Midnight Oil

[Powderworks] advice on NJ/Philly venues?

Alan R. Bernstein bernsa@eden.rutgers.edu
Wed, 24 Oct 2001 13:42:56 -0400 (EDT)


** LONG POST DETAILED WITH DIRECTIONS ONLY TO BIRCH HILL **
** NMOC **

Directions for Birch Hill:

Directions to Birch Hill - From South Jersey/Philly area - 
The easy way (not necessarily the shortest):
** HEAVY RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC FOR 10 MILES **
Take NJ Turnpike to Exit 9 - (Rutgers, New Brunswick)
Take 18 South about 10 miles (Bear left after toll)
Take 9 South for something like 1/4 - 1 mile
It's on the right with a very non-descript sign... you may end up driving
past it - If you hit Texas Rd... you went too far!  The actual location is
set in a few thousand feet from the roadway and you cannot see the
building from the road.  It's not the prettiest of locations.

Shorter way (Not the shortest.. but slightly harder)
Take NJ Turnpike to Exit 8 - Rt. 33 Hightstown, Freehold
Take 33 East to US9 North after the Freehold mall
After passing Rt.18 make first U-Turn using jug handle 
Proceed as above.

Arguably the shortest way:
NJ Turnpike to Exit 8a - Left on Rt 32 to Jamesburg..
In JAmesburg make a Right at end of road
Make 1st Left on Matchaponix (County 612)
Take Matchaponix to end; Make a L
Make 1st R onto Texas Road
Make a L onto US9 North..
(As above)
After passing Rt. 18 make first U-Turn using jug handle
Proceed as above.

>From South Jersey/Atlantic City
Garden State Parkway to Rt 18 North (Exit 105)
18 North PAST US9
At Spring Valley, Make a R to go back to US 9
Make a R on US9 South
After Rt 18 overpass look for Birch Hill on the right as before

>From North Jersey/New York
NJ Turnpike Exit 11 to Garden State Parkway South over big bridge
After toll take US9 south.
After RT 18 overpass look for Birch Hill on the right as above
(Alternatively you may bypass GSP toll by taking 9 from before the bridge
or at NJT Exit 11)
** YOU WILL BE COMMUTING WITH RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC WHICH IS VERY HEAVY **

Public Transit:
Uhm... in 2 words: NOT EASY
Closest train stations are either New Brunswick (NJ TRansit NEC line - 15
miles) or South Amboy (NJ Transit NJCL line 10-15 miles).  Local taxi
service should be available from New Brunswick... not sure about South
Amboy.  Rush hour buses from Port Authority/NYC are available from NJ
Transit TO Rt. 9 and could probably drop you off at their driveway... but
you are screwed for a return.  Last trains back are 12:03 AM for S. Amboy
and 1:22 AM for New Brunswick.  (Check www.njtransit.com - for more
details) I *MIGHT* be able to take up to 4 people cramped to either train
station (S. Amboy preferred) if they get desperate - and we're not chillin
with the band :).  The bus is probably the best way to get there and
train/taxi/locals is the best way back.
Closest Amtrak station : Metro Park - NEC ~ 20 miles
>From Philly - Forget NJTransit and SEPTA unless you plan to spend the
night in Jersey

Local Hotels:
Not sure of specifics... Rt. 18 N of the venue has a few motels here and
there ranging from Motel 6, Super 8, Ramada, to a huge Hilton by the
Turnpike - most 6-12 miles from venue. 
Rt. 9 North/South of the venue may/may not have hotels
Can't recommend any specific one.

Local eateries:
Lots of great original places in New Brunswick ~15 miles.
Jersey Diners up and down Rt. 9
Stuff Yer Face on 18 N of US9 - Fast food style boli's - a RU franchise
18 between Turnpike and Old Bridge has got every chain imaginable

This is TRUE suburbia here... there's no downtown or any cool hangouts
unless you're in New Brunswick which is more of a college town these days
than anything else.

On Wed, 24 Oct 2001, Tom Davies wrote:

> Dear powderworkers,
> 
> Next week I'll be driving up twice from Washington, DC, to catch the
> Philly show and then the Birch Hill Nite Club show. If there are any
> locals or others on the list who could help me out with some local
> knowledge, I'd appreciate it. I'd especially like it if someone could give
> me some good directions, to help me not get lost on the drive up, in
> addition to whatever I get off mapquest.com.
> 
> thanks in advance y'all...
> 
> Tom Davies
> 
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