Help a Reader: Trip to New York

Here's a question from a reader looking to save money on a trip:

We are planning a trip to New York City in December of this year. We are consistently saving up for it with an end goal of having $3,000 by the end of August. We’re putting away $200 per month for it, and are right on target to wrap up saving in August.

We want this trip to be memorable, of course. On the other hand, we want to be as “travel frugal” as possible to get the most bang for our buck. We’re not going to be cheap about it because this is probably the only time we’ll ever go to NYC. We’re not afraid to drop some money on something really special, but we’re not here to see how quickly we can blow through the money. We are planning on staying 5 or 6 nights, if possible.

Some ideas we had. Do you know how much some of these activities might cost?

• Statue of Liberty
• Grand Central Station
• Rockefeller Center
• Broadway
• Central Park (we want to go ice skating :))
• Empire State Building
• Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Guggenheim
• Times Square
• WTC Site
• Radio City Music Hall
• Wall Street
• China Town
• seeing The New York Philharmonic
• shopping in general
• great, unique restaurants
• Maybe we’ll get lucky and see the Cash Cab…

We have no idea where we might stay. So I’m asking you — if you were going to New York City, where you would you stay, what would you do, and how much it would cost you?

Any suggestions out there?

Comments

[Amy]

#1 - go to tripadvisor.com and type in "New York" in the search field. Then continue to read for hours and hours. The best travel site out there. You will get excellent advice on hotels (with pictures taken from actual travelers) as well as activities, resturants, etc.

My advice on hotels: stay in midtown, perhaps near Time Square. The times square subway station has access to virtually every single subway line, and you will be taking the subway alot (best way to save $$ - avoid cabs if possible). The subway system is incredibly intimidating. Don't be afraid. It's remarkably well organized (I swear) - just follow the signs.

#2 - some of them your listed activites are free to walk around and explore, such as: Grand Central Station (a beautiful train station), Rockefeller Center (only charges you for ice skating), Central Park (again, only an ice skating charge) WTC site, Times Square, Wall Street, Chinatown, etc. There are also several good tours that you might want to take (on double decker buses) and tripadvisor will likely give you info on the best ones. There are also some excellent travel books out there which will give you good tips for saving $$ in NYC.

You biggest expense will be the hotel and eating out. Try to find a reasonable place to stay around $200/night, but with good reviews (there are lots of yucky/scary hotels offering good "deals" - do a ton of research!). Treat yourself to one or two "fancy" resturants (maybe more if you can swing it), and then go to the famous deli's and other inexpensive eating spots (pizza, etc.). Lots of good food in NYC, most of it's pricy, but you can eat well on less $$ if you do your research in advance.

[Nazim]

If you plan to do something in the morning and something else in the afternoon/evening, see if you can cram a nap in after lunch. Especially if the morning thing is a museum (the Frick collection is another awesome one that didn't make your list, near 60th and 3d).

Oh, and move around only in subways. They get just about everywhere and are faster than anything else. If you take a cab, take it after you take the subway to get to the general area you are going to.

[Mike]

The biggest expense probably will be your hotel, but you definitely do not have to spend $200/night for NYC. Since you are traveling to NYC for vacation, you probably only want to stay in a general area and can use that to your advantage. There is a website: www.biddingfortravel.com which will list all of the winning and losing bids for different geographical areas for www.priceline.com. You will have to spend some time, reading the trends and learning how to use priceline's hotel bidding but it is definitely worth it. I have saved over 50% on 4-Star hotels by doing this.

[canuck]

Prices may have gone up - but last summer it was $11.50 to see the Statue of Liberty, $25 for the Empire State building (not to the highest level, though, although that was with the taped guided tour). MOMA is free on Friday evenings (although the line is incredibly long - go early). Most of the museums were about $10-15. Central Park, Times Square, etc. as indicated above are free. You can get cheap tickets for Broadway shows for about $40-60 as long as you aren't picky about what you're seeing. I didn't find food that expensive, but avoided the fancier restaurants.

[Maria]

If you belong to AAA you can get a New York State Guide. It can also be found at the public library. They have all attractions with hours of operations and prices, they also list attractions that are free, along with hotels, thier contact info amenities and costs. Ditto for restaruants. There are maps included so you can plan a visit to an attraction along with what food places are nearby. You should be able to budget pretty close to actual expenses. Hope this helps.

