AE field trip Intrepid Museum in New York City

[futura]

Thinking about taking cadets on either a day visit or perhaps an over night stay. Has anyone had any experience with the on board over night visit? It's more money but hopefully more memorable. Looking for feedback, thanks!

[Luis R. Ramos]

Contact Captain Steigmann of Phoenix Composite Squadron, NY-301. He is a regent at the Intrepid. I will PM with details later.

Flyer

[NIN]

Several years ago (I'm going to say 2004?) my squadron did a trip to NYC organized by my AEO.

We did not stay on the Intrepid.  We did, however, bunk at a Days Inn or similar just across the Hudson in Bergen County.

Squadron covered a part of the trip, so it wound up costing each cadet about $25 for the following:

1) Saturday early AM head to NYC (4 hrs)
2) All day at the Intrepid, the sub, the destroyer, etc. (all were responsible for their own meals)
3) Early evening stroll down West 42nd St to Times Sq, take in the lights and the excitement as it got dark.
4) Back to the vans, across the river, everybody to their rooms, lights out.
5) Early Sunday AM wake up, breakfast @ the hotel, back across the river, park @ the Intrepid (arranged). 
6) Walk down 42nd St to the subway, subway to 34th St, to the top of the Empire State Bldg.
7) Back down to 5th Ave (I got some White Castles for my "late breakfast/early lunch" Yay NYC!), back on the Subway to Battery Park
8) Took the Staten Island Ferry past the Statue of Liberty and back to Battery Park (its free).
9) Walk to Ground Zero.
10) Walk to (I think) the Fulton St Seaport Pier for a late lunch at the food court
11) Subway back to Times Sq, back to the vans, vans home (4 hrs)

30 cadets, 6 seniors.  It was a really cool trip.  I'd recommend it, but if staying aboard is too spendy, there are options.

[Rick-DEL]

We're looking at a similar trip. An overnight excursion to the USS New Jersey. An old historic battleship harbored across from downtown Philadelphia. I've done it with the Boy Scouts years ago, it was fun. The scouts enjoyed it. So, I am looking to hold another one for our cadets. I'll keep you posted if we end up doing it.

[SarDragon]

Regarding the USS New Jersey - it's parked in Camden. You have to drive through some seedy neighborhoods to get there. The cheap, and most available, parking is in a parking garage about a quarter of a mile away. Make sure the folks in the group know to STAY TOGETHER.

We were there in December, on a cold, windy day, and there weren't many visitors on the ship. We had the public areas of the ship pretty much to ourselves. In warmer weather it's a lot busier, and there's a greater tendency for folks to wander off, and get disconnected from the group.

It was a great tour, and my second time aboard, the first being in the mid-'80s when it did a port call in San Diego.

[Rick-DEL]

Yeah, seedy indeed. We drove through for the Scout trip. Sitting at a red light, these two unmarked police cars screeched to a halt in the middle of the intersection, both guys jumped out and began running to the corner liquor store to jack up a mid-30's aged looking fella walking out and proceeded to slam him to the pavement. Never new kid eyes could be that big.

[Blackhawk]

Several years ago (I'm going to say 2004?) my squadron did a trip to NYC organized by my AEO.

We did not stay on the Intrepid.  We did, however, bunk at a Days Inn or similar just across the Hudson in Bergen County.

Squadron covered a part of the trip, so it wound up costing each cadet about $25 for the following:

1) Saturday early AM head to NYC (4 hrs)
2) All day at the Intrepid, the sub, the destroyer, etc. (all were responsible for their own meals)
3) Early evening stroll down West 42nd St to Times Sq, take in the lights and the excitement as it got dark.
4) Back to the vans, across the river, everybody to their rooms, lights out.
5) Early Sunday AM wake up, breakfast @ the hotel, back across the river, park @ the Intrepid (arranged). 
6) Walk down 42nd St to the subway, subway to 34th St, to the top of the Empire State Bldg.
7) Back down to 5th Ave (I got some White Castles for my "late breakfast/early lunch" Yay NYC!), back on the Subway to Battery Park
Took the Staten Island Ferry past the Statue of Liberty and back to Battery Park (its free).
9) Walk to Ground Zero.
10) Walk to (I think) the Fulton St Seaport Pier for a late lunch at the food court
11) Subway back to Times Sq, back to the vans, vans home (4 hrs)

30 cadets, 6 seniors.  It was a really cool trip.  I'd recommend it, but if staying aboard is too spendy, there are options.

NIN, that is a great itinerary, thanks for sharing. I am going to borrow heavily from it!

[Alaric]

There is a field trip to Intrepid on 19 October that CT Wing is doing, if interested you can get more information at www.ctwg.cap.gov

[futura]

Post Script we completed our field trip and had an outstanding time. The Space Shuttle exhibit was the icing on the cake. Also big time thanks to Captain Steigmann of Phoenix Composite Squadron for his time with us last Saturday.