Costs to visit New York
 

I am planning a trip across US/Canada at the end of Northern Hem summer on my way from London to New Zealand. Still just beginning my planning.

Anyway I want to get a basic indication of how much $USD I need per day. For instance in Europe we (a couple) budget E200 a day all inclusive and in London £130 per day.

So.
- Transfer from the airport (one way as I intend to train out of NY)
- Hotel - how much for a basic ensuite room fairly central but no where really dodgy (i.e. close to some of the sights - so we can walk some places). TV would be nice.
- Visit a couple of main sights in a day
- Mainly eating at cheap eats - sandwiches, supermarkets with the occasional dinner out
- Underground Passes
- Show or Movie or Tour each day
- Plus a little bit of slack for small purchases / internet cafes etc

I know it is always hard to say but what is a ballpark figure how much per day for a couple (budget travellers)?

We are lucky that any money saved means we can travel for longer at the other end of the trip. I just have to be in NZ for Christmas!

So that's about $260/day in London. That seems like a very cheap day in London. I don't think there's any way you can do all you are specifying in NY for under $350 per day.

Train from JFK - as low as $7. (AirTrain + Subway). About $14 from EWR.

Hotel. Try this one. www.heraldsquarehotel.com. About $100/room.

Attraction sites depend. Some are free, you can find out yourself at various websites.

Subway/bus day pass $7.

Broadway shows can be very expensive. Movies around $11.

You can get sandwiches at delis or fastfood, $7-8/meal.

Hotels in NYC vary tremendsouly based on season - and if you're talking august - not so bad - but Sept if the start of high season. A budget hotel in NYC for that time frame will be at least $200 per night. (You can try Priceline bidding - and may or may not get something. but - if you do so you need to bid 4* since some 3* are not very pleasant.)

Broadway show tickets - if you're willing to go for the older shows on discount - perhaps $50 each.

Meals can be super budget: a couple of dollars for a coffee and bagel on the run - much more if you want to sit down and eat a hot meal (NYCers very rarely do this). A very simple lunch is $10 each, a simple dinner I would allow at least $25 - more if you want wine or a drink.

(In our local neighborhhod restaurants a basic meal for 2 - salad, simple pasta, one glass of wine and coffee will be $75 or so including tax: 8.25% and tip: 20%. If you do Indian, Thai or Chinese and stick to the less expensive dishes and forego any alcohol you can get away for $45 or so. )

The biggest expense you'll have in NYC is your accomodation. Hotels are outrageously expensive. Although if you come in August, it's a good time for better prices. The Radiocityapartments.com is a really popular suite/hotel with kitchens and a bit more space. If it's available (it books quickly) you might be able to get it for under $200/night. Hotel tax is not included in US websites and it's hefty so add another 15% or so for taxes.

Travelzoo.com is a great website for discount hotel deals but they're generally not posted until 1-3 months before the stay. Try to stay flexible (unless you find some great deal). Book something cancellable now and keep an eye on travelzoo. Quikbook.com is another good place.

Estimates

>transfers to/from airport
$14-120
>hotel $200/night
>metrocard $24/person unlimited rides for a week OR pay as you go metro $2/ride
>breakfast $4-15/person
lunch $4-20/person
dinner $10-? /person
>check out the citypass.com for museum/site entries
Many museums have "suggested" prices so you can pay what you want.

From JFK you can use public transportation exclusively by taking a local Queens bus to the nearest subway station. It is a long haul but the cheapest ($2). Have the exact fare ready.

NYC need not be expensive except for rooms--cheap ones are hard to find, and there is a tax on rooms of over 20%. Thus, a $99 room ends up costing more like $120.

On the other hand, transportation is cheap in comparison to London and their are loads of opportunities for eating inexpensively. In some neighborhoods you will find fruit being sold from street carts. Bakeries abound. A slice of NYC pizza is a meal. Fast food joints, Indian restaurants, Asian restaurants provide other opportunities for eating on the cheap.

In London, does your budget pay for rooms with bath? Most rooms in NYC come with a bath.

When you visit museums read admission signs carefully. Some admission prices are "suggested." They can suggest $10; you can suggest $1 or even less.

Check out the Carlton Arms. We had a room for $89 without bath. But it is a very funky hotel.

http://www.carltonarms.com/index.html

I forgot to say $89 with tax.

Thanks for all the suggestions and help! Any more welcomed.

I had no idea September was high season. Or that NY is more expensive than London. (I am living in London at the moment so I need to visit NY while I earn pounds rather than kiwi dollars).

I obviously need to book accommodation early. Alas I cannot do that until I book my flights which I can't do until I know what happening with work. Sigh.

So if I budget $350 a day with a slush fund for a show or concert or game I should be OK?

Apparently Americans have lots of strange games only played in America which fascinate my husband. I might let him watch some baseball or basketball or hockey live (is that NY or just Canada?) but not american football (because that is just too weird). How long do they take? Is it a whole day thing? Cos I heard you have TV breaks in sport.

