1 - Go to Rockefeller Center
The Rockefeller Center is the hub of activity throughout the year, but especially over Christmas. The iconic Rockefeller Tree is there and you can see it all for free! Go, have a wander around or just enjoy the view. You won't be disappointed.
2 - Grab A Slice Of Pizza for $1 or a full Pizza for $8
There's plenty of choice when it comes to grabbing pizza in New York, but for me (and my family!) we loved '2 Bros Pizza' who offer slices of pizza for $1 and a full 18" pizza for $8 which is probably cheaper than you can buy it in Morrisons. It's genuinely the nicest pizza I've ever had, and they give homeless people free slices of pizza at the end of every day too, so I feel good about going there.
3 - Take A Walk Around Central Park
Getting to Central Park depending on where you're staying, is in walking distance. If not, get the subway to Columbus Circle (or Trump Towers!) where the park is. If you have a disability, you might be better getting a cab (less than $8 within midtown) as the subway isn't very disability friendly. The park is beautiful to walk through and you can enjoy having nuts thrown at you by squirrels atop the tree's. Yes, really.
4 - Happy Hours!
If you're the boozy type or just fancy a cocktail on occasion, then keep an eye out for happy hours! O'Donoghue's off Times Square do cocktails, beer & wine for $5 everyday during happy hours (4-7pm), Houndstooth do the same (37th on 8th avenue - close to Macy's!) and so do the Pig n Whistle.
5 - Talk to people trying to sell you things on the street!
We got talking to a guy who was trying to get us to go to a comedy club. He told us NYC council employed him and he gave us a bunch of vouchers ($3 beer at Hurleys on Times Square, $6 snacks including mozzarella sticks and chicken wings!), gave us 30% off comedy show tickets and gave us some great tips.
6 - Check Groupon!
If you're planning on buying a sightseeing tour, or a beauty treatment amongst other things, check Groupon. You can get as much as 70% off the face value!7 - Buy Snacks At The Shop, Not The Hotel!
Whenever I go somewhere, I source out a shop that's close by so that I can go buy snacks at any time of the day instead of paying the sky high prices of the hotel shop. You get much more variety, bigger sizes and all at a fraction of the price.
8 - Grand Central Walking Trip
Every Friday at 12:30pm, two historians lead a guided walking tour from Grand Central which lasts 90 minutes. It's free and let's you see & find things you wouldn't otherwise. They're also great for local knowledge, so if you have any 'Where's the best place to..' kind of questions, ask them!
9 - Staten Island Ferry
Everyone who goes to NYC wants to see the Statue Of Liberty but ferry tours start at $12. If you hop on the Staten Island Ferry for commuters, it's free and does the same thing without the tour guide. It'll take you over to Staten Island where you'll see the statue of Liberty and incredible views, alongside visiting the island (if you wish) itself which has a mall and is a large town itself.
10 - Book Airport Shuttles Before You Go!
You see all of those people trying to 'help' you get a cab to the city from the airport? they all take a commission from the cab driver which hikes the price up. Do yourself a favour and book your transfers before you go - that way you pay prior (meaning the price doesn't increase) and you don't need to wait around for it to arrive!
So there are my 10 Budget Friendly Tips For Visiting NYC! I hope they help!
Do you have any extra tips?
H x
