New York on the Cheap

Joel Balthaser

“I want to be a part of it, New York, New York.” These famous words by Frank Sinatra ring clearly throughout the minds of almost anyone who has ever spent time in New York City. With over 18,000 restaurants, 150 museums and nearly 16,000 shops, New York has something for everyone.

New York can be an exhausting and expensive place to visit; therefore, the following strategies and scenarios can be used to accommodate and assist in fulfilling an inexpensive visit to New York without forgoing the excitement that this energetic metropolis offers.

Interliners can plan a trip to New York at any time of the year, saving both time and money. Winter travel offers some of the best deals of the year. It is important to have an agenda for visiting the major tourist attractions, traveling around the city, dining, shopping and enjoying the various forms of arts and entertainment.

A Geography Lesson

The first thing that anyone must do when visiting New York is to become familiar with the environment. Most visitors spend their time in Manhattan There is a tremendous amount to do on this island. To save money, be prepared to walk.

It is recommended to begin your journey from the southern entrance of Central Park at West 57th Street. This large park teems with beautiful scenery and varied attractions. There are two distinct neighborhoods straddling the park. The Upper East Side runs along the East River. This is a monied area, evidenced by the concentration of beautiful brownstones. A walk up Park Avenue or Fifth Avenue shows you some of the city’s finest addresses. The latter features the best museums, including the beloved Frick and the famed Met. For a more down-to-earth experience, cross the park to the more eclectic Upper West Side. The grand apartment buildings of Central Park West are a delight. Riverside Park fronts the Hudson River and offers great views.

Next, wind your way south from Central Park towards West 32nd Street via Fifth to Seventh avenues, spending some time at various tourist hotspots: the architecturally grand Plaza Hotel; Trump Plaza, a prestigious residential address; Times Square with its exciting theaters; Rockefeller Center, with its famed ice-skating rink; Madison Square Garden, home to basketball’s Knicks and hockey’s Rangers; and the classic skyscrapers, the Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building. All are located in this area called Midtown by locals.

As you make your way farther south-enjoying the delights of the trendy neighborhoods of Chelsea, the West Village, SoHo (South of Houston Street) and TriBeCa (Triangle Below Canal)-you will end up Downtown. Here you will find the bustling Financial District, including Wall Street, the South Street Seaport and the wonderful ethnic neighborhoods of Chinatown and Little Italy, both affording the perfect place to stop at a small, family-run eaterie to refuel. At the southern tip of the island, you can view the Statue of Liberty, holding her torch aloft since being given to the United States by France in the late 19th century. You can visit Lady Liberty for free; ferry rides are available that only take a few minutes. Nearby is refurbished Ellis Island, entryway to America for countless immigrants at the beginning of the last century.

Manhattan is action-central of New York. Interestingly, locals who live in the city’s other four boroughs of Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island usually say they are “going to the City” when they head into Manhattan. But there is an appeal to these other boroughs for visitors. For baseball fans, a subway ride to either Shea Stadium in Queens, home of the Mets, or to famed Yankee Stadium in the Bronx is well worth the trip. You can also venture to some of the beaches of Brooklyn, soak up some culture in the Bronx or take the two-hour train ride from Penn Station on the LIRR to the chic Hamptons on the eastern end of Long Island.

Getting Around Town

Although exploring the contours of Manhattan requires a tremendous amount of walking, it is not possible to see everything in a few days if you try to walk everywhere; therefore, be prepared and take advantage of the various means of public transportation that the city offers.

When visiting the areas around Central Park and Midtown, it is reasonable to travel by foot. Since most visitors stay in Midtown hotels, public transit may be desired when heading towards Downtown locales (or in winter when walking sometimes becomes less inviting). The subway system in New York is the most common and inexpensive means of transportation. For $1.50, you can go virtually anywhere in Manhattan and the surrounding boroughs. You should obtain a free map of the subway system at such places as Grand Central Station or at the Visitor’s Center at 810 Seventh Avenue.

There are also special packages available for the subway that provide you with multiple uses at a cheaper price. Unlimited Ride MetroCard provides unrestricted use for $17 for seven days; 30-Day MetroCards are yours for $63; 30-Day Express Bus Plus MetroCard is yours for $120. Fun Pass Unlimited subway/bus rides are available for one day for $4. Pay-Per-Ride MetroCard offers 11 rides for the price of ten; spend $15 or more and get an extra 10%, giving one free ride. (Note: Subway passes can also be used for New York City Buses).

