West Point, Iona, FDU and Saint Peter's in 3 Days: A Teaneck-Based New York and New Jersey College Drive Trip
A parent-first plan for seeing the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Iona University, Fairleigh Dickinson University's Metropolitan Campus and Saint Peter's University from one Teaneck, New Jersey base: how each school's visit works and where to sign up, the ID adults need to get onto West Point, visitor parking at Iona and Saint Peter's, four hotels from budget to upscale, drive times from Newark's airport, a sibling stop at Liberty Science Center, and Newark weather by season, every fact sourced and checked Oct 30, 2026.
Cadet buildings across the Plain at West Point (April 2026). Photo: ajay_suresh · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped
Last checked Oct 30, 2026. Every fact comes from the pages listed in Sources at the bottom. Some hotel and tour links are affiliate links (disclosure).
The short version
Trip at a glance
Schools
U.S. Military Academy (West Point, NY) · Iona University (New Rochelle, NY) · Fairleigh Dickinson University, Metropolitan Campus (Teaneck, NJ) · Saint Peter's University (Jersey City, NJ)
Days
3 days from a Teaneck base: FDU and Saint Peter's on day 1 (about 20 minutes apart), Iona on day 2 (about 30 minutes east), and West Point on day 3 (about an hour north), all with no traffic.
Fly into
Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), about 30 minutes from the Teaneck Marriott with no traffic. FDU calls Newark its closest airport.
Best base
Teaneck Marriott at Glenpointe, about 6 minutes by car from FDU's Metropolitan Campus.
Car or no car
Rent a car. West Point is about 46 miles north of Teaneck, and Iona is across the Hudson in Westchester County.
Registration
Book each visit on the school's own registration page. West Point admissions tours run only on select weekdays and need preregistration; Iona asks you to pre-register (no walk-ins); FDU and Saint Peter's post weekday tour dates on their calendars.
1. Who this guide is for
This plan is for parents bringing a high schooler, and maybe younger siblings, to see four Division I schools around New York City: the Army West Point Black Knights, the Iona Gaels, the FDU Knights and the Saint Peter's Peacocks.
West Point sits about 50 miles north of New York City in the Hudson Valley, Iona's New Rochelle campus is about 20 miles north of Manhattan, FDU's Metropolitan Campus straddles Teaneck and Hackensack about six miles from the George Washington Bridge, and Saint Peter's is in Jersey City, a 12-minute train ride from New York City. The photo in this guide shows cadet buildings across the Plain at West Point.
Why this order
Arrive the day before: Newark's airport is about 30 minutes by car from the Teaneck Marriott with no traffic.
Day 1: an FDU Metropolitan Campus visit in Teaneck, then about 23 minutes south to Saint Peter's in Jersey City for an afternoon tour, with Liberty Science Center about 7 minutes away.
Day 2: drive about 30 minutes east to Iona's New Rochelle campus for a tour.
Day 3 (a weekday): drive about an hour north to West Point for an admissions tour, then about 80 minutes back to Newark's airport.
Plan ahead: registration and timing
West Point admissions tours are offered only on select weekdays during the academic year and summer. Preregistration is required, capacity is limited, and tours are intended only for the candidate and their parents.
West Point Admissions doesn't offer tours on weekends, federal holidays or most academic breaks. Fridays in football season and the days around Thanksgiving Break are in high demand, and there's no waitlist, so book early and put West Point on a Monday through Thursday if you can.
Iona offers New Rochelle campus tours Monday through Friday and on most weekends. Pre-register, because Iona can't accommodate walk-ins.
FDU's Metropolitan Campus holds tours on many weekdays, plus a presentation and student-led tour on select Saturdays.
Saint Peter's student ambassadors lead campus tours Monday through Thursday. RSVP for an open date on its tour calendar.
Can't make every stop? West Point and Iona offer virtual tours, FDU has virtual information sessions and campus maps, and Saint Peter's has an interactive campus map.
Tour availability varies by season.
Summers are warm: July averages about 87°F highs at Newark's airport, so plan outdoor walking for the morning.
Winters are cold and snowy: January and February average about 40–43°F highs and about 9–10 inches of snow a month, so leave extra driving time for West Point in winter.
