Confused NYer leaving out of Baltimore

[msdesinyc]

Hello Everyone:

 

I've read numerous post and I"m still at a loss for what to do. We (aunt, daughter, and myself) will be traveling from NYC by bus(wayyy cheaper than trying to fill my SUV, and I'm the only one that drives, and I'd be too nervous driving this distance with kid and aunt in the car) to Baltimore the day before our cruise. Now here's where I get very confused:

 

I read a post where taxis have a flat rate fee of $30 to the airport hotels, and sleep inns is now going for $63 for the night.

 

If I use Bolt buses, they drop you off near penn station, how far is this from either the hotels at the airport or downtown b-more? Are taxis easy to get?

 

If I use Greyhound it drops off in downtown B-More on Hanes St, are there any hotels in this area that wont break the bank? I figured if I had to spend about $60 in taxi fare I would use it towards a hotel closer to the port?

 

This post reads as confused as I feel, any help please....

[bus man]

I would be surprised if it would be cheaper for the three of you to pay for three separate bus tickets, rather than drive your own car. Also, it's not really that long of a drive between New York and Baltimore; about 3-1/2 hours, assuming traffic isn't too bad. But nevertheless, that's not what you asked, sooooo . . .

 

Penn Station is at the northern end of downtown Baltimore. Taxis are plentiful; they wait right outside the station. Downtown hotels will be much closer, about a 5-10 minute ride (depending on traffic). The airport is south of the city, and will take you about 30-40 minutes to get there from Penn Station. Sorry, I don't know what the taxis cost.

 

The Greyhound station on Haines Street is on the southern end of downtown. It's closer to the airport than is Penn Station; it'll take you about 20-25 minutes to get there. There is a hotel, Holiday Inn Express at the Stadiums (on Russell Street) that is an easy two-block walk from the bus station. Be aware that the bus station is in an industrial area; no problem during the day time, but I'd be cautious at night. (The hotel itself looks to be in good condition, and it gets favorable reviews.)

 

Good luck, and happy cruising!

[DanJ]

I think the taxis are $30 flat rate to the airport itself from the port (or it might be to the port from the airport) but I'm not sure they are flat rate from the airport area hotels. I think you'll find it quite expensive to stay downtown, and taxi by the meter is still going to run up getting to the port from there.

 

I'll also add what you didn't ask for, and suggest you look at the Fairfield Suites in White Marsh, which is about 15 miles north on I-95 from Baltimore. Unless they have changed, they have a park and stay rate there for cruises, where you don't pay for parking and they shuttle you to the ship and pick you up after the cruise. When they first started doing this in 2009, it was around $149 for the package. The benefit to you is it's right on the way both going and coming home. We didn't take part in the plan there because the hotel wasn't convenient for us and where we were going to after the cruise so we parked at the port, but many people on here reported it was a great deal, the hotel was nice (new that year or maybe 2008 I believe) and the staff were friendly.

[bus man]

To add onto what DanJ said, Mega Bus stops at White Marsh (this is their stop in the Baltimore area), and the stop is a short walk (2-3 blocks or so) to the hotel. There is a mall and a number of restaurants in close proximity to the hotel. Something else to consider, if you're so inclined.

[msdesinyc]

Bus Man & Dan J, thanks so much for your help. Ok let me take this from the top:

 

Bus Man, yes it's much cheaper to come down by bus, greyhound express is only $63 round trip for all 3 of us, and I can leave the driving to them (I'm a weekend to the supermarket kinda of driver). I thought about just leaving the morning of, but I'm sure the morning of, there's going to be a storm, flat tire, or my aunt running extremely late. Something to create the sickess feelings in the world.

 

The Holiday Inn @ the stadiums is all booked up. So I think I'll check out the hotels by the airport. You said the greyhound bus terminal is in an industrial area, will catching a cab be an issue in the early-mid afternoon?

 

Dan J, I will check out White Marsh, and see the distance from the Haines St terminal to a hotel in that area. Since I'm not driving they may have a "stay & cruise" package available.

 

Again, thanks for all your help, I have a much better idea of what I'm doing.....I think....

[bus man]

I didn't realize that Greyhound fares were so low! Given that, I can certainly see why you'd want to leave the driving to them.

 

You won't have any problem getting a taxi at the Greyhound station; there are usually two or three of them hanging out there, waiting for fares. And if not, you can always get the number of a taxi company from the station attendant.

 

If you decide to stay at White Marsh, be sure to check out Mega Bus. Remember that they stop right there, within walking distance of the hotel. It's a safe, suburban area, and getting dropped off there would eliminate the need for a taxi (probably a 20-30 minute ride, depending on traffic) from the Haines Street Greyhound terminal. Just so you know, White Marsh is at I-95, Exit 67; the cruise port is at I-95, Exit 55.

 

Oh, and I wholeheartedly concur with the idea of coming down the day before. You just never know what will happen between here and there, and giving yourself that extra cushion gives you the peace of mind that's well worth the cost of a night's lodging.

 

Good luck!

[msdesinyc]

Thanks so much Bus Man for all your help.

 

I reserved Sleep Inn by the airport ($63), they will shuttle us over to the pier even if we dont do the park & stay for free. I contacted yellow cab co of Baltimore, they will come get us, if none of their cabs are out there or we need a bigger car. Your cabs out there are much cheaper than in NYC (B-more $1.80 1/11 mile vs NY $3.00 1/11 mile) so it's doable without twitching an eyebrow and it's less than 8 miles from terminal to hotel.

 

So we're coming in early to spend the whole day at inner harbor, hotel rep said the light rail? is right across the street that takes us into inner harbor. Got any place you recommend for crab cakes? Only place I've ever eaten from was crabby cousins....

[bus man]

I'm glad you've got it all worked out. I assume you will be going from the Greyhound station to your hotel, then returning to the Inner Harbor for sightseeing, correct? It's more round-about this way (the Greyhound stop and the Harbor are near each other), but I'm sure you don't want to be tugging your luggage along while sightseeing!

 

Ask 10 people what their favorite seafood restaurant is, and you're likely to get at least 20 different answers! :) My personal preference at the Inner Harbor area is the Rusty Scupper, located on Key Highway (south side of the Inner Harbor, the side opposite the National Aquarium) right next to Federal Hill.

 

The Light Rail is fine for getting back downtown, and it'll drop you off about two blocks from the Inner Harbor. I would NOT use it after about 6:00 p.m., after the evening rush hour dies down; it passes through some dicey neighborhoods (Westport, Cherry Hill). Your options are (1) eat an early dinner; (2) eat dinner downtown, then take a taxi back to your hotel, or (3) go back earlier, and eat dinner near your hotel. There are a couple of good seafood restaurants on Dorsey Road, east of Coca-Cola Drive, in Hanover; it's not walking distance from your hotel, but the No. 17 bus (which connects with the Light Rail) will get you there.

[Chesterpeake]

bus man must be referring to Gunning's Seafood Restaurant and Timbuktu. You will get very good crab cakes, etc. at both locations.

[msdesinyc]

Thanks Bus Man, lol "dicey" is New York's entire MTA system, so I'll probably feel right at home......