My wild trip to NYC: Planes, trains, automobiles and more

By air and land (not sea), a trip east was an adventure

No matter how much homework you do to prepare for a trip to New York City, it never seems to be enough.

Get ready for the joys and pitfalls of a city of more than eight million people.

There are friendly people, great things to eat and awesome attractions. You’ll also see more garbage than in Philadelphia, more scam artists than in Las Vegas and more people around you than the mosh pit of a Slipknot concert.

After spending two days in the Big Apple last week, I made the Big Escape — spending most of three days driving through upstate New York, western Massachusetts and Connecticut. I ended up spending more time in various modes of transportation than I’ve ever used.

Since there were no economy cars available to rent, I was assigned a Ford Mustang. (Photo by John Naughton.)

I think I would have won a travel Bingo award if I had only traveled on the water.

My journey over six days seemed like a takeoff of the 1987 film “Planes, Trains & Automobiles.”

Throw in more: Subways, taxis and the bus.

So, dear readers, buckle up and I’ll try to sum up my vacation.

LaGuardia Airport in New York City is smaller and more efficient than many big city airports, in my opinion. (Photo by John Naughton.)

My vacations typically start with a single, main purpose. In this case, it was to attend the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction concert at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn November 3. I bought my ticket to the show (this was the fourth time I’ve been to a Rock Hall induction concert).

I found a good deal on a flight from Kansas City to LaGuardia Airport in New York. It’s the smaller of two major airports in the city and my preferred choice — fewer hassles and more conveniences for me.

After parking at MCI, I hopped on an early morning Thursday flight to LAG. Then I took a hotel shuttle to my first night’s stay in Queens. It was easy and a way to have few worries on my first day.

The river view of the Hudson from the Metro-North rail is including with your ticket. (Photo by John Naughton.)

I’ll write more about the show (and dining) on my trip at a later date. Friday went well after negotiating travel to my second hotel (elsewhere in Queens) via subway and city bus trips and a few short walks.

Traveler Tip: Download the MTA’s transit app on your phone for route planning and schedules. It will make things go a lot smoother. The subway can be a truly gritty experience. (The day after I left, a vigilante was arrested for shooting a gun at a would-be robber.)