Saving Money On New York Attractions
New York is not what you might call a budget destination. Whilst we have tried to include many free sights and attractions on our itinerary, many locations do charge an entry fee, and this can be quite high. This is fairly standard across the USA, and is one of the main costs of travel in the USA.
The good news is that if you plan on visiting a number of attractions, you can take advantage of one of the various city attraction passes that is available. If you take advantage of everything these passes offer, you can end up saving a lot of money.
However, you will have to decide if each pass is worth it for your visit, based on the attractions you really want to see. We have a detailed guide to the various New York attraction passes here, which we suggest checking out.
For this itinerary though, we recommend the New York Pass. Nearly everything is included, and at time of writing, the New York Pass offers free entry to over 100 attractions across the city.
These include a lot of high value and popular items like the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, Hop on Hop Off Bus, Statue of Liberty, 9/11 Memorial Museum, and many many more.
The card also includes walking tours, bike rentals, rides at Luna Park even a Yankees Game!
Of course, it wont save everyone money, so you should check the inclusions against your planned itinerary to be sure.
Check prices, and buy yours in advance of your trip here. Passes can be activated up to 24 months from purchase.
Beware Of Buses Cabs And The Bike Path
Add buses, Cabs, and bikes to your growing list of New York City travel tips! When I say beware of buses, taxis, or even bikes, it might not be what you think!
These people are like drunk drivers swerving down the street! I cant even count how many times Ive almost seen accidents with their crazy driving! And you best watch out for that bike path because they will run you over!
Soho Little Italy And Chinatown
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Length: 2 hours 1.5 miles.
Check off three NYC neighborhoods in this tour by Free Tours by Foot. Meet your knowledgeable guide in SoHo, where youll marvel at the cast iron buildings before heading to the charming neighborhood of Little Italy. There, youll see the citys first pizzeria and a few haunts of the infamous NYC Mafia. The tour ends in Chinatown, where you can spend the rest of the day shopping for souvenirs or indulging in delicious street food.
Best of all, the tour is completely free – just make sure to tip your guide and do it generously. The tour is 2 hours long and chock-full of fun facts.
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Be Alert And Aware Of Your Surroundings
Dont worry New York City is a safe place, but like in any big city you need to be careful and use common sense. Watch out for pickpockets especially on the subway and in crowded tourist areas like Times Square. Considering carrying your cash and credit cards in a money belt like this.
Solo female travelers will not feel out of place in New York City.
Walk Between Places On Short Distances
Walking around New York City can be crazy, and a couple of blocks may take a lot longer than youd ever think because of all the people and traffic around.
But if youre feeling fit and love to explore a city on foot, then New York is a great place to do it.
There are tonnes of excellent little shops, galleries, churches, bars and restaurants to be found if you simply wander around and keep your eyes open.
Another good resource for all things New York City is the NYC & Co website.
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What Book Would Give Me An Insight Into The Hidden History Of The City
Recovering Scotlands Slavery Past: The Caribbean Connection, by T.M. Devine, offers an insightful and well-researched slant on Scotlands ties with slavery and the slave trade. Devine doesnt let anyone off the hook the book can also be used as an alternative guide to the true history of certain city buildings, landmarks and statues.
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!
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Stop #: High Line Park
By David Berkowitz from New York, NY, USA , via Wikimedia Commons
The High Line is one of New York City’s hidden gems. It’s a beautiful green park made from the remains of an old elevated rail line that runs from the Meatpacking District to West 34th Street. Along the way, you’ll pass through the artsy neighborhood of Chelsea. Visitors can choose to walk the entire 1.45 miles or get off at one of several descent points.
There are some excellent options for lunch in Chelsea if your timing works out to find you in this area around mid-afternoon. The High Line is free for all! Visit the High Line website for more detailed information about what you can see and do along the trail.
If you like, walk the full length of the High Line all the way up to the glimmering new neighborhood of Hudson Yards where you’ll find the stunning lattice-like structure and exciting outdoor viewpoint, The Vessel. This network of staircases reaches 150 feet into the sky and gives daring climbers a whole host of new perspectives to view the city in.
Getting in:Top of the Highline and Vessel tour tickets are available as an option with the Explorer Pass.
Real New Yorkers Dont Wait For Walk Signs
I love taking people to NYC and crossing the street. The usual reaction is OMG what are you doing?! But in NYC, we cross the street at the intersection when no cars are coming no matter what color the light is.
