Friday, March 22, 2024

How To Travel To New York Cheap

Other Things To See And Do In New York City

NYC BUDGET TIPS- How to Visit New York when youre BROKE !
1. Ride the Staten Island Ferry

That two-hour-long line to see the Statue of Liberty not appealing? Walk a few blocks to the Staten Island ferry. This free ferry takes you across the harbor and offers a nice view of both the Statue of Liberty and the city skyline. The ride takes about 20 minutes each way.

2. Walk the Brooklyn Bridge

Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge to get an interesting view of the New York skyline and harbor. Its a long walk, but good food and drinks await you on the other side. Stopping to take photos and meandering along the way makes the walk about 40 minutes. I enjoy doing this walk at night when downtown Manhattan is all lit up. Otherwise, come early to beat the crowds.

3. Museum hop

While the MET is in a category of its own, New York City has dozens of museums worth visiting. The Natural History Museum, the MoMA, and Guggenheim are just three of the big ones. There are 11 museums on the museum mile near Central Park that would take days to really explore. Pick the ones you want to see the most and visit those unless you have weeks in New York to see them all. Admission varies, but expect to spend around $25 USD per person per museum.

4. Visit Radio City Music Hall
5. Take in the theater
6. See Times Square
7. Experience the Prohibition Bars
8. Visit the Lower East Side Tenement Museum
9. Visit Trinity Church
10. Head to Top of the Rock
11. Just wander
12. Relax in Battery Park
13. Visit Wall Street
14. See Federal Hall
15. See Grand Central Terminal

Make Sure To Get Discount Broadway Tickets

Obviously, catching a Broadway show is one of the things to do in New York City. And yesyou can do it on the cheap!

Heres what you do: check out the TKTS Booth in Times Square . There, you can find theatre tickets with steep discounts: sometimes up to 50% off! Get there early in the day to grab tickets before theyre gone.

Pro tip: If you do choose to pick up tickets in Times Square, be on your guard. Although New York City is safe, Times Square is a tourist hub, and pickpockets know it. For more info on common scams, talk to someone who lives in New York.

Where Is The Best Neighborhood To Stay In Nyc

After visiting New York City several times and staying in different neighborhoods, I recommend staying in one of these 5 areas:

  • Midtown The BEST neighborhood for first-timers
  • Upper East Side Ideal for museum lovers and close to Central Park

PRO TIP: To save money on hotels in New York, considering using Hotwire. Ive always been able to find an amazing deal on a hotel in a central location through Hotwire. Usually you can save up to 50% off the regular rate.

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I do NOT recommend staying outside of the city. Ive stayed outside of Manhattan before and it was such a hassle to commute to and from the city.

Youre reliant on the train schedule and round-trip tickets from New Rochelle Station to Grand Central were $20 per person during peak hours . When traveling with a group, the price of train tickets can add up fast.

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What Are The Cheapest Airlines Flying From Montreal To New York Round

Our cheapest airline available from Montreal to New York is Porter Airlines. Our recent data shows that you can find tickets from as low as C$ 288 on this airline. An additional option worth looking into is American Airlines, starting at C$ 309. Porter Airlines is 2% cheaper than the average price of flights available within the next 90 days to this destination.

Eat Dinner During Happy Hour

New York Holidays &  Travel Packages

Happy hour is popular in New York City and offered seven days a week at some restaurants.

Happy hour can be found throughout Manhattan and is great for drink and food specials. It usually starts at around 4:00pm and goes until 8:00pm . If youre not sure where to go, you can check for deals online. Most restaurants also advertise with signs outside.

Food specials can include pre-fix menus or up to 50% off appetizers. New York restaurants can be expensive and eating during happy hour can be a great way to save money.

For breakfast, stop by a local deli for a quick and delicious breakfast or grab a bagel at one of the many food stands on the street.

For lunch, have a slice of pizza or head to one of the popular food trucks. If youre not sure which one try, just look for one with a long line-up of locals.

PRO TIP: For cheap easts, head to Chinatown or the Lower East Side neighborhood.

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Tips To Help You Save Money On Transportation Accommodations Dining And Entertainment

New York is notoriously expensive. Year after year, it tops Kiplinger’s list of costliest places to live. Just visiting it can cost an arm and a leg. The average daily hotel room rate is $281, and the average cost of dinner in a restaurant is $43 per person, according to the city’s official marketing and tourism organization NYC & Company. Add in the cost of other meals, transportation and entertainment, and you could easily spend $500 a day in the Big Apple.

However, there are plenty of ways to keep the costs associated with a trip under control. If you’re planning a visit to New York, consider these tips to save money getting there, staying there, eating there and having fun there.

