Use these New York City Budget Travel Tips and Tricks to plan Your Epic BIG Apple Adventure!
Then… have even more fun dreaming of your next vacation with these Washington D.C. Travel Tips and Los Angeles Travel Tips!
New York City Budget Travel Tips and Tricks
So are you planning a trip to New York City? With the big city hustle and bustle of activities, iconic sites, and epic food, there’s something fun for everyone!
Seriously, there is so much to see and do in this amazing city and I don’t want you to miss a thing!
As the saying goes… New York, New York is a city so nice… they named it twice! 🙂
Just don’t leave home without reading these best New York City Budget Travel Tips that include some special insider tips from your very own frugal friends.
No matter what time of year you visit New York, there’s something amazing to do.
So get yourself ready. It’s time to have some serious fun in the Big Apple…
Related: How to Travel for Free or Cheap (20 Budget Travel Hacks)
A special thanks to frugal friend Anna for sharing this fun NYC Times Square photo pictured above!
Visit St. Patrick’s Cathedral! Catch a music concert or attend a Christmas mass service at the beautiful St. Patrick’s Cathedral, located at 5th Avenue between 50th/51st Streets. (pictured above)
Natella said: “New York City offers on average 50 free events a day, year round; these events range from free tours of various neighborhoods; try free jazz and classical music concerts, and gallery openings; free staged readings; get free talks/lectures/seminars at NYU and Columbia U; enjoy a free reading by famous authors; free screenings, etc. You can find it all at ClubFreeTime.”
Shauna said: “I went for New Years… best time of year! Macy’s is a must, the side of the building says “Believe.” The Harbor Lights Cruise and the Empire State Building at night were beautiful!”
Dawn said: “I grew up in NY and worked in NYC. Spend at least a week and go during the holidays. See the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall and Santa at Macy’s. Definitely see the Museum of Natural History and the Hayden Planetarium Windows to the World.
Jasmine said: “Madam Tussauds, M&M’s World, Hershey’s Time Square, Canal Street Rockettes during the holidays, as well as Macy’s and Rockefeller Center.”
(Rockefeller Center pictured above, located at: 45 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY)
Jessica said: “If money is an issue, stay in Brooklyn and use the subway to get around. Get a week subway pass. Get a Subway App for your smart phone, to get routes to take. When you go to a Broadway Show, get Cheap Broadway Tickets when you buy them the morning of the show. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes.
Rose said: “Staten Island Ferry is FREE for a harbor tour. The rebuilding of the Trade Centers is also a must see.”
(One World Trade Center pictured above, located at 285 Fulton St, New York, NY)
Tina said: “Have to go to The High Line. The High Line is a public park built on a 1.45-mile-long elevated rail structure running from Gansevoort Street to West 34th Street on Manhattan’s West Side. Was by far one of the best things I have done in NYC. I have been alot and this was something new that I have never been to and will go again.”
Tanya said: “Empire State Building as well as Statue of Liberty tickets can be purchased online ahead of time. This saved me a lot of time standing in line. It is worth planning in advance to go to the museum and into the Statue of Liberty. I love NY!”
Jennifer said: “See The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway and the 9/11 Memorial. Have a plan when you get there for the things you really want to see. Don’t get too distracted or your time will be gone. It is easy to get side-tracked there.”
(9/11 Memorial Museum pictured above, located at: 180 Greenwich St, New York, NY)
Melanie said: “This is making me miss NYC. 
I definitely second the recs to buy certain tickets ahead of time. Standing in line, particularly as we come up to hot/damp summertime in the northeast, can be kind of brutal.”
Brooke said: “We did an evening dinner cruse that was amazing!! Bateaux New York – Glass top boat, super dinner, we loved it!!”
Stephanie said: “I have been to see the daytime shows, The View, Rachael Ray, and The Chew — by far, being my favorite! Bryant Park is beautiful, with a lot of really nice shops, and an amazing restaurant!! See the outside of Madison Square Garden, the inside of Penn Station, and Central Park…all a must see ♥ ”
Jennifer said: “It’s been about 15 years, but Ellis Island is a must! I also recommend taking a Gray Line Tour. We took the night tour and loved it! Got to go up the Empire State Building at night.”
Rebecca said: “Be sure and take the Red Bus Tours. The information they give on the sights is really great. You can also hop on and off for two days.”
Elizabeth said: “Times Square of course!”