Also, New Yorkers stand a few feet in the street while waiting for the cars to finish passing. No, we dont have a death wish, we clearly just have no patience!
If you do wait for the walk sign and stand on the sidewalk while waiting, New Yorkers will immediately know you are likely a tourist.
Of course, if you dont feel safe, its totally fine to just wait for the walk sign. I would never want anything bad to happen to you!
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Visit Bubbys For Brunch
One of the best places I discovered for brunch in the city is Bubbys.
For me, its my regular go-to stop for brunch when visiting New York.
Honestly, it serves the most fluffy pancakes and the best brunch in the city. Plus, if you arrive for lunch, they also do some tasty spiked lemonade, too.
Just make sure to make a reservation online before going, especially on weekends. This place fills up fast.
Internet Access In New York City
As a major metropolitan city, New York is obviously well connected, and its easy to find free WiFi as you wander the city. Coffee shops, hotels, restaurants and attractions are all good places where WiFi should be fast and free to access.
If you want to get online with your phone using data, you have a few options, which I outline in my guide to getting online when travelling. The USA is not overall a cheap destination for data in my experience, but it is possible to pick up a SIM card for an unlocked phone if you wish.
One thing to be aware of, depending on your carrier and device, is that all the huge skyscrapers in New York do impact the passage of mobile signals, creating a sort of canyon effect. Combine this with the sheer number of people in the city, and you can expect network access to be a little sporadic and slow at times.
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Finding Bathrooms Can Be Difficult If Youre Not A Customer
If you are in need of a bathroom, its best to use one at the next restaurant you eat at. Most places will not allow you to use the bathroom unless you are a customer.
However, some free places you can find bathrooms are at Starbucks and at Penn Station in the Long Island Railroad terminal or New Jersey Amtrak. They may not be the cleanest, but when ya gotta go, ya gotta go!
Ive also heard others recommend just walking into a hotel like you own the place and they likely wont question you, but Ive never tried this one! You can also try this app called Flush. It shows you where you can find bathrooms nearest you.
What To Do In Nyc: Day 1
Take a Walking TourStart your trip off with a walking tour. The city is home to dozens of walking tour companies offering tours in every niche possible. History, food, booze, TV/film if you like it, chances are there is a tour revolving around it. Walking tours offer a unique look at the city that never sleeps from a local guide who can answer any and all of your questions. I always take my friends on at least one when they visit.
Three of my favorite walking tour companies not to be missed are:
And for way more suggestions, check out my favorite NYC walking tours.
See the Statue of Liberty/Ellis IslandThough the line for the ferry from Battery Park is long, if you get there early, you can avoid most of it. The Statue of Liberty is spectacular to see up close , but the real highlight of this combo is Ellis Island. This is where you can learn about the immigrant experience and get a sense of the people who helped build NYC . Theres such a great sense of history there that you cant help but be impressed.
Tip: If the lines too long and you dont want to wait, take the free Staten Island ferry for photos of the statue and harbor instead. You wont get up close but its faster and cheaper.
Battery Park, +1 212 363-3200, nps.gov/stli/index.htm. Open daily 9:30am-4:30pm. There is no admission fee for the island but the ferry ticket costs $24 USD.
26 Wall Street, Financial District, Lower Manhattan, +1 212 825 6990, nps.gov/feha. .
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Advantages Of New York Bus Tour
Why should one choose the top view?
This is because they have the most curated tours there could ever be, and their local experts know NYC inside out. Another list of reasons go as such:
- Presents unlimited hop on hop off services so that the tourists can enjoy their favourite locations with much ease.
- Their routes are the best to see NYC with over 40 stops near major attractions in the city.
- Their 2-3 day passes include free entry to the Statue of Liberty cruise and bike rental.
- It has a live map to track the bus. The only one with a live map.
- With an app, one can board the busses without any toil. No printed documents are required as an app can do it all.
- One can stay connected with friends and family as there is WiFi available on the bus.
Nyc Is Best Navigated By Public Transportation
If you didnt know, now you know the best way to get around NYC is by good ol fashioned public transportation! Traffic in NYC is insane, I kid you not. You can be stuck at the same traffic light for over 10 minutes and driving through Times Squarekill me!
