Day trip NY to Niagra by air

[janet18]

Has anyone took this day trip with Gray lines or any other company, am visiting  NY in November for four days so time is limited.  Also advice re transport  from JFK to Manhattan Towers time share.  any comments re accomadation and advice welcome. Thank you in advance.

[luckystrike]

The most convenient way to travel to any location in Manhattan from JFK is to take a yellow cab.  You join the queue outside the arrivals terminal and a guy who is in charge of allocating cabs will grab one for you.  It's a $45 flat fare plus tolls and tips, so expect to pay a total of about $55 - that's per cab and not per person!

Regarding Niagara, it's a very long way from New York and you would really need to fly in order to be back in the city in one day.  To do it justice, you would be best staying in Niagara for one night and therefore be able to see the falls by day and night, when they are all lit up.

Bare in mind that you will have plenty to occupy yourself with in New York for four days, and that Niagara really only is a big waterfall!

Here is a link to a question that I have already answered on New York which you may find useful.

[Cathyhuns]

We did Niagra from New York in a day with Jet Blue (see www.jetblue.com) from JFK. Flights were about $50 each way, provided you flew at the right time, ie Mondays into NY and Fridays back were expensive.  Flight was streets ahead of European budget airlines and they gave you food and drink, including blue crisps.

We left at about 9am and flew back about 9pm and found that enough time to explore both the US and Canadian sides, do the Maid of the Mist, go into the tunnels that come out at water level and have a nice lunch.

We hired a car for the day, which gave us the flexibility to look around and for 4 people was cheaper than the tourist buses from tye airport to the falls.

The only downsides were the difficulty getting a cab early in the morning as we were staying quite a long way up Manhattan.  However a rail link has now opened to the nearest metro stations so it should be much easier to get out to the airport.  See the JFK website for details.  Also the jobs worth at US immigration who got shirty when we said we were staying in New York rather than New York City.

Finally, you need change for a visa to get into Canada.  Not sure how much but it wasn't expensive and there were some problems getting change if you only had notes.

[janet18]

This day trip includes pick up early morning in Manhattan, flight to Buffalo, coach to Niagra, Lunch, free time, then returns via same route. I am Engish hold a british passport already validated to stay in the US. Do I really need a Visa to get into Canada then back into the US . How do I get one if required. 

[Cathyhuns]

It was more of an entry tax than a visa.  It only cost a small amount (low dollars) but you had to have change to get thru the turnstile.  If you didn't have change they were funny about changing notes and it ended up costing you the whole amount of the note. ie if it was $2.50 and you only had a $5 note you had to pay the whole $5 as they wouldn't give change.

If you go on a tour I would expect them to pay this for you.

[pega]

I've been to NY seven times and always got bus from JFK  in May it was 27dollars return the bus is outside terminus and drops off at Hotels Main stop is Grand Central station and can get to anywhere from there. As been mentioned they don't take notes on bus need 5 quarters or coins to $1,25, can get tickets from subway machines with notes. enjoy your trip there's certainly plenty to see  Niagra is great I went when I was in Toronto  a day trip there from NYC  would be a journey and no doubt tiring 4 days will go quickly  .