New York City is an amazing, beautiful and very expensive city. I just returned from spending nearly a week there and while just about everything in the city seems to cost more than it does where I live, we did manage to find some great deals! Here are a few of the best:
Rent an Apartment: It’s likely that your hotel stay will be the most expensive part about your trip to the Big Apple. To save money on lodging, but still have a great central location we rented an apartment from VRBO.com. It was a great experience and ended up being much cheaper than going with a hotel.
Don’t Park in Garages: Since New York City is only about a ten hour drive for us, we decided to drive rather than fly. Everyone warned us that it would be difficult and expensive to find parking, but actually it was easy and free! We stayed in the Upper West Side and found parking very easily on Central Park West. We had to move our car once because of street cleaning, but found another spot a few blocks away. Just make sure you follow the rules and move your car when the sign says or you could get a ticket or worse– get towed. If you park in a garage prepare to pay at least $30 a day.
Get Tickets to a Taping: We managed to score tickets to Letterman. It’s a great way to see a show for free! Try to plan ahead by searching for tickets to your favorite shows, like Letterman. Or if you don’t plan ahead, many shows hand out last minute tickets the day of the show, but you likely will spend more time waiting in line than if you had planned ahead. For a fun morning activity, head over to the Today Show plaza.
Take in the Views: Going to the top of the Empire State Building will set you back, but there are great free views to take in. Head to the Brooklyn Bridge and walk across to the other side. It’s free, a good workout and the views are beautiful!
Ride the Staten Island Fairy: The Staten Island Fairy is a free ride that takes you right by the Statue of Liberty. Just avoid rush hour when the commuters are on board.
Eat a Famous Cupcake: The cupcakes at Magnolia Bakery are amazing! And their only $2.50! They’ve also got great coffee and muffins if you’re looking for an affordable snack.
Enjoy a Cheap Lunch: New York City is known for it’s pizza. There are joints everywhere selling it by the slice. For less than $5 you can have a filling, and yummy, lunch.
What are your favorite low-cost activities in New York City?