Ideas for stretching $$ in NYC
 

I'll be heading to NYC 12/3-7/05 with husband, 18, 16 & 12 yo kids to see KU Jayhawks play in the Jimmy V. Men's Basketball Classic on 12/6. The rest of our itinerary is open. We want to do all the classic NYC things that time & money will alllow - Empire State Bldg, Statue of Liberty, Radio City Music Hall, etc. I'd appreciate any ideas on free or inexpensive things to do and places to eat, and ways to get discounts on things that might otherwise be out of our budget. We have lodging at Radio City Apartments. Kitchenettes will help us save a little $$ on food, but we really need ideas on ways to strech our very limited funds. My kids & husband are not really into museums (although I may drag them to MMA) and aren't foodies (cereal and pizza are staples). A couple of specific questions:

-What is the best time to go to the more popular events so as to avoid the long lines this time of year? I'll drag 'em out at any time of day or night to avoid lines!

-Are dicount promo codes for sale online (ebay etc)for approx 30% off Radio City Christmas show a good deal? Does the theater sell day of show tickets at a discount?

- A Broadway show is not mandatory, but if time allows is TKTS booth the least expensive way to get tickets?

-Any must do ideas for the kids, esp the 18 & 16 yo?

Thanks for any and all help!

"What is the best time to go to the more popular events so as to avoid the long lines this time of year? I'll drag 'em out at any time of day or night to avoid lines!"

A good rule of thumb is that tourists don't like to wake up early and they move in packs.

My tip is to do only 1 or at most 2 'majors' per day and GET THERE AT LEAST 1/2 HOUR BEFORE OPENING for the 1st one.

That is- Empire State Building by 8:30 or so and then afterwards hit Rockefeller Center (as an example).

You'll then also have afternoons free for shopping, etc. and you will have seen the majors. I did this in Paris and it worked magically, so it should work here.

Waking up early = beating the lines.

Only exception to this is the crowd outside the Today show- those nuts are there at 5:30 AM.

"Are dicount promo codes for sale online (ebay etc)for approx 30% off Radio City Christmas show a good deal? Does the theater sell day of show tickets at a discount?"

Yes, it's a good deal- IF the codes are legit.

Check with the NYC Convention & Visitors bureau for deals, too- many people don't bother and they have tons of coupons to give out. www.nycvisit.com

Be aware the Xmas show is a big deal and a NY tradition, so it does sell out every year. I am not aware of any same-day discounts.

"A Broadway show is not mandatory, but if time allows is TKTS booth the least expensive way to get tickets?"

Yes. Extra tip- go to the TKTS booth at the South Street Seaport, the lines will be MUCH shorter since many people don't know about the downtown booth.

"Any must do ideas for the kids, esp the 18 & 16 yo?"

If they like MTV, hanging out outside the studios (B'way and 45th) during TRL.

Other cheap/free ideas:

-Anyone can go into Tiffany's and gawk at the really expensive stuff.
-Staten Island Ferry is FREE and offers the best Statue of Liberty views. Don't pay to go to the island- you can't climb the statue anymore.
-Chinatown Ice Cream Factory (Bayard Street) is the best Ice Cream in NYC and is HOMEMADE and CHEAPER than Haagen-Dazs. They have many flavors you have never tasted before. About $2/cone.
-Ollie's on W. 44th street is cheap Chinese food and iconic NYC, it's also near your hotel.
-Grand Central Terminal is free and has a good food court in the basement.
-The Metropolitan Museum of Art is PAY WHAT YOU WISH. They don't publicize this, but ANY PAYMENT gets you in, their prices are 'suggested'. Choose to pay $5 a person rather than $15. Contrast that with MoMA, which is MANDATORY $20 per person (except on Free days).
-Walking down the street is always free. Walk down Bleecker Street end to end.
-Everyone should try a Gray's Papaya hot dog (about $1) at least once. 6th Avenue at 8th Street -or- 72nd and Broadway.
-Central Park. Free, free, free. Cross at about 79th Street for the interesting stuff.
-Stay away from familiar casual dining chains- they will be MUCH MORE expensive than at home. Cost of a single hamburger at the 42nd Street Applebees is $13.
-Ride the (7) train out to 61 St/Woodside, then switch back to a Manhattan-bound train. You will have a perfect skyline view, expecially if you ride in the first car inbound and look out the front window.
-Are you coming from Kansas? Show your kids the Atlantic Ocean. Take the train to Coney Island. It only takes about 1 hour each way and the beach is open and walkable in chilly weather. You can pack a picnic lunch.

