I’ve just returned from New York City and I’m still starry eyed over the city that never sleeps. So instead of boring my friends and family with anecdotes and photos, I’m here to offer a little bit of advice to anyone planning a trip to the Big Apple. Now, I’m the first person to admit that I’m not great at sticking to a budget, I often forget I’m a student and I’m a big believer in treating myself…but I’ll give you as many tips on how to spend your dollars wisely!
Where to stay?
As I’m sure you know, NYC is huge! Manhattan, the ‘main’ island, is home to almost all of the big tourist attractions – it’s a good place to base yourself so you’re central to all things New York! The problem is, it’s a lot more expensive to stay than the outer boroughs. Obviously have a look on trivago,booking.com or hostelworld! You can generally trust the reviews people put on. Alternatively try my very own little find;
- Pod 39 or Pod 51. They’re run by the same people and are very basic hotels – a kind of step up form a hostel. However, they’re clean, super central and cheap. What more do you want? The good thing is they’re not clinical, they’ve got character and cool rooftop bars with stunning city views. I stayed in Pod 39 it was situated about three minutes away from Grand Central Station which was great for transport links.
How to get around?
If you’re on a budget the subway is a great way of getting around. When you fly into JFK you’re immediately steered towards taxis and overpriced coaches but you can walk a little further and get the subway for a mere $7. Each subway journey will cost you $2.50 no matter how far you go.
You do have to get one yellow cab though. They’re not as steep as I thought they’d be; starting at around $2.70 and $2.70 per mile on top of that. So unless you’re actually Blair Waldorf the likelihood is you wont be hopping in yellow cabs left right and centre.
On our first day, we bought a two-day pass for an open top bus. Not only was this a good way to see as many sights as possible but it meant we could hop on and off and use it to get around. It covered all of Manhattan and Brooklyn. The ticket also included a tour of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island! Definitely something to think about investing in.
Top sights?
There are so many things to see and do in New York as I’m sure you know. Before we left we made a list of a few things we definitely wanted to see and prioritised them.
- Grand Central Station- it’s free (yay) and it’s beautiful. If you’re getting the subway around chances are you’ll be here at one point and when you do you’ll feel like you’ve just stepped in to the Pilot of Gossip Girl.
- Ellis Island- the immigration island, it has a really engaging museum and shows a little bit of history behind the melting pot of cultures in the states.
- Museum of Modern Art- out of the array of museums on offer in NY I was super excited about the MoMA, I’m by no means an art geek but it was a place for everyone and anyone.
- Night time view of the city- this is surely on everyone’s bucket list isn’t it? Go to the top of either the Empire State or the Rockefeller and gaze out over the city lights. Yes it was beautiful but was it worth $34… probably not. But try going to Le Bain, near the high line which is a rooftop bar/restaurant you can go right to the rooftop, see the stunning views and sneak out – again free of charge! Or treat yo’ self, buy a cocktail…
Top eateries/bars?
Breakfast- if you’re in the midtown head to Penelope. It has the most incredible buttermilk pancake stack going as well as waffles and giant BLT sandwiches. But you’ll find ‘All-American’ diners dotted around, they tend to sport giant portions and free refill coffee. If Americans know one thing, they know breakfast.
For a cheaper meal head to Canal Street Station, you’ll be minutes away from both China Town and Little Italy. Chinatown is by far the cheapest, boasting countless restaurants and stalls; in particulars there’s Joe’s Shanghai in Chinatown which promises you some unbeatable crab dumplings.
Perhaps the best thing about this area is after your meal you can walk off that bloat by heading up to Bleeker Street where there are plenty of cool bars to choose from. Bleeker Street Bar has a great atmosphere and cheap drinks (for NYC), play some pool or watch some basketball.
If it’s a midday snack you’re looking for then head to the Upper West Side and go to Levian Bakery, oh my god. Their cookies are huge, melt in the middle balls of goodness and they give you a giant glass of milk to dip them in too.
Free things to do?
Every budget travellers’ dream. So most of the museums in New York advise a donation usually ranging from $14-28 which is rather steep considering there are so many museums to see. But don’t feel embarrassed, just decide what you want to pay.
Definitely head down to see the Statue of Liberty, but you can do this by catching the Staten Island Ferry which is free, you get nice and close to the Statue of Liberty and you could hop off and visit a whole new area of New York.
Central Park, you can’t really miss it.
Brooklyn Bridge- you get unreal views of Manhattan and you arrive right in to Brooklyn. It’s a cool place, so stick around. Dumbo is a really nice area and there is a wonderful pizza restaurant called Julliano’s – definitely give it a try!
Chelsea art gallaries- they’re free and play host to some really cool new art.
Wander around, get lost. Seeing as New York is so big, it’s probably best to pick an area and just wander around, you never know what you might find.
Images: Author’s Own