Fall is mild: October averages about 66°F highs and 49°F lows. It's also football season, when West Point Fridays book up fast.
Check each school's athletics site for home games on your dates. During basketball season, some Iona tours end with complimentary tickets to a home game.
2. The suggested 3-day plan
Drive times are no-traffic estimates from OpenStreetMap routing, with addresses geocoded by OpenStreetMap Nominatim, so allow extra time at rush hour around New York City. Times to FDU are to 1000 River Road, times to Saint Peter's are to its admission office at 47 Glenwood Avenue, times to Iona are to 715 North Avenue, and times to West Point are to the Visitors Center just outside Thayer Gate.
Arrival: fly into Newark and check in near Teaneck
Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) → Teaneck Marriott at Glenpointe
Driving (no traffic)
~30 min, 18.9 mi
Driving
Rental car
Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) → Hilton Garden Inn Ridgefield Park
Driving (no traffic)
~27 min, 17.1 mi
Driving
Rental car
Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) → Hyatt Regency Jersey City
Driving (no traffic)
~21 min, 11.5 mi
Driving
Rental car
FDU says Newark is the closest major airport to its Metropolitan Campus, about a 30-minute drive. Many students also fly into JFK or LaGuardia.
Day 1: FDU's Metropolitan Campus, then Saint Peter's University
Teaneck Marriott at Glenpointe → FDU Metropolitan Campus (1000 River Rd.)
Driving (no traffic)
~6 min, 2.8 mi
Driving
Drive
Hilton Garden Inn Ridgefield Park → FDU Metropolitan Campus (1000 River Rd.)
Saint Peter's University → Teaneck Marriott at Glenpointe
Driving (no traffic)
~20 min, 12.1 mi
Driving
Drive
An FDU campus visit, including a student-led tour, takes about 1.5 to 2 hours, so book FDU in the morning and Saint Peter's in the afternoon.
Saint Peter's and Liberty Science Center are both reached from NJ Turnpike Exit 14C, so the museum makes an easy stop after the tour.
Day 2: Iona University in New Rochelle
Teaneck Marriott at Glenpointe → Iona University (715 North Ave.)
Driving (no traffic)
~30 min, 16.5 mi
Driving
Drive
Hilton Garden Inn Ridgefield Park → Iona University (715 North Ave.)
Driving (no traffic)
~31 min, 18.6 mi
Driving
Drive
Holiday Inn Express New Rochelle → Iona University (715 North Ave.)
Driving (no traffic)
~3 min, 1.4 mi
Driving
Drive
Iona's campus tour covers academic spaces, residence halls and co-curricular spaces. Iona also offers 1:1 admissions interviews and Spotlight Sessions if you want a deeper visit.
Iona lists the Holiday Inn Express New Rochelle among nearby hotels, if you'd rather spend this night on the New York side.
Day 3: West Point, then fly home
Teaneck Marriott at Glenpointe → West Point Visitors Center
Driving (no traffic)
~61 min, 45.7 mi
Driving
Drive (Palisades Parkway north)
Holiday Inn Express New Rochelle → West Point Visitors Center
Driving (no traffic)
~64 min, 44.9 mi
Driving
Drive
West Point Visitors Center → Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
Driving (no traffic)
~80 min, 58.3 mi
Driving
Drive
Adults 18 and over without a DoD Common Access Card or retired military ID must go to the Visitor Control Center with a REAL ID or Enhanced driver's license. Without one, bring another form of U.S. ID, such as a passport, Social Security card or birth certificate. Without these documents you'll be denied access.
Visitors under 18 don't need ID but must be with an adult. West Point's confirmation email for your admissions tour includes security access, parking and schedule details.
From the Palisades Parkway, follow Route 9W north at the Bear Mountain circle and take the exit through Highland Falls, past the Visitors Center to Thayer Gate, which is open 24 hours a day.
An FDU campus visit includes a student-led tour and runs about 1.5 to 2 hours in all. Metropolitan Campus tours are held on many weekdays; schedule online or contact the admission office.
On select Saturdays FDU offers a brief presentation and student-led campus tour, about 2 to 2.5 hours in all.
