ACCOMMODATIONS AND TRAVEL

HOTEL

A specially-priced block of hotel rooms has been reserved at the Roosevelt Hotel in midtown Manhattan. Rooms are $129 plus tax (normal price is $249) for single or double room occupancy.

For reservations call (888) 833-3969 and say you are with Great Parks/Great Cities: Celebrating 150 Years of Central Park for this special rate. PLEASE NOTE! New York is an extremely popular destination at this time of year and rooms and special rates are guaranteed only until May 21st, 2003.

Hotel contact: Roosevelt Hotel, 45 E. 45th St., New York, NY 10017 (45th St. between Madison Ave. and Vanderbilt Ave., just north of Grand Central Station). Tel: 212-661-9600, Fax: 212-885-6168.

For further details about the hotel, click here.

HOW TO GET THERE

DISCOUNTS ON FLIGHTS

We have negotiated a special conference discount with American Airlines. If you or your travel agent call American's toll free number at 1-800-433-1790, you will receive a 10% discount off the lowest applicable fare, or 15% off unrestricted fares including First and Business Classes, purchased 30 days in advance. Once within 30 days of your travel date, only a 5% discount is available, so make sure you book in time! Refer to Meeting ID # A1663AV, Great Parks/Great Cities for the discount. This discount is applicable for all American flights to JFK, LaGuardia and Newark airports.

American Airlines
Meeting Name: Great Parks/Great Cities
Meeting ID #: A1663AV
Reservation Telephone: 1-800-433-1790

TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM NYC AREA AIRPORTS

On Arrival in NYC, taxis, and shuttle buses are often the best way of getting to the hotel. Further information can be found at these links:

From LaGuardia Airport: Click here
From Newark Airport: Click here
From John F. Kennedy International Airport: Click here

Taxi estimated costs (in rush hour): $20 - $30 dollars plus $3 tolls from/to LaGuardia; a flat $30 plus $4 tolls from/to JFK; up to $30-40 plus $10 tolls from/to Newark. Tips also need to be included in your costs.

Shuttle buses and vans, costing between $10-20, can bring you to Grand Central Station, a mere three blocks from the hotel (SuperShuttle will drop you at the hotel). Click above for links from each airport. The Roosevelt Hotel is on 45th St., 3 blocks north and one block west of the shuttle bus drop-off point.

URBAN ADVENTURE OPTIONS

During rush hour, it is quicker to take a taxi or "car service" (an unmarked, licensed taxi – usually a large luxury sedan - with negotiable flat rates rather than a meter) from the airport to the closest subway station and take a train from there to the hotel.

From LaGuardia: Take a taxi from the airport to "74th St./Roosevelt Ave." in Queens. (You can also take a Q33 city bus from LaGuardia to Roosevelt Ave – you will need $2.00 in change and then buy a Metrocard at the subway.) From there, ride the elevated #7 train, with beautiful views of the Manhattan skyline, all the way into Grand Central Station. Exit the subway to the main terminal, walk through the terminal and up the stairs to Vanderbilt Ave. Out on the street, turn right, walk 2 blocks to 45th St. and turn left. The entrance to the hotel will be on your right.

On the return trip to LaGuardia, a Metrocard will give you a free transfer from the subway to the bus, for a total trip cost of $2.00! Using the train/car service option, take the #7 line to "74th St./Broadway" in Queens, go down to the street and look for car services lined up or driving by on Roosevelt Ave. Negotiate a price with the driver before getting in the car – about $9 to $11 including tip is a good price.

From Newark: No taxis or car service necessary. Newark Airport has recently connected their internal monorail, AirTrain Newark, to a new station servicing NJ Transit. You can take the monorail from the airport to Newark International Airport Station, and NJ Transit from there into New York's Penn Station. From Penn Station in New York, take the #'s 1, 2, 3 or 9 subway lines one stop UPTOWN to Times Square. Transfer to the 'S' shuttle to Grand Central Station.

From JFK: Although there is a subway that goes all the way from JFK into midtown, we do NOT recommend you take it - it could take almost 2 hours. Better to take a shuttle, or take a taxi from the airport to the "Union Turnpike/Kew Gardens" subway station. Catch an 'E' or 'F' train from there to Manhattan. If you take the 'E', exit at the first stop in Manhattan, "53rd St./Lex.", and transfer to the #6 downtown train one stop to Grand Central. If you catch the 'F', exit at "Roosevelt Ave./Jackson Heights" in Queens, and transfer to a Manhattan-bound #7 train to Grand Central. Once at Grand Central, exit the subway to the main terminal, walk through the terminal and up the stairs to Vanderbilt Ave. Out on the street, turn right, walk 2 blocks to 45th St. and turn left. The entrance to the hotel will be on your right.

On the return to JFK, take the 'E' or 'F' to "Union Turnpike/Kew Gardens". Exit near the front of the train to the south side of Queens Blvd. Look for a car service from there to JFK. Negotiate a price with the driver before getting in the car – about $12 to $14 including tip is a good price. Return trip Shuttle Bus - Shuttle Busses at 42nd and Vanderbilt Ave., 3 blocks from the Roosevelt, are also available for around $20/person. Check in at the Concierge desk when you first arrive at the hotel to ask about this option.

NEAREST SUBWAY & RAIL STATIONS

The nearest subway station to the Roosevelt Hotel is Grand Central Station. The #7 train from Queens stops there as do the #'s 4,5 and 6 trains and the 'S' shuttle from Times Square. Subway map and line information can be viewed here. Grand Central Station is also the main terminal for Metro North rail. Metro North information can be viewed here. The hotel concierge will also provide up-to-date travel and subway information. Tel: (212) 885-6191.

DRIVING DIRECTIONS

From the North
Take I-95 South to the Bruckner Expressway South towards the Triboro Bridge. Stay on the right hand side for "Manhattan FDR South". Exit at Exit 10, 49th St. and continue for 4 blocks. Turn LEFT onto Lexington Ave. Turn RIGHT onto 42nd St. Turn RIGHT after one block onto Vanderbilt Ave. Turn LEFT onto 45th St. The entrance to the Roosevelt Hotel is on the right.

From the South
Take I-95 North, which becomes the New Jersey Turnpike. Take the New Jersey Turnpike to Exit 16E "Lincoln Tunnel". After coming through the tunnel, take the exit on the left toward "10th Ave/Points North/West Side Hwy." Stay straight to go onto Dyer Ave. Turn RIGHT onto W. 42ND St. Turn LEFT onto 8TH Ave. Turn RIGHT onto W. 46th St. After 6 blocks, turn RIGHT onto Vanderbilt Ave. Turn RIGHT again onto 45th St. The entrance to the Roosevelt Hotel is on the right.