While traveling via the subway is the cheapest means of transportation, it may prove scary for visitors unused to large cities. If so, travel with a friend if possible to feel more secure. Men are encouraged to keep their wallets in their front or inside pockets, while women should clutch their purses and eschew dangling jewelry. Do not look at a map or have a camera visible. It should be noted that New York’s subways were cleaned up dramatically during the 1990’s.

Taking a taxi is another common way to travel around the city. Taxi fares will be within $10 for traveling just a few miles, but there are a few hints to minimize these costs and maximize your safety.

Many of the city streets, especially the north-south avenues, are one- way, so begin your taxi ride from the same direction. Choose only taxis that display New York City licenses on the side of the vehicle; verify that the driver has a properly displayed license with their photo.

Although it is more expensive for longer distances, taxi travel is much safer and is strongly recommended in more dicey parts of town.

Dining

In New York, you can eat all different types of food at very expensive prices, but also at very low prices. When it comes to food on-the-cheap, think ethnic, which is in abundance. Hit an Asian food store. Have some Greek cuisine. Partake of deli sandwiches, soups and salads. And don’t forget the ubiquitous diners, offering large portions at reasonable prices.

There are also numerous guidebooks to eating in all types of New York City restaurants. These guidebooks will not only assist in pinpointing the types of food you are targeting, but they also provide price lists to help make decisions. Such guidebooks are easy-to-carry and are recommended for finding the proper place to satisfy dining needs. A few of the major guidebooks are listed below and can be purchased at any major bookstore: Zagat Survey offers restaurant reviews based on customer opinions (www.zagat.com); Let’s GO 2002 New York travel book (www.letsgo.com); the Village Voice, which provides restaurant information and reports on the city’s events (www.villagevoice.com).

For those seeking a quick, inexpensive meal in the city, choose from the thousands of sidewalk food vendors. They are a tradition for on-the-go New Yorkers, and you can grab a hot dog, bag of chips and a soda for about four dollars. In winter, a bag of chestnuts will help warm you.

Shopping

Shopping in New York is an art form. Just as most things in New York come at a high price, so does shopping. While some people can afford to spend a day at prestigious boutiques on the Upper East Side or Fifth Avenue in the 50’s, the average shopper would be encouraged to go elsewhere.

The first recommendation for the lower-budget shopper is to avoid shopping in Midtown, or at the least be discriminating if you shop in that part of town. The wholesale prices in the city shops are sometimes more expensive than the retail prices in the rest of the country. Be advised of discounts or sales that are taking place by looking in major newspapers and free city guides. Also, several websites contain databases of sales happening throughout the city: insidershopping.com offers information on upcoming sales and discounts; nysale.com tells of the hottest styles and up-to-date sales in the region; shoppinglist.com shows current sales.

Malls often offer cheaper shopping. Some of the major malls to visit are: the Manhattan Mall on the corner of 6th Avenue and 33rd Street; and the Staten Island Mall.

A trip to Downtown’s bustling Canal Street offers goods at some of the lowest prices in town-all in a lively atmosphere. This street is well worth a look.

Arts & Entertainment

Who could pass up an opportunity to see a Broadway play? Not only is going to one of these performances enjoyable, but finding inexpensive tickets to such performances is even more enjoyable. If planning on attending a popular Broadway performance, order tickets well in advance, for they sell out quickly. Call the theater well beforehand or search the Internet for one of the many sites devoted to discount theater tickets.

Another way of picking up cheap tickets to some of the long-running shows or off-Broadway performances is to stop at the TKTS (Discount Theater Tickets) station located at Times Square (47th & Broadway). Hours are: Monday to Saturday evening tickets 3pm-8pm; Wednesday and Saturday for matinee tickets 10am-2pm; Sunday for matinee and evening tickets 11am-8pm; www.tdf.org/programs/tkts/index.html.

The TKTS station also provides listings to most of the performances throughout the city. It is best to buy tickets in pairs, where you can receive a 2-for-1 deal for a particular show. It is also cheaper to attend shows at off-peak hours such as the middle of the week. Keep in mind that various discounts are often given to students and senior citizens.

New York has 150 museums throughout its five boroughs. These museums are inexpensive to visit. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, located at Fifth Avenue and 82nd Street, contains not only one of the largest collections of art in the world, but also seven affordable dining areas and two stores. While this particular museum tends to get quite busy on most days, admission is only $10 for adults and $5 for students and senior citizens.

The Museum of Modern Art is also an inexpensive way to view some of the world’s greatest art. For just $10 for adults and $6.50 for students and senior citizens, you can peruse this large building’s exhibits and enjoy everything from modern art to international wine exhibits.

Writer Joel Balthaser lives in Dayton, Ohio.