New York City
New York is probably the most visited cities in the United States by backpackers from around the world. Famous for its fashion, nightlife, art & theater, it is a destination that one may visit several times over and still not see all it has to offer. New York City is the most populous city in the United States. It is located on a large natural harbor on the Atlantic coast and has five main areas within the city: The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island. It is also home to famous landmarks or areas such as The Statue of Liberty, Wall Street, and the New York Stock Exchange. NYC is a great place, but as a backpacker it can take a big bite out of your budget. It’s notorious for being an expensive place to visit, even if you try to stay in hostels and “do local things.” Most tourists who come here end up spending hundreds per day on hotel, food, and attractions. However, a city this big is bound to have some great deals. There are plenty of things to do in New York City that won’t cost you a few months of your savings- you just have too look.
Costs in New York City
- Hostel Prices: Dorms from US$29-$40 and privates from $99 per night for a double bedroom.
- Budget Hotel Prices: Even budget hotels are expensive. Expect to pay betwen $100-$140 USD per night depending on the area you stay in.
- Average Cost of Food: You can eat a mid range restaurant for US$15-$25. However, you can find lunch and breakfast cheaper. Dinner will always be more expensive. You can eat at small Pizza parlors and cafes for less that US$10. You can purchase groceries for a week of cooking for around US$40-60.
- Cost of Internet: US$3-$4 per hour. However, NYC is full of Wifi spots in many bars, restaurants, and coffee shops where you can connect for free.
- Public Transportation Cost: The fare for a subway or local bus ride is $2.25. The fare for an express bus ride is $5.50. You can also get a 1-day fun pass for $8.25 that is good for unlimited subway and local bus rides from first use until 3 a.m. the following day. Sold at MetroCard Vending Machines and at neighborhood stores. You can also buy a 7-day pass for $27. Initial fare is $2.50 and then .40 for each 1/5 mile (4 blocks), each minute idle is .40, peak surcharge is $1.00, and there is a night surcharge of .50 after 8pm.
Things to Do in New York City
- Take the Staten Island Ferry: That two hour long line to see the Statue of Liberty not appealing? Well, walk a few blocks to the Staten Island ferry. The free ferry will take you across the harbor and give you a good view of both the Statue of Liberty and the city skyline. The ride takes about 20 minutes.
- Walk the Brooklyn Bridge: Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge to experience an interesting view of the New York skyline and harbor. It’s a long walk but good food and drinks (like the brewery) await you on the other side.
- Central Park for a Day: A great way to relax in the city and leave the crowds behind is to spend the day in central park. It’s free, there are lots of little paths to walk, and, since it covers over 40 blocks, it’s easy to spend hours upon hours wandering around. During the summer months, there are often free concerts and theater productions in the park too.
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art: From the early 20th century portraits and sculptures to the steel mastery of Frank Stella, the Met is one of the foremost collections of fine art in the world. The museum is so expansive and visual; you should plan on spending an entire day here.
- Museums: While the MET is a category of its own, New York City has dozens of museums worth visiting. The Natural History Museum, the MOMA, and Guggenheim are just three of the big ones. There’s 11 museums on the museum mile near central park that would take days to really see. Pick the ones you want to see the most and visit those unless you have weeks in the New York to see them all.
- Visit Radio City Music Hall: Is there a more American theater than Radio City Music Hall? This timeless testament to entertainment has captivated visitors since the 1930s
- Take in the theater: You can’t come to NYC and not see a Broadway show. There are many great shows here from musicals to Shakespeare to offbeat shows. There’s nothing better than witnessing NYC theater and it’s such an integral part of life here you should check it out.
- Empire State Building: Get a bird’s eye view of the city from atop one of the tallest buildings in the world. It’s open late now so you can even see the city all light up at night.
- The Highline: Made from a converted train track, the highline a new urban park on the west side of NYC. The area covers 8 blocks and is extremely popular. Day or night, the park is filled with people hanging out, running, eating, walking and relaxing. It’s right near where I live and I’m there all the time.
- Lower East Side Tenement Museum: Accessible only by guided tour, this fascinating museum offers visitors the opportunity to visit former tenement apartments on the Lower East Side. You can see how the arrivals from around the world lived during the 1900s as they tried to make it in the big apple.
- Trinity Church: A colonial era church, this is where many of the founding fathers of America worshiped. It’s free to enter and the surrounding graveyard has many of the original leaders of the county, including Alexander Hamilton, who was the first secretary of the treasury.
- Top of the Rock: Right in Rockefeller center, you can head to the top of the building to see panoramic views of the city. It gives you a different angle than the Empire State Building. It just recently opened after being closed for over 18 years.
Money Saving Tips for New York
- Free Tours: New York is a great place to walk around. However, only seeing New York from the outside is half the story. Take some of the free tours to see the other half. On Wednesday, there is a free tour of Grand Central Terminal offered by the Municipal Art Society (they offer a lot of other tours around the city too). Trinity Church offers free daily tours when there are not services. The Brooklyn Brewery offers free tours on Saturday. Finally, Big Apple Greeters will pair you with a local New Yorker to show you around for a day with advance notice.
- Get Cheap Theater Tickets: Tickets though can run hundreds of dollars, especially for the new and popular shows. Luckily, there’s a way to get discount tickets. The TKTS stand in Times Square offers 40-50% off select shows. You need to arrive at the counter the same day to see what they have but its usually a widespread and good selection. Be prepared to wait in line for about an hour. TKTS also have offices at the South Street Seaport and in Brooklyn.
- Free Museums: NYC is littered with some of the best museums in the world from the Met to the MOMA to the Guggenheim. Many museums offer free entry certain days of the week. The Whitney Museum of American Art is free on Friday, the Solomon R. Guggenheim has “suggested” donations after 5 on Fridays, the Museum of American Folk Art is free, the Cooper-Hewitt National Museum of Design is free on Tuesday evenings free, the Steuben Galler is free, the MET is free (suggested donation is $20) and the Museum of Modern Art is free after 4pm on Friday.
