The Big Apple. The City that never sleeps. Fashion capital of America. Broadway. The Village. Manhattan. Wall St. It is a City that is truly greater than the sum of its parts… you feel as if you’re part of something just being there!
A weekend (or longer if you can make it happen) is something everyone should experience. Whether you like Broadway-style shows, the glitz, and glam of movie stars and celebrities, iconic monuments and sights, food you will dream about down the road… it’s got something for everyone.
Is New York expensive? It bloody well can be! Yes. Is New York affordable? Absolutely. How can it be both? It’s all in how you tackle it. I’m here to help you sort it out! Heres how we had a great 4 days in New York City on an $1100 budget.
Let’s pack for this trip…
New York has so much to offer, not all of it costs money. I’m going to lay out a list of inexpensive, or even better, FREE things to do in the Big Apple. Planning ahead is definitely part of it.
Getting from the airport to Manhattan.
First of all, when you fly in, no need to spring for a taxi ($55 + tip) or Uber or Lyft… the budget freindly Air Train is $5 and will take you to where you will catch the subway ($2.75 avg) or train ($11-$15) into the city. There are SO many subway stops so you are guaranteed to have a drop-off point close to your hotel. Do a little research before you land to figure out what line you need to get on (we took the E line and it dumped us only a block from our hotel).
To get a metro card, approach one of the many kiosks and load one up with however much you feel you will need. These kiosks accept cash and credit card. We chose $30 which ended up being perfect for a return trip for 2 people (JFK airport). We did not use the metro over the weekend otherwise. It costs a $1.00 fee the first time you have a card issued, but no fee to add money to it throughout your stay. From JFK into Manhattan, it took 1 hr on the Sky Train and subway.
On the subject of transportation, one thing worth mentioning is how long it takes to get around this city. Often we found when dialing up a Lyft or Uber… it would be faster to walk to our destination due to the congestion of traffic. Give yourself PLENTY of time to get from A to B if you have tickets to an attraction or show. Have Google maps handy to check on distance and time to your destination!
Where to stay in New York city.
Where to stay? We chose a Hotel called the Wellington which is on 7th Ave, up towards Central Park. We were a 10-minute walk to Times Square, Central Park, Rockefeller Center, and Broadway. The location was fantastic with everything you could possibly need right out our door.
The cost was reasonable (remember we travel most during shoulder season when costs are lower. Check out “Top 10 Budget Travel Tips”)and the room was clean and comfortable. You won’t be spending A LOT of time in your room, but believe me… you will want a comfortable rest at night…New York is exhausting!
The Wellington runs about $100-$120 a night with a $20/night hotel feel (you really can’t get away from these in NY City). With that comes free WiFi as per usual, daily maid service, and a free manicure per guest at an adjacent salon (I know…random right?).
Top things to do and see in New York City on a budget.
What FREE things are there to do in NY? How about a stroll through one of the prettiest parks you may ever see? Central Park is vast… and full of unique options. A zoo, a skating rink, multiple options for getting around.
We chose to rent bikes through a Groupon I found. $6 each for 3 hrs! Better than the $5.00/min (yes you read that right) to be peddled around in a pedicab, or the heavily inflated horse-drawn carriage! We went at our own speed and 2 hrs was plenty for us to bike the entirety without many stops. Be sure not to miss Strawberry Fields which is a tribute to John Lennon at the Dakota Hotel entrance to the Park at 90 Bedford St.
Want an unforgettable experience? A
While in line to go into that studio, they asked if anyone wanted to get on the stand by list for Late Night with Seth Myers. We certainly did! Turns out we were the last two available seats (about 25 standby tickets ended up being available!) that night for his taping and we got to see him interview Bernie Sanders and JK Simmons! What an experience!
One thing that is totally free, and well worth it, is to stroll around this vast City (seriously bring your most comfortable walking shoes. Without a lie, we put on 51 miles (82
Stroll through Chelsea Market. This market is indoors and has something for everyone. Food, crafts, art, clothing shops, jewelry, more food! You can even have a glass of wine or a pint of beer and sit at a bistro table and just people watch! They have maintained the original building’s original shipyard “feel” by preserving a lot of the stone and brick walls and uneven polished flooring. Definitely worth seeing! We opted for Mediterranean food at Miznon. Highly recommend the burnt mushroom field pita or the lamb pita. Both winners.
If you want to keep costs low, here are a few ideas of activities that although are not free, are budget friendly!
Book a couple of days on the Hop On Hop Off bus. We do this in almost every city we travel to. It is usually about $50/48 hrs. If you book in advance online you can save about 20% off the “walk up” price on the street. You don’t have to choose what days you want to do it, your 48-hour window only “starts” when you redeem your purchase using your confirmation email at one of the stops. They will issue your ticket on the spot. The ins and outs are clearly explained on their website where you buy the tickets.
