New York City - Without Breaking Your Budget

217;s the Big Apple, baby, and all roads eventually lead– and they are willing to share. They often offer
– or cross – in its streets. But youfree samples. The Greenmarket is a project by the
won’t be doing your sightseeing there, becauseCouncil on the Environment of NYC, and
it’s too expensive…right? If you’rethey’ve managed the open-air farmers’
resourceful, there are many free and/or inexpensivemarkets in New York since 1976.
tourist destinations in New York City. Below are but aTHE ARTS
few – including well-known sites, food, and New- Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway – So
York’s art scene.you want to see one of New York’s famous
THE SITESBroadway shows, but you don’t want to break
- Central Park – Stretch your legs and see theyour budget? Consider one of the Off-Broadway or
world’s most famous park without spending aeven Off-Off-Broadway theatres, where you will pay
dime. Enjoy just walking around the 800 + acres, oronly 25% - 50% of what you would pay to see it on
visit one of the park’s many famous sites forBroadway. There are numerous sites advertising
reasonable prices, including the Central Park Zoo, takediscounted Broadway and Off-Broadway tickets; if
your kids to one of the 21 playgrounds, or enjoy one ofyou plan in advance, you can easily budget a show
their many tours.into your trip.
- Ground Zero – Many New York visitors want- Museums – There’s MOMA, the Met,
to pay tribute to those who lost their lives in the terriblethe Guggenheim, the Whitney, the Natural History
events of September 11, 2001. Today, you can take aMuseum, and many other world-famous New York
guided tour of the site for around $20, or visit it on yourCity museums. Visiting all of them would cost a
own for less. While you’re there, you mightfortune, right? Not necessarily. There are several
want to visit St. Paul’s Chapel on Broadwayoptions for the cash-poor here. First, you could arrange
and Fulton Streets near the area. An impromptuto take a tour – for around $50, you can visit
memorial has grown there, with messages frommost of New York’s most famous museums.
visitors in many languages.But there are plenty of free museums, too –
- Many birds, one stone – A variety of toursincluding the American Folk Art Museum, urban art
exist for a variety of budgets, ranging from the all-dayparticular to New York at the Urban Center Gallery,
$75 tour including Ellis Island, the United Nations, andand the National Museum of the American Indian,
many others, to a few hours’ $35 tour includingwhich has the largest collection in the world devoted
visits to famous New York neighborhoods andsolely to Native American culture and history. But if you
museums. For a mere $20, you can take a Harbordon’t feel a visit to New York is complete
Cruise to the Statue of Liberty.without a tour of some of the famous museums
THE FOODmentioned above, then go see them on a “pay
- Ethnic Delights – While you’re in Newwhat you wish” night – MOMA’s,
York, don’t pass up the opportunity to samplethe Whitney, and the Guggenheim are all “pay
the flavors in the world’s biggest melting pot.what you wish” Friday evenings, and although
Whether you stop for a slice of pizza in Little Italy, ornot everyone is aware of it, the Met and the Brooklyn
grab some Dim Sum in Chinatown, New York’sMuseum of Art has a suggested admission, but is
diverse residents have brought their recipes with them“pay what you wish” everyday!
from their home countries and they are ready to shareRemember, you can find a vacation that matches
them with you. A unique dining experience in Newyour budget as long as you’re willing to be
York can be had for under $10.flexible and creative – even in New York. There
- Union Square Greenmarket – At Union Square,are many online resources you can use to plan an
vendors sell fresh produce, homemade breads,exciting but realistic vacation to the Big Apple. Have
homemade drinks, and even homemade cheesefun, and good luck!