Here it is folks, my article on how to do the city cheaply:
New York, New York – A Helluva Town, The city that never sleeps, The big apple, the empire state, the center of the universe — my favorite place in the world.
There are so many things I love about New York….it would be almost impossible to list them all but one of them is that there is SO MUCH to do!
Now, a lot of people think you need to break the bank to have a good time in this wonderful town but that’s a load of BS! I mean you can, if you want….but there’s also A LOT of ways to save and have MAJORLY great times too!! In fact I often have more fun the times I spend the least….So here are a few of my favorite tips and tricks!
- Central Park: Is awesome! Lots of things to see, a great workout/way to get a tan (in the summer), cheap food at various intervals, beautiful, near plenty of museums and restaurants if you’d like to include it as part of a more moderate – expensive type day, carriage rides and ice skating available though the cost will vary!!! Best in the spring to early summer when it’s still cool enough that you can enjoy just walking and taking in the sites of roller bladers, painters, flea market type sales people, the free petting zoo, all the scattered statues/art work, climb the Belvedere castle, see the boats and much more – the real zoo isn’t that expensive too!! Also worth visiting while there:
- Shakespeare in the Park: Visit the theatre in the park for free Broadway quality entertainment! But arrive early, tickets go FAST!!!!
- Staying near the park, it’s always fun to walk around FAO Schwartz for an escape from the elements or a trip back to your childhood – this also applies to Toys R’ Us in Times Square
- TAKE THE SUBWAY!!! There are great, easy to use maps available and they will allow you to hop all over the city while saving money on cab fare !!
- Sticking with public transit, leave your car at home! Parking is really hard to find and usually mad expensive take a train or a bus for way less and avoid traffic, aggravation and heft fees – and help the environment a little too!
- Now if you want to stay cheap the biggest place to cut is on food….how ever that does not mean your taste buds need to suffer! One thing I L-O-V-E to do is visit the Union Square green market — tons of fresh breads, baked goods, juice, veggies – and all wayyyy cheap! A great stop for dinner, closing up at 5 there are TONS of discounts as the stuff can’t be held over night. I’m talking whole loaves of french bread for $2, muffins for $ .50….and there’s lots of other places in the area to supplement whatever you don’t find there — A Whole Foods, A cheap little deli, A Starbucks, and this great sausage place down the street. — The best tip for finding cheap, great food is to take a trip down the side streets, you’d be shocked at the gems hidden off the beaten track… Now, if you’re looking to eat great not so off the beaten track you can get amazing pizza in the heart of Broadway right across the street from The Phantom of the Opera @ Johns Pizza, they have a small $16 pie – split with a friend, avoid liqueur and eat lite and you can escape with a bill under $15 a piece — drink water and eat nothing else and you’re looking at a $10 pay out….Up it even more – Just next door, there’s a place called Angus McIndoe, an eatery of the Broadway insiders…. no appetizer, great filling stew dinner, water but coffee at the end – just about $20 pay out – depending on how much you tip their great wait staff….There’s lots of great cheap eats in the city, it’s just a matter of looking and sometimes ordering a bit lighter than usual….I bring snacks for the train ride in and out that way I can eat in style while there by eating a bit lighter than I usually would….
- Another great way thing about the city is the theatre, home of Broadway – most people know about this but there’s a booth in the center of Times Square with discounted tickets; long lines but for a great cause – however what most people don’t know is that there’s another booth down town at the Southstreet Seaport with shorter lines but the same great selection. For the student crowd get up early and brave the elements to stand outside theatres box offices for student rush discounts, astounding seats at a overwhemling discount! (I’m talking front row – $25 approx.) Don’t forget your student ID!!!!
- Are you a book lover? The strand bookstore near Washington Sq. Park has the largest selection I have ever seen, popular books and older more rare books – the place looks like an exploded library – you could def. get lost in it if you let yourself….the point: DISCOUNTS, DISCOUNTS, DISCOUNTS!!!!! (Often a whole $10 less than retail, sometimes more!!! Sometimes they have books you’d never even dream of finding at a retail store!)
- A great website is onlocationvacations.com – they tell you where you’re favorite actors or TV shows might be filming all over the country, often in NYC – they also list events that are occurring and what celebs might be attending a totally free and absolutely rewarding day is staking camp at the set of your fave TV show and waiting for photo ops — fun any time of year, but prob. more bearable come warmer weather….
That’s all I’ve got for now, but walk around the less touristy sections of the city and you will find even more great, affordable, fun things to do around the Isle of Manhattan! Enjoy!!
So I figure it was finally appropriate for me to post that – I went into the city on Thursday (had a great time doing many of the things listed above) and I’m going in again tomorrow (to see South Pacific)!! Been busy but more on my Flat Belly Diet plans tomorrow as well as Audrey Hepburn!
Night-Night