September is baseball season. We also have the US Open tennis the first week or so in September. The baseball games run about 3 hrs. There are day games played starting early afternoon and night games that start around 7pm. Occasionally there'll be a double header (day and night game). Both baseball stadiums in NY are outside Manhattan but easily accessible by subway. The Yankees and the Mets are the teams. Sept is not the season for basketball or hockey. Here's a link for ML (major league) baseball which has the game schedule for both teams. You'll want to try to pick a time when at least one of the teams has home games.
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/index.jsp

You don't say how long you plan to stay in NYC, but there are other options to the high hotel prices. For shorter stays, bidding on Priceline is a great way to get a 4* hotel for $150/night or less. (Btw, I'd like to know how you manage on 130 gbp for 2 in London including accomodation.) There are also apartment rentals that are often less expensive if you're staying a week or more.

Unless you are very young or a
backpacker-type, I must disagree
w/Michael's suggestion of the Carlton. Funky does not begin to
describe this place as I have checked their rooms. The mgt. is
quite nice & seems hospitable but
I have seen more comfortable hostels. Do follow Mclaurie's post who always gives sage advice.

OK I was thinking about a week (6 nights ish). Perhaps I could move this back to the last week August to get cheaper accommodation and miss the busy US Open time? (Another aside - does the US Open have walk up tickets like Wimbledon?)

BTW I consider myself a "yuppie backpacker". I have a backpack - prefer to walk everywhere but want my own hotel room with a bathroom. However, I just pick a daily budget and stick to it. I have a set amount of ££ I am willing to spend on my trip and the further I make it go the longer I can travel.

Re: London. Well we have stayed in B&Bs in London for £46pn. Completely adequate. Oyster card travel £40 per week for two (or £5 a day pp). Breakfast included at hotel. Lunch on the run (£5 each). Picnic dinner and the occasional meal out (£20 - 40 for two). Sights admission (£25 per day). That's about £123 a day. Of course this doesn't include any shows or day trips out of London which would be extra.

It can be done (I wouldn't necessarily recommend it). Lots of things are free - museums, walks in parks, taking photos. I also have lots of ex pat friends in London.

The Carlton would then fit your budget. www.usopen.org will
give you more info. Maybe someone
else here knows whether you can
get walk-up tickets.

I agree with using Priceline. Bid 4* as said before. I recently won the Paramount a block off Times Square for 124 per night including taxes. We were happy to win a night at the Paramount again because it was a great location for shows.(which we did 5 shows in 6 days last year) The rooms were very small....no I mean..VERY small.Other than that...$124 a night in N.Y. is a great price for a clean stylish...and did I mention small room.
A baseball game would be a great thing to do as an expensive show...Also to save money try getting tickets to Conan O'Brian or David Letterman etc.
While N.Y isnt the cheapest place I have been it can be done with a budget.

I have been to dozens of shows in London so I think doing "New York only" things is the plan.

David Letterman or something sounds great. (is that the late show or daytime? - obviously I have only seen clips on the internet - it is not shown in NZ or UK)

And Baseball. Cool.

Priceline sounds good. Is there anybody here who has used it and is not from North America. Is there any sneaky charges for using an overseas credit card?

BTW you guys are great. I love this board!! (What else would I do while at work?)

If Priceline's regular site won't take your credit card, try their Hong Kong site:

www.priceline.com.hk

Priceline has a UK website as well for what its worth.

Radio City apts. has a studio (one big room, but like an apartment with a kitchen) with a double bed for $160/night from Aug. 27-Sept 1 or a one bedroom for $204/night. This is on their own website and is cancellable. If you wait til the following week (Sept 1) prices do go up. (FYI Sept 1-3 is a bank holiday weekend here, Labor Day).

The Millenium UN Plaza (somewhat glamorous 4* hotel with great views and rooftop swimming pool) is $179/night on quikbook.com--also cancellable, also a great deal.

I'd book one of these immediately.

Then you can decide on bidding on Priceline or whatever. Many from the UK use PL, whether the UK site or the US one. Betterbidding.com has post on how to bid if you're not in the US. They'll also help you construct a bid. Biddingfortravel.com is another website that does the same sort of thing. YOu can see what prices people are paying and get the hotels PL uses. Don't consider bidding until you understand the system completely and know what a free re-bid is. Priceline is NEVER cancellable. Once you buy it, it's yours.

The US Open is August 27th - September 9th, 2007 In the early rounds there are always passes but you need to buy separate tix for the stadium matches (featured)

Here's a page with info on getting tix for tv show tapings
http://gonyc.about.com/od/tvtapings/...ow_Tapings.htm

There are plenty of shows (on and off Broadway) that aren't in London. The TKTS booths are good for same day discounts for some shows. Info here
tdf.org/tkts

You can also buy discount tix in advance for a bit more with discount codes from websites like broadwaybox.com
Some shows also have same day lotteries with really cheap prices ($25/per) Info at http://www.playbill.com/news/article/82428.html

Here's a "cheap" guide from NY Magazine for shopping/dining etc.
nymetro.com/cheap

What was that Pod hotel that Doug Stallings suggested? Hip, young, and reasonably priced.