How To Save Money And Time At Popular Tourist Attractions
If youre planning to visit multiple tourist attractions in NYC, we highly recommend checking out the various New York City attraction passes. Not only will you save a ton of money on admission but some passes include Skip-the-Line benefits for specific attractions.
Top of The Rock Observatory Deck, Madam Tussauds New York, Empire State Building and 9/11 Memorial & Museum are just a few attractions that have Skip-the-Line or expedited entry benefits.
Below are popular New York City attraction passes you should consider for your next visit to the Big Apple:
Traveling To More Top Usa Destinations
We have it covered with detailed trip itineraries to some of the best US cities! Whether you are spending a Weekend in San Francisco, 3 Days in Chicago, planning a trip to Denver or are creating a Montana, San Diego, Portland, New Orleans or Seattle Itinerary, we have top tips for what to see, do and eat!
Visit The Moma And Other Museums For Free
While Im not a big modern art fan, there are lots of amazing works at the Museum of Modern Art , including Van Goghs Starry Night .
MoMA is free on Friday evenings after 5:30pm. Admission is usually $25 USD per person, so scheduling your visit for Friday evening will save you a good chunk of money.
There are also several other museums that offer free visits on certain days :
- The Whitney Museum of American Art
- The Solomon R. Guggenheim
- The Cooper-Hewitt National Museum of Design
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art
- The Museum of American Folk Art is free
- The Steuben Gallery is free
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Visit The 9/11 Museum For Free
The 9/11 Museum definitely left a deep impact on us. We spent 4 hours in the museum and left it only because an employee told the museum was being closed. We could easily spend another 1-2 hours there.
On Tuesdays from 5 8 pm you can visit the museum free of charge.
However, you have to be there on time to secure your free admission. Unfortunately, getting in free of charge also means standing in line for some time.
The big drawback, however, is that you only have 3 hours to explore all the exhibits at the museum.
How Many Days To Spend In New York
We are detailing a day-by-day plan for a New York 4 Day Itinerary but what if you have more or less time in NYC? No problem! We provide NYC itinerary planner tips on how to best spend your time in the city. Whether you have 1 day in New York or are planning 7 days in New York, you can use our sample New York itineraries, which we feature at the end of the post. Just like the city itself, this New York DIY Trip Plan blog post is humungous. It contains absolutely everything you need for planning a trip to New York on a budget.
Save, Pin or Bookmark our NYC trip plan so you can use it to create your best itinerary for New York City!
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Eating In Nyc On A Budget
Another huge expense while traveling is eating out every meal. The food scene in the city is insanely good, and despite popular belief, you actually can find some great deals and eat meals in NYC on a budget!
If its within your means, we recommend budgeting in a few nice sit-down meals but for the rest of the meals street vendors, pizza shops that sell by the slice, bagel shops, and diners are going to be your best friend.
Here are a few cheap eats in the city that wont break your bank and are New York City on a budget-friendly:
$1 Pizza Slices
One of the best cheap things to do in New York City on a budget is to try the famous $1 slice of New York pizza! You can find these stalls all over Manhattan, just keep an eye out for the signs. Many of these pizza joints offer $1 cheese slices of pizza or have combo specials of 2 slices plus a can of soda for just a few bucks.
A few of the popular spots have the affordable price in the name including $1 Pizza , Dollar Slice Pizza , $1 Pizza Slice , Joey Pepperonis Pizza to name a few of the MANY spots!
Seriously, just keep your eyes peeled and youll spot the $1 slices all over the city!
Joes Pizza
Joes Pizza is a popular pizza spot that offers some of the best slices of pizza in NYC and has a few locations around the city including Midtown, Greenwich Village, and Williamsburg in Brooklyn to name a few, see their site for the rest of the locations.
Halal Guys
NY Dosas
Los Tacos No. 1
Alligator Lounge
Pearl Diner
Westway Diner
How Much Does Transportation Cost In New York
The first expense you will have in New York is the transfer between the airport and your accommodation . The cheapest way is public transportation with the Airtrain and subway because it is equivalent to $15.75person round trip, or $31 for a couple.
You can also book a taxi shuttle, about $ 23/person, or about $90 per couple, the round trip.
Another option is the taxi or a limousine. It can cost from $50 to $170 for a one-way trip.
Once in New York, if you stay a week, it is best to buy an Unlimited Metrocard. It costs $32 per person.