QC - great post - love your ideas. We'll be headed to NYC in the next month and I'm definately keeping a copy of this list handy.

Wow, QC! Great ideas. A couple other questions, please. I notice the observation deck at the Empire State Bldg is open to midnight. Would going late - like between 9 and 11 pm - be an option to miss lines? And if we do get the chance to see a show, what would be suitable for the 11 yo to see, aside from the obvious (Lion King, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Beauty & the Beast, etc)?

Thanks for your extensive and excellent suggestions.

You can also find discounts to broadway shows online at www.playbill.com and www.broadwaybox.com (there may be others as well). They are sometimes nearly as good as TKTS, with no waiting in line at all, so you have more time to see and do things in NYC.

You can currently get discount tickets for Beauty and the Beast (excellent show - not aimed at little kids like the Disney cartoon - the costumes and dancing should entertain adults as well), Phantom of the Opera, Mamma Mia, Chitty, all suitable for kids (explain the story of Phantom first, though, as it can be difficult for some to follow). Some of the others available for discount may also be suitable for kids, I haven't seen them all. But read the descriptions and you may find something that interests you.

<<Grand Central Terminal is free and has a good food court in the basement.>>

There's also an amazing laser light show during the holiday season. See http://www.istc.org/sisp/?fx=event&event_id=45346

The kids would really enjoy this this.

reg519-

Yes, I think going late would have the same effect as going early. Call it the 'Disneyworld' effect. If you go very early, very late, or at mealtimes, you will do better than at 2-3PM. Keep in mind though that the mealtime effect will be very small in NYC.

You can buy Empire State Building tickets online. DO IT. That's one less line to wait on here. I think the view is better in daytime, but your results may vary. It's entirely a matter of personal preference.

Also, keep in mind that the building security lines are long and slow moving. There will be no backlog 1st thing in the morning. But at night there will be fewer people in general.

As for Broadway shows, the ones you mentioned are all good. Avoid Chicago and Avenue Q (teens and up only for this one).

Fiddler on the Roof is OK for kids and has a great cast and wonderful sets. Depending on you child's maturity, Hairspray (themes) or Wicked (could be intense/scary) might be good. Harry Connick Jr. will be in a revival of 'Pajama Game' next year, so if you are coming in the springtime look into that. Preview tickets are sometimes cheaper.

Lion King is a great experience for Adults- it isn't 'kiddy' at all.

I should also mention that DISCOUNTED Broadway tickets are still around $50 per person, so if you are looking to save money, Broadway is not the way to go.

Have you also considered more Sports? Hockey and Basketball tickets are easily available and we have 3 NHL Teams and 2 NBA teams here.

Whatever you decide to do, please keep in mind that you will be in NY during the busiest week of the year. I don't think you'll be able to avoid lines or crowds at any hour of the day or night.

John's Pizza, on W. 44th St. is very good and the building is an old church.

Have a great time!

The top of the Empire State building will be cold and colder at night. My kids lasted about 10 min. up there during a winter day.

A few months ago we saw an off-broadway production "Drumstruck" that was a lot of fun and I think would probably be enjoyed by you and your kids. Its not a typical broadway show with a story to follow. It showcases the music and culture of Africa. Every seat has a drum and there is lots of audience participation - really was a lot of fun and banging on a drum is quite stress relieving. Check the websites mentioned in the other post for discounts, off-broadway is usually cheaper anyways.

Get out of midtwon to eat. You can get excellent and much less expensive food on the upper west side, lower east side, village etc.

If you consult the web sites of the Village Voice, New York Magazine and Time out New York they have all had recent features on the best cheap restaurants in the city. Take those and a good map.

Also go to the MTA web site now and download the interactive subway map so you can failiarize yourself with the system.

As for the 16/18 year olds thay may want to check out Washington Square Park - near NYU - if it's not too cold. And there are always the giant versions of Barnes & Noble and Tower records for browsing and listening - and a lot of younger people.

My favorite tip during a jam-packed visit to NYC (not necessarily to save money) is to come back to the room in the afternoon and eating in. I love sandwiches from the deli. Thai takeout or pizza would be great too. The best part is having a break to stretch out, rest the aching toes, and get a second wind before a Broadway play - or whatever the night's activity might be. Since you can eat breakfast in, you could have a restaurant meal at lunch. You'll save big money there - if just on drinks! :-)

Go on the Radio City Music Hall sight and join their club. They offer "buy 1, get 1 free" tickets even during the holiday season. There's no guarantee the dates will be during your stay, but tix are very pricey before Christmas (a fraction of that price after Christmas).

Do take a carriage ride in Central Park.

I like the Hop on / Hop off double decker buses as both orientation and transportation in the city.