Get To Know The Metro

The metro is the cheapest way to travel in New York and get around to all the attractions on your itinerary.

When I first visited New York City, I was overwhelmed by the subway system. It looked like a big spider web to me. But once I rode the metro, I quickly learned that it was easy to use.

Grab a MTA card at one of the vending machines in the airport or at any metro station. You can purchase an unlimited subway pass if you plan on using transit a lot during your visit.

My top tips for riding the metro are:

  • Make sure you enter the correct stationSome stations may only go Uptown or Downtown, while some offer both lines. Read the sign before entering the station and paying your metro fare.
  • Be aware of which train stops at which stationExpress trains bypass some stations while local trains stop at each station on the line. You can check a map at any metro station for help.
  • There are also maps posted in each station too if you need assistance.

For New York Pass holders, you can take the Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour. This is a fun and convenient way to explore all the top attractions on your sightseeing itinerary.

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Free Things To Do In Nyc

Protect the budget by knowing some insider tips for free things to do in New York City. Certain museums are free on different days and times of the week, so you always have several to choose from. In midtown Manhattan, you can walk everywhere. Wander through Central Parks 840 acres, see the gilded Prometheus statue at Rockefeller Center, peek into St. Patricks Cathedral and check out United Nations headquarters.

One special item to place at the top of the list is a free ride on the Staten Island Ferry for close-ups of the Statue of Liberty and great skyline views. Hop on any time the famous commuter ferry operates 118 trips every day from Lower Manhattan.

Where To Stay In New York On A Budget

HOW TO VISIT NEW YORK CITY ON A BUDGET | New York Travel Guide

21. Stay outside Manhattan. Thanks to New Yorks comprehensive public transportation system, theres no need to pay through the nose for a Midtown hotel when you can stay in one of the other boroughsor in New Jerseyand take the train wherever you want to go. Even after factoring in the cost of extra transportation, the savings can be significant.

22. Consider alternatives. There are plenty of other options besides hotels, including apartment rentals, home exchanges, couch surfing, and hostels, many of which offer private rooms in addition to shared dorms. For more ideas, see Ditch the Hotel: 10 Cheaper Ways to Stay.

23. Share a bathroom. If youre willing to sacrifice a little comfort for a better location, consider staying in a hotel or an inn with a shared bathits often one of the best ways to find a truly budget rate in the most popular Manhattan neighborhoods.

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Saving On Getting Around Town

Once you arrive, plan on taking the subway and walking a lot if you really want to see the city and save on transportation costs. Walking is a budget travelers best friend, and New York is no exception. Especially if you plan on spending most of your time in Manhattan, its not that difficult to get nearly everywhere on foot, mixing in an occasional subway trip to cover longer distances.

Just be sure to pack a comfy pair of walking shoes but dont wait to break them in until you arrive!

Along with 24-hour service, the MTA subway and bus system is still very affordable.

Subway prices: One ride: $2.75 7-day unlimited pass: $33

Should you buy an unlimited pass? That depends. If you plan to walk everywhere, it may not be worth the investment, but if you plan to take at least 12 rides over the course of the week, it pays for itself. The more you ride, the more you save!

Tips To See New York City On The Cheap

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Whilst dreams of visiting afar are often highest and most frequent on any travellers list, some of the world’s most spectacular and adventure-filled cities lie right in our own backyard. New York is the poster child for such a description, and is one of our favourite cities to explore. Whether you’ve come here before or are tickled to add the Big Apple to your wish list, New York never disappoints.

Here the vibe seeps in excitement. NYC is a city where people flock to chase their dreams, whether acting on the big screen or simply chasing a more eclectic life. Without further ado, here’s tips to exploring one of the world’s most interesting mega-cities: New York City!

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Find Free & Cheap Things To Do

There are tons of things to do in NYC that will cost you absolutely nothing. Fill your days with free and cheap activities to save yourself some dough!

Weve put together a pretty long list of free and cheap things to do in New York City, but here are some of our favorites:

  • Walk along the High Line

  • Picnic in Central Park

  • Explore the street art in the Bushwick neighborhood

  • Watch the Today Show being filmed

  • Take a Free Walking Tour

  • Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and explore the Dumbo neighborhood

  • Psst! If youre spending some time in the neighborhood, make sure you check out this extensive list of things to do in Brooklyn. Lots of them are free or cheap so you can stick to your budget!

How To Save On Nyc Shows And Entertainment

How to Cheaply Visit New York in 2 days

8. Find low-cost events. Travelers visiting New York on a budget should take advantage of the many free or inexpensive concerts, readings, art exhibits, and other events happening all over the city on any given day. The only challenge is finding them. For a start, try the Free in NYC page of New Yorks official tourist board.