[Megan]

I always stay at the Pod Hotel (formerly the Pickwick Arms) because it is reasonable and it's located in midtown (http://www.thepodhotel.com/). I've also had some success using priceline.com for hotels in midtown.

[Nicole]

· Statue of Liberty – I don’t know what the prices are anymore, but read the Statue of Liberty section on www.newyorkology.com to get information on how to make the most of your visit. This website is a great resource for stuff to do in NY.
· Grand Central Station – free, unless you buy something or eat at a restaurant.

· Rockefeller Center - $17.50 for adult tix to Top of the Rock observation deck; ticket prices for Rock center tour ($12) and Radio City tour ($18.50) http://www.rockefellercenter.com/home.html

· Broadway – get discounts for broadway and off broadway at www.broadwaybox.com

or stand in line at TKTS in Times Square or downtown http://www.tdf.org/TDF_ServicePage.aspx?id=56

[Nicole]

· Central Park – Ice skating at Wollman Rink - $9.50/$12.00 for adult tix depending on weekday or weekend. $5.00 skate rental. http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_things_to_do/facilities/skating_rink_detail/wollman_rink_central_park.html

or

http://www.wollmanskatingrink.com/main_wollman.htm

· Empire State Building - $19 for adults https://www.esbnyc.com/tickets/index.cfm?CFID=6012274&CFTOKEN=92966689

· Metropolitan Museum of Art
$20 for adults (includes admission to Cloisters)

· Guggenheim
$18 for adults

[Nicole]

· Times Square – free – don’t eat in Times Square – the restaurants are generally bad and overpriced

· WTC Site - free

· Radio City Music Hall – The tour is $17 for adults. Don’t know what the ticket prices are for shows. http://www.radiocity.com/tours/index.html

· Wall Street – combine your trip to wall street with your visit to the WTC site – they are in the same neighborhood. If the weather is good, do a walking tour of the downtown area – it is the most historic part of the city

· China Town – free to walk around. If you want to buy knock-off bags and stop for dim sum, prices vary

· The New York Philharmonic – the cheapest way to see the Philharmonic is to get tickets to an open rehearsal. These are usually at around 10am on weekday so great if you are on vacation. The performances are just as good as the real thing. Check out the website. http://nyphil.org/

Other tips:

Most museums have a day when they offer free admission on certain evenings (usually Friday).

Most museums are closed on Mondays, but not all. E.g. Guggenheim is closed on Thursdays, so plan accordingly.

Avoid taxis – learn to use the subways.

New Yorkers are helpful with directions. Don’t be afraid to ask.

The biggest sin tourists commit in NYC is to block foot traffic by standing around and staring up when people are trying to walk. Keep up with the pedestrian traffic and if you need to stop, move off to the side out of the way.

Check out Tripadvisor.com for hotel information and traveler reviews

Restaurant prices add up really fast. Budget for a certain number of restaurant meals, but for everything else, buy your own food and get a hotel room with a fridge. Carry snacks with you.

Do not under any circumstances drive or park in NYC.

[chica with issues]

I used to live in NYC and when I go back to visit I stay at the Four Points by Sheraton Manhattan Chelsea. It is a nice and fairly new hotel and close to the train. Plus it's close to Whole Foods so you can get a wholesome breakfast. Last December I booked a special on their site for $159/night. The Pod Hotel is another good choice. You don't want to stay near Times Square as all of the food is way more expensive in that area!

And the MET has a SUGGESTED price. If you wanted to you could give them a nickel and they'd let you in. To save some cash and support the arts get the student ticket.

Unique restaurant - Lucky Cheng's. Cheap and tasty - Dallas BBQ, but the one in Times Square is more expensive than the others. My fave location is the one near NYU.
For cheap Broadway tickets, get your tickets in advance by watching BroadwayBox.com for discounts to the shows you are interested in.

[Italo]

I am amazed nobody mentioned the city pass (http://www.citypass.com/city/ny.html)

Best deal in town.

# Empire State Building Observatory
# Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises
# American Museum of Natural History & Rose Center
# Guggenheim Museum
# The Museum of Modern Art
# The Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Cloisters

All for 65

Italo

[Dave]

If you have a blackberry or some sort of internet access, www.hopstop.com will give you step by step directions for using the subway to get from one place to another. Also bring a nice detailed map for getting around.

we stayed at a hotel just north of the un. very nice but quite a hike to the subway system. But it was worth it. $100 a night, we used priceline. just awesome!