Visitor parking
Exit Route 4 at River Road: coming from the west or south, campus parking is on the right; coming from the George Washington Bridge, it's to the left past the athletic fields.
FDU's parking regulations apply to everyone who drives on campus and are enforced at all times, so follow the signs and check with the admission office about where visitors should park.
Getting there
FDU's Metropolitan Campus is about 6 minutes by car from the Teaneck Marriott with no traffic. Frequent buses from New York City's Port Authority (about 35 minutes) stop at River Road in Teaneck on Route 4.
What to know
The Metropolitan Campus sits in the suburban communities of Teaneck and Hackensack, six miles from the George Washington Bridge, and fields 18 Division I sports.
Saint Peter's student ambassadors lead daily campus tours Monday through Thursday. RSVP for an open date and time on the tour calendar.
Groups of 10 or more college-bound students can arrange a tour and formal visit.
Visitor parking
Admission is in the Mac Mahon Student Center at 47 Glenwood Avenue. Saint Peter's directions say to pull into the parking lot and find the parking space with the Admission Office sign.
Getting there
From the NJ Turnpike, take Exit 14C (Columbus Drive/Jersey City) and follow Saint Peter's directions to the Mac Mahon Student Center. It's about 20 minutes from the Teaneck Marriott and about 7 minutes from the Hyatt Regency Jersey City with no traffic.
What to know
The campus covers over 20 acres in the heart of Jersey City, about a 12-minute train ride from New York City.
Contact
Saint Peter's University, 2641 John F. Kennedy Boulevard, Jersey City, NJ 07306. Admission: Mac Mahon Student Center, 47 Glenwood Ave.
Last checked Oct 30, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.
Iona offers New Rochelle campus tours for prospective students and families Monday through Friday and on most weekends. Pre-register on the visit calendar; Iona can't take walk-ins.
The tour covers academic spaces, residence halls and co-curricular spaces. Iona also offers visits for juniors, Spotlight Sessions and 1:1 interviews with an admissions counselor.
Visitor parking
Visitors can get a visitor parking permit at the main entrance kiosk, the Safety Communications Room or the Campus Safety Office. A limited number of visitor spaces are in the LaPenta Student Union and Hynes Athletics Center lots.
Getting there
Iona is about 30 minutes by car from the Teaneck Marriott with no traffic. Without a car, Metro-North and Amtrak stop at New Rochelle station, and Iona's directions page lists bus connections.
What to know
Iona's New Rochelle campus is about 20 miles north of Manhattan, and its virtual tour covers academic buildings, residence halls and athletics facilities.
Contact
Iona University, 715 North Avenue, New Rochelle, NY 10801. Contact Undergraduate Admissions through the visit page.
Last checked Oct 30, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.
West Point admissions tours are open to current or future applicants and their parents. Each tour has an informational briefing on the application process and a guided tour of the grounds with an admissions officer.
Tours run only on select weekdays during the academic year and summer, with preregistration required and limited capacity. West Point can't offer a waitlist.
Tours are intended only for the candidate and their parents, so plan something else for younger siblings, such as the Visitors Center exhibit outside Thayer Gate.
Visitor parking
Security access, parking and schedule details for your admissions tour come in West Point's confirmation email.
Thayer Gate and Stony Lonesome Gate are open 24 hours. Washington Gate is only for DoD ID card holders.
Getting there
West Point says the drive from midtown Manhattan or Newark's airport takes about 1 hour 20 minutes in light traffic. From Teaneck it's about an hour with no traffic.
Without a car, Short Line buses run from New York's Port Authority to the West Point Visitors Center, or take Metro-North to Peekskill and a cab across the river.
What to know
The Frederic V. Malek West Point Visitors Center, just outside Thayer Gate, houses the West Point Experience exhibit and the Visitor Control Center, next to the West Point Museum.
Contact
Visits Office: visit@westpoint.edu, 845-938-5760. Admissions: 606 Thayer Road, West Point, NY 10996; 845-938-4041.
Last checked Oct 30, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.