Yellow cabs can be very practical and they are so mythical! They are available 24 hours a day in Manhattan. A trip can cost between $8 and $10, it obviously depends on the distance. There are also green taxis, I give you more information in this article. They cost the same, the difference is that they go to areas where yellow taxis do not.
I want to draw attention to those who decide to stay in New Jersey. They must add the price of the PATH , it costs $29 /person, unlimited travel for 7 days. If you dont stay close to a PATH station, you can take a bus, rates vary depending on the distance.
Tight Budget$128 for the weekAverage budget$170 to $185 for a weekLarge Budget$400 and $524
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When To Visit New York On A Budget
If seeing the most of NYC for the least money is your main priority, then here are the ideal times to visit NYC on a budget:
comes just after masses of visitors and tourists have left, making this an ideal time to visit so you not only have every NYC attraction to yourself, but get REAL discounts through major store sales, Broadway Week, Restaurant Week , Hotel Week and 20 at 20 Off-Broadway Shows for $20. The only catch? It can be freezing, so make sure to bundle up with hats, scarves, coats and lots of layers, because inside, it will be warm!
Summer offers the MOST FREE events of all the seasons. Free summer activities in NYC include concerts, movies, sports and fitness, arts and culture, museums, tours and much more! Check out over 100 Free Things to Do in New York in Summer
Broadway Week, which offers 2 for 1 tickets to almost every show, falls every January/February and September.
Restaurant Week allows us to eat at NYCs best restaurants twice a year for bargain prices. Every Winter and Summer , some of our best restaurants offer three-course, prix-fixe meals for $25 and $38 . Foodie on a budget? This is when you want to visit NYC.
Spa Week every April and October, hundreds of top spas around the city offer treatments for $50. Facials, massages, laser hair removal and more. If you just know you will need some pampering during long days of sightseeing, then Spa Week is a great time to save on treatments.
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How Much Money Should You Budget For A Week Trip To New York City
Determining a budget for a trip to New York is quite complicated. You must take into account various expenses, some are more important than others.Anyhow, Ill try to give you some clues. I will define three types of budgets for a couple who decides to stay a week in New York .
For each budget, I will consider the following elements:Flight + accommodation + food + departures + visits + shopping + extras
It is an estimate of what could be spent, based on my own experience. At least I try to give you an idea of how much your budget should be.
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Sightseeing In New York City On A Budget
We include many cheap NYC attractions in our 4-day New York trip plan. However, our New York trip itinerary does not include visiting any museums or skyscrapers .
That said, our NYC sightseeing route passes by many of these high-dollar attractions. If soaring to the top of a skyscraper or spending time at a museum is high on your New York travel itinerary must-sees, budget for it and be sure to make room in your sightseeing schedule to enjoy it!
Top Tip: Read more about money-saving NYC Sightseeing Passes at the end of the post!
A Daily Budget For Nyc
If you are on an extremely tight budget, it would be possible to visit New York on as little as $25- $45 a day. This would involve outside forces coming together to help you in some way or another, IE Couchsurfing and friends/family.
A comfortable budget allowing you to eat well, do things, stay in a hostel, and take the subway frequently would be more like $80-100+ a day.
Here is what you can expect your average daily backpacking costs to be in New York:
Dorm bed in a hostel: $45-55
Small basic room for two: $90-150
Airbnb room/entire apartment: $30-75+
6-pack of decent beer from the shop: $10-12
Coffee from a cafe: $2.50-3.50
Beer at the bar: $5-6
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How To Save On Meals In New York City
17. Follow the young folks. If upscale lounges and fancy restaurants arent your thing, skip the touristy Times Square area and eat where the students eat. Neighborhoods with colleges and universitiessuch as the East Village near New York Universityoften have unique local eats at fantastic prices.
18. Hit the streets. In a city renowned for its street food, youre missing out if you eat all your meals in restaurants. From familiar hot dog carts to trucks bearing every kind of ethnic fare you can imagine, you can eat your way around the globe without ever leaving the Big Appleor paying more than a few bucks at a time. A thorough site called New York Street Food highlights some of the best options.
19. Explore ethnic neighborhoods. Areas like Chinatown, Little Italy, and Little India are a great bet for authentic meals at affordable prices. One of my favorite dining experiences is to get up early on a Sunday and head to Chinatown for dim sum. Locals far outnumber tourists in the busy restaurants there, which offer small tapas-style plates for just a few dollars each.
20. Dont worry, be happy. To save money at the bar, go out early and take advantage of happy hour prices and less crowded venues.
