How To Travel To New York On A Budget

Budget Food And Drink

If youre looking to eat out on a budget, heres 40 places to get you started, spread across the city. You can also save by getting food to go from breakfast bagels and pretzels to pizza slices and deli sandwiches. The food truck scene is also really big in New York, serving street food from around the word. They move around but you can track them down is on using this site.

You can also find plenty of food trucks at the citys food markets. The biggest is Smorgasburg in Brooklyn with over 100 stalls, which takes place between April and October from 11am6pm at the East River Park in Willamsburg on Saturdays and in Prospect Park on Sunday. Theres also the Hester Street Fair in the Lower East Side, which also takes place on Saturdays from 11am6pm between April and October, as well as smaller Urbanspace markets around the city.

If you like beer, you can take a free tour at the Brooklyn Brewery. Tours run every half hour from 1pm6pm on Saturdays and Sundays. You can also buy their draft beers for $6, and can bring your own food or order takeaway in for delivery to the brewery. Or on Monday to Friday there are more in-depth, 45-minute small group tours at 5pm, 5.45pm, 6.30pm and 7.15pm for $18, including four beers and a souvenir glass make sure to book in advance.

Brooklyn Bridge

Getting From La Guardia To Manhattan:

From La Guardia Terminal B, take the Q70-SBS bus to Roosevelt Av/74 Street stop. Get off the bus and enter the metro at Roosevelt Av Jackson Heights Subway Station. If youre a little disoriented , just ask the bus driver where the metro entrance is located. Once in the metro station, take the E line to 50 Street Subway Station toward World Trade Center, or connect a line leading you to your hotel. Total time is about 1 hour.

Eat Dinner During Happy Hour

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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Find Cheaper Versions Of Typical Tourist Destination

Avoid the tourist traps and see New York like a local. There are tons of ways to experience classic NYC activities on the cheapand without the tourist crowd. These tips are just the tip of the iceberg thoughtalk to an NYC trip planner for a boatload of 1:1 personalized recs.

• Instead of the Comedy Cellar, go to an open-mic night: There are so many bars and theaters around New York that have free live comedy! The comedy may be more hit-and-miss, but youll definitely stumble upon some gems. The Upright Citizens Brigade Theater is a local favorite.
• Instead of Little Italy, go to Arthur Avenue: New Yorkers know that Little Italy hasnt been the best place in town for Italian food in almost a century. Instead, head north to the Bronx. Arthur Avenue has some of the best Italian eats in town.
• Instead of Magnolia Bakery, go to Mollys Cupcakes:Sure you could visit the bakery made famous by Sex in the City, but to satisfy a sweet tooth without the crowds, opt for a cupcake at Mollys Cupcakes or a cookie at Levain Bakery .

How Much Do Visits Attractions And Shows Cost In New York

First of all, I think that for a first visit of New York, the purchase of a Pass is very useful, like the New York CityPASS since it offers the main visits and attractions in NYC.

Then, if you want to see an NBA game, whether its the New York Knicks or the Brooklyn Nets, you could find tickets at $26-40. For a baseball game, its starting at $20-25, a football game is starting at $40-50. You can read more information here.

If you like shows and plays, you can go see a musical on Broadway, starting at $ 65-90 per person.

One of the must-see activities in New York is a helicopter flight, starting at $215 per person. It is impressive and allows you to see the whole city from an extraordinary point of view.

In short, there are thousands of things that can be done in New York, not to mention concerts, museums, bus tours, boats, guided tours

Tight Budget$120 per personAverage budget$330 and $650 per coupleLarge Budget$650 or more

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How To Get Your New York Pass:

Step 1: Choose which pass duration you want to buy . You can to purchase your New York Pass from their official website. When you buy the pass online, you can take advantage of online discounts.

Step 2: Download your mobile pass instantly using the New York Pass App. If you prefer a physical pass, simply opt for delivery or collect on arrival in New York.

Step 3: You now have FREE access to any of the 100+ top NYC attractions included for the duration of your pass. You can activate your pass anytime within 12 months from the date of purchase.

Step 4: Download the free guide book, which is included with your purchase. Use this book to help you easily plan your itinerary.

Read Next: What is the best New York sightseeing pass?