Tiffany said: “Times Square at night, The Village, eat a giant slice of NY style pizza, take a Horse Drawn Carriage ride through Central Park, see what all the street vendors have to offer (and ask what’s under the table), take a ride on the train, and visit SoHo of course!”
Allison said: “Frozen Hot Chocolates at Serendipity! YUM”
Score Free Coffee at Starbucks! With so many things to do and explore all over town… you just might be needing a caffeine fix and a snack! There are so many Starbucks locations all around the city, so check this out…
20 Starbucks Money Saving Hacks
Megan said: “You must see Times Square, do some shopping on Canal Street, Radio City Music Hall, Toys R Us (even if you’re a grown adult), Macy’s, visit Lady Liberty of course, Central Park (including the Strawberry Fields Memorial to John Lennon and on the street corner is the building John Lennon and Yoko Ono lived in), see a Broadway Musical, go to the top of the Empire State Building… I could go on and on.
That is by far the most amazing City I have ever been to! My most memorable experience ever… getting to dance in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade! Oh… and you have to visit Ground Zero. I ♥ NY!”
(Empire State Building picture above – 102 stories tall, located at: 20 W 34th St, New York, NY)
CJ said: “Rockefeller Center is better than Empire State Building, because you can see the Empire State Building. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is not to be missed. If you want to see a lot, spend money on the NY City Pass — but you have to use fully to get your money’s worth.”
(NYC Metropolitan Museum of Art pictured above, located at: 1000 5th Ave, New York, NY)
Karen said: “Definitely do the Top of the Rock over the Empire State Building!! Economy Candy rocks!! Floor to ceiling candy! I also loved shopping the SoHo cute boutiques, that are reasonably priced and right on Broadway. Of course cupcakes from Crumbs or the Cup Cake Stop =) “
Lori said: “I went for my 40th birthday in 2010, such a great city! So much to do!! I climbed to the crown on the Statue of liberty, awesome! Walk the Brooklyn Bridge, watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and you must see the Rockettes on Broadway! And of course, go to the Top of the Rock Central Park and the Carnegie Deli!! I need another trip to NYC!!”
Jim writes: “Look on Diners Drive-ins & Dives map for great spots to eat!”
Kat said: “Go to Times Square, Children’s Museum on Staten Island, Statue of Liberty, World Trade Center Memorial, the beach, the list never ends…”
9 New York City Christmas Travel Tips
For an extra magical trip, consider planning a visit at Christmas time!
New York City transforms into a magical winter wonderland every year at Christmas… so if you’ve never been during the holiday season, consider visiting at least once.
Here are some fun things to enjoy in NYC during the holidays…
- Visit the Christmas markets
- Taking a romantic horse-drawn carriage ride
- Enjoy FREE Ice Skating at the Bryant Park Winter Village
- Then go Ice skating at Rockefeller Center!
- Watch the Saks Fifth Avenue Christmas light show
- Visit Santa at Macy’s Santaland
- Catch a Nutcracker ballet show
- Experience the Christmas tree lighting at Rockefeller Center
- Take in in the twinkling lights, stunning sights and sounds and festive window displays throughout the city while finishing up your Christmas shopping!
If you’ll be in the city on Christmas day, many restaurants will close down, so consider visiting Chinatown for a fun lunch or dinner.
Just remember NYC can get chilly in the winter, so pack layers… and yes, you might even be lucky enough to experience a white Christmas!
(Saks 5th Avenue’s Christmas Lights Show pictured above – this must-see extravagant light display runs every 10 minutes from around 4:30pm – 11:30pm, and lasts approximately 5 minutes)
How To Visit New York City On A Budget
So You’re Planning a Trip to New York City? To keep your vacation budget-friendly, you’ll need to plan ahead. One of the first things you’ll want to do is start stashing cash away for your ‘NYC Trip Fund’.
Need to increase your travel fund stash? One of the easiest ways is to make extra money on the side in your free time! Here are my favorite tricks for ramping up the vacation budget…
27 Side Hustles Ideas
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Where to Stay in and around New York City
Wondering how to plan the perfect hotel stay for your next vacation? It’s so much easier than you think!
Don’t book your next hotel without knowing these secrets shared by Hotel Staff and Frequent Travelers…
75 Hotel Hacks Everyone Should Know
In addition to hotels, I also recommend staying at a VRBO when visiting New York to save BIG on your trip. VRBO has so many vacation rentals listed by owner, and they can be such a great way to find nice lodging that is way less expensive than the hotels.
