texstout

As someone who will spend $300 for dinner, I crack up at the idea of $300 for a week; however, I guess its doable if you only do free things and eat off the street. (I remember being in college and going out with less than $10 and having an amazing time...but that was also in Austin...NYC seems go be so expensive for just about everything.)

As for New Years Eve...you guys are staying pretty far North...(keeping in mind that I also consider 72nd street to be WAY north), but my point is on New Year's Eve you'll probably want to stay pretty close to home. I can only imagine the scene to get to and from somewhere like the East Village, especially if you aren't up for drinking.

For street food, you might want to check one of these: http://streetvendor.org/. This group gives awards for the best street food in new york. I haven't tried any of them, but some of them sound really good. I would also second places in Chinatown area (or good vietnamese). Check out some of the cheap reviews on places like chowhound.

Most museums charge, so I'd look to see about student discounts. I also went to the MoMa one evening when it was free..I think it was Fridays sponsored by Target...but I am not sure if they still do it.

Hmmm..what else. You've got plenty of time, so I'd plan on tackling different parts of the city each day..taking the time to explore a neighborhood. For example, one day in Lowest manhattan...walkthrough Wall Street, World Trade Center, maybe take the cheap Circle Line-Statue of Liberty Ferry (might be cold though). Maybe eat in chinatown that day and walk around that area. Another day to East Village and Lower East Side. Another day, West Village...get my drift. (If you ever want to eat somewhere nice, but still not be charged an arm and leg...try the Spotted Pig. One of the best New Chefs in america according to Food and Wine and since they don't take reservations...easy to get into as long as you don't mind waiting a while).

doug_stallings

Well, Spotted Pig would still be over $50 per person for dinner, so I don't think that's really likely. No one has mentioned any places on the UWS, near the hostel. But you are going to have to limit yourself to very cheap places to stay in your budget, which is very tight but still workable if you don't shop or drink much. Gray's Papaya is excellent.

Many of the museums accept donations (the Metropolitan Museum of Art, for example, and the Museum of Natural History), so you can legally pay $1 for admission instead of $15. You'll get the stink-eye, but a lot of people do it. That is a great place to while away several hours. But you won't be visiting too many museums because they are well beyond your budget. Churches are free, however. And the Bronx Zoo has reduced-price admission in the winter, but it's still pretty expensive because there is an extra admission for almost everything.

The Staten Island Ferry is free and a good way to pass by the Statue of Liberty. The Museum of the American Indian downtown is free. So is Federal Hall, nearby, as well as Trinity Church and St. Paul's Chapel. It costs nothing to walk around Macy's or Saks, and the tree will still be up at Rockefeller Center. If you want a nice view, it's cheaper to buy a coke at the bar (though still expensive) in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel than to pay for Top of the Rock or the Empire State Building.

The problem is that the best free stuff is is out of doors and not very accessible during the coldest parts of the year.

coolbluewater

The fireworks in Central Park will be especially good this year, I've heard, as it kicks off the 50th anniversary year of the New York Road Runners Club. There is also a midnight run that is fun to watch.

Off the top of my head--Malecon should be cheap in the area. Thai Market is very good--not so inexpensive, but doable if you are frugal the rest of the day. Look at listings geared towards Columbia students as that will be very accessible. Also look at midtown lunch dot com for inexpensive lunches.

The Met is "pay what you wish" so that will be no problem.

Will come back if I think of anything else. The area you are staying in is quite close to where I live. Good luck!

texstout

Both Doug and CoolBlueWater gave excellent recommendations. I forgot that the Met is pay what you will.

NYC has plenty of walking outdoors, sightseeing things to do to keep you occupied. You are just going to run into problems with museums and dining options. At night it might get a little boring, so I'd find some places that you can hang out in and not have to buy and drinks...maybe live bands up by Columbia? Coffee shops? Sports bars? Many bars have covers in new york, so you'll want to find places that do not...as long as you are not going for trendy, that shouldn't be a problem. You'll probably get the best recommendations from people you meet also staying in the Hostel.

**as an aside for future visitors who do a search, I just rechecked to make sure I was right...entrees at the Spotted Pig for brunch at least are around $15...pretty good for a place with a Michelin star. I got out of there for $20 without wine.

SusanC

I didn't read all replies in their entirety so apologize if I repeat someone's idea.

