There are few better first impressions than crossing one of New York’s great bridges at dusk, the skyline lighting up ahead. Enjoy it, because a taxi from the airport may be the biggest single expense of a budget trip. With five days and a plan, the city can be surprisingly affordable.
Getting around
Skip taxis and ride-hailing for everyday travel. The subway runs around the clock and reaches almost everywhere visitors want to go. You can tap a contactless bank card or phone at the gate, and fares are capped once you have taken a set number of rides in a week, so heavy users ride free for the rest of it.
Walk as much as you can. Manhattan’s grid makes it easy, and some of the best experiences, from the Brooklyn Bridge to the High Line, cost nothing.
What to skip
- Expensive observation decks. The free Staten Island Ferry offers wide harbor views and passes the Statue of Liberty, while a sunset walk across the Brooklyn Bridge gives you the skyline for free.
- Restaurants around Times Square. Prices are high and quality is mixed. Walk ten minutes in any direction and eat better for less.
- Hotels in Midtown. Look at Queens or Brooklyn near a subway line, where rooms are often far cheaper and neighborhoods more lively in the evening.
- Guided bus tours. A subway map and comfortable shoes cover the same ground.
What is worth paying for
Pick one big museum and give it a full morning rather than rushing through four. Several museums offer free or pay-what-you-wish hours on certain evenings, so check their websites before you go.
A Broadway show is a splurge many visitors never regret. Discount booths sell same-day tickets at reduced prices, and lotteries for cheap seats are worth entering.
Food is where New York shines on a budget. A slice of pizza, a bagel or dumplings in Chinatown or Flushing make a filling meal for a few dollars. Save one evening for a proper sit-down dinner in a neighborhood restaurant.
Plan your days by area, not by attraction. Crossing the city three times a day wastes time and money.
Lena Morales, tour guide
Finally, spend at least one afternoon simply wandering, whether in Central Park, the West Village or along the Brooklyn waterfront. It is free, and it is often what visitors remember most.
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