John's full name is John Gilbert. Gilbert is a family name that has been passed down on the Hyatt side! Since John was a baby he has gone by "Gib" (the nickname for Gilbert). You can often tell how someone knows John/Gib by what they call him. Family and friends pre-college call him Gib. College friends and work colleges call him John. In short, he responds to both!
New York can be a daunting place to decide where to stay! We picked the hotels for their proximity to the reception venue, but there is no shortage of places to stay in NYC! If you are looking for neighborhoods to stay in we recommend Downtown Brooklyn, Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill, Fort Greene, and Clinton Hill. All of those neighborhoods are a short distance to the reception, are safe, walking friendly, and charming. Check out either hotels or AirBandB in these neighborhoods! If you see something in a neighborhood not listed feel free to reach out to us!
Please let us know through the RSVP! We want to make sure everyone has something great to eat!
July 1, 2019
The short answer is no, unfortunately. Both of these venues have very little street parking. We highly recommend traveling as a New Yorker (tips included below)!
There are three major airports that service NYC. When looking at prices make sure to add the price to get into the city/Brooklyn! From Newark, NJ: taxis and car services (Lyft and Uber) service the airport. Be warned, however, that getting into the city or Brooklyn will come with a hefty bill (a lesson we learned the hard way). A great option is to use public transit! You can buy tickets at the airport for New Jersey transit. Take the AirTrain at the airport to the train station. Take NJ Train to Penn Station, NYC where you can hop on the subway. From LaGuardia: There are private bus services from the airport to Midtown NYC for about $18. However, if you are staying in Brooklyn the best option is to take a taxi, Lyft, or Uber. From JFK: You can take the AirTrain from the airport to the subway (A line) or use a car service. Note: farther out than LaGuardia so taxi will be more expensive.
We have taken both trains and buses from Philadelphia and Washington D.C. many times! The trains will drop you off at Penn Station in New York. At that station you can pick up the subway. If you take a bus, note the departure and arrival times. The travel times get much longer (by an hour or two) if you leave or arrive during rush hour! Some of the bus pick up and drop offs can also be outside of more familiar areas of the city so double check where you will be arriving/departing.
The biggest question for taking a car into New York City is: where am I going to park it? The next biggest is: how much will this cost? If you are planning to drive into the city check to see if your accommodation has parking (some hotels do, others don't). Double check the price (some offer both self service and valet).
There are many options! Our best advice would be don't be afraid of public transit, but plan ahead. We use the New York City subway every day to commute to work and school. If you are sightseeing - use the subway (or buses)! Apps like GoogleMaps, CityMapper, and the MTA's app are helpful! Be warned that the subway stations can be hot in August, but the trains are air conditioned. For getting to and from the wedding consider taking an uber, lyft or another car service. The subway is great, but when you are in your fancy clothes, it make be less comfortable. If you aren't daunted by the heat and have walking shoes (bring your heels in your bag!), take the subway. No matter how you get there, remember the subway gets delayed and traffic builds up so always add extra time to the google map/travel time estimate!