Need Your New York/New Jersey Expertise, Someone

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

Personally, I would vote for parking outside of NYC and taking a train or ferry in, but I'm not sure of all of the details in NJ transit parking lots.  I just take the train into New Brunswick and from what I hear parking is a big pain in the ass.  You can take ferries from Hoboken, Weehawken, and Jersey City, which is great fun and cheap, but parking isn't really any better in any of those places and I'd be willing to bet that the garages there are roughly the same prices as Manhattan.  Staten Island might be an option, and the ferry is free - is PoSI lurking anywhere?

Alternately, you could take the Holland Tunnel in and find parking somewhere in Chinatown, which empties out at sunset, though driving on Canal Street is a bit of a nightmare.

I've taken both the Greyhound and Chinatown buses from DC and neither was all that painful - just load your Zune with a couple of episodes of the Best Show and you're set.

[A.M. Thomas]

I would recommend parking on Frank Sinatra Dr. in Hoboken.  It's about a five minute walk to the path from there, which can take you all the way to 33rd st.  Parking is free there (even though it says there is a three hour limit, you'll be fine) and I've always been able to find a spot.

Here is a map of the area.

It's a really nice walk on the waterfront and it's in a pretty safe area.  Just don't park there overnight.

[Fido]

Okay. It's time somebody stepped in with an actual inside scoop. So:

Tenth Avenue between 30th and 50th Streets. Cheap metered parking.

West 40s--west of 9th Avenue. Free street parking most weekdays.

If you're willing to do a little block-circling and get off the tourist-beaten path, you can park in Manhattan for next to nothing.

Good ideas -- I live in Hell's Kitchen and can vouch for these areas offering parking opportunities.  I'd also add that I've had decent luck parking in Chelsea, on 17th - 22nd Streets between 8th and 10th Avenues.  For some reason, street parking is often available there on weekends and I don't think this area is metered (for the most part, at least).

[folksnake]

This is all great...thanks to everyone who pitched in their ideas. I'll digest it and be good to go.

[John Junk]

Journal Square area pay lots are a lot cheaper than pay lots in NYC.  I just discovered this this last week, as I was visiting some family in the city (sorry Jason, not time for meet-up.  and I"m also sorry your life is terrible right now...).  I would park at Journal Square and take the Path train in.  It's pretty safe and secure and it's like half the price of a pay-lot in New York.  you can try and find parking in Manhattan, but it's a roll of the dice.  You can be half-an-inch out of bounds and get a $120 ticket.  Or park in Brooklyn.  Journal Square or Hoboken pay-lots I says.  The only disadvantage to parking in Jersey City is that you have to fucking drive around Jersey City, and if you're not used to it, it's like as bad as driving around Washington D.C.  Just maddening.