I stayed at Jazz in the Park www.jazzhostels.com really nice but you'll need the subway to get anywhere.

thats why I didnt book jazz, didnt wanna have to take the subway to harlem at night. But maybe its safer now, I havent been in years.

I stayed at Jazz on Lenox up in Harlem for a night. Its a decent place especially for the price of less that $20. Sure its in Harlem, yet despite the common misconceptions it is quite safe there. Actually New York is among the safer cities in the US, in terms of violent crime. It is a longer subway ride if you would want to head to anywhere like Brooklyn though.

^^Yeah, thats really the main reason I dont stay there, because its not central. I love Harlem actually, in the summertime. But everytime I goto new york, I never have time to go there.

Okay, I stayed at Hotel 17 this weekend. Great charming place! I had a private room with shared bathroom for $99 bucks (after tax was $115). REally attracive pre-war building with oldfashion elevator. Room was cute, clean, comfy. Three blocks from union square. They boast that all these movies were filmed there, notable Woody Allens' Manhattan Murder Mystery. Also, there's a spa on the corner!

Votes for the International AYH hostel right here. When I visit NYC for a week, as I do about once a year. I stay there. It is huge, true, but don´t let that fool you. It is one of the friendliest hostels I have ever been to, it is clean, and it has a fantastic social room. ok, the kitchen is in an awkward place, but it HAS a kitchen.It´s also across the street from a Pizza place which also has good mexican food.

That´s where I usually end up eating. It ends up being cheaper than being hungry in central manhattan. It even has a nice snack bar with reasonable prices and good soup.

Don´t think twice, sign up there, BUT, you need to reserve ahead, because its almost always booked if you want a few nights extra on a weekend.

Other people know the secret as well.

Oh yes, did I mention that they have free tours of the city given by experienced guides?

Travel'tech, I earnestly recommend you take the Chinabus back and forth. They run on the hour, and parking in philadelphia can be a pain, ESPECIALLY if you want to see the art museum.

I recommend the walk from arch street to the art museum. Its very pretty, or you can take a cab or a bus from there.

Now, if you don´t want to take the bus, my family always takes the holland tunnel, and no, its not a guarantee on a saturday. The good news is that you´re not going to the ski areas, or TO the city, so all the traffic may be one'way, the other way.

Leave plenty of time, but usually, two hours does the job. THEN you have to find a parking space, which, in society hill on a saturday is NOT a fun pastime. There are lots, but they cost.


Good luck!!!

Im sorry, what is this advice for?? If its about driving to new york, I decided against it. I only asked because my mother was coming to visit, otherwise I just take the greyhound.