7 hours in New York - At night

[CHLEMCBC]

Afternoon all.

I'm flying into and out of JFK on the way to Columbus. There's about 7 hours between flights. We arrive at about 2130. Firstly is there any point in going into the city? If we do, what is there to do between midnight and 0500?

[matrignano]

Probably makes sense to get pissed in Brooklyn which is not too far. Don’t know where to recommend though as I know Manhattan much better

[p1stonhead]

Personally? Forget about it. It’s probably an hour each way in a cab, and in the middle of the night probably less than you might expect to do.

Also would you have luggage with you? With transfers doesn’t the bag go straight through as do you?

[Mars]

I agree with the above. For Manhattan up to about Central Park, it's an hour each way from JFK at best and what would you like to see at night? Times Square looks good at night but you'll only really spend 5 mins there.

If you listed out what you wanted to see, I bet you'd find those attractions are either closed at night or they're so far apart you'd spend more time moving around than actually seeing anything.

Having said all that, JFK isn't somewhere I'd like to spend 7-hours in.

[Masiv]

Coke and hookers!

[Alexandra]

It's 10 minutes by sky taxi to Midtown and there's plenty to do depending on the age of the visitors. I'd just find a lounge though.

[GibsonLP]

As per above posts - there’s little point going to Manhattan unless via sky taxi to get drunk.

I had an 8 hr layover there recently. The newish TWA hotel within JFK is a cool 70’s retro experience that offers short x hour stays so you can get some actual rest/shower without having to go any further than the terminal monorail.

[valiant]

I take it you still have to go through immigration before changing for a domestic flight?

You may want to see how that goes before making concrete plans. JFK is generally alright but delays are not uncommon.

[p1stonhead]

valiant said:

I take it you still have to go through immigration before changing for a domestic flight?

You may want to see how that goes before making concrete plans. JFK is generally alright but delays are not uncommon.

Yep.

I once had a transfer in LA, coming in from New Zealand. And then onto London.

We had 5 hours to make our connection.

Had to do the full US immigration queue. Didn’t make it. 5 hours and we were too late.

Ended up on a flight 12 hours later. Absolutely absurd

I think those 7 hours could become very much less OP.

[CHLEMCBC]

I've only been to the US twice - to Florida and Las Vegas. Neither time did I experience a significant delay getting through immigration but that was at least 15 years ago so I bow to your superior knowledge. I'll have a look at that TWA hotel, thanks for that.

In answer to the "what do you want to see, most of it will be closed" posts, that's exactly what the thread's for. I can't find much info on all night attractions from Googling. It just feels like a missed opportunity to be so close and not go into the city at all...

[captain_cynic]

valiant said:

I take it you still have to go through immigration before changing for a domestic flight?

You may want to see how that goes before making concrete plans. JFK is generally alright but delays are not uncommon.

This.

I've been through LAX in 30 mins and spent 4 hours getting into Miami (which I had to check into my next flight and head through outgoing immigration and security).

Don't count on having all of even most of 7 hours.

Also remember you'll still need to go through security for your domestic flight as well. So that takes time too.

[CHLEMCBC]

Well, it turned out we had 12 hours between flights. We landed at 2130, at T8, went across to T4 to drop bags off after finding that the bag storage no longer existed at T4 - or so the lackadaisical, distinctly unhelpful staff said - dropped them at stupid expense then headed to Jamaica station on the Airtrain where we caught the Long Island Rail Road into Penn Station. A quick subway ride down to Cortlandt Street and a walk around Ground Zero, sadly cordoned off at night. I had wanted to go up the Empire State Building which is open until 0100 but it's $84 to go to the top!! We went around the corner from WTC to a cop/fire service bar (O'Hara's) where my friend added his WMP Honour Guard patch to the wall of patches. Oddly, the table we chose to sit at had a West Mids epaulette stapled to the wall with a collar number on he recognised...a quick whatsapp message confirmed that a female on his team had sat at the same table a year or so ago!











The whole "city that never sleeps" thing has kinda gone since the Covid lockdowns, but we did manage to find a decent Irish Bar near Times Square to while away a few hours before getting the LIRR back to JFK to wait for the onward flight.

[Mars]

Do you remember which Irish bar?

I went to Connolly's on East 47th which is only a stones throw from Times Sq.

[CHLEMCBC]

Mars said:

Do you remember which Irish bar?

I went to Connolly's on East 47th which is only a stones throw from Times Sq.

I want to say Taylor's but I can't find it on the map...