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Continental Airlines Flights from Atlanta (ATL) to Newark (EWR)
Orbitz is pleased to offer airline tickets on Continental Airlines, which operates a daily non-stop flight from Atlanta (ATL) to Newark (EWR) regularly scheduled to depart at 11:45am and arrive at 2:06pm, and 10 additional non-stop flights, departing between 7:30am and 7:45pm on select days of the week. Usually a Boeing 737-500 or Embraer RJ is flown for this route. The average travel time from Atlanta, GA to Newark, NJ is 2 hours and 25 minutes.
During your Newark vacation, don't miss these great establishments and attractions:
Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises
A New York institution, the Circle Line is famous for its 3-hour tour around the entire 35 miles of Manhattan. This Full Island cruise passes by the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, the Brooklyn Bridge, the United Nations, Yankee Stadium, the George Washington Bridge, and more, including Manhattan's wild northern tip. The panorama is riveting, and the commentary isn't bad. The big boats are basic but fine, with lots of deck room for everybody to enjoy the view. Snacks, soft drinks, coffee, and beer are available onboard for purchase.If 3 hours is more than you or the kids can handle, go for either the 2-hour Semi-Circle or the Sunset/Harbor Lights cruise, both of which show you the highlights of the skyline. There's also a 1-hour Seaport Liberty version that sticks close to the south end of the island. But of all the tours, the kids might like The Beast best, a thrill-a-minute speedboat ride offered in summer only.In addition, a number of adults-only Live Music and DJ Cruises sail regularly from the seaport from May through September ($20-$40 per person). Depending on the night of the week, you can groove to the sounds of jazz, Latin, gospel, dance tunes, or blues as you sail along the skyline.
Rockefeller Center
A streamline moderne masterpiece, Rockefeller Center is one of New York's central gathering spots for visitors and New Yorkers alike. A prime example of the city's skyscraper spirit and historic sense of optimism, it was erected mainly in the 1930s, when the city was deep in the Depression as well as its most passionate Art Deco phase. Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1988, it's now the world's largest privately owned business-and-entertainment center, with 18 buildings on 21 acres.For a dramatic approach to the entire complex, start at Fifth Avenue between 49th and 50th streets. The builders purposely created the gentle slope of the Promenade, known here as the Channel Gardens because it's flanked to the south by La Maison Française and to the north by the British Building (the Channel, get it?). You'll also find a number of attractive shops along here, including a big branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art Store, a good stop for elegant gifts. The Promenade leads to the Lower Plaza, home to the famous ice-skating rink in winter (see next paragraph) and alfresco dining in summer in the shadow of Paul Manship's freshly gilded bronze statue Prometheus. All around, the flags of the United Nations' member countries flap in the breeze. Just behind Prometheus, in December and early January, towers the city's official and majestic Christmas tree.The Rink at Rockefeller Center (tel. 212/332-7654; www.rockefellercenter.com) is tiny but positively romantic, especially during the holidays, when the giant Christmas tree's multicolored lights twinkle from above. The rink is open from mid-October to mid-March, and you'll skate under the magnificent tree for the month of December. Overlooking the rink, and with a terrific view of Prometheus, is the excellent Sea Grill restaurant .The focal point of this "city within a city" is the GE Building, at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, a 70-story showpiece towering over the plaza. It's still one of the city's most impressive buildings; walk through for a look at the granite and marble lobby, lined with monumental sepia-toned murals by José Maria Sert. You can pick up a walking tour brochure highlighting the center's art and architecture at the main information desk in this building. On the 65th floor, the legendary Rainbow Room is once again open to the public on a limited basis.NBC television maintains studios throughout the complex. Saturday Night Live and Late Night with Conan O'Brien originate in the GE Building. NBC's Today show is broadcast live on weekdays from 7 to 10am from the glass-enclosed studio on the southwest corner of 49th Street and Rockefeller Plaza; come early if you want a visible spot, and bring your HI MOM! sign.The 70-minute NBC Studio Tour (tel. 212/664-3700; www.nbcsuperstore.com) will take you behind the scenes at the Peacock network. The tour changes daily, but may include the Today show, NBC Nightly News, Dateline NBC, and/or Saturday Night Live sets. Who knows? You may even run into Tom Brokaw or Stone Phillips in the hall. Tours run every 15 minutes Monday through Saturday from 8:30am to 5:30pm, Sunday from 9:30am to 4:30pm (later on certain summer days); of course, you'll have a better chance of encountering some real live action on a weekday. Tickets are $18 for adults, $15 for seniors and children 6 to 16. You can reserve your tickets for either tour in advance (reservations are recommended) or buy them right up to tour time at the NBC Experience store, on Rockefeller Plaza at 49th Street. They also offer a 75-minute Rockefeller Center Tour hourly every day between 10am and 4pm. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and children 6 to 16; two-tour combination packages are available for $21.Other notable buildings throughout the complex include the International Building, on Fifth Avenue between 50th and 51st streets, worth a look for its Atlas statue out front; and the McGraw-Hill Building, on Sixth Avenue between 48th and 49th streets, with its 50-foot sun triangle on the plaza.The restored Radio City Music Hall, 1260 Sixth Ave., at 50th Street (tel. 212/247-4777; www.radiocity.com), is perhaps the most impressive architectural feat of the complex. Designed by Donald Deskey and opened in 1932, it's one of the largest indoor theaters, with 6,200 seats. But its true grandeur derives from its magnificent Art Deco appointments. The crowning touch is the stage's great proscenium arch, which from the distant seats evokes a faraway sun setting on the horizon of the sea. The men's and women's lounges are also splendid. The theater hosts the annual Christmas Spectacular, starring the Rockettes. The illuminating 1-hour Stage Door Tour is offered Monday through Saturday from 10am to 5pm, Sunday from 11am to 5pm; tickets are $16 for adults, $10 for children under 12.
