Idiot’s Guides: RV Vacations

It’s possible to visit New York City in an RV; you just have to stay outside the city limits and use public transportation whenever possible. If this is your first trip, don’t be afraid to stick to the iconic highlights. They won’t disappoint.

Walk the Highline with coffee from Blue Bottle after eating lunch at Chelsea Market.

Fall, winter, and spring each have their own unique attractions, but if you can stand the heat, summer is much less crowded.

Located 70 miles (113km) outside Manhattan, this campground offers the countryside scenery you might be craving after hanging out in the city. The KOA runs fully guided tours of the Big Apple from mid-May to mid-October, stopping at attractions such as Battery Park, Grand Central Terminal, and the Empire State Building. Your tour guide will also walk you through Rockefeller Center.

Amenities at the campground include a pool, mini-golf, fishing, and bike rentals.

Liberty Harbor RV Park offers the easiest access to Manhattan compared to any other camping option available. The NY Waterway Ferry leaves right from the park, and it’s just a short walk to the subway. It also offers daily bus tours to the city. Guests can see the Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty from their sites.

There’s 24-hour security and on-site management, and the office offers good Wi-Fi, a fax machine, and great help planning your itinerary.

Apart from a restaurant and bar, this campground offers virtually no other amenities or activities. But as an urban camping location, it’s the most convenient spot to park your RV while exploring the Big Apple.

This is the nearest full-service campground to New York City, located in Orange County, 46 miles (74km) northwest of Times Square. This big-rig friendly Good Sam RV Park has long pull-thrus, spacious back-ins, and a parklike setting. Mini-golf, basketball, shuffleboard, volleyball, badminton, a pool table, and arcade are offered, as are a pool and playground. You’ll also find a fishing pond and nature trails.

Multiple tour options depart from the campground and visit popular NYC attractions. Plenty of other attractions are close to this campground, too. The Brotherhood Winery, the oldest in America, is only 10 miles (16km) away. Orange County Choppers and West Point also are within driving distance.

32 Spring Street, New York, NY 10012. firstpizza.com; 212-941-7994. Sunday to Thursday 11:30 A.M. to 11 P.M.; Friday and Saturday 11:30 A.M. to 12 A.M. $11 to $30. Italian.

Serving classic New York–style thin-crust pizza, Lombardi’s has been in business for more than 100 years and is often called the oldest pizzeria in America.

You can stick with the basics, a margherita pizza and meatballs, and walk away pretty content. Or you can order one of the many specialty pizzas. Love seafood? Try the clam pizza. Landlubber? Pile on the pancetta. Whatever you eventually order, be prepared to wait in line and bring cash.

75 9th Avenue, New York, NY 10011. chelseamarket.com; 212-652-2110. Monday through Saturday 7 A.M. to 9 P.M.; Sunday 8 A.M. to 8 P.M. $5 to $30. Seafood, sandwiches, pastries.

Arrive at Chelsea Market prepared to eat and shop. Whether you’re in the mood for sushi, tacos, Cambodian sandwiches, lobster rolls, or frozen yogurt, you’ll find it here. Be sure to buy some fresh-baked bread, wine, and herbs to take back to the RV.

Chelsea Market is home to many famous restaurants, and it’ll be hard to choose just one place to eat. Some visitors enjoy sampling specialties from a variety of places. Eleni’s is an iconic dessert shop that perfected the art of specialty cookies before they appeared on every New York City corner. The Lobster Place has been in residence for decades, selling fresh Maine lobster and other well-priced fresh seafood.

42 E. 20th Street, New York, NY 10003. gramercytavern.com; info@gramercytavern.com; 212-477-0777. Sunday to Thursday 12 P.M. to 11 P.M.; Friday and Saturday 12 P.M. to 12 A.M. $65 to $90. New American.

You must experience one transcendent dining experience while in New York City. Hip restaurants come and go, but Gramercy Tavern never disappoints.

The Tavern, unlike the dining room, is open continuously throughout the day, offering an à la carte menu. Try the lamb flatbread and grilled duck leg.

Liberty Island–Ellis Island, New York, NY 10004. nps.gov/stli; 212-363-3200. Open every day except December 25; ferries run 8:30 A.M. to 5 P.M. Adults 13+ $18; seniors $14; children 4 to 12 $9; 3 and under free; additional $3 fee for crown access.

Visiting the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island in person is guaranteed to be an emotional experience.

You have to take a ferry over to the island; they depart from either Battery Park in lower Manhattan or Liberty State Park on the New Jersey side. Pay the extra fee for access to the crown.

14 E. 60th Street, New York, NY, 10022. centralparknyc.org; 212-310-6600. 6 A.M. to 1 A.M. Price varies by attraction.

With so many things to do in Central Park, you definitely have to pick and choose or risk spending your whole vacation there.

The Conservatory Garden offers English, French, and Italian-style areas with meandering pathways and fountains. The Central Park Zoo is a popular destination for tourists and locals alike. Check the schedule before you visit to catch the animal feedings. Climb to the top of Belvedere Castle, and be sure to snap a photo on the romantic Bow Bridge. Visit Strawberry Fields to pay homage to John Lennon.

Or simply lounge around on the grass like the locals. Pick up a delicious lunch at Zabar’s, and eat alfresco in the park.

1000 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10028. metmuseum.org; 212-535-7710. Sunday to Thursday 10 A.M. to 5:30 P.M.; Friday and Saturday 10 A.M. to 9 P.M. Adults $25; seniors $17; students $12; 11 and under free.

If you only have time to visit one of New York’s museums, make it the Met. The scope of history represented here is breathtaking, and in one visit, you can see Egyptian mummies and abstract expressionist work by Jackson Pollock. Some of the most popular exhibits are the Asian Art galleries, the Greek and Roman Art galleries, and the Egyptian galleries, where you’ll find the Temple of Dendur. Don’t miss the collections of Vincent van Gogh, Johannes Vermeer, or Edgar Degas.

The Met is on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and borders Central Park. Spend part of your day at the museum and then head to the park.

ITINERARIES

If you have 1 week …

Tour the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, and Rockefeller Center. Visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National September 11 Memorial and Museum, and Central Park. See a Broadway show. Walk the Highline.

If you have 2 weeks …

All the above, plus tour Grand Central Terminal, Battery Park, and the Cloisters at the Met. Visit the Museum of Modern Art, Chinatown, and St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Walk over the Brooklyn Bridge, and hang out at Bryant Park. Visit the TKTS booth in Times Square for discount tickets for another Broadway show.

If you have 3 weeks …

All the above, plus take a train to Coney Island and return by way of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, for some funky shops. Visit the Guggenheim Museum, and take in a game at Yankee Stadium. Window-shop on 5th Avenue. Listen to live music at South Street Seaport.