Free Museums And Attractions
With so many free museums and attractions, one could keep themselves busy in New York City for a week or more without spending a penny.
Before you pay full price for anything, look at our comprehensive guide to free museums and attractions as well as free activities in NYC.
Also, check on Groupon and Living Social for discounts on tours, tickets to shows, meals, top attractions and more.
Again, look at the many options of tourist passes.
They include so many of the citys tourist attractions, museums, and other activities, you really could save a bundle.
Museums and Institutions
You will be amazed by how many museums are free in New York.
Even those that are not set aside special hours or days when entrance is free. The best of them is Free Fridays at the Museum of Modern Art.
Some museums are technically free, but they just dont advertise it.
You dont need to pay the full price, which is a suggested donation. Take advantage of this when visiting the American Museum of Natural History.
You can donate any amount of money to gain entry to their main exhibit halls. This could be huge savings for families!
Have a look at our long list of always-free museums. The post also includes which museums are suggested donation, have free days or free hours.
Attractions and Other Activities
Start saving by taking a look at our post on getting discounts on New York City attractions. Here a few discounts to get you going!
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Dont Waste Money On New York Souvenirs
You can literally buy anything in Manhattan, from luxury items to souvenirs. One thing you will have to do if visiting New York City on a budget is not get drawn into shopping at every store you see. The best thing you can do is set a budget and stick to it! And always skip the cheesy souvenir shops because the items are commonly overpriced, and if were being honest, no local will wear a shirt that says I heart NYC!
Clothing and shoes selling at less than $110 per item are exempt from sales tax in the Big Apple!
Backpacking New York 3 Day Itinerary
Which day of the week you arrive in NYC would impact the type of itinerary I would suggest to you if you asked me on the street. For the sake of this New York City itinerary, I am going the Thursday Friday Saturday route. This is the long weekend in New York itinerary, but of course, you could arrive any day of the week, on any day of the year, and do some or a majority of this itinerary.
If youre keen on seeing everything that NYC has to offer, youd have to stay a lot longer than just three days. Wed recommend 2-3 weeks for a stress-free visit that includes all of the cool hotspots.
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Take Advantage Of The Happy Hour
Alcohol and drinks in New York City can be a little bit pricey. You can save a bunch of money if you take advantage of the happy hour. Many of the bars in the city offer such happy hour deals, where you can save up to 50% of the actual price .
The happy hour times vary from bar to bar but are usually between 4 pm and 7 pm. Well then, cheers!
Nightlife In New York City
If you are looking for a big night out in New York City, the options are endless. I was in New York for Halloween one year, and it a damn good timejust when you thought New York couldnt possibly produce any more characters Whew! That was a crazy night
It isnt hard to find a good party any time of the year though. Whether you are looking for a mellow, social atmosphere, or a full-on hipster/PBR-can-rager, you can find it in NYC.
You should know by now that going out on the town in NYC is expensive. You can easily find yourself paying more than $10 a pop for a well-drink. In a couple of hours, you could easily drop more than $50, especially if you get the late-night munchies.
Go out and drink in NYC, just remember to watch what you spend. Go and pick up a $10 bottle of wine before you go out if you are trying to get a good buzz going. That way, youll only buy a beer or two instead of buying six or seven.
There is a thriving LGBTQ nightlife scene in New York City as well, mostly centered around SOHO and Hells Kitchen.
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Save On Nyc Restaurants And Food
There are so many easy ways to save on New York City restaurants and food and you just need to know where to look. Of course, you cant save everywhere, and sometimes you have to wait for a deal, but about half the time I eat out in NYC, at quality restaurants, it is easy to save a few bucks without sacrificing quality.
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Check Out The View From The Long Island City Piers
This is a really nice place to hang out. The Gantry Plaza State Park by the piers is always buzzing with people and you get great views of Manhattan. Take the metro to Vernon Blvd. Jackson Ave. and walk towards the river.
When we were there, there was a piano in the park and two guys playing and singing. Loads of people were sunbathing and enjoying the beautiful weather. Also, we were randomly approached by a guy in a suit who wanted us to take a couple of pictures of him. When we agreed, he pulled a bear head made of leaves out of his bag. I dont even know how to better describe it, so have a look in the picture below.
He said he was an artist and the photos were for marketing purposes. Whatever it was, we had fun and Kurt did a little photo shoot with the guy. In any case, just head over there for a couple of hours and enjoy the park and the view.
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