Survival Guide for the New York City Field Trip

Nearly 100 people have signed up for the New York City trip on Thursday, July 30, 2009 during the Highpointers Convention at High Point, New Jersey.

Because of the large number of people going on these event, we are going to run it informally so that you can drop off and do what you want at various points. This schedule is aimed at getting people to Rockefeller Center for NBC. We will follow the schedule below but we cannot get that big of crowd on buses which will already be crowded with tourists. We will provide maps, schedules of bus and train services.

Here’s the basics of what you need to know.


The large number of last minute sign ups is considerably more than what we expected. You can make the trip on your own and try to hook up with us or you can stay with the group.

Total Costs
This cost of this trip is not included in the Convention package.

Total Minimum Cost for Adult (without food, etc.): $100.25 ($34 rt train+2.25 subway+$44 tour bus+$20 Empire State Building)
Total Minimum Cost Child (without food, etc.): $82.25 ($17 rt train+2.25 subway+$29 Tour bus+$14 Empire State Building)

Specific Costs:
*Jersey Transit Train Roundtrip Peak Fare from Port Jervis, New York $34 for Adults and $16.50 for children – IT IS ADVISABLE YOU BUY THESE TICKETS THE NIGHT BEFORE BUT THEY WILL BE AVAILABLE AT DEPARTURE FROM A VENDING MACHINE – THERE IS A $5 EXTRA FEE IF YOU BUY IT ON THE TRAIN
*Parking for 16 Hours at Port Jervis train station ($2.25 paid via onsite machines). We will car pool to minimize this.
*Subway from Penn Station to Rockefeller Center $2.25 (price is subject to current debate). We will have cards ready in advance
*Gray Line Double Decker Open Air Bus – $44 for adults and $29 for children for DOWNTOWN LOOP (there is a $5 discount if you book online http://www.coachusa.com/newyorksightseeing/)
*Empire State Building ($18.45+1.55 tax=$20 for adults 13-61; $12.92+1.08=$14 for children 6-12; $16.61+1.39=$18 for adults 62 and older)

Schedule:
Our approximate schedule:
4:15 AM – Meet in Lobby of Hunts Point Inn for car pooling to train
4:30 AM – Leave by car to train station at 100 Pike Street at Front Street in downtown Port Jervis (less than 10 minutes from motel)
5:05 AM – Jersey Transit train leaves for New York Penn Station (change trains at Seacaucus Junction)
7:23 AM – Arrive at Penn Station
7:30 AM – Take New York Subway F or V or D Subway from 34th and 6th Avenue 6th Avenue and 47th Street Station Rockefeller Center to watch “Today Show” and show the Highpointers Colors.
9:00 AM – Take a self guided walking tour of Rockefeller Center and St. Patricks Cathedral
9:30 AM – Catch Bus at Grey Line Sightseeing bus at 51st Street and 7th Avenue for trip down Broadway, past Macy’s, Madison Square Garden
10:00 AM – Arrive at Empire State Building 34th Street and 5th Avenue. We are allowing three hours for the Empire State Building. It could be shorter. We will have lunch in the area.
1:00 PM – Take downtown Bus past the Flatiron Building, by the original Madison Square Garden, through Greenwich Village, Little Italy
1:30 PM – Visit to Ground Zero, with a visit to St. Paul’s Chapel (where the Highpointers Tribute sign was posted after 9/11), walk around Wall Street and photo ops with the Statue of Liberty in the background from Battery Park.
3:00 PM – Take uptown bus passing Chinatown, East Village, United Nations, Waldorf Astoria Hotel, The Plaza Hotel, the south end of Central Park and Return to Penn Station by 4 PM
4:36 PM – Jersey Transit Train leaves Penn Station arriving in Port Jervis at 6:55 PM. You can then attend the Sunset Social on High Point

If the group wishes to dawdle someplace along the line, other trains returning to Port Jervis leave at:
5:32 PM Arriving at 7:54 PM
6:03 PM Arriving at 8:17 PM
6:18 PM Arriving at 8:35 PM
6:52 PM Arriving at 9:11 PM
7:49 PM Arriving at 10:06 PM

Gray Line Map of Tour (we are taking the DOWNTOWN LOOP only) (everything to the left of Central Park – marked in green on the map).

Transportation Links:
If you would like to set your own schedule and join us at certain locations, you are free to do so.

The New Jersey Transit (train) page is:
http://www.njtransit.com/sf/sf_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=TrainSchedulesTo
Use the drop down for “Port Jervis” and “New York Penn Station”

Gray Line Sightseeing (the double decker buses)
http://www.coachusa.com/newyorksightseeing/

Port Jervis Train Station
http://as0.mta.info/mnr/stations/station_detail.cfm?key=797

Shortline Bus
The Short Line is a bus service that goes from the convention headquarters at the Hunts Inn Motel to New York City Port Authority Bus Station (42nd and 8th Avenue). The buses are $44 roundtrip and reservations can be made at the front desk and the buses are actually faster. However we are not using this option for a group since it would have required a strict schedule and financial commitment which we could not meet. If you are planning to take it your own you should be advised that although the bus is express to New York City, it is one of the last stops before the bus goes to the city and so there is a good chance that you might not be able to get a seat on a desired bus because of commuters boarding the bus before reaching the convention center.
http://www.coachusa.com/shortline/ss.tickets.asp

Use the drop downs for “Matamoras, Pennsylvania” and “New York, New York”

If you have questions calls Roger Rowlett at 212.245.3393 or r.e.rowlett@gmail.com

Map of Port Jervis Train Station:

View Larger Map

Articles about the Highpointers 2009 Convention

This entry was posted in General and tagged . Bookmark the permalink.