Need help getting kayak into NYC from LI

I am about to rent a car and have loaner car top rack but was wondering if anyone knows the best directions to travel to get my kayak from LI (LIE) into the West Side of Manhattan. Are there restrictions or roads to avoid?



Many thanks.

NYC
No restrictions that I know of, your kayak on the roof should certainly be low enough for any tunnels and certainly bridges.



As far as NYC, I am not the best person to help you there. Once I went through NYC with my car and Kayak, but it was simply the GWB to the Cross Bronx to the Throgs Neck bridge to the LIE. If you are going to the west side of Manhatten, you can do the reverse if you’re talking about northern Manhatten.



if you’re talking about southern Manhatten (you might be if you want to get to chelsea peirs, the manhatten boathouse, etc. then you’ll more likely have to go through Brooklyn/Queens to one of the east river crossings… I think!



Jay

Where do you need to go in NYC
It will make a difference as to the best route. Also depends on where you are coming from.

Yep
What he said.

Coming from Shirley, LI to Chelsea Piers
I am taking a lesson, picking up the kayak and driving back to my new storage location at 24th Street and west side highway.



Thanks.

So then
GaryR’s recommendation would work just fine. Once you get to the west side highway, head south ten blocks to Chelsea Piers.

alternative
There’s no restriction for the tunnels and brdiges as far as I know of.



As for “better” routes, it depends on what time of day or what day of week. Some routes are more jammed than others at different point of time.



An alternative to the mid-town tunnel is the Battery-Brooklyn tunnel, which you can get to by taking the BQE south from LIE. The BBT puts you on the southern end of West Side hwy. You can then cruise up to Chelsea Pier pretty quickly, instead of the slow slog of crossing from east to west at the 30th’s, which often times take more than 1/2 hour!

Got it in…
Left Bridgehampton around 5:15 and took the LIE to Northern State and followed to GCP to BQE to Brooklyn Battery Tunnel and up the West Side Highway to Chelsea Piers. Got there at 7:30ish. Roads on BQE were terrible for those interested and the Northern State has crazier drivers than the LIE. Either way, the kayak is ‘berthed’ and I thank you all for your info and advice. Now to get in the water.

Good time
I was in Bridgehampton for years. You made good time to the Chelsea Piers.