Newark Flights

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My sister said she would NEVER go to JFK. So we flew from EWR (Newark). She off loaded us about 3:30 (photo 2). I had printed out boarding passes, but the website told me that I still had to check in. I knew there was a fast drop for baggage, if you didn't need to check in and I went there - I figured the worst it could be is that they'd tell us we couldn't do it.

The man at the counter was effusive - he said OF COURSE we were checked in - we had boarding passes. So he took our suitcases and checked them through to SNN (Shannon). Then he tagged our boarding passes with a green sticker for a wheelchair. He did not ask to see my authorization for my grandson.

The sign at the gate said there was wi-fi, so I found a plug to plug the computer in and tried it. But you had to pay. So I just sat and edited photos (photo 3). I sent my grandson to see if there was anything to eat. He said there was just a bar. I bought a turkey sandwich ($8.29) and a smoothie ($3.39). We each ate half of the sandwich. But the smoothie was too dense and sweet.

The plane was loaded and ready to leave early (1815). However the pilot told us that Newark ATC was really screwed up and told us that we couldn't leave for a hour or so. After an hour he came on again and said that ATC didn't know when we would leave.

About 2100, they decided to go ahead and feed us dinner - the problem being that if a call came to take off, they'd have to take up the dinner and we wouldn't get any. Then as soon as everyone got their dinner the pilot announced that we were moving "off the stand" which I guess is the same as pulling away from the gate, and I told my grandson to eat fast, and eat the hot stuff first. He'd already finished his. We went out to the taxiway, and sat there. The pilot announced that they just wanted us 'off the stand' - we weren't going anywhere. I could feel my ankles swelling, but there wasn't anything I could do about it.

Finally about 11:30 or a little after, we were told to get back to our seats, and we took off (photo 5).

EWR is a well run airport, one of three that serve New York City. However on a reason trip I learned how crazy it is for International travellers to depart: You park in the garage, then take an elevator up. Then you walk across a pathway and take another elevator down. Then you walk along the ground floor and take another elevator up. However this elevator only goes to the 3rd floor so you have to walk to another elevator and take it one more floor up to the 4th floor departure area. I can't believe that anyone with much luggage would have ever designed this system!

This is the only thing I know about Newark. My entire visit consisted of a stop-over at Newark International Airport. Erm, its a nice airport :P We flew in from Los Angeles and out to London. Had a nice seven hour wait in the plane before it took off :P

Check out www.panynj.gov/newarkairport for all information related to Newark International Airport including the Airtrain that runs from the Airport to downtown Newark Penn Station.
Newark City Subway or local buses. Check out www.njtransit.com for more information.

If you are traveling to Newark from a city on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor then that would probably be the easiest way to get there. From within the state, NJTransit's Northeast Corridor, North Jersey Shore, and Raritan Valley Lines all stop in Penn Station and the Morris and Essex Lines as well as the Boonton line stop at Broad Street Station. By air from farther away, Newark International Airport would be the way to go and from there to downtown is now just a train ride away. By car, the New Jersey Turnpike, Garden State Parkway, and Interstate Routes 280 and 78 will take you to the city. Once there I would suggest parking in the Military Park parking garage which is under the park itself. It is large and cavernous and the fact that it was built under a historic park makes it kinda cool. It also just happens to be the center of all the happening things in Newark.
Once within Newark you probably will be able to walk most anywhere you'd want to go, but if you need to there is a highly effective bus system as well as a subway line that runs to the north along Branch Brook Park. Taxis are relatively abundant on the major roads like Broad Street, McCarter Highway, Springfield Avenue, Martin Luther King Boulevard, and South Orange Avenue. But since the vast majority of attractions are within a fifteen minute walk of downtown's center these shouldn't be too necessary.

the Path train--it's only 15 minutes from Manhattan and only costs $1. You'll see some pretty serious urban blight on your way there though.

'THE LOOP' It's an exotic little purple van that takes you around 'the loop' of Newark for only a $1. We took over an entire LOOP vehicle with a screaming drunken crowd of 10, and told jokes to the driver and saw the vivacious downtown Newark from the comfort of solarized plexiglass windows

I wouldn't really recommend driving in Newark. Driving in a city your are unfamiliar is never a good idea, and New Jersey drivers are notoriously agressive. Newark has good public transpo to and around. You can take the train and it will drop you off any place you need or want to be. If the train doesn't go there, you probably don't have any business being there.