Tips for 11 hour layover - Newark airport

[Fabpinky]

I have an 11 hour layover in Newark airport this month and I’m wondering if anyone has any tips or advice? It would be great to hear from anyone that has actually been in Newark airport for a long period of time before. My layover is overnight 11pm-8am so I know that there won’t be many places open unfortunately!

Any tips on what I could take to make it easier? I’m thinking -

ipad
kindle
phone
travel pillow
blanket?
eye mask
moisturiser
hand cream
snacks

also I always thought you couldn’t take food from outside the airport through - is this true? Or can I stock up in my local supermarket instead of paying through the nose at Heathrow?

When I have that kind of layover I usually see if there are any lounges available with paid access. Sometimes they seem expensive but if they are providing food and drink it is often cost effective (and much more comfortable than trying to find a quiet corner), safer too if you are trying to sleep.

As it's at night the only suggestion I have is to book an airport hotel. I slept in airports a couple of times when younger and it's brutal - bright, noisy and the fear that your stuff will be taken if you fall asleep. Awful way to start any trip.

@Flatandhappy i did have a look but they’re all
closed over night!

@Iamnotin yeah I see what you mean. I did have a quick look but the cheapest was £100

By the time you land at 11 it will probably take an hour or so until you're off the plane and you've collected any baggage (sometimes this is necessary and sometimes they transfer baggage for you)
You then may need to re-check in from 6am and that's probably when the restaurants open.
So really you've got from 12-6. I'd fry and find a comfy spot - take a very small handbag that ck gains ultimate valuables that you can wear under a hoodie and keep your suitcases close by / lean on them and try and catch a little snooze.
My long long ago memories were that most of the food places shut down. But if you eat well on the plane then maybe a bottle of water and a few snacks will get you through until the breakfast places open from 6am (at a guess May even be earlier) take some low denomination dollars for vending machines too

Ah I actually land at 9.20, not 11.20 I misread my ticket. I think this changes things RE hotel. I’ll have another look into it

I would stay overnight in an airport hotel. Newark airport is sparse in terms of facilities in daylight, let alone at night and you really do not want to sleep in the terminal overnight.

For that amount of time I would unquestionably splurge on the hotel room

Ok ok I’m convinced, hotel it is!

Guarantee you won’t regret it!

Oh yes with that landing times I'd definitely do a hotel! If it was the midnight - 6am stretch I'd have waited it out

Hotel room for sure. I'll never forget spending a night in a cross channel ferry terminal, it was awful. I didn't feel safe at all.

pay for the hotel… you won’t regret it!

The £100 is well spent. Newark airport after hours is not somewhere I would want to be alone.

You can take food into the airport, through security and onto the plane no problem, as long as its not liquid (yoghurt, hummus etc). Some countries won't let you bring it into the country and ask you to throw away leftovers before passport control. You can bring an empty water bottle and fill it up after security.