suit with a tie. For women, a floor length gown, a knee length or midi cocktail dress, or a pantsuit.

Arrival begins at 5:30pm and the ceremony begins at 6pm, followed by cocktail hour, dinner and dancing!

If you decide to drive, Manhattan Penthouse has a deal with the garage at 7 E 14th St. You can get your parking validated at coat check.

Things to do

So much to do so little time

Free Things:

Hudson River Park: Take a walk along the Hudson River and see the various piers that have been turned into beautiful parks! They stretch all along the river but our favorite section is between 14th street and Battery City. Just walking south down the river pathway gives beautiful views of downtown and great spots to watch the sunset. You can even get peeks at the Statue of Liberty. Go further north to Chelsea Piers for bowling or a driving range. For a full list of activities and where to find them along the park check out hudsonriverpark.org

Washington Square Park: All the parks are fun but Washington Square always seems to have the most interesting things happening. There will likely be at least a few people playing music, people dancing, and plenty of people selling art. If anything it is great for people watching! Since it will be spring there are usually a few trees and flowers in bloom and you can see the iconic arch.

Times Square: This is obviously a more touristy thing to do but you can’t go to NYC and not see Times Square. Nighttime is the best time to get the full effect of the lights. It is weirdly beautiful and definitely a one of a kind place.

More Pricey Things:

Top of the Rock: Go to the top of Rockefeller Center and get amazing views of the city! There is a small museum about the building, a long elevator ride, and then a few different observation decks inside and outside on top of the building. There is also a small gift shop on top of the building which is fun. The views are amazing and we prefer this one to going up in the Empire State Building because you get to see the Empire State Building in the skyline! Make reservations in advance on their website. Tickets are $40 dollars for adults and $50 for sunset times. A little pricey but I thought it was very worth it!

Broadway: Of course seeing a Broadway show is an amazing way to spend an afternoon or evening in New York. There are shows for everyone out. I suggest looking online at reviews and plots to see what might interest you. I can guarantee there is nothing like live theater from the best of the best performers! You can buy tickets at broadway.com or people resell tickets at seatgeek.com.

Restaurants

"Time is money, money is power, power is pizza, and pizza is knowledge."

New York City has so many food options! You can find great recommendations through online lists or you can search for certain cuisines on Google Maps. This is a list of some of our favorite places around us in the West Village!

Bleeker Street Pizza: A slice of pizza is a must when you visit NYC! There is a great debate over who has the best slice but Bleeker Street is one we always go back to. You walk up to the counter where they are displaying their pizza, pick a couple slices, and they will stick them in the oven to crisp the crust up to perfection! If you don’t want to come to the West Village there are plenty of other pizza by the slice places all over the city.

Bagel Pub: Another NYC must have is a bagel. There are a couple Bagel Pub locations, one near West Village on 9th and one between 29th and 30th which might be closer to your hotel (Google Maps will be your best friend). Bagel Pub is a walk up counter with a giant selection of cream cheese flavors and bagel types to make the most delicious combos.

Washington Square Diner: Diners are a favorite of ours. They are everywhere and serve breakfast all day plus probably just about any other comfort food you can think of. There is something for everyone on their extensive menus. Washington Square is our favorite but if you google search a diner there will likely be one within walking distance of your hotel.

Lupe’s East LA Kitchen: If you want unpretentious Mexican food, this is your place. They have Sara’s favorite nachos in the city and of course great margaritas. They don’t take reservations but they are usually pretty quick to get people seated.

Spicy Moon: Vegan szechuan with locations in both West Village and East Village. Don’t let the vegan part scare you away, we take all of our out of town friends here! We’ve never had a dish we don’t like so pick a few things to share but definitely make sure you order a Dan Dan Noodle. You can select your level of spiciness too. Spicy Moon is always busy so we recommend making a reservation well in advance!

Galanga Thai: There was a time where we were eating Galanga almost weekly. It is our staple when we don’t know what to eat. Plenty of noodle options (Drunken Noodle is spicy goodness), curry options (Mom Green Curry is a favorite), and a pineapple fried rice that is a perfect blend of sweet and savory. No reservations here and not usually a wait!

LOOK AT OUR CAT!

Her name is June.