9. Save on Broadway tickets. The popular TKTS booths are great places to check for discounted Broadway tickets, but theyre not your only option. There are often even better deals to be had on discount ticket websites like BroadwayBox.com.

10. Go to the source. Theaters will often sell leftover tickets a couple of hours before shows at their respective box officesbut sometimes its standing room only, or seats may not be together if youve got a group. Some theaters may give discounts to seniors or students with ID it never hurts to ask.

11. Get a subscription. Theater lovers who visit New York regularly or are planning a lengthy trip should consider an Audience Extras membership. For a yearly fee, you get access to last-minute tickets for local shows and concerts that have empty seats to fill. Tickets are free, other than a small ticket service charge. The membership pays for itself after just a few shows.

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Best Trip To New York On A Budget

On our trip to New York City, we challenged ourselves to experience NYC on a budget. Even on a short trip, costs can add up quickly when paying for expensive admission to sights, pricey meals and high-dollar accommodations.

However, thrifty travelers need not worry. There is plenty to do and see in New York without breaking the bank. We planned 4 days in New York City and created a Budget NYC Itinerary that includes iconic sights, a ferry ride, neighborhood walks and classic, cheap NYC eats.

We think this is the best New York itinerary for budget travelers, as we focus on the free things to do in NYC. However, we also happen to think that these are some of the absolute best things to do in New York City! So, even if you are not on a rock-bottom NYC budget, you can use our guide to help plan your trip!

Join A Frequent Fliers Program

Dont be deceived: you dont have to fly a lot to get a free flight!

There is a multitude of ways to earn miles , however, the easiest way to do so is by signing up for a credit card that offers a sign-up bonus.

Many credit cards offer sign-up bonuses rewarding you with an enormous number of miles 30,000, 40,000 even 50,000 miles, which is enough for a free round-trip!

The only requirement to receive a sign-up bonus is to spend a certain amount of money within the first 3 months of opening the account.

To ensure you receive that bonus, make all your purchases on a credit card Earn miles by using your credit card instead of cash.

Use your card to pay for everything you possibly can groceries, phone bills, gas and so much more. Youd be surprised how all the little things add up!

Also, earn miles by shopping online The major airlines have special offers for companies like Amazon, Apple, Best Buy, and Target, just to name a few.

If you are going to order online anyway, why not get an extra little bonus!

Remember that a little effort now will grow into enormous value later on, when you bank enough points to get a free flight.

To find out about all the various ways to earn miles, check out The Points Guy and Flyer Talk.

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Plan Out Your Splurges

When youre visiting NYC, you wont want to miss out on those bucket list items youve been dreaming about. Make the most of your time here, plan ahead and budget accordingly.

For example, if you want to get an iconic view of the city, there are many options. But do your research and choose only one.

Insider Advice: Our pick is the Top of the Rock instead of the Empire State Building, since you wont be surrounded by glass and you get the iconic Empire State Building INSIDE your shots!

And there are plenty of cheap eats in NYC , but there are also some of the best restaurants in the world here as well. Plan on one meal that youll splurge on instead of 10. Or get the biggest bang for your buck and try a little of everything on a New York City food tour.

Just be sure to research it ahead of time and plan it out so you dont accidentally splurge on something unworthy.

For example, we split a $24 lobster roll at the Frying Pan, which was amazing. But we couldnt justify ordering two, so we filled up on pizza as well.

Central Park Times Square And The Metropolitan Museum Of Art The Top 10 Free Things To Do In New York

New York City Travel Guide // Free or Cheap Things to Do

Don’t be fooled into thinking everything in the Big Apple costs you big bucks. With a bit of forward planning and local know-how you can ensure that more than a few stops on your itinerary are completely free .

  • All aboard to Grand Central Station. Take a stroll around this iconic landmark and soak up the hustle of one of the busiest railway stations in the country. Appreciate the architecture, try the famous Whispering Gallery and see where many a famous movie scene has been filmed.

  • See Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup Cans for free . New York is teeming with museums and you can visit many for free, at certain times and days. For example, the Museum of Modern Art, where Warhol’s famous soup cans reside, is free on Fridays 5.30pm to 9pm . Others do ‘pay what you wish’ days.

  • Watch a TV show being filmed. Fancy going behind the scenes of top shows? Programmes such as America’s Got Talent, The Daily Show and The Jerry Springer Show offer tickets the NYC Guide has details. You can usually apply about a month in advance.

  • Find a free concert, festival or play. There are heaps of events to choose from all over the city. Time Out lists some and there’s also the free open theatre in Central Park.

  • Grab a bevvy at the Brooklyn Brewery. Behind-the-scenes tours around one of the USA’s largest craft breweries are free on Saturdays and Sundays.

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