[DD]

Just take the Staten Island Ferry past the Statue of Liberty. It's free. You ride it out to Staten Island and back and it goes right past the statue. Saves a lot of time as you don't have to wait in line and it costs nothing.

[Matt G]

I know people have said it, but take the subways! They're really not hard to figure out and you really get a feel for the city! If you're lucky, someone will mistake you for a New Yorker and ask you for directions - bonus points if you can actually provide said directions. Have fun!

[Nomad]

I'm a 30-something travelahaulic who's visited NYC over a dozen times (one year I went seven times!).

One option for the adventurous and budget-minded traveler is is to rent an apartment from craigslist. I've done this four times in NYC and never been ripped off or had any major problems, though it's always had something slightly uncomfortable (like no A/C in summer or no curtains in a sunny room). I've paid $65-100/night for cheap studios, and $300/week for two weeks for a room in a 3 bedroom apartment. The apartments were always centrally located in midtown Manhattan, and they always have a kitchen/fridge if you want to save some money on food. The downside is that you don't get to see the place first, it's not as comfortable as a decent hotel, and you run a small risk of getting ripped off. But NYC is a very expensive place to live and most people there are actually honest, so many people are legitimately looking to make some money when they go out of town.

I've also been happy at the Pod hotel (small room and a shared bathroom) and the midtown Red Roof Inn. I've also gotten a couple deals on Priceline where I bid $125 for a four-star hotel. There may also be better prices if you stay in Jersey City or Hoboken; just make sure the hotel is near the PATH train. Also be sure to look up the reviews of any cheap hotel on tripadvisor, as some of the budget hotels are pretty nasty.

[Rob]

I agree with Matt G. The Subway is a great way to travel throughout NYC. Especially if you are going to be there for a few days. By the end of your trip, you'll be a pro at navigating them!

The Empire State Building was $14.00 a person in 2005. It may have gone up since then but I'm not sure. Rockefeller center won't cost you anything if you just want to walk around. Definitely take a walk through Times Square. There is nothing quite like it.

[Nicole]

I would second the suggestion to find an apartment to rent for a week, even if you are staying for a shorter period of time, rather than a hotel. You will almost certainly save money. but start looking early. I'm sure a lot of people will be going out of town in December, but equally sure the places will book up fast.

[indio]

I used to live in the city until I escaped to the burbs. All of the suggestions so far are very good. If I was a tourist, I would take a bus once in while just to get the upstairs view of the sights. The subway is colorful and much faster but when you have extra time to allow for traffic try out the buses, especially the cross town bus through central park. I would also recommend the Natural History Museum and the Hayden planetarium (completely enclosed 4 story glass box) attached to it.

[SJean]

The Met will let you in for a nickel, but they also might give you a dirty look. (Speaking from experience, haha) I second the Citypass, particularly if those are all things you are going to do anyway. Central park is great, and free. The subway is a great way to get around and save money on taxis.

[tom]

If you happen to be military, there's a hotel on the army base in brooklyn. It has just been remodeled so the rooms are VERY nice. It's located next to the subway, so getting into Manhattan is very easy. Cost is $50/night. Rooms have a refrigerator and a microwave, and the hotel is located right next to the base grocery store (commissary). I'd stay there again in a second.

[Lolita]

No matter what you decide to do, take tennis shoes! It is nothing to walk 30 blocks to get from one place to the other, granted those are city blocks and NY city blocks are very small.....it's still a LOT of walking. If you find something you like in Chinatown, haggle for it. NEVER take the price they offer you because you can walk 5 feet to the right or left and get a better price. I got a beautiful scarf one winter that had a price tag of $15 dollars on it. I walked a few vendors down and got a price of $10 on the same scarf....went back n forth a couple times but got them down to $5.

[Megan]

I would recommend Couch Surfing instead of paying $200/night for a hotel (www.couchsurfing.com). Not, this isn't for everyone, but it is a surefire way to meet some wonderful, interesting people who live, work and play in the city and have first hand knowledge of it. You don't pay to stay there, but small gifts from your hometown are always appreciated. I did this all over Europe and it was an amazing experience.

[Kevin]

Someone above mentioned AAA. Actually, I believe their "Triptiks" are now free online. Check it out here:

http://www.ouraaa.com/travel/auto-travel/index.html

I also like Tripadvisor.com for reviews and such.