4. Where to stay: Teaneck and Ridgefield Park, with New Rochelle and Jersey City options
Price tiers (Budget, Mid-range, Upscale) follow each hotel's star class on Expedia. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
Hotel · Our pickUpscale
Teaneck Marriott at Glenpointe
100 Frank W. Burr Blvd., Teaneck, NJ 07666
Why here
It's about 6 minutes by car from FDU, about 20 minutes from Saint Peter's, about 30 minutes from Iona and about an hour from West Point with no traffic, so you can keep one hotel all three nights.
Expedia lists this hotel as a 4-star property, so we place it in the Upscale tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
Good to know
Expedia lists self-parking on site for a fee, two restaurants, a gym, breakfast for a fee, no pets (service animals welcome) and a minimum check-in age of 21. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.
Expedia lists this hotel as a 3-star property, so we place it in the Mid-range tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
It's about 8 minutes by car from FDU and about 31 minutes from Iona with no traffic.
Good to know
Expedia lists free self-parking, an indoor pool, breakfast for a fee, pets for a fee and a minimum check-in age of 21. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.
Expedia lists this hotel as a 2.5-star property, so we place it in the Budget tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
Iona lists it among nearby hotels, and it's about 3 minutes by car from campus, if you'd rather spend the night before Iona on the New York side.
Good to know
Expedia lists a free continental breakfast, limited covered self-parking for a fee (with height restrictions), no pets (service animals welcome) and a minimum check-in age of 21. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.
Expedia lists this hotel as a 4-star property, so we place it in the Upscale tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
Saint Peter's lists it among local accommodations. It's about 7 minutes by car from Saint Peter's and Liberty Science Center and about 21 minutes from Newark's airport with no traffic.
Good to know
Expedia lists self and valet parking for a fee, a restaurant, a 24-hour gym, breakfast for a fee, no pets (service animals welcome) and a minimum check-in age of 18. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.
Stay in Teaneck for all three nights: FDU is about 6 minutes away, Saint Peter's about 20 minutes, Iona about 30 minutes and West Point about an hour with no traffic. For a night on the New York side before Iona, use the Holiday Inn Express New Rochelle; for a Jersey City night on the Hudson, use the Hyatt Regency.
5. Meals between tours
Hours change, so check before you go.
At the hotels
The Holiday Inn Express New Rochelle includes breakfast, and the Teaneck Marriott, Hilton Garden Inn and Hyatt Regency offer breakfast for a fee. The Teaneck Marriott and Hyatt Regency have restaurants on site.
6. Things for siblings along the route
With siblings
Liberty Science Center
222 Jersey City Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07305
A science center in Liberty State Park, about 7 minutes by car from Saint Peter's. From NJ Turnpike Exit 14C, take the first right onto Jersey City Boulevard to the 750-spot lot, which charges a daily fee.
Just outside Thayer Gate, the Visitors Center's West Point Experience exhibit includes a model cadet barracks room and a short film, and it's next to the West Point Museum. A good stop for siblings while the candidate and parents are on the admissions tour.
At West Point, adults 18 and over need a REAL ID or Enhanced driver's license at the Visitor Control Center (or another U.S. ID such as a passport), and under-18s must be with an adult.
At Iona, pick up a visitor parking permit at the main entrance kiosk and park in the LaPenta Student Union or Hynes Athletics Center lots.
At Saint Peter's, park in the space with the Admission Office sign by the Mac Mahon Student Center, 47 Glenwood Avenue.
At FDU, exit Route 4 at River Road for campus parking.
Flying in and out
Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) is about 30 minutes from the Teaneck Marriott and about 80 minutes from West Point with no traffic.
West Point also lists Stewart International Airport in Newburgh, about 30 minutes away, with rental car counters.
Weather by season (1991–2020 NOAA normals: Newark Liberty International Airport station)
Spring: April averages about 63°F highs and 44°F lows, with about 3.9 inches of rain.
Summer: July averages about 87°F/69°F, with about 4.7 inches of rain.
Fall: October averages about 66°F/49°F, with about 3.8 inches of rain.
Winter: January averages about 40°F/26°F, with about 3.4 inches of precipitation and about 9 inches of snow.
Parent checklist
Book a West Point admissions tour on a weekday as early as you can (there's no waitlist).