What To See In New York

One thing to know in advance: just because there is so much to see in New York, a little planning makes absolute sense. For highlights like the Empire State Building , the Edge Hudson Yards observation deck or the One World Observatory , I recommend buying the tickets online in advance. This will not only save you waiting time on site, but you can also be sure that you will actually be able to visit your desired sights.

These are our 33 best attractions in New York.

These are my tips after more than 20 visits to New York:

And on this page youll find our New York Pass comparison.

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New York For First Time Visitors: Everything You Need To Know For Your Trip

Here youll find everything you need for your New York trip: the most important checklists, travel and visa questions, everything you need to know about the boroughs, airport transfers and our money-saving tips.

Its packed with all the things you need to consider when preparing for your trip. And we provide you several free tools that will make your time in New York unforgettable. Starting with our travel planner myNY, over the Hotel Finder for New York, the Transfer Hero and the New York Pass Advisor, which simply and quickly save your travel money. It is also available here:

Little Island The Vessel And The Highline

On the other side of Manhattan are three epic outdoor spaces to spend time without spending a single penny. Book yourself free timed entry tickets to these three sights, then start at the brand-new Little Island, a stunning park seemingly made from concrete tulips that look like wine glasses jutting out over the Hudson River. There are free concerts in the stunning wooden amphitheater , kids activities, and other events happening almost every day on Little Island. After your visit, saunter north on the High Line, a glorious elevated train line transformed into a public park. End your day at The Vessel, a newly designed honeycomb-shaped piece of art that you can climb up for great views and photos. This could be an entire day of fun in the city, and you wont need to use your credit card once.

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Choose Low Cost Transportation To Nyc

To visit New York City, first you have to figure out how to get there ! Rather than automatically choosing to book a round trip flight, consider some of the options below to help cut down on transportation costs.

1. Consider an overnight flight or bus

While it might not be the most pleasant way to travel, an overnight flight or bus can save the cost of an entire night of accommodation, just bring a neck pillow and blanket to make the journey as comfortable as possible. You can either leave your destination the night before and arrive early in the morning ready to start exploring the city, or leave late at night on the last day of your trip and arrive home the next morning. I personally prefer the second option because I would rather be tired at home.

If you arrive early in the city and need to store your luggage, there are several options near Times Square where you can do so for a few dollars, if it doesnt make sense to go to your accommodation right away.

2. Book tickets on sale

Companies like Megabus, which runs coach bus services to NYC from several major hubs across the USA, often have crazy sale prices right when the tickets are released, typically 60-90 days before departure. These long distance tickets can often be ten dollars or less and Megabus will have 1$ tickets on select advance departures.

3. Take the train

An added bonus of the train is that you arrive right in Manhattan, so there is no need for extra taxis or buses upon arrival.

4. Extend an existing trip

How To Save Money On New York City Attractions

3. Purchase a tourist pass. If you know youll be packing in a lot of popular attractions into your stay, you may be able to save with a city pass. The New York Pass gives you entry into dozens of attractions over a set number of days for one fixed price. Another option is CityPass, which includes admission to either three or six museums and sights, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Empire State Building, over nine days. Passes such as these not only save you money, but also let you skip the lines.

4. Look for reduced admission. Check the websites of museums you plan to visit to find out whether they offer any free or reduced-price admission days. For example, the Museum of Modern Art is free every Friday between 4:00 and 8:00 p.m. Some museums also offer coupons or discounts on their websites, so make sure to check before going.

5. Take advantage of freebies. Some attractions are free all the timeincluding Central Park, where there are almost always street performers and musicians roaming around, and the High Line, a public park recently created from an old elevated rail line. The Downtown Boathouse offers free public kayaking programs.

6. Stock up on coupons. For discounts on food, shopping, spas, and attraction admissions, search discount sites like Groupon and LivingSocial. Those who know theyll be traveling to New York City can stock up on some good deals prior to visiting.

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Book Your Insurance Asap And Double

We can’t stress this enough: make sure you’ve bought travel insurance as soon as you’ve booked your trip to New York, so you’re protected if you have to cancel before you jet off.

Travel insurance is even more important than normal when visiting the US given the sky-high cost of medical bills if the worst happens. You’ll need a worldwide policy that includes the US to ensure you’re covered for a visit.

Double-check your policy covers the USA some ‘worldwide’ policies don’t.

See Cheap Travel Insurance for more info. All worldwide policies featured in our guide include the US as a destination but others can add a premium so always check.

