My Big Bus Ride

Chevrolet Venture 7 seater - automatic - air conditioning

(On the Chevy site this is a discontinued model
and has been replaced by the Uplander)

Pictures from The Planning Meeting! Steve wishes to deny the rumour that he was doing the lawn mowing using a remote control!

Some Ideas and Plans so Far

Keep this from the others for now to keep Steve and the tux hire secrets.

Each link opens up in the same new window, so keep the second one open and keep coming back to this one.

I have booked my car into Purple Parking at Heathrow. Its a 10/15min to air port but I allow a lot more. We might have to be there by 5.30 for extra security

Two booking numbers with trailfinders is EA7AR4 and EA74KG
Flight AA115 departs 8.30 arrives JFK 10.55am (New York time)

We get a SuperShuttle bus to the apartment BW HOSPITALITY APARTMENTS on 149 east 49 street maps.google.com I think we collaborate with Ben about pulling the hotel stunt on Sunday evening.

I have started the process of renting the tux from Baldwin Formals, which is here. Currently Steve and I are having a fitting on Monday afternoon 11am.

I got around New York last time using a big red open top bus which gives you a good view of the city with a running commentary from a local guide (who we have to tip - NY workers live on their tips so be prepared to join in).

map of routes The nearest stops are outside the Waldorf and Rockerfeller Centre which are just down the road.

Statue of Liberty

If we want to visit the Statue of Liberty that is best done early to avoid the queues so we could cab down there in two cabs though the buses start at 8 and the statue is open from 8.30. I want to do a helicopter flight but its a bit expensive and there is a danger that they might try to pack us into one helicopter so maybe best to spread our goes if more than two of us want to do it. A good trip will cost $180. Ben has booked his "party" on to a helicopter ride on Tuesday morning. It might be fun to go out there on Tuesday rather than Monday so we can wave at them! Jill is taking her phone and I'll have mine though it didn't work very well last time.

Helicopter tours Steve and I are booked, the boys are still at the planning stage.

A fast boat tour looks interesting as well as being a lot cheaper

The Beast boat ride

I would like to visit B&H Photo on 9th Ave to check out cameras and stuff and visit the aircraft carrier museum and Concorde

http://www.intrepidmuseum.org

We can do the usual stuff such as Empire State, Time Square, etc as we travel around.

Ben has organised us to the Shea Stadium on Monday night, unfortunately we will be over 40 years too late to see the Beatles

The hen and stag nights are on Tuesday evening.

On Wed we have the wedding in the afternoon and evening.

Carolines's Plan Document and Who is Going

On Thursday we check out of the hotel and go to JFK to pick up the mini-bus. Remember to bring you driving license if you want to drive.

The Big Bus Ride starts here

Philadelphia is on the way to Washington. We had thought about doing a segway tour here but we can stop off and take in the Liberty Bell

Washington

We are booked into the Harrington Hotel on Thursday evening. Its close to the central area which we can move around on a hop-on-hop-off tram which covers a lot of the places such a National Air and Space Museum, Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, White House.

I checked into segway tours and Washington looks better than Philly, and we could do it at night!. We are booked on the Friday 6.30 tour. They don't have seats but the guy was very friendly so maybe they can organise me a bike so I can come along.

They also have frog tours but I don't want to run up large bills so we will need to be careful with what we do.

We leave Washington on Sunday morning

If we head towards Niagara we can go close to Gettysburg which is now a National Monument.

I was checking out motels and came across the Super 8 chain. Firing up Google map at Niagara and searching on Super 8 gives your this map. Extending the map and searching on "Super 8 Motel" give lots including one near our final nights stop near Bridgeport. I replace "Super 8 Motel" with "B&B" and got loads more offers. Another source of information is Trip Advisor

At Niagara we could stay close by and spend the best part of a day there and then spend the evening driving towards Adirondack Park. I would like to go on the Maid of the Mist, (second link) but there seem to plenty of options apart from doing our own thing. We need to have checked if we can take the bus into Canada for the "best" views.

I found some of the motels around and this B&B (from this search site) nearer the park but is over 200 miles from Niagara but it does show we have a lot of choice.

	We did mention going to Toronto but that might be too far if we to visit the Adirondack Park but we could swing round the north of Lake Ontario (Google map) (map2) It will be a good time to be in the park as the leaves will be at their best. Good for a scenic drive

My sort of digs are here but way too expensive!!

We could head south by going to Boston and Cape Cod before getting back to JFK on Saturday. There are duck tours in Boston and a train ride on Cape Cod. Whale watching. I have even found a suitable hotel for an all male party. I have found a old battleship and submarine at Battleship Cove we could do as we start to head south

Our return flight is at 18.15 so we have the morning to do the last few things though driving in New York is not on my list!

We need to check travel insurance and that passports have at least 6 months left.

Steve's Projects