How to spend time at EWR

[Carry0nLuggage]

It's my turn to draw on your collective experience:

Ms Carry0nLuggage is coming back from 3 months in Vermont flying BTV - EWR - LGW this Saturday. Because of a change to the timetable she now has about 5 hours to spend in EWR. She is thinking of going into Manhatten to do some sight seeing.

Can anyone suggest things to see or do while she's there?

Are there any left luggage facilities at EWR? She has a laptop which would be a nuisance to lug about.

Thanks very much.

[Pax Vobiscum]

Assuming we're talking daylight hours, I'd recommend taking the train into New York. The monorail now connects directly to the NJ Transit trains which take 20 mins to NY Penn station. You won't beat that by road.

What to do in NY in a couple of hours?! Depends on Ms CoL's interests, but assuming first time in NY I'd suggest:
Culture - Metropolitan Museum (but really needs a whole day or several)
Tourist Stuff - Empire State building (but the queues can get long)
If weather fine (maybe unlikely in Nov) - Central Park
Shopping!

I (and Mrs PV) find the subway safe (as safe as the Tube, anyway) but some of my NJ friends think I'm crazy ...

Can't help with the left luggage I'm afraid. For more info Newark Airport (http://www.newarkairport.com)

[Carry0nLuggage]

Pax Vobiscum

Thanks for the ideas. I managed to get a mesage to Ms C0L last night. The clock is running now so I'll find out how she got on tomorrow and let you know.

C0L

[Bubbette]

5 hours is not a lot of time to get into the city, back to EWR and then do something. She needs to stay on the west side or near those subways; perhaps check out the shopping near there (Macy's, the garment district).

[Carry0nLuggage]

Ms C0L did take the train into Manhatten and saw the sights from the top of an open top tour bus until the cold and lack of time sent her back to EWR.

There is a left luggage place at EWR but it was "a sort of broom cupboard" and wouldn't accept laptops or camera gear.

Thanks again.

C0L

[knobbygb]

Glad she found time. How long did the journey into the city take?

In my experience of connecting to transatlantic flights at EWR (3 times) I have always been delayed by about an hour - usually sat on the tarmac after arrival waiting for a gate :eek: I have invariably had to run for my connection and would think 5 hours was about right ;) Oh, for the joy of spending that last $3 in nickels and pennies on Hersey bars and Lays 'chips' while waiting to board!

Seriously, has anyone who does this regularly noticed any improvement recently with the cutback in the numbers of flights? I've avoided Continental for this reason for the last couple of trips which is a shame.

[Carry0nLuggage]

knobbygb

About 5 minutes for the Airtrain monorail and 20-25 mins for the train into NY so the round trip would be about an hour. USD11.55 one way.

It was the reduction in flights by Continental which started this thread off.

C0L