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Experience Art In A Unique Way

Budget: Enjoy Art at El Museo

El Museo del Barrio, founded by a coalition of Puerto Rican educators, artists, and activists, is the nations leading Latino and Latin American cultural institution, and welcomes visitors of all backgrounds to discover the artistic landscape of Latino, Caribbean, and Latin American cultures, through wide-ranging collections and exhibitions, complemented by film, literary, visual and performing arts series, cultural celebrations, and educational programs. Currently on view is ESTAMOS BIEN LA TRIENAL 20/21, El Museos first large-scale national survey of Latinx art, featuring 40 artists and collectives from across the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Pay-what-you-wish, otherwise $9 adults, $5 students and seniors, and free for members and children under 12

Moderate: Take a Guided Street Art Walking Tour in the Bronx

View some of the latest and most amazing outdoor murals in the Bronx by taking a guided Street Art Tour with Bronx Historical Tours. Youll get an insider’s view of the sites and details of the artists, and will discover the history, culture, community, and businesses that serve as a backdrop for this unique art form. Your tour supports the Bronx local art scene, a street gallery of artists from around the world. In addition to street art in the Bronx, public art can be discovered and enjoyed throughout the city in a variety of settings. Street Art Tour Group Tour tickets are $25 per person for a 2 Hour Tour, 10 am – noon

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Look For Alternative Accommodation

Unfortunately, hotels in New York City are more expensive than anywhere else in the United States, and worse still, most of the cheapest ones are lousy. The rooms are tiny , there’s a good chance that it’ll be noisy, and service at the more affordable places tends to live up to the cliché about New Yorkers being rude.

If you choose to stay in an actual hotel, and if that hotel goes for under $200 per night during the high season then you can expect the TripAdvisor reviews to be dreadful. They are all that way, and if they weren’t the place would raise its prices. Just prepare yourself for this reality and deal with it by bringing earplugs and keeping your expectations low.

Or, you can stay in a hostel, many of which have private rooms. Even the hostels in NYC tend to get bad reviews and charge a lot, so again, prepare yourself for that. You could also do well by trying AirBnB.com, which allows residents to rent out anything from a sleeping bag in a corner to a fully furnished apartment, at prices that are usually competitive. In some other cities it might not be worth the hassle, but New York isn’t one of those cities.

Need Ideas For Quick Trip Destinations

We highlight 20 of the best destinations in our blog post, The Best Weekend Getaways in USA.

Best Weekend Getaways in USA Top 20 Destinations

Find all of our United States travel tips on our USA Travel page and use our Travel Destinations Page to find tips for worldwide travel!

We want to know: Do you have any tips for cheap trips to New York? What would you add to our 4 Days New York Itinerary? Give us your best tips and advice in the comment section!

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Included Breakfast Save You Money

Breakfast in cheap hotels is odd and served on disposable polystyrene plates and bowls. Id never seen that before. But there is plenty of it, a few bananas followed us up to our room and made great snacks. Free tea and coffee all day in the hotel lobby was good news for me and others on a budget. Take-away cups and lids made it portable. A hot cup of coffee is a good hand warmer in New York in January. We paid around $140/night for a 4 bed room, including breakfast and wifi, we couldnt find anything cheaper for a hotel with the features we needed. See the hotel we used here.

See Discounted Broadway Musicals And Shows

Seeing a Broadway musical is the highlight of a trip to NYC for many visitors but tickets can get expensive, especially to popular productions. Here are some options to score reduced price tickets.

You can often get same day, last minute tickets from the theatre, usually called rush tickets. When a theatre still has unsold seats on the day of a performance, they will usually sell them off at a much lower price either to people lined up when the box office opens, or by using a lottery system. Some of the lotteries are held in person and some are held digitally, so check the theatre website for details. Also be aware that some of these tickets will be Standing Room Only at the back of the theatre, which is not the most comfortable, but might still be a way for student travellers to experience a performance.

I have personally gotten tickets to Jersey Boys, Rock of Ages, Aladdin, Mamma Mia, Phantom of the Opera and Beetlejuice all for between 25-50$ on the day of the performance. You can check out the Playbill website here for the most up to date offerings.

2. Student price and under under-30 tickets

Some musicals will offer a few reduced price tickets to every performance for students or people under the age of 30. These will usually be in the very back, or restricted view but it is still a good way to see a show ! Check specific theatre websites for details.

3. TKTS in Times Square

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