Bring a REAL ID or Enhanced driver's license (or a passport) for every adult going onto West Point.
Pre-register for an Iona campus tour (no walk-ins).
Book an FDU Metropolitan Campus visit on its events portal.
RSVP for a Saint Peter's daily campus tour.
Book flights into Newark and plan a rental car.
Book a hotel in Teaneck, or in New Rochelle or Jersey City for a change of base.
After each visit, take five minutes to jot down what stood out to your student.
8. Student-athlete recruiting visits
For families whose student hopes to play a college sport. Rules below are the NCAA's; each school's links were checked Oct 26, 2026.
Coaches arrange the recruiting part of a visit, not the admissions office. The tour sign-ups in this guide are for the regular family visit. An official (school-paid) visit is offered by the school, and contact with coaches follows NCAA rules that vary by division, sport and grade level.
Start with your sport's questionnaire, then email the coaches. The NCAA suggests emailing coaches with your achievements, highlight videos and interest in their program, including your name, position, NCAA ID and graduation year.
RecruitingWe found no department-wide recruiting page. Look for a questionnaire on your sport's team page at the athletics site ↗, or email the coaches.
RecruitingWe found no department-wide recruiting page. Look for a questionnaire on your sport's team page at the athletics site ↗, or email the coaches.
RecruitingWe found no department-wide recruiting page. Look for a questionnaire on your sport's team page at the athletics site ↗, or email the coaches.
RecruitingWe found no department-wide recruiting page. Look for a questionnaire on your sport's team page at the athletics site ↗, or email the coaches.
Unofficial visit: any campus visit you or your family pay for. You can take as many as you like; in Divisions I and II each one has to come after the first permissible date for your sport.
Official visit: a visit paid for by the school. Each school can offer your student only one. Before a Division I official visit, your student must be registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center, be on the school's institutional request list, and the school must have their high school transcripts.
Division I (Fairleigh Dickinson University, Metropolitan Campus, Saint Peter's University, Iona University and U.S. Military Academy): on an official visit the school can pay for travel for the student and up to two family members, lodging, up to three meals a day for the student and up to four family members, and up to $60 a person in entertainment, including five home-game tickets. On an unofficial visit there are no free meals, but the school can give up to three home-game tickets. Division I uses recruiting calendars with contact, evaluation, quiet and dead periods; in a dead period, no in-person contact and no visits.
Rules change. Confirm with the coach, or check the NCAA's recruiting page and recruiting calendars, before you plan dates.
Planning around the season
Check each school's athletics schedule (linked above) before you pick dates, so a coach meeting doesn't land on a road trip or game day for your sport.
Our recommendation, not a school rule: ask the coach whether they can line up an admissions session or tour around your meeting. If not, book the regular family tour yourself through the official sign-up links in this guide, and leave time between the two.
Add your dates and how you're getting there, and we'll pull this guide into one plan: tour sign-up links, the hotel base, parking or airport notes, the route and meals.
Coming soon
Planning more college trips?
Visit-season reminders and new trip guides from College Visit Guides. Newsletter coming soon.
Sources
All checked Oct 30, 2026. Tour schedules change constantly, so always confirm on each school's official sign-up page. Photo credits are under each photo and on our About page.
Expedia listing: Teaneck Marriott at Glenpointe (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-30 via same-id Hotwire listing) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Teaneck-Hotels-Teaneck-Marriott-At-Glenpointe.h14794.Hotel-Information)
Expedia listing: Hilton Garden Inn Ridgefield Park (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-30 via same-id Hotwire listing) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Ridgefield-Park-Hotels-Hilton-Garden-Inn-Ridgefield-Park.h2602829.Hotel-Information)
Expedia listing: Holiday Inn Express New Rochelle (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-30 via same-id Hotwire listing) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/New-Rochelle-Hotels-Holiday-Inn-Express-New-Rochelle.h71756626.Hotel-Information)
Expedia listing: Hyatt Regency Jersey City on the Hudson (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-30 via same-id Hotwire listing) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Jersey-City-Hotels-Hyatt-Regency-Jersey-City-On-The-Hudson.h880227.Hotel-Information)
