New York City on a Budget - HELP

[libinatorsmom]

Hi - we are going to NY in June - going on a road trip (WI - NY)... We are looking for the must do's in NY as well as along the way and like all of us we are on a BUDGET!!! We are lucky that we have a place to stay in NJ (not far from NY) for Free (Family members home) so that will help a lot on saving for fun things!

Things we have planned already:

1) Boat Tour - 2 hour - See the sights Satutue of Liberty etc

2) Toys R Us Times Square Visit & FAO Visit & American Girl Store Visit (Reservation for Lunch at the American Girl Cafe)

3) Dad & Stepmom are headed to the Met - on the day my daughter and I do the Toy Stores. We didnt think my daughter could handle a whole day in an art muesum

Our traveling group includes my Dad (61 year old History Buff), Step-Mom (65 year old Artist), My Daughter (Typical 7 year old all girlly girl), and Myself (33 year old laid back lady) - I am the only one that has ever been to NYC (well besides the family that lives in NJ that will be doing some of the days with us)

Love your thoughts and help!!! it will be here FAST!!!!

 

[mom0299]

I love NYC! DH and I were just there in March. NYC is not a cheap city, but there are some things you can do to make it less expensive. Do not eat in Times Square. Find a restaurant that the locals frequent, not the tourists. You'll find better food for less money that way. Get a Metro card instead of taking a taxi if you have a long way to go. Even better, walk everywhere! You will see a lot more by walking around and it doesn't cost anything. My favorite part of the city is just taking in the sights and sounds and that is FREE!
Enjoy your trip!

 

[libinatorsmom]

Thanks - great ideas!!! I am worried I am not budgeting enough $$$$ but hopfully we are... EEEK! I think just walking and taking the sites in will be fun and my daughter will take it all in as well...

 

[mjkacmom]

I don't know where you are staying, but I believe if you take a ferry into NYC, there are free buses there that will transport you around different areas of the city (and they don't check if you actually took the ferry...).

 

[lizabu]

My advice is stay at the Sheraton in Weehawken NJ and take the ferry into the city. Call in and ask them to find you the best promotion available for your dates. There are usually hidden promos if you aren't waiting until the last minute to book and if the hotel isn't really full. Also buy the City Pass. Costco and AAA have them. You can see all the biggest points of interest for one low price. Lots of TV shows are filmed in NY. You can get free tickets for a cheap way to be entertained.


eta- sheraton lincoln harbor (weehawken) has an american girl package that gives you a discounted hotel rate, cookies and milk, a bed for the doll and ferry tickets

 

[DizneyDogs]

I just returned on Monday from my 1st ever trip. We bought the NY Pass (not the city pass) and it includes 55 attractions. We bought the 3 day pass for around $100 as it was on sale and then there was an online promo code for another 20% off. It was much cheaper than paying for each attraction separately.

We used it for the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Bldg, Top of the Rock, Clipper Ship, Met, Harry Potter Exhibit, Guggenheim Museum, Natural History Museum and MOMA.

Anyway here's the link to the website:
http://www.newyorkpass.com/

 

[libinatorsmom]

Thanks for the link!

 

[shoney]

You could skip the boat tour if it is $$$ and ride the staten island ferry for free.
FOr $4 roundtrip ticket, you could ride the roosevelt island tram for additional views of the city.
Take subway to Brooklyn, have lunch at Grimaldi's and walk back over the brooklyn bridge. (restaurant does get crowded)
Musuem of Natural history has a suggested donation, so you could pay what you wish.
The sony wonder tech lab is free, but you have to reserve tickets in advance.

Have fun!!!!

 

[emma'smom]

Your plans actually don't sound very budget so far...but they will be fun.

(1) Skip the Circle Line Tour and just ride the Staten Island Ferry for free. You see the Statue and Battery Park...or pay for the Ellis Island Ferry and see the Statue and Ellis Island-- it's a wonderful tour and not that pricey.

(2) Go to Chinatown and eat street food...and while you are at it stop in Little Italy for cannoli-- only a couple bucks.

(3) Hang out on the Great Lawn in Central Park-- check for free concerts or Shakespeare in the Park.