So, while in NYC make sure to get familiar with navigating the NYC Subway here!
You can take the buses too, however, Ive always found the subway to be much better. If you are heading to Staten Island in a hurry, there is the Express bus, or you can take the Staten Island Ferry for free, which I would recommend doing regardless if you want to see a nice view of Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty.
However, if you dont want to jump on the subway, you can of course hail a cab just like you see in the movies. Stand in or by the street with your hand up when you see a cab coming by. Or you can use Uber/Lyft. Ive found Uber/Lyft is more affordable. Ive never had a problem with cabs running the meter, but it never hurts to check.
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The Statue Of Liberty And Ellis Island
If its your first time in New York, the Statue of Liberty is a must see. You can visit just the Statue of Liberty or you can visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island together as a round trip excursion from Manhattan.
Statue of Liberty | 5 Day New York City Itinerary
At the Statue of Liberty, you can climb the base of the statue or go all of the way to the crown. Both of these options require advance tickets, and they do sell out, so make sure you book your tickets well in advance.
Ellis Island was an immigrant inspection station and approximately 12 million immigrants were processed here between 1905 and 1954.
Ellis Island | 5 Day New York City Itinerary
Liberty Island and Ellis Island are connected by ferry with Battery Park .
The entire visit, from Battery Park to Liberty Island and Ellis Island, and then back to Battery Park, takes about 4 hours.You will take a ferry from Battery Park to Liberty Island. After seeing the Statue of Liberty, catch the next ferry to Ellis Island and tour this island. Then take a ferry back to Battery Park.
PRO TRAVEL TIP: Tickets tend to sell out in advance. As soon as you know your travel dates, consider booking your Statue of Libery tickets.
Cost: $24 adults, $12 children 4 12 years for the Crown Reserve TicketHours: Ferries depart from Battery Park from 9:30 am to 3:30 pmWebsite: Book your tickets in advance on www.statuecruises.com
You can also join one of these guided tours of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.
Nyc On Budget: Subway And Shoes
Our suggested itinerary for New York covers some ground ! In order to keep up, you will need two things: comfortable travel shoes and a MetroCard for the New York City Subway. An unlimited weekly MetroCard costs $33 USD, plus $1 for the card. More info about using the subways and the MetroCard are included at the end of the post.
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Best Itinerary For New York City
We think the truly best New York itinerary is one that suits the traveler! Our New York City Itinerary 4 Days is packed with sightseeing on foot , but that much walking might not be for everyone.
Use our NYC itinerary as a guide, but make adjustments in order for your New York itinerary to fit your travel style. Visiting NYC for Christmas? Its magical! Be sure to check out our complete guide to New York for Christmas!
Heres Whats Included In The New York Pass:
Pick from over 100 NYC attractions Valid for up to 10 days Save up to 50% compared to purchasing tickets at each attraction Visit unlimited amount of NYC attractions each day
The New York Pass is a prepaid sightseeing card that can be used to get FREE fast-track entry to over 100+ attractions, museums, and tours in the city.
Below are some of my favorite attractions included in the New York Pass.
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Tips For Walking Around Nyc:
- Dont stop in the middle of the sidewalk, street, or stairs to look up / take photos / check your phone / look at a map. Instead, step to the side so other people can pass.
- If youre with a group, dont walk together in a row blocking other people from passing you on the sidewalk. In some cases, you may have to walk single file.
- Stick to the right when walking on the sidewalk or riding the escalators. This allows people who are in a rush to pass on your left.
- Pay attention to bike lanes when walking through the park or crossing the street.
- Real New Yorkers dont wait for the walk sign to turn green. Most streets are one-way in NYC, so you may notice locals like to cross the street when theres no oncoming traffic .
- If youre using an umbrella, be mindful of others around you. Move your umbrella up, to the right or left when passing others.
- Wear comfortable shoes. Youll see many locals wearing sneakers with their suits and changing into dress shoes once they reach the office. If you want to wear high heels for photos, put them in your bag and change once youre at your destination.
The 50 Absolute Best Things To Do In New York
Weve chosen the 50 best spots, events and activities to showcase the full diversity of New York City. Even after more than 20 visits, the city never gets boring for us. And with our recommendations, youll have a really good time in New York, too, and youll have plenty left for your next visit. If youre not planning a trip yet, youre sure to get wanderlust after perusing this list!
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