Heading Home for Thanksgiving!

         

                  Many of your students most likely have Wednesday, November 27 double circled on their calendar. The 27^th is the day Thanksgiving break begins, marking a much-needed break for students during the busy fall semester. One of the most common questions we get over the phone from Parents during this week is about the best way for their students to travel home. Figuring out travel arrangements for students who do not live close to Hofstra can seem stressful, but with a little planning ahead, it can be a breeze! In my experience, there are really three great ways to get home if your student does not have a car.

By Train: This is my personal favorite way to travel when I go home. I live in Vermont and don’t have a car, so public transportation is a must for me. Amtrak is always one of the better public transportation experiences out there. The train takes a beautiful route along the Hudson River, and the views are absolutely spectacular. Unlike taking a plane, the seats are comfortable and you’re not packed into the train like sardines. Your student can find tickets for Amtrack at http://www.amtrak.com/. If your student hasn’t booked tickets yet, make sure they do so soon!

Amtrak operates out of Penn Station in downtown Manhattan. Getting to the station is extremely easy. All you need to do is catch the Blue Beetle and take it to the LIRR from either Mineola or Hempstead stations (I prefer Mineola because there are trains, more often) and ride it straight into Penn Station. When you get off the LIRR in Penn Station, all you need to do is follow the signs for Amtrak, it’s only about a five minute walk away! The schedule for the LIRR can be found at: http://lirr42.mta.info/

By Airplane: Another option for travel, especially for those students who live a long ways away from Hofstra is air travel. Booking out of JFK is probably the best bet for Hofstra students, rather than LaGuardia. In fact, on the 27^th, Hofstra will be operating a free shuttle to JFK! The shuttle will make three trips at 7am, 12 noon, and 3pm; leaving from the Student Center. Reservations are on a first come first serve, reservation basis. Any student interested in making a reservation should email Maryann.Sarro@hofstra.edu.

                  Should your student not be able to make the shuttle, the next best way to get to JFK is by the LIRR and AirTrain. The AirTrain is a $5 train shuttle that transports passengers from Jamaica train station in Queens to all of the terminals at JFK. Getting to the shuttle is simple; all your student will have to do is catch a train from either Mineola or Hempstead and get off at the Jamaica station. From there, your student can then walk up the platform into the station building, purchase and AirTrain ticket, and ride the AirTrain to whatever terminal he or she needs to get to!

By Bus: The final method of easy public transportation from Hofstra is by bus out of NYC. While this is usually the most inexpensive method, it can also be the longest. There are many different bus companies that operate out of NYC, including MegaBus, Bolt, and Greyhound. Your student can find ticketing options for these companies at:

·       Bolt: https://www.boltbus.com/

·       Megabus: http://us.megabus.com/

·       Greyhound: http://www.greyhound.com/

All three of these companies board their busses a short walk from Penn Station, so similar to Amtrak, your student should ride the Blue Beetle to the LIRR from Mineola or Hempstead into Penn Station. From there, your student should look up where their bus picks up. Most often, the buses will pick up from the following locations:

·       Bolt:

33^rd Street & 7^th Ave

(2 minute walk)

·       Megabus:

34th St between 11th Ave and 12th Ave

Across the street from the Javits Center.

(19 Minute Walk)

·       Greyhound:

PORT AUTHORITY
625 8TH AVE
New York, NY 10018

(13 minute Walk)

Safe travels and a happy Thanksgiving to your families,

Craig Camara, undergraduate assistant