A free thing is Rockefeller Center - the tree is beautiful. Also St Patricks Cathedral and Saks (if you don't make any purchases!) across the street. Skip the ice skating at Rock Center b/c it is pricey - instead head to Bryant Park where it is free! Small charge for skate rental. At Rock Center you can go up to the top called Top of the Rock (not sure what it is like in the winter though). There is a charge though however they are always handing out coupons for a few dollars off. Definitely visit FAO Schwarz toy store! Grand Central Station is very historical and has a free light show during the holidays. There are a number of craft markets during the holidays (Grand Central, Bryant Park, Union Square, Columbus Circle) some of which are open until 12/30 (and may have reduced prices).

Re NYE, here is what I have done for free:

As previously mentioned the Concert for Peace at St John the Divine (not too far from your hostel). Followed by the party in central park at the 72nd street bandshell. There is music and dancing and some special stands with freebies. Then at midnight there are fireworks and a 5K race! Race is a fun run - with champagne at the water stops and some people run in costume. There is a small charge for the race. Visit nyrr.org for details.

Enjoy...and let us know what you decide to do!

persimmondeb

A number of the Empire Szechuan's, including the one on Columbus, offer half price sushi, which makes a very reasonable dinner. My son and I used to regularly get out of there for a $20 (now that was a few years ago, when he was still eating less than most adults), and I believe they still offer it. It is not the very best sushi I have ever had, but perfectly reasonable in quality, and if you just order that and some hot soup and drink tea, it is a nice meal. I think the Museum of the City of New York still has a very reasonable admission too, and it is a bit off the beaten path, if well worth visiting. Just walking around the city is interesting too, and it saves on carfare, as long as it's not bitterly cold. Speaking of, dress warmly. We once walked from the Natural History Museum to Port Authority in 0* weather because I could not get a cab and I did not like taking the subway with a pre-schooler. It took us two hours, because we made so many stops to warm up (stores, Starbucks, McDonalds). We were dressed warmly, but still.

michellenart

TRAVELBUFF2

I am interested in tickets for the Concert for Peace at St. John the Divine.

How do I get tickets?

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR IDEAS. I'm definitely writing all of it down and figuring out how I visit each "area".

If anyone else has ideas, please let me know. It's much appreciated.

Thanks again.

travelbuff2

I get tickets because I will be singing in the concert. You will be sitting with family and friends of the musicians so you should get nice seating.

Let me know how many tickets you would like. We can meet up at the Cathedral before the concert.

Enjoy!!!

MaureenB

Travellbuff2, that is so kind of you to help Michellenart with concert tickets! It sounds like a wonderful concert for them.
>-

travelbuff2

We start rehearsals the night after Christmas so I can give you a better idea of the music then, but I know we are doing a Copeland piece, and singing with Lauren Flannigan, who has one of the best voices in the world. The concert is wonderful each year, but I think this one to be a bit special.

michellenart

Thanks Travelbuff, in advance.

It'll just be me and my friend so 2 tickets should do.

Thanks so much!

When you know more details, let me know. My email is [email protected]

ggreen

michellenart, how exciting to be visiting NYC for the first time! Here's some tips I can add to your list:

Getting around:
- Do get a good map so you can orient yourself and see what things are close to each other. (The MTA Manhattan bus map is good and free - but kind of big to carry around! Check it out online at www.mta.info/nyct/maps/manbus.pdf, then once you arrive in NYC, go into any subway station and ask for it.)
- FYI, the weekly Metrocard is good for both subway and city buses. As others have said, it's definitely worthwhile to get the weekly unlimited option for each of you!
- City buses are a great way to see the city without walking everywhere. An especially scenic route is the M1, M2, M3 and M4 down 5th Avenue and back up Madison Avenue. (Manhattan buses all start with "M".) Ask the bus driver if you're unsure if it's going to where you need to go; als ask if you need help knowing when you've reached your stop.
- Since you'll be so far uptown, the subway is your best bet to get around. If it's later at night and you feel a little uncomfortable, wait near the token booth for the train to arrive, and look for the car with the conductor (middle of the train) to ride in.
- Which airport are you arriving at? (Or are you taking the train?) There are some less expensive options for getting into the city, depending on which airport you are using.
- Do you have student IDs? Always ask *everywhere* if there is a student discount. (For example, most of the delis etc. near where I go to school give discounts for at least local students; it's always worthwhile to ask.)

