Visit NYC: Planning your trip from Morris County

While people come from all over the world to visit New York, Morris County residents are lucky to have the world-famous destination right in their backyard. As the weather gets nicer, planning a day trip to New York to explore the city might be just the thing.

“We encourage New Jersey residents to take advantage of their close proximity to New York City,” said Caroline Peck, senior manager of communications for NYC & Company, a marketing, tourism and partnership organization.

One of the best ways to experience the city is through its neighborhoods, Peck said. New York is home to more than 200 diverse neighborhoods across its five boroughs, so take your pick.

“Instead of trying to cross everything off the NYC bucket list in one day, pick one or two things in a neighborhood, and plan a day in that neighborhood,” she said.

In the Bronx, visitors can head to the beautiful New York Botanical Garden, then dig into an authentic Italian meal nearby along Arthur Avenue, which is often called New York’s “real” Little Italy. In Manhattan’s West Village, you can stroll through the charming streets, boutiques and restaurants.

Visitors will want to check out One World Observatory, the new Whitney in the Meatpacking District and The Met Breuer, which is opening this month. The 9/11 Memorial Museum, the revamped NBC Studio Tour and the final extension of the High Line are also must-sees.

If you want to extend your trip another day, Peck has an insider tip for booking your hotel. “For lower hotel rates, try staying over on a Sunday night, U.S. holidays or in the first couple months of the year,” she said.

NYC by train

New Jersey Transit’s train service in Morris County includes the Morristown Line and Gladstone Branch, which has service to New York Penn Station, Newark-Broad Street Station and Hoboken. Its Montclair-Boonton Line goes to Hoboken, with connections to New York.

NJ Transit also offers connections to the PATH, a 24-hour train operated by the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey that runs between Newark, Jersey City, Hoboken and Manhattan.

NYC by car

If you want to drive into New York, Neal Buccino, public information officer for the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, said it’s important to consider which of the Port Authority’s Hudson River crossings — the George Washington Bridge, Lincoln Tunnel or Holland Tunnel — would work best for your trip.

Drivers would be smart to avoid the peak hours of 6 to 10 a.m. and 4 to 8 p.m. on weekdays, and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

“(You should) avoid taking the Lincoln Tunnel eastbound to New York during the (evening) peak period, when the tunnel operates with only two lanes toward Manhattan,” Buccino said.

Drivers can save on the tolls by using E-ZPass, especially during the off-peak hours.

“The automobile cash toll on Port Authority crossings is $15, while the E-ZPass peak toll is $12.50 and the E-ZPass off-peak toll is $10.50,” Buccino said, adding that “the tolls on all Port Authority crossings are charged one-way only, into New York. No tolls are collected entering New Jersey — so the round trip costs only one toll.”

According to Uber, an online ride dispatch company, the Uber app gives you a couple of ways to travel into the city from Morris County. Unlike a taxi service, this ridesharing service has a network of drivers who use their personal cars to drive passengers on pre-arranged trips booked through the mobile app.

You can take an Uber from your home to a train station in New Jersey, and then to New York from there, avoiding parking costs.

To take the longer trip from Morris County directly into New York, you can get a fare estimate in the app using different pickup and dropoff locations, like Penn Station and Wall Street, for instance.

Fares are usually very affordable, but if prices are surging due to high demand, a lightning bolt icon will appear, and users will be asked to confirm the higher-than-normal fare. Users can also be notified when surge pricing ends, so that they can wait to request a ride, according to Uber.

Due to New York regulations that makes the cost to pick up in New York higher than the cost in New Jersey, it is likely cheaper to take Uber into the city and then take another mode of transportation home. One option is to take the train from New York, and then once you’re back in New Jersey, take an Uber home from the train station.

NYC by ferry

New York Waterway spokesman Pat Smith recommends the ferry as a great way to travel into New York.

“NY Waterway parking and ferry rates are lower than the cost of driving into Manhattan and paying to park there,” Smith said. “The ferry avoids Lincoln Tunnel traffic and the hunt for parking in Manhattan.”

Indoor parking is available at the Port Imperial ferry terminal in Weehawken, and the terminal is also served by the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail and NJ Transit and NY Waterway buses.

“Ferries depart every 20 minutes, every 10 minutes during weekday morning and evening rush hour, and the ferry takes just eight minutes to cross to West 39th Street in Manhattan,” Smith said. “At West 39th Street, free NY Waterway buses (can) take passengers on routes throughout Midtown and Downtown Manhattan.”

“If you have tickets for a 2 p.m. show, you know you will get there on time,” Smith added.

The terminals at Port Imperial and West 39th Street offer shops and dining. Buses stop at key New York tourist spots including Rockefeller Center, Macy’s and Times Square.

NY Waterway’s customer service representatives and bus locator app can help you with your trip to New York, Smith said. Families going back to the ferry terminal can see in real time exactly where the free buses are by using the app.

Once you’re there

Once you’re in New York, Peck of NYC & Company said that apps like Google Maps, iTrans NYC and New York City Compass can make it easy to get around. iTrans NYC offers entrance/exit data, countdown clocks and modified weekend schedules, while New York City Compass tells you whether you’re going uptown, downtown or crosstown.

Tell us your favorite NYC trip tip; email eabreu@gannettnj.com.

For more information:

For neighborhood and seasonal guides, itineraries and trip-planning ideas and tools, visit nycgo.com

For NJ Transit train routes and schedules, visit www.njtransit.com

For Port Authority toll rates and E-ZPass discount plans, visit www.panynj.gov/tolls

To sign up for Uber, visit www.uber.com/ride

For NY Waterway ferry and bus information, visit www.nywaterway.com

Where to visit:

Here are some of New York’s top draws, according to a tourism expert:

Cultural: The Frick Collection, Lower East Side Tenement Museum, Museum of the Moving Image, MoMA PS1, the Cloisters and Brooklyn Museum

Gardens: New York Botanical Garden (the Bronx) and Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Theater: Apollo Theater (Harlem); The Public Theater (East Village), where Hamilton started; BAM (Brooklyn); and New York’s Broadway and Off-Broadway weeks offer two-for-one tickets twice a year (winter and fall)

Dining: Smorgasburg (Brooklyn and Queens), a giant all-food market; Arthur Avenue (the Bronx); Sunset Park (Brooklyn) and Flushing (Queens) are New York’s larger Chinatowns; Harlem soul food at Minton’s, The Cecil, Sylvia’s Soul Food and Red Rooster; Williamsburg (Brooklyn) offers many new and noteworthy restaurants including Llama Inn, Lilia and Black Tree BK; upscale food halls abound, including Hudson Eats, Gotham West Market, The Pennsy (close to Penn Station), the Gansevoort Market, Urbanspace Vanderbilt and City Kitchen; dine along the 7 train in Queens for standout ethnic cuisine; and Restaurant Week features three-course, prix-fixe menus at 350-plus restaurants twice a year (winter and summer)

Kid-friendly: New York Hall of Science (Queens); Coney Island (Brooklyn); Bronx Zoo; and walk the Brooklyn Bridge to DUMBO, which offers Brooklyn Bridge Park, Jane’s Carousel, Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory and more

Activities: Walk the Brooklyn Bridge, visit Coney Island and go check out a concert/game at the Barclays Center

Big events: Westminster Dog Show, New York International Auto Show, Tribeca Film Festival, Cherry Blossom Festival at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, TD Five Boro Bike Tour, Shakespeare in the Park, NYCxDESIGN, SummerStage, Gay Pride Week, Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest, Summer Streets, US Open Tennis, Feast of San Gennaro, New York Comic-Con, Radio City Christmas Spectacular, Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting, and more.