How to Visit NYC on a Budget
New York City is the most populated city in the United States, with roughly 20 million people living in and around the city. It has many attractions that draw visitors each day, such as the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building and Times Square. Although New York City is more expensive than other cities, there are ways to save money and still have a great time there.
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Instructions
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Book airfare and hotel accommodations. In general, the cheapest time to fly is in the middle of the week in the middle of the day. Morning and evening flights are usually more popular with business travelers and thus more expensive. Flights to and from New York City on Thursdays, Fridays, Sundays and Mondays are also usually more popular with people visiting New York for a weekend.
Hotels are also generally less expensive during the middle of the week than on weekends. You also will find lower rates outside Manhattan in the other New York City boroughs: Queens, Staten Island, Brooklyn and the Bronx. Staying outside Manhattan is not as convenient for seeing New York attractions, however, because most of them are in Manhattan.
Lastly, consider booking a travel package, which allows you to bundle airfare and hotel costs into one price, which often can save you money compared with booking both separately. Most major airlines, such as United and American, as well as travel sites such as priceline.com, travelocity.com and expedia.com offer package deals to New York City.
Of course, if you have friends in New York, you can ask to stay with them for free.
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Use public transportation, which is less expensive than taking taxis. New York's subway system is generally on time and convenient. There are stations all over the city, and the line maps are easy to read. You can also buy passes for unlimited rides on public transportation.
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Eat on the street. There are plenty of street vendors in New York selling delicious, authentic NYC food, such as hot dogs and pizza, for just a few bucks. If that is not your thing, pop into one of the many NYC delis and grab a sandwich or salad. There are also plenty of Chinese and other ethnic restaurants that sell inexpensive takeout meals.
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Find the cheap things to do. Take a ride on the Staten Island ferry; it is free and runs all day and night, and offers spectacular views of the city skyline from the water. Many museums also offer free entry at certain times throughout the week; the Museum of Modern Art has free admission every Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. The American Museum of Natural History has a suggested donation of $15, but you can pay whatever you can afford to visit the museum.
Stroll through Central Park on nice days, and walk around the city to experience the hustle and bustle and culture of NYC. Times Square is always a popular destination to walk through as well.
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Buy a CityPASS, which saves you money on some of New York's top attractions. The CityPASS includes admission to several museums, the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty and the Top of the Rock. The pass is $79 for adults (as of June 2010), but the total cost for all attractions is $144, so you save almost 50 percent.
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Tips & Warnings
Hotel rates change all the time. Periodically check your hotel's website and other travel sites for the current rates for your stay. If you find a rate that is lower than what you reserved, contact the hotel or travel service and ask it to honor the lower rate.
Be on the alert for pickpockets at popular tourist places such as Times Square. Do not keep all of your money on you; leave some in a safe in your hotel room. If you must carry it all with you, invest in a travel belt to keep your money and ID cards safe.
References
- Photo Credit new york image by Gerhard Führing from Fotolia.com
