Travel to New York... Bus or Car?

[dappergq]

I'm planning to visit my SO (first trip!) in New York. Long Beach, specifically. I'm coming from Virginia Beach, VA. He doesn't have a car, and I don't want to rent one while I'm up there. But I also don't know if I can handle driving for at least 7.5 hours one way with my disabilities. I'm trying to weigh the pros and cons, and I hoped maybe some native New Yorkers could give me some insight into not having a vehicle in areas other than "The City"?

I'm not going until Thanksgiving (US) to figure it out, but I want to get it planned as early as possible.

Thanks in advance!

[Yaaamiii]

If you feel that driving that long is too much for you, I wouldn't try it. Unless you think being on a bus would be too much for you as well. Check megabus.com, they've got great prices, going as low as $1 (+.50 cents booking fee) per trip. I guess if it's around Thanksgiving, it'll be a bit more expensive, but probably not as expensive as other bus services. Check greyhound as well. They're not too bad. There may even be a bus service that specializes in those areas. Best of luck!

[snow_girl]

Does your SO drive? In the city I would recommend against driving, I've never been so frustrated as I was trying to find our hotel in Manhattan. If you are avoiding there then is it possible that you could take a few breaks during a drive down? 7.5 hours isn't too long (coming from someone who has done several 14 hr drives at once) to begin with so to add on 2/4 more hours so you could get there comfortably wouldn't be a huge deal either.

[lucybelle]

Why not take the bus up there and then rent a car once you get there to go to places outside the city? I would never want to drive in NYC, the public transport is great. There are some trains and buses that go to other places in NY but they're more limited. If you want to go somewhere other than the city, rent a car when you get there.

[Moon]

So, you won't be in NYC right, just NY state? If once you get there, you and your SO won't have any mode of transportation, I'd try driving. Like snow_girl said, 7.5 hours isn't too bad, if you take breaks, and it'll assure you can get around once you get there. I'm sure you'd like to see the place and your SO would have fun showing you around, otherwise you'll be kind of stuck unless public transportation is readily available there.

[CynicalQuixotic]

So, you won't be in NYC right, just NY state? If once you get there, you and your SO won't have any mode of transportation, I'd try driving. Like snow_girl said, 7.5 hours isn't too bad, if you take breaks, and it'll assure you can get around once you get there. I'm sure you'd like to see the place and your SO would have fun showing you around, otherwise you'll be kind of stuck unless public transportation is readily available there.

OP's going to Long Beach, which is on Long Island--it's about a 20 minute to 1 hour drive depending on traffic, and a 35-40 minute commuter train ride. If you're planning to spend most of your time in New York City, a car isn't necessary and frankly would be a burden, as it's an expensive nightmare to find parking. If you're mostly spending time on the Island, however, a car would make getting around much easier, especially in Long Beach. It's really up to where the two of you want to spend most of your time.

[kittyo9]

It's much harder to get around outside of the city without a car. In the city, fine-- I can't stand driving in the city, I'd much rather take the subway or walk. But outside of the city, things aren't so simple. I grew up about an hour out of NYC (in Connecticut) and we have no public transportation whatsoever, so you'd be lost there without a car or someone with a car. I don't know what the public transportation situation is Long Beach-- how does your SO get around? That should be your indicator for how necessary a car is.

I see that Google Maps does indicate that there is public transportation from Grand Central (where you'd arrive if you took a bus from VA to NYC) to Long Beach. If you don't plan on going many places or your partner has other means of getting around that will be available to you, you might look into this. I, personally, find coordinating public transportation that I've never used to be terrifying, but your SO could maybe meet you at the station or something so you could travel together. Does your SO ever go into the city?

[CynicalQuixotic]

I see that Google Maps does indicate that there is public transportation from Grand Central (where you'd arrive if you took a bus from VA to NYC) to Long Beach. If you don't plan on going many places or your partner has other means of getting around that will be available to you, you might look into this. I, personally, find coordinating public transportation that I've never used to be terrifying, but your SO could maybe meet you at the station or something so you could travel together. Does your SO ever go into the city?

Also, a good thing to note that kitty just reminded me of, if you take Greyhound, you get in at Port Authority, which is all right in the daytime but at night is one of the skeeviest places in the city. Definitely get your SO to meet you if that happens.

ETA: Other than that one area, all of the public transportation on the island of Manhattan is very safe. As long as you keep your wits about you and a hand on your stuff, you really don't have to worry about anything being stolen or anything happening beyond maybe a few homeless guys yelling things at you.

[adoniia]

I prefer to car. I dont know what other people think. I just see my way to do work.