New York in 9 hours or less

[dps]

For the authentic NYC experience, try to get mugged in all 5 boroughs.   

[Capetan Mihali]

Forget a driving tour. Get a cab to leave you off in Brooklyn, then walk across the bridge into Manhattan and make your way up to Central Park. On your way you can walk through a lot of the major neighborhoods and see a lot of the landmarks in NYC. If you get tired, just find a park, restaurant, or bar to rest in.

Only problem is that getting from EWR to say Brooklyn Heights could take fucking forever, depending on the time of day and considering you have to cross the Holland Tunnel, drive through downtown, and get over another bridge.  Then start enjoying yourself... and you need to get back to the airport 2 hours early, so you'd really have to hustle through Chinatown, the Village, and Chelsea to get up to Penn Station in time. 

EDIT: And with the kids, forget about it.

[DGuller]

He's landing at 9 pm in Newark, so traffic isn't going to be a problem in Manhattan.  At night, Manhattan is actually a pretty good drive.  How much are you going to see at night from the car, though?  Even during the day, a car is not exactly an observation platform that lets you get a feel for the location you're driving through.  Canuck will also need a stretch limo or a car without a front passenger seat to be comfortable during such a long drive.

[Capetan Mihali]

He's landing at 9 pm in Newark

Oh right.    So it's probably too late for dinner either, depending on what time zone his clan's stomachs are in and what restaurants in N.J. are seating people at 10pm...

Maybe just use the time as an object lesson for your children by cruising around the desolation of post-industrial Newark ghetto and then having them observe the gleaming towers of Capital across the river, so they are reminded of how lucky they are to live in Canada.   

[alfred russel]

Walking is the way to go. The city never sleeps. Maybe start at Rockefeller Center skating rink with the tree this time of year. This time of year at night is a great time to go. I don't know if you can go to the top of the Empire State Building or Rockefeller Center so late at night, but if you can that is a better time to go than the day.

I wouldn't be as exicited about a walk from Brooklyn to Central Park in the middle of the night.

[crazy canuck]

Thanks for the tip Yi, I was wondering about the timing issue.

Where are you guys going?

Aruba

[fhdz]

Jamaica

[fhdz]

oooo I'm gonna take ya

[Capetan Mihali]

Jamaica

Queens?  Not the best part of New York to explore at night, I can attest.

[Ideologue]

oooo I'm gonna take ya

[Darth Wagtaros]

Next week I have a nine your lay over in Newark with my family in the middle of the night - landing at 9 pm local time.  The current plan is to hire a driver for a driving tour of the city for a couple hours and then get some sleep at the airport hotel.

All advice regarding what we might do on the tour or alternatives is appreciated.

Take a look at the Saks Fifth Avenue Christmas display.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgqzD_aTSNk

[Grey Fox]

Thanks for the tip Yi, I was wondering about the timing issue.

Where are you guys going?

Aruba

Netherlands, eh?

[Darth Wagtaros]

Thanks for the tip Yi, I was wondering about the timing issue.

Where are you guys going?

Aruba

I will be going therein March.

[Admiral Yi]

Bergen, as in the county?     You must mean Hoboken.  Which is in Hudson County. 

That's the ticket.

[The Minsky Moment]

Even without traffic, EWR to NYC and back takes some time and if you want to get some sleep as well, that limits your time. 

Rock Center is an option - but keep on mind that other than restaurants and bars, Midtown closes down late nights: the office workers go home and the retail stores close.   There is still foot traffic but not a lot to do other than eat and drink.  Rock is not that far from Times Square, which is usually busy until quite late, if that is your sort of thing.

Late nights Greenwich Village tends to stay quite lively - that is an option as well.