Food:
- Lots of cheap eats in your area. My cousin lives just NW of the hostel, and I know there's a great hole-in-the-wall Mexican takeout place on the west side of Amsterdam between 106 and 107. Good pizza on the corner of Amst. and 106. Also a Thai place just north of there on the west side of Amst that's fairly cheap but nice ambiance - it'll feel like you're splurging more than you are.
- It might be a little far in the a.m., but good bagels on east side of Broadway between 107 & 108.
- Look for Irish pubs for cheap and filling food. (Keep in mind that the spiffier they look, the more expensive they are LOL. There's a good divey one on 79th off Columbus; sorry I can't remember the name!) Ethnic foods - Chinese, Indian, Mexican, Thai - are also a good cheaper option.

Sightseeing/itinerary suggestions:
- Most museums have student discounts, plus the pay what you wish ones and the MoMA free Friday nights. Other museums have one evening a week that is pay what you wish - check websites.
- Walk or bus across Central Park to the east side, then down 5th Avenue on "Museum Mile". As others mentioned, there is the Museum of the City of NY and adjacent to it Museo del Barrio, both with good exhibits. Cooper-Hewitt is a good design museum. You can go inside the Guggenheim to see the interior without paying to see the art. You must see the Met, the largest museum collection in the US - lots of options for every taste. Anywhere south of 86th Street (or even 96th Street), walk east to Lexington for the subway, and farther east for cheaper food and shops. To go elsewhere from there: take a crosstown bus home; the subway downtown; or a bus down 5th Avenue.
- For high-end window shopping (Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Tiffanys...), traverse 57th Street from Park Ave to 7th Ave (or vice versa). And you probably shouldn't leave NYC without seeing the neon bling of Times Square! Cheaper eats around 57th Street can be found on 56th and 55th Streets, especially lunchtime delis between 5th and 6th Aves. In Times Square, head west to 9th Ave in Hells Kitchen for non-chain restaurants. For example, I like divey, yummy Kims Real Thai on 49th Street just west of 9th Ave, and the more upscale Vynl Diner on 9th Ave.
- The American Museum of Natural History is interesting; on weekends there is a well-established flea market with crafts in the school just SW of the museum. Food options are kind of tough in this area, but try heading west to Broadway for Chinese noodle shop chains or pizza.
- Also on the west side, walk up past St. John the Divine to 116th Street to check out the Columbia campus, and a little farther up on Broadway for the Barnard campus. Or walk down Columbus or Broadway to Lincoln Center at 66th Street and the relatively new Time Warner Center at 59th Street. Good views of the south end of Central Park from the mall inside the latter! (Whole Foods in the basement serves as a "food court" with premade and salad bar options...)
- Washington Square Park and NYU which surrounds it is another good option. Walk east to the East Village for cute shops and cheap food, or west to the West Village for cute shops and pricier food.
- You might want to combine a visit to Ground Zero (the discount shopping mecca Century 21 is right across the street and Wall Street is nearby) with a trip on the Staten Island ferry for pics of the Statue of Liberty. Or don't get on a boat at all, but check out the views from Wagner park just west of Bowling Green (look on a map for location).
- If the weather isn't too bad, definitely take a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge! For the best views, take the A/C subway to High Street or the F to York Street, then walk over the bridge back to Manhattan. The area between those two subway stations is called DUMBO, with lots of funky art studios and shops. Splurge for some Jacques Torres hot chocolate on Water Street before your walk across the bridge. And look in Journey for reasonably priced Asian imports, everything from furniture to wonderful small items such as candles and notecards.
- Speaking of Asian imports, if you're in SoHo or Chinatown, check out Pearl River Mart on Broadway. Fun to browse, and really cheap stuff in the basement level!

Phew! I'm sure I have more to add, but I'm sure this is too much to read all at once as it is!

ggreen

michellenart

THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR ALL OF YOUR HELP.

I'm really looking forward to NY.

We just bought tickets to see Mamma Mia! tonight for Jan. 2nd.

Thank you for allowing me to see how $300-400 is not realistic for a week in NY.

If you have more suggestions, let me know.

What are the sites to SKIP (not worth the money)?

What sites are a MUST?

tansmets

A must: the met & museum of natural history, walking around the village, chinatown, south street seaport.

skip: empire state building, rockefeller center, tiffany & co, hard rock cafes/planet hollywood/any theme restaurant

Freebirdy07

Wow.. amazing responses. ggreen your info was awesome. I have been using Tripwiser to plan my trip to New York for end of January, so this combined with your information was absolutely invaluable.. also the broadway box tip was great!! Im loving these forums!!

michellenart

nytraveler thanks for telling us about the broadway offers.

