New York City is an expensive place. However, a visit to the city that never sleeps doesn’t have to leave your pockets empty. Here are 5 ways to help visit New York City on a budget.
Get Yourself a Subway Pass.
Whatever you plan to do in NYC you are going to have to get about. While, the subway system can look confusing at a glance, it is pretty straightforward, and covers a large part of the city. A single journey costs $2.75, but an unlimited 7 day card costs $33. In theory, as soon as you make 12 journeys, it starts to pay for itself. More information on subway cards can be found here.
Stay Outside of Manhattan.
New York City isn’t all about Times Square, that in theory is a tiny speck on the map. Save yourself some cash and stay in one of the other Boroughs, our go to area is Parkslope, Brooklyn and have recently stayed in Long Island City. Both areas are cheaper to stay in and only a short subway ride into the city.
Meals on a Budget.
New York can be expensive when it comes to eating, but happy to get a quick lunch on the go? Grab yourself a slice of ‘Dollar Pizza’, there are any number of places which do this around Midtown. They come highly rated by our resident pizza expert!
Not a fan of pizza? Check out 7-Eleven shops for some decently priced quick bites, and diners can also be a cheap alternative for a sit down meal.
Free Attractions.
Yes, at some point you are going to have to pay to visit iconic tourist attractions while in New York. However, there is also plenty to do for free in the City. Here is a list of our favourite FREE places to visit.
Bushwick Street Art Collective- New York is known for its street art, you will see it everywhere. However, Bushwick is the place to visit if you have any interest in street art. The murals change once a year after their annual block party, so repeat visitors will not get bored. If hungry in the area, we highly recommend Arepera Guacuco for some Venezuelan food.
High Line- Located above the streets on the West Side is a public park which runs along an old freight line. The High Line gives you the opportunity to experience some quiet time, while taking in some views of the City from a different perspective.
Brooklyn Bridge- You haven’t really visited New York City if you haven’t crossed this bridge. The bridge takes between 45-60 minutes to cross and gives some amazing views of Manhattan. Once on the other side, walk into DUMBO and check out the views from the river bank.
Roosevelt Island Tramways- Primarily used by commuters, this tramway connects Roosevelt Island to the Upper East Side of Manhattan. While the views on the tramway aren’t exactly spectacular, it is worth experiencing and is free with your subway card. Once on the island, go check out Roosevelt Park and see if you can spot the smallest island in New York and the Pepsi sign in Long Island City.
Staten Island Ferry– Looking to get a closer view of the Statue of Liberty? But not wanting to pay for a ferry? Well hop on the Staten Island Ferry from Battery Park. The ferry goes right alongside the Statue of Liberty, and you can get some decent photos. On the way back, go towards the front end of the ferry as it gets closer to Manhattan, they open the doors and you get some amazing views of Lower Manhattan.
Central Park – Trying to escape the madness of Manhattan for a couple of hours? Head for Central Park and enjoy walking around the beautiful lawns and flowering gardens. Until you hear the blast of a horn in the distance, it is difficult to believe you are in New York.
Last Minute Tickets.
Big events are held at Madison Square Gardens all year around, but big events come with a big ticket cost. If you are perhaps just going on a whim, hold off until closer to the event. We have seen tickets drop considerably in price in the hours running up to events, as well as production seats being released at a fraction of the cost. Be aware sometimes the production seats have limited or no view of the stage.
Overall.
New York City is an expensive place to visit and it is never going to be cheap. However, if you take your time to plan your visit around the many free attractions, you can get a feel for the city and enjoy New York City.
We really hope you enjoy your time in NYC, whatever you get up too.
Thanks for reading
The Lewis Family.