I'm driving in from upstate for a dream date at 6:00...I know traffic is going to suck but am more concerned with finding a place to park...any tips?
There are plenty of parking garages throughout Manhattan but be prepared to pay the price. Get prices ahead of time (from the websites) or read the signs carefully. I love the "24 Hours. Park all day. $20" and then in the tiny print "for the first half hour." Hah!
There are websites and smartphone apps for finding paid parking but I'm blanking on them as I write this. (Enter her address and find the closest paid parking places.) Even google maps has "find nearby" to locate parking garages. Check websites for prices and coupons. Oh - I said that already.
What some of us do is drive to a RR station - I think you're coming from upstate so drive to a convenient stop on Metro-North Hudson Line - and take the train to Grand Central Station. You beat all the traffic just getting in and around downtown. Many Metro-North stations have attached parking at reasonable rates. Your schedule avoids rush hours, so your MN trip should be easy and not crowded.
If I goofed up and your on LI, drive to a LIRR station and take the train the rest of the way.
nyc.bestparking.com is great. If you type in an address and time frame, it will give you a map of garages in the area, along with a rate for each. (You sometimes need to click on the garage you want in order to have a coupon mailed to you with rate/reservation). I'm sure there are other apps as well.
For future reference, you can find free street parking after 6 in Tribeca and much of Soho. I'm not sure about other neighborhoods. I will often park there, then take a subway to where I need to go.
Street parking in Midtown is challenging... if, next time, you can schedule a date for after 8, though, you'll be able to find spots on 10th Ave. and some side streets. If it's after 10, you can almost always find a spot. Some are paid (metered), some free. The metered spots will generally run you less than $10.
If you can arrive a bit earlier, try Riverside Drive and UWS side streets (70's through lower 100's). Especially if it's a weekend, or if you can sneak in at the tail end of street cleaning rules. (Generally Mon/Thurs or Tues/Fri 9:30-11, or 11-12:30).
After 8 pm, during the week, you might be able to find on-street parking for free. Just be sure to read the signs, and keep an eye out for fire hydrants. Parking tickets in NYC will set you back more than a c-note...
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Have fun! Pollie