I’ve personally stayed at multiple VRBO’s, and loved every one.
Not only were they often significantly cheaper than the nearby hotels, they also came fully stocked with convenient amenities that saved us SO much money!
Now do you want to know my favorite tips and tricks for saving BIG on a VRBO? These little known hacks will save you SO much money! Check this out…
How to Slash The Cost of Your Next Trip Using VRBO
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Now that you’ve got inspired with all of these epic New York City Budget Travel Tips, are you dreaming of even more vacations?
Sit back, relax and start dreaming.
It’s time to have fun reading even more fun travel tips…
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So… have YOU every been to New York City before?
What are some of your favorite New York City Budget Travel Tips and Tricks for places to see, things to do, restaurants to eat at, etc?
Leave a comment & share!
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Faylinn says
In April, I am taking my oldest son to NYC for a work trip, but we definitely plan on taking advantage of the city and seeing the sights as well. We are planning on taking a tour bus and I really hope that it takes us to the 9/11 Memorial. However, I’m sure that we’ll want to go and visit other parts of the city, such as Ellis Island and Hershey’s Time Square. Thank you so much for listing all of these people’s ideas of what to do in the city! I’m sure that we’ll never get to do everything, but we’ll try our best.
Linda Diers says
After you see all the tourist must see sights consider the Fricke Museum, MOMA, MFA, the New York Public Library, Chelsea square, Bryant Park, St Patrick’s Cathedral, see as many musicals and plays you can afford, hit the Irish Bars, eat Italian food (all the Italian restaurants are good in NYC), have a hot dog on the street, visit 9/11 memorial and the St. Paul church at the 9/11 site, go to Tiffany’s ( they are so nice and not snobbish), take a carriage ride in Central Park, walk as much as you are able (you will see more unexpected surprises thus way ), ride the subway, if there in December stroll 5th Avenue to see all the window decorations, Rockefeller center, and NBC tour is fun.. Going to show takings take up a lot of time. You will be required to sit thru 2 tapings. You cld be seeing the City.
There is do much there.
Andrew Cannon says
One thing NOT worth your time is Smithsonian’s museum of the indigenous peoples at the former customs house in Battery Park. Not comperabile to other museums under the Smithsonian moniker.
Erica says
I lived in NYC for 8 years and this is really making me miss it! I second the Staten Island Ferry — you pass the Statue of Liberty, and, at sunset, the water shimmers like gold. You can also grab a bite to eat and even a beer on board! This was one of my favorite places to take visitors, especially if they only had a few days or couldn’t do all the walking at the Statue of Liberty.
Visit Washington Square Park and the Village if you’re a fan of Friends or Tom’s Restaurant on Broadway and 110th if you’re a Seinfeld fan. While you’re in Morningside Heights, check out the Cathedral of St. John the Divine and the classical campus of Columbia University. You will be surprised at the unexpected open space in the midst of Manhattan.
Central Park — the Mall, the merry-go-round, the castle, concerts, etc.
The Met (Metropolitan Museum) has full room installations — the Temple of Dendor in the Egyptian Wing, the Frank Lloyd Wright room, an Italian palazzo, Japanese garden, sculpture garden in the American Wing, hall of armor. Not to mention the photography, sculpture and paintings!
The Frick — it was a mansion, so the works of art are meant to be seen as part of each room and the furniture is coordinated with it.
carolee says
I commented already but walking the high line is great. With great views. We would get on at Chelsea market, another great place to see just a few blocks from union square.
Aubrey says
I live in NY, and the only thing I would disagree with here is the carriage rides in Central Park. There’s several organizations trying to get them removed from the park since it’s dangerous and unsafe for the horses. Every time I see them, it makes me so sad.
The other ideas are good, and the High Line is AWESOME!
Michelle says
I agree. I live right across the river from St. Louis and we just had a story about a horse that almost collapsed. There are people wanting to stop them here also. I couldn’t agree more! I get sad too!
Melanie says
This is making me miss NYC. :)I definitely second the recs to buy certain tickets ahead of time. Standing in line, particularly as we come up to hot/damp summertime in the northeast, can be kind of brutal.
Great recs overall. Thank you!
Tanya says
Empire State Building as well as Statue of Liberty tickets can be purchased online ahead of time. This saved me a lot of time standing in line. It is worth planning in advance to go to the museum and into the Statue of Liberty. I love NY!