(4)Grab a hotdog and soda from a cart in Times Square and sit at one of the cafe tables in the middle of the street at dusk when the lights come on!

(5) Try for tickets to see the View or Letterman or something you are interested in seeing....

(6) Walk the Brooklyn Bridge

(7) Get a piece of decent NYC pizza at a local pizzeria (try Koronet on 110 and B-way)

(8) Shop at the South Street Seaport

(9) Get Magnolia cupcakes in the Village (ala Sex in the City)

(10) Get up and stand outside of NBC during the Today Show

 

[MichelleinMaine]

I won't claim to be an expert- have been to NYC a few times. We're taking my friend and her girls next week. (Will be 2 moms, 6 month old, 18, 16 and 10yo) We're staying in Seacaucus (cheaper, we need a suite for the 6 of us), will take the bus in. Most of our stuff is no/low budget (oh except the Wicked tickets- OUCH!

You didn't say how long you are staying, but our rough plan for our 4 day trip. (Some "odd" things based on requests the girls made.)

Day 1: (mostly walking around, these places are within walking distance {not next door to each other, but walkable} Expenses= going to Top of the Rock and food/shopping)
Times Square
Macy’s
Empire State Building
NY Public Library
Grand Central Station?
Rockefeller Center area: (go up) Top of the Rock, American Girl Store, St Patrick’s Cathedral
Dylan’s Candy Bar
Central Park: Plaza Hotel, FAO Schwartz, Conservatory (Alice in Wonderland Statue), Balto statue?
Day 2: (Only real expense is SoL ferry @$13 pp. Buy your tickets in advance, they sell out! Other things are within walking distance of the ferry. We'll take subway down.)
11am ferry tickets to Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island
World Trade Center site/ 9-11 Memorial
NY Stock Exchange
Federal Hall
Trinity Church (National Treasure)
Day 3:
10am Behind the Emerald Curtain (a backstage tour of Wicked, $30pp)
Afternoon- Tenement Museum ($20pp), lunch at deli/Chinatown/etc

Day 4:
morning- open (any suggestions on what good we missed, lol)
afternoon- matinee of Wicked

 

[TAKitty]

I recommend the grayline bus tour. It was cheap. The busses came all the time and you could hop off and on. I saw a lot that way. I also used priceline for a nice hotel on times square. In fact, I liked it so much, I'm heading back to NYC this Sun with my mom for an awards show.

Also, If you are a D23 member, you can get 40% off tickets for Mary Poppins on Broadway.

 

[scrapquitler]

(10) Get up and stand outside of NBC during the Today Show

My Mom and I did that when we were in NY in March! It was fun.

 

[tiferetsix]

Cheap good eats

Katz Deli (Lower East Side) for the sandwiches and atmosphere (and because it was where "that scene" from When Harry Met Sally was filmed)
Greys (grays?) Papaya for hotdogs and Papaya
Lena Latin Grill (35th Street) Super delicious wraps and salads.

(I won't eat the hotdogs from the street vendors - but would always recommend a breakfast from the pushcart men. Coffee and a muffin / donut or pastry for about $2)

Have a great time

 

[lisa-upnorth]

You could skip the boat tour if it is $$$ and ride the staten island ferry for free.
FOr $4 roundtrip ticket, you could ride the roosevelt island tram for additional views of the city.
Take subway to Brooklyn, have lunch at Grimaldi's and walk back over the brooklyn bridge. (restaurant does get crowded)
Musuem of Natural history has a suggested donation, so you could pay what you wish.
The sony wonder tech lab is free, but you have to reserve tickets in advance.

Have fun!!!!

agreed-take the ferry for free!!