We have used Big Bus, CitySightseeing Bus, and TopView. Although we prefer Big Bus Tours, TopView in NYC did not disappoint. The reasons we love doing the Hop On Hop Off buses are two-fold. 1- It’s a great narrative of the city. They have GPS guided commentary in 10+ languages and hand out free earbuds. It’s a great way to learn about the city and you see the sights. Plus
With dozens of stops (over 40 stops in NYC for us to choose from), you can get to almost anywhere you want to be for one reasonable price! Most tickets also come with a free pass to a museum or gallery included. In our case in NYC, it came with passes to the Museum of NYC, a Liberty boat cruise and 2-hour bike rentals!
Book a studio tour at NBC Studios. The cost is about $30 each, however if you try for one of the early morning tours (9 am), they are often 20% off. On the tour you will see 3 working studios (we saw SNL, Jimmy Fallon, and Lester Holt Nightly News), hear the history of NBC, and maybe just maybe see someone famous! As I was waiting to enter the Seth Myers studio, Chris Redd from SNL brushed past me twice!
Book a ticket to go out to Liberty Island and pay the extra nominal fee (be sure to read the fine print when booking that you, IN FACT, HAVE not only pedestal access, but CROWN access as well. Our ticket only cost $23 each and we got to climb the steps (over 500 extraordinarily steep and narrow steps!) up into the crown. We also got to go to Ellis Island and take a great self-guided audio tour of the Immigration facility where so many newcomers to America set foot for the first time on American soil.
Take in a Broadway show. Do it. Broadway is an experience so unique to New York that it just FEELS organic. We chose To Kill A Mockingbird starring Jeff Daniels. We bought our tickets 1 week before it opened which was lucky because once it opened and the reviews poured in, the tickets really rose in price. Our tickets were $45 each with $15 in fees and taxes.
For under $130 we saw a Broadway show at one of the most well-known playhouses, The Schubert Theater. If you don’t luck into pre-sale ticket prices, you can always head to Times Square the morning of and stand in line under the Red Steps and save 20%-50% off tickets are still available. Also, look for Broadway week where you can get 2-for-1 tickets (end of January- early February).
Art Galleries and Museums are a dime a dozen in NYC… but they will cost you more than that to get in. Pick one or two that you want to explore and expect to pay $20-$26 each to get in. The Met is $26, MOMA is $23, Museum of NYC is $19…
shopping in New York City.
If shopping is your thing, welcome to America’s fashion capital! 7th Ave in the garment district is where you might find yourself. The Garment District spans less than one square mile. Along with Paris, London, and Milan…New York hosts Fashion Week twice a year (February and September) and lasts 7-9 days. This one square mile brings in an average of 870 million dollars in sales those weeks!
If this sounds like something that interests you… and you have a plump bank account, head on over and contribute to the 9 Billion in sales each year! If shopping in New York is your thing but
Eating and drinking in New York City on a budget.
Food and drinks…this is where you have to make some choices. Sit down meals with wine and linen napkins? Yes, you will spend a pretty penny. There’s no sugar-coating this. If you are looking to save some money but still eat amazing food, try some of these tips:
-Don’t pass up the many food carts you see. They usually have an eclectic menu and the food is prepared right before you so it’s fresh and hot and delicious! We ate a lot of chicken/lamb pitas running about $6-$7 each and very filling.
A great way to start your day is MATTO coffee shop. This is a great cafe were EVERYTHING is only $2… honestly, late’s to muffins. There are
One amazing place to grab a bite is Bread and Butter. Open 24 hrs, this
-PIZZA. New York is famous for it for a reason. It’s SO GOOD! Ray’s Pizza is a chain that you will find everywhere. It’s delicious, huge slices and they run about $6 each. That seems expensive, but they are quite filling. If you want to keep costs a little lower, head off-Broadway and 7th Ave by only a block or two and you will find 2 slices and a pop for $3! The prices vary depending on where you are. There is an app you can download called the Slice App. It offers a discount if you go on there and order ahead. Ray’s will give you $5 off your first order.
-The city has NO shortage of budget friendly Happy Hours in New York. And they are LONG and GOOD! Some run from
Lunch menus often have the same cuisine as the dinner menu for a fraction of the price and only a slightly smaller portion. We ate a fantastic meal at Mulberry Street Bar, in Little Italy of Chicken Parmigiana, Rotini in a vodka cream sauce and a half carafe of wine for $40. We definitely recommend Little Italy for at least one meal!
Let’s unpack this…
New York City has something for every budget. Decide what
Just walking around Times Square at dusk and watching it come alive is something! To power
New York is a gastronomical dream… pizza, bagels, street food, roasted nuts from a street cart, foods from all over the world… be aware, it doesn’t HAVE to be expensive.
New York can be done on a budget if you
