More NY/NJ advice needed ...

My family and I are visiting my dad in upstate New York in June. On our way out, we're going to the Yankees' Monday afternoon game on June 9. After spending some added time in the city, we'll be driving to the Philly area that night to stay in a hotel.

Here's my plan. Drive from my dad's to a park-and-ride in New Jersey. Take NJ Transit to NYC then take the subway to Yankee Stadium. Or, I could do the equivalent of that on the NY side of the Hudson River, it doesn't matter.

Here's my quandary ... where is a good park-and-ride location to do this at? The closer to NYC the better. In my research, Ridgewood and West Orange seemed doable. I want a park-and-ride that has direct access to the trains, if possible.

Please don't tell me to drive to Philly and take Acela or some equivalent, we're not doing that, it's too expensive. And leaving our vehicle out of the equation isn't an option. We'll be going from NYC to Philly to DC, then we're going home.

I'd consider driving straight to Yankee Stadium, and I do LOVE to drive in NYC (seriously, I really do), but I've heard it's a nightmare to park.

Thanks in advance for the advice.

 

The "It's a nightmare to park" mantra was really started by Steinbrenner when he was trying to leverage some money from NYC by threatening to move to NJ. It's really not hard at all. It takes some time like any other stadium, but it's not difficult at all. I haven't been this season, but it's been $20 to park for quite a few years.

Not sure what road you'll be coming in on, but I usually go on the Cross Bronx Expressway to the Deegan South. From there, there's two or three exits where there's parking lots and/or garages right at the bottom of the ramp. Maybe 20 minutes to park, an hour or so to leave.

 

It's not hard to find a spot, but getting out can be really slow. A thought is this -- depending on where you are going to be after the game in Manhattan, you can park near Grand Central or Bloomingdale's and take the train up. It's a 20 minutes ride max from that area.

If you are leaving Manhattan after 8 or so, there will be no traffic at the Lincoln Tunnel getting out of the city.

 

On a Monday, you're right, as it's the lightest theatre evening of the week.

Other nights (especially Tuesday thru Saturday) . . . . eeeeh.

 

There's no way I'd spend all that time going from NJ to the stadium and then back to NJ and into the car to Philly. That'll take you forever. Drive to the stadium (though I haven't done that in 10 years) or park on the other side of the GW and hail a cab from there.

 

West Orange is not on the train line.

I've driven wekkend games to the Stadium with no problem. There's a dollar store near the north parking garage with 99-cent water, too, saving you from the Stadium fleecing.

You can also park in Hoboken and take the PATH to the city subways.

 

I guess the important question is what you are doing after the game. If you want to spend time in Manhattan, I wouldn't drive to the Stadium, as you are going to spend forever getting out of there and driving to Manhattan. In that case, I'd either drive to Hoboken or park where I mentioned above and take public transportation to and from the Stadium.

If you are going to leave right after the game, you can drive to the Stadium, suck it up in the traffic over the GW and hit the NJ Turnpike south.

 

Drive to the Stadium and park, just don't plan on leaving right away. I like to bide a little time at the Yankee Tavern on 161st Street.

 

I hate the Yankees but I could see myself hoisting a few in that joint. Looks like my kind of place.

 

Park at Spnited's house. He'll drive you and he knows all the ways around flyover country...