 

[lisa-upnorth]

Museum of Nat History should be a must for your group!! We get up early and head to FAO on our 1st morning there--be there 10min before they open to see the soldier ceremony for the opening.Head in and go right onto the famous piano(head in and up the escalator to get there fast!) We are usually the first ones up there and LOVE to play on the piano.Take pics!!!Enjoy the store for about 30 min then head diagonally across the intersection to Central Park.Head in near the golden statue.The park is AMAZING!!!Walk parallel to the street and go by the zoo( and famous clock!) and walk to the Conservation Water area where they have the remote control boats(seen in many movies!),see Alice statue also.Next head into the park to Bethesda Fountain and the famous row boats!!Enjoy the area and take pics for about 30 min then continue across the park to reach the other side(where the museum is).Online there is a map and there are a few around in the park also.You can also ask people for help if you get lost.Walking from FAO to the museum was an easy and great time for my family last year-ages 5,1840,50. Walk -with stopping and sightseeing shouldn't be longer than 1 1/2hrs.Plan to enjoy the museum for about 4 hours.They have food there but not too cheap--no where really is though so we ate there in the downstairs cafeteria. Took a taxi back to our hotel in Times Sq and had a rest!!

 

[ibela]

Pizza is a cheap eat, and best in NY!

Museums - at the Met, the admission price is suggested so you can actually give whatever you want (ex. $1pp, not the suggested $8.50). Madame Toussad's is fun, I believe they have a twilight ticket if you come later in the evening.

Broadway shows - you can buy same day tickets half price at the TKTS booth, show up at noon for a matinee or 5pm for an evening show.

Fine dining - The 21 Club is a landmark and I believe they still have an early bird prix-fixe (which includes parking if you need it). Check out their web site for reservation information. Another great prix fixe before 6pm is Tao, great hot spot and yummy food!

Have a great time!!

 

[neatokimmo]

I went to NYC a couple of weeks ago.

Sheraton 4 Points opened at the end of April in Long Island City. They are one subway stop past the queensbridge one (queensborough?), 29 or 39th ave. Sheez I need a subway map. If you stay there, eat at the corner deli and try the Italian hero. $7 bucks, good stuff. Walking towards the Sheraton, stop at the Mexican deli and try out their hot bar. It's awesome.

Wo Hop basement level in Chinatown was delish. The sesame chicken was totally different than anything I had ever tried.

Lombardis in Little Italy has awesome pizza. Sweet Italian sausage and wild mushroom was really good(can you tell I am hungry?).

If you do the Natural History museum, skip the ad ons. We did the dinosaur one and it was so not worth even an extra $5 (it was over $30 f0r our group).

 

[ChrisinNJ]

Museums - at the Met, the admission price is suggested so you can actually give whatever you want (ex. $1pp, not the suggested $8.50). Madame Toussad's is fun, I believe they have a twilight ticket if you come later in the evening.

I was going to mention this as well. Suggested asmission is over $20.00 per person both at the Met and at the Museum of Natural history. Suggested donation means that you must give something, but it is not necessary to give the whole amount. If you want to see any special exhibits, they are usually hard ticket prices, but admission into the museum is whatever you can give.

Have a great trip!

 

[coastermom]

May I suggest when you walk around times square .. go into planet hollywood and walk around .. Free and some cool movie stuff in there ...

also when in times square although it is expensive eat at Juniors or at least go in and have the cheese cake .. We live on Staten Island and go there for lunch or dinner when in the city ! It is so GOOD !!

Take the SI ferry to SI and you can see the Statue Of Liberty .. Great View and CHEAP !!

The Today show is good and while walking around times square you can walk up to 5th ave and see all the shops ... Coach , LV , Juicy , Tiffiny &co. all the big names are there .. Cool just to walk around .. BTW Coach has great shoes on sale sometimes just so you know !! ...

Have a good time here !! Right now the weather stinks though !!

 

[Helene]

My advice is stay at the Sheraton in Weehawken NJ and take the ferry into the city. Call in and ask them to find you the best promotion available for your dates. There are usually hidden promos if you aren't waiting until the last minute to book and if the hotel isn't really full. Also buy the City Pass. Costco and AAA have them. You can see all the biggest points of interest for one low price. Lots of TV shows are filmed in NY. You can get free tickets for a cheap way to be entertained.


eta- sheraton lincoln harbor (weehawken) has an american girl package that gives you a discounted hotel rate, cookies and milk, a bed for the doll and ferry tickets

Does the ferry run very late into the evening?? Say till 10 or 11pm??