One can easily say, “All roads lead to New York.” One of the great cities of the world, New York has been one of the continent’s major gateways since before the American Revolution. With a great natural harbor at the mouth of a great river, and as a major nexus for highway, rail, and air travel, New York is the hub of the Northeast Megalopolis—over 45 million Americans live within a five-hour drive. If you can’t make it (to) there, you can’t make it (to) anywhere. We can barely scratch the surface of your travel options, but perhaps we’ll give you some ideas.

Air Travel—New York has three major airports: John F. Kennedy (JFK), LaGuardia (LGA), and Newark Liberty (EWR), and three smaller airports: Westchester County (HPN), Long Island MacArthur (ISP), and Stewart (SWF), any of which may deliver the lowest airfare/most convenient flight, depending on your point of origin. Don’t limit your airfare search to a single airport! For convenience to the cruise terminal, Newark and LaGuardia take top honors and serve the largest share of domestic flights. Stewart is most distant, 90 minutes to the north. MacArthur is about 75 minutes to the east. Westchester is 45 minutes to the north, JFK 35 minutes to the east, Newark Liberty 30 minutes to the southwest, and LaGuardia 25 minutes to the east (all assuming no worse than moderate traffic; good luck!).

Driving—The Northeast’s complex web of roadways requires a guidebook of its own, and a wide selection of road atlases from names like AAA and Mobil are ready to fill the bill. Online trip routing services are also a huge help, with AAA, MapQuest, and Google Maps all offering similar services. As always, if you’re more than 500 miles from Manhattan, consider an overnight stay along the journey. I-95 is the major player, funneling travelers from all along the Eastern Seaboard. Nearly every east-west Interstate leads to I-95, as do most north-south Interstates in New England and the Middle Atlantic, from the Hudson Valley eastward. Only Long Islanders manage to avoid the possibility of I-95, though I-495 is a distinct possibility. Traffic congestion is a major concern throughout the region, so try to plan your journey to avoid the peak rush hours in the many cities along your way.

Rail Travel—New York City is a major rail hub. This is the midpoint of Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor service between Washington, D.C. and Boston. Regional commuter rail and the city’s famed subway are all possible choices, though wrangling luggage on commuter trains can be a challenge. Penn Station, at 32nd St. and 8th Ave., and Grand Central Station, at 42nd and Park are the legendary in-town rail terminals.

Buses—Buses from the airports, long-distance, and commuter lines converge on Port Authority Bus Terminal at 40th and 8th Ave. Ferries from New Jersey are a good choice for some. Park at lower cost on the Jersey side, and your NY Waterways ferry fare includes special bus routes serving much of Midtown from the W. 39th St. ferry terminal.