[Anonymous]

When we last went to NYC, we stayed at House of The Redeemer, an Episcopal Church Retreat center. It is in a good area near Central Park, with a terrific neighborhood grocery 1 block away.

http://www.houseoftheredeemer.org/lodging.html

We booked a room with private bath for $140/night. It was clean, though sparse, but you're not going to NYC to sit in the room and watch TV. (There is no tv, no phone) Most days, you will come home exhausted, and just want to sleep. From this perspective, the property is excellent.

If you want to party and get drunk, please do not call them up and ask for a room. There is no room service. They do not take credit cards. This is more like staying in someone's house than a hotel. However, if you want an affordable base location with good access to the subway (4-5-6 trains at 96th St Station), and you want to sleep in a nice quiet place, it will work for you.

There are (naturally) religious activities going on there. You are welcome to participate, but there is no pressure to do so. You are given keys to the building and can come and go at all hours.

We found the location to be excellent for access to a wedding we were attending, the 4-5-6 subway, the Met, and of course, Central Park, where we had two terrific bench picnics in as many days. We visited the WTC site, saw Spamalot, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Grand Central, and still attended a wedding in 2.5 days from this location.

[Andrew]

Staten Island Ferry! It's free and you'll see battery park city, statue of liberty, etc.

Ride the subway.

You're going to freak out over hotel room prices. Find out exactly how far you'll be from the subway stop. Too far east (near the UN) or west will absolutely suck. You'll be hiking crosstown to get to mass transit. Oh, and bear in mind that not all blocks are created equal. Walking 5 blocks uptown is nothing. Walking 5 blocks crosstown is a PITA. I forget the exchange ratio. Something like 4:1.

Skip places like Lucky Cheng's and Dallas BBQ. Why would you come to NYC for barbecue? If you want Chinese, go to Chinatown. If you don't mind the copyright/fair trade issues, go shopping on Canal Street. Eat pizza. There are a million "Ray's" so don't bother trying to find the real first one. Go to Luger's for a steak. Spend some time in Brooklyn generally.

[Cheap Like Me]

I also recommend staying in an apartment if possible. You can get a real sense of local life, save tons of money by cooking your own breakfast and dinner (not that you shouldn't eat out when you can ... but when you are exhausted and overstimulated and just want a pizza delivered, why not?), and have room to relax (yes, even in New York). The very cheapest way would be to trade your home for a New Yorker's -- start looking early and you just might find someone who wants to visit your area at the same time. Or ask everyone you know if they know anyone in New York who needs a housesitter.

Walking and looking in New York is the best entertainment you can find, and most activities aren't too exorbitantly priced. Take a hat, scarf and gloves - the humid winter wind is freezing!

If you go to the Statue of Liberty, also visit Ellis Island - I found it more memorable.

If you want to splurge on a meal, find a really good one (I recommend Le Bernardin). If you're going to spend a fortune, make sure it's something you'll never forget!

[CF]

Regardless of the accommodations you choose, BOOK SOMETHING NOW!!! December is by far the busiest month for hotels in NYC. You can always cancel if you find a better hotel or alternative, but bottom line - DON'T WAIT to at least reserve something.

Definitely spend some time walking around downtown (The Village, SOHO, South Street Seaport etc - use one of the guides commenters mentioned above).

And don't be afraid to ask directions - most NYers are quite happy to help.

HAVE FUN!

[No Debt Plan]

Wow a lot of suggestions here. I was the one who asked the question. I'm going to read through these later this week with my wife.

Thanks for all of the tips! The City Pass looks like something I should definitely consider...

Thanks again!!

[Sarah]

Yes--do not wait on booking. NYC is a madhouse at Christmastime. And figure out how to take the subways--over a several-day trip that can save you literally a couple hundred bucks.

For a great, reasonably-priced, unique restaurant, I can't recommend Momofuku Ssam (13th and 2d Ave.) enough. It's not for vegetarians, though.

[SpecialKny]

There are many Very interesting walking tours of the City, there is a site www.TailoredTours.com that sells customized self guided walking tours for just $3.00, You can print out directions, maps, activities and restaurants and nothing really beats walking the "mean streets"....New Yorkers love thier City and are usually glad to give helpful hints....Also for keeping costs down why not try having Lunch at the more famous restaurants, you will end up having the same great food and ambience for about half the cost of dinner!!

[SpecialKny]

Ohhhhhh....don't forget to plan on having some Really great vendor food..my friends from Mississippi had their first knish from a vendor and thought they died and went to Heaven...NYC has the best "street food' bar none!!!