We got tickets to go to see Mamma Mia on our last night in NY

dmlove

Defniitely agree with skipping theme/chain restaurants, but can't say I agree that skipping the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center or Tiffany's is a good idea.

nytraveler

Agree to skip all chain restaurants. There are so many local places that have much better fresh food than that ghastly micro-nuked stuff the chains serve. Plus, the chain places in NYC have much higher prices than at the local mall.

As for must sees:

Walk up Fifth Ave and see the incredibly decorated store windows - from 39th up to Barneys - then across to Lex to Bloomies

Rock Center tree/skating rink (free - watching - not skating) plus St Pat's across the street

Top of the Rock (much better than Empire Sate Building) but not cheap - get timed tickets in advance

The Met (pay what you want - just say you're students)

Museum of Natural History (the same)

Central Park (if you get some decent weather)

Staten Island ferry ride (free - great view of the harbor - and the downtown skyline on the way back)

Just explore some of the cuter areas (again, f you get good weather): Village, East Village, SoHo, Chelsea, upper west side

chadnycity

Hi Michelle,


The City of New York broadcasts a show called "9.99" where they tell you what to do for a full day's entertainment in a particular neighborhood of the City where the entire day will cost no more than 9.99.

Here is a link to the show's website where they list the places that they went in a particular episode/neighborhood.
http://www.nyc.gov/html/nycmg/nyctv/...oods/999.shtml


As a further note, if you've got your hostel paid, $300/pp will get you along fine in NY for a week, so long as you live like a student. nytraveler's response is right on. I would add the following caveats/suggestions:

Views of City: Top of the Rock: very, very expensive, I would skip it as well as the Empire State Building, only because for the budget that you have, a view of the NYC skyline isn't worth the expense considering that you can get an amazing view for free (see Brooklyn Bridge, Staten Island Ferry); you can get coupons, but it is really expensive.

I want to stress as other people have the value of the Staten Island Ferry, it is truly as good a view as any of the City and the Statue of Liberty and it's free. Do not waste money on any boat rides anywhere.

Also, walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, it's an incredible view (A/C train to High St station in Brooklyn and then walk back).

East Village: Make sure you're not in the West Village, which is a great place, but not as cheap or hip as the EV. There are no subways to EV. Closest is F train to 2nd Ave. and walk north.

Broadway shows: Look, they're expensive, cheapest you'll get is $45/pp. There are so many, so many plays in New York, that's why it's the theater capital of the world. Some tickets are like $10 for an off-broadway show.

Museums: Met museum: march up like a real new yorker, drop a dollar and say "1 please". Same for Museum of Nat'l History (caveat that special exhibits and planetarium are extra and are expensive). On your budget, I wouldn't recommend any other museums.

Watson Adventures does Scavenger Hunts down in Chinatown and Little Italy for $25/pp. I know that's a lot, but you'll have a never-to-forget experience and hunt is for different cultural/historical information that you figure out from different hints about buildings, etc.

Transportation: most NYers don't have cars, so don't worry about traveling from one area to another. The unlimited subway/bus pass will get you everywhere, rather quickly and you'll see some interesting stuff along the way (subway performers).

If you want a good view and don't want to pay a lot, you can also go to the Marriot Marquis and go up to revolving restaurant to have a glass of wine (otherwise very, very expensive)


New York is the perfect place for someone with a tight budget. You'll have a great time.

methinks

Okay, I guess I'm in the minority, but 21 years old, on a budget, first time to NYC, what do I do for NYE???

TIMES SQUARE!!!

If you've never been, it is a must and it is free!

It is one of the "people" things you should do before you die. Up there with Carnevale, Mardi Gras, Octoberfest, St. Peter's on Christmas or Easter, etc.

As an aside - you cannot be "charged for admission" to a public museum in NYC. If you look closely, it is always a "suggested donation". You can give whatever you want. Don't feel funny about it, I (and many people like me) belong to museums and donate money. When I couldn't afford in the past, I would go for a minimal amount and now that I can afford it, I am a member of some. Don't feel embarassed. Hold your head up and go. When you're older and can afford it, you can belong to the arts groups where you live so that everyone can enjoy them.

Eating in NYC is really a relatively cheap thing to do. 6th street in the east village for Dinner - Indian will run about $7-10 a person. Chinese restaurants all over have lunch specials running from $4.50 to $6.50. Sushi places have lunch specials 2 rolls for $7.99, 3 rolls for $9.99 which will generally include a soup, salad, or both. And some (like Funyama in GW) have nights with all you can eat for $18-20 pp (although, these tend to be either Monday or Thursday night). You can go to the site menupages.com to get an idea of restaurant prices and offerings.

Have fun!