Museum of Jewish Heritage -- A Living Memorial to the Holocaust
Located in the south end of Battery Park City, the Museum of Jewish Heritage occupies a strikingly spare six-sided building designed by award-winning architect Kevin Roche, with a six-tier roof alluding to the Star of David and the 6 million murdered in the Holocaust. The permanent exhibits -- Jewish Life a Century Ago, The War Against the Jews, and Jewish Renewal -- recount the daily prewar lives, the unforgettable horror that destroyed them, and the tenacious renewal experienced by European and immigrant Jews in the years from the late 19th century to the present. The museum's power derives from the way it tells that story: through the objects, photographs, documents, and, most poignantly, through the videotaped testimonies of Holocaust victims, survivors, and their families, all chronicled by Steven Spielberg's Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation. Thursday evenings are dedicated to panel discussions, performances, and music, while Sundays are dedicated to family programs and workshops; a film series is also a regular part of the calendar. In the fall of 2003, the East Wing opened and includes a kosher cafe, Abigael's, run by celebrity chef Jeff Nathan.While advance tickets are not usually necessary, you may want to purchase them to guarantee admission; call tel. 212/945-0039. Audio tours narrated by Meryl Streep and Itzhak Perlman are available at the museum for an additional $5.
Make your reservations for discount hotel rooms in the
Newark area, including:
The Lucerne
This magnificent 1903 landmark building has had many incarnations over the years, including one as a dormitory for Columbia University students. But most recently it has been transformed into a luxury boutique hotel, and that transformation has been a triumph on many levels. As a longtime resident of the Upper West Side, I can easily say the Lucerne best captures the feel of that very special neighborhood. Service here is impeccable, especially for a moderately priced hotel; the attentive GM is on top of every detail and everything is fresh and immaculate. The rooms are all comfortable and big enough for kings, queens, or two doubles, with attractive bathrooms complete with travertine counters. Some of the rooms have views not only of the Hudson River, but of one of my favorite pubs, the Dublin House. The suites are extra special here and include a kitchenette, a stocked minifridge, a microwave, and a sitting room with a sofa and extra television. In 2004, the highly rated Nice Matin opened in the hotel, offering room service or breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But if you don't want to dine there, you can sample some of the neighborhood food at nearby Zabar's or H&H Bagels.
Fitzpatrick Grand Central Hotel
This attractive and intimate Irish-themed hotel is from the Dublin-based Fitzpatrick chain, and it's a terrific choice for those who like the creature comforts a chain hotel can offer but detest the generic blandness that's usually part of the package. Kelly green-carpeted hallways lead to guest rooms that are pleasingly modern with traditional European accents. Half-canopies are a unique and sophisticated touch, and three phones, a fridge stocked with Irish spring water, windows that shut out the street noise and open to let fresh air in, and sharp white and navy blue-tiled bathrooms with lots of space and makeup mirrors add to the comfort level. The L-shaped junior suites also have VCRs, CD players, and extra TVs (including one in the giant bathroom), but a sitting room sans pullout sofa means they're most suited for couples looking for luxury. The Garden Suites boast outdoor patios and big, beautifully tiled bathrooms, making them a worthy splurge. The staff is accustomed to catering to U.N. dignitaries, so you can reasonably expect your needs to be well met. The Wheeltapper Pub is an attractive and comfortable Irish pub serving genuine, affordable pub grub as well as Sunday brunch.
Broadway Inn
More like a San Francisco B&B than a Theater District hotel, this lovely, welcoming inn is a real charmer. The second-floor lobby sets the homey, easygoing tone with stocked bookcases, cushy seating, and cafe tables where breakfast is served. The rooms are basic but comfy, outfitted in an appealing neo-deco style with firm beds, good-quality linens and textiles, and nice bathrooms (about half have showers only). The whole place is impeccably kept. Two rooms have king beds and whirlpool tubs, but the standard doubles are just fine for two if you're looking to save some dough. If there are more than two of you, or you're staying a while, the suites -- with pullout sofa, microwave, minifridge, and lots of closet space -- are a great deal. The location can be noisy, but double-paned windows keep the rooms surprisingly peaceful; still, ask for a back-facing one if you're extra sensitive.The inn's biggest asset is its terrific staff, who go above and beyond the call to make guests happy; they'll even give you a hot line number upon check-in so you can call while you're on the town for directions, advice, and other assistance. Service just doesn't get any better in this price range. This nicely gentrified corner of the Theater District makes a great home base, especially for theatergoers. The inn has inspired a loyal following, so reserve early. However, there's no elevator in the four-story building, so over-packers and travelers with limited mobility should book elsewhere.
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