Travelling to New York, one of the world’s famously most expensive cities, for just three days – and experiencing the best of it on a budget? Impossible, I hear you cry.
Thankfully, it’s not only possible but entirely worthwhile, as I discovered during my recent trip. When planned right, a short stay in this magnificent city can see you ticking off everything you want to see, experience and eat without worrying about spending too much – even after factoring in taxes and tipping.
While many will point in the direction of common free attractions like Central Park (an essential visit), there are other brilliant things to do in the city – from free music festivals and walking tours to ample boozy joints offering happy hour every day.
If that’s not tempting enough, there are museums that offer free days, so make sure your 72 hours overlap with an exhibit that you really want to check out.
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Where to stay
The biggest debate for many planning a trip is whether or not to stay in Manhattan, where hotel prices are steep all year round.
There are, however, some elegant and affordable stays that fringe the streets of this borough, like Moxy, situated by the neon lights of Times Square, where you can admire the view of the Empire State Building from its rooftop with a cocktail at happy hour.
You can also find the 1930s classic Hotel Edison nearby. Spacious rooms make it an excellent choice for families, with some offering a terrace as well.
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Getting around
Many of New York’s top attractions are within walking distance (you’ll hit your daily step count record effortlessly here) but you’ll still need to hop on public transport to get around, both within Manhattan and to boroughs like Brooklyn and Queens. Start with a MetroCard which costs about £28 for a week and grants you unlimited access to the city’s subway trains and buses. Costs to and from the airports are slightly higher but under £10. There’s also the Staten Island Ferry which is free to ride and offers the best views of the Statue of Liberty en route. There are also some excellent breweries and museums with free entry on the island.
Exploring the city’s green spaces
Even if you’re running out of time, you can still dedicate an hour to exploring the city’s green spaces. Take a short walk on the High Line, a 1.45-mile-long strip of a former rail track that is now a mini, leafy park lined with wildflowers and public art. Take the subway to Central Park’s 72nd Street station entrance where the walking route takes you past Strawberry Fields (you’ll find the striking Imagine mosaic dedicated to John Lennon here), the Bethesda Fountain, and out by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Next, head to North 5th Street Pier and Park in North Williamsburg to catch your breath and sit by the river where you’ll be rewarded with views of Manhattan’s magnificent skyline.
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Free days at museums
When it comes to museums, timing is everything. Galleries like the Guggenheim and The Frick Collection offer a pay-what-you-wish admission on certain days. The New York Public Library offers daily free guided tours, though timed tickets need to be reserved in advance. If you’re an avid Instagrammer and would like to stick to one skyscraper where there’s artwork from the likes of Yayoi Kusama and multiple mirrored rooms with city views (the best view of the Art Deco Chrysler Building) for about £45, it’s at SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, right next to Grand Central Terminal.
Discounted prices
For a first-timer, it is worth investing in a CityPass which grants you entry access to five attractions – the Empire State Building and the American Museum of Natural History along with three of the following options: the Guggenheim Museum, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, Top of the Rock observation deck at the Rockefeller Center, a ferry journey to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, Circle Line sightseeing cruises, and the military and maritime Intrepid Museum. Though it costs a whopping £127 per person, it will save you over £80 on attractions. If you decide to catch a Broadway show at the last minute, download the TodayTix app where tickets are sold at nearly half the price.
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Where to eat and drink
A classic New York bagel is a great and economical way to start your day. Try an everything bagel with a substantial smear of cream cheese at one of Ess-a-Bagel’s branches in Manhattan or Brooklyn for just £2.50. Nothing beats a slice of New York pizza for lunch or dinner and at Luigi’s in Brooklyn, you’ll get a superb slice that’s under £3. Many New Yorkers will recommend old-school favourites like John’s of Bleecker Street which serves filling, 14-inch pizzas for £17, but these can easily be shared between two people. At Roey’s in the West Village, you can enjoy a refreshing pint of lager and pizza for under £10 (including the tip). If you’re in Brooklyn, head to Diamond Lil Bar to treat yourself to their happy hour with an old fashioned or a frozen painkiller cocktail for £8 and £1.50 each for East Coast oysters.
Free festivals and walking tours
If you have to do just one free walking tour, opt for Big Apple Greeter. Within two hours, you’ll be transported through unseen corners of NYC neighbourhoods – from Midtown in Manhattan on foot, or a subway ride out to Flushing in Queens to check out its lively markets. It is one of the few tours where you feel like you’re being shown around by a true New Yorker who might just become your friend and not an archetypal tour guide.
During the summer months, there’s a plethora of free outdoor festivals such as the GMA Summer Concert Series and free plays at renovated open-air Delacorte Theater in Central Park. Book lovers will also enjoy the free readings and author talks at the Brooklyn Book Festival held every autumn.
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Alternative neighbourhoods
The first image that comes to mind when one mentions New York may be Manhattan’s glittering vistas or the remarkable Brooklyn Bridge, but the city’s other boroughs are equally charismatic. You don’t have to venture far, because in Harlem, you’ll walk past stylish 19th-century brownstones and pay a visit to the exceptional National Jazz Museum which is free. Within the Bronx, there’s Pelham Bay Park wherein lies the vast, sandy expanse of Orchard Beach which is open to the public. Do as the locals and purchase an ice cream for a stroll along the promenade. Jackson Heights in Queens has some of the best street food – from freshly baked Mexican conchas or sizzling Venezuelan arepas for breakfast to generous portions of Nepalese momos or even a bowl of Tibetan thukpa for lunch, all under £5 with taxes and tips.
Getting there
Norse Atlantic offers a daily route from London Gatwick to New York’s JFK airport from £279.
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