I do take taxis - but with 5 traveling, that may not be an option. When my feet hurt, it's well worth the $$$ to get uptown quick.

The Chinatown or Greenwich Village Tasting Tours or reasonable and fun.

Slices of John's pizza anytime you can.

Hot pretzels from street vendors.

Strolling and looking at the Christmas decorations in the store windows.

Ice-skating at Roc Center or Central Park.

Have a blast. NYC is wonderful - especially at that time of year.

Be sure to spend a little time in lower Manhattan. Get a subway map and take a ride to Brooklyn for pizza at Grimaldi's. Then, take a fabulous walk across the Brooklyn Bridge (be sure to bundle up) for a fabulous view! Take a look around at the Seaport, stop at TKTS (smaller crowds = better selection) and buy some tickets to a show.

Whatever you do, have a great time - it's hard not to do in NYC! :D

So many excellent ideas! You folks are BRILLIANT! I had forgotten all about Grand Central. The lazer show sounds like a kid pleaser. And I checked out The Village Voice NYC Eats section online and it has dozens of cheat eats ideas you can check out by price, cuisine, neighborhood - w/ maps no less. I knew many things, like Broadway and Radio City shows even w/ the great discount ideas, would be pricey, which is why I have to scale back on food and other activites. And you all have given me so many choices! I have a feeling my family will be thrilled just to wander around gawking at the sites in the big city. (Not a lot of cityscape in the suburbs of Kansas City - heck, not a lot downtown for that matter). I feel like a kid having to wait 2 months to open my Christmas presents!

You might try getting tickets for the Letterman show on line. The tickets are free. Can't ask for a better deal than that for the whole family. We stayed at the Hampton Inn Manhattan. They have a great breakfast bar. You and the kids can load up for a late breakfast (they have hot items like sausage and scrambled eggs as well as the usual continental assortment), get a snack for lunch and have a nice dinner. Also, try to get as many of your tickets for your events on line in advance. It saves time as well as money (sometimes).

ttt

I'm not sure your kids can go to Letterman I think they all have to be at least 16 and maybe 18. :-(.

Anyway, one thing to look into is the New York Pass, I believe at www.newyorkpass.com. The pass can be purchased for a certain amount of days and has good discounts for alot of the touristy stuffy stuff you want to do (i.e. Empire State, Statute of Liberty, Radio City Music Hall etc.)

You'll have a great time!

Here's my $ saving idea for food. Eat a big breakfast (breakfast is normally the least expensive meal), skip lunch and eat an early dinner. Not only have you saved the cost of one meal, but I find that stopping for lunch always turns out to be inconvenient. I'm always running late from whatever activity I have planned, or am on the wrong side of the city from where I wanted to eat, etc. You wind up eating at 2:30 and it ruins your dinner. Plus, if you eat an eary dinner, you will be much more likely to get a table whereever you want to go, as New Yorkers tend to eat late.

The Letterman Show is 18+ so not great for the younger kids.

Head downtown.

Go to www.DowntownNY.com for tons of free stuff.

Most everything in the Financial District is free of charge including transportation with the exception of the museums.

Free: Trinity Church, St. Paul's Chapel, City Hall Park, Irish Famine Memorial, Battery Park, Castle Clinton, Statue of Liberty via Staten Island Ferry, Brooklyn Bridge to name a very few.

Again, check out the website. They'll send you free shopping guides, maps, dining guides, etc.

Instead of a Broadway show, how about taking your kids to see Blue Man Group? Its a real NY experience like nothing else. Tickets are $60-$70 so I don't know how that hits your budget, however its nearly as cheap as any Broadway show even at TKS booth.

http://www.blueman.com/about_bmg/index.shtml

Be sure to do Sunday morning shopping in Chinatown for all the great knock-offs. The kids will love it.

The Christmas Nativity and Angel Tree at the Met during December is not to be missed. All the department store animated holiday windows are free too.

http://www.metmuseum.org/Press_Room/full_release.asp?prid={A345B35B-88DF-11D6-942D-00902786BF44}

A fun place to eat in mid-town Manhattan is Brooklyn Diner, 212 West 57th Street. Great burgers, fries and shakes in an old fashioned (but really hip) diner setting. The portions are huge and the taste is divine.

http://www.brooklyndiner.com/

Some other tips I thought of:

- Day/Week Pass Metrocards can only be used by one person (once used, they go inert for 15 minutes). Declining Balance cards can be used multiple times by different persons on the same trip. Also, you get a BONUS with each purchase over $10 (a $10 card gets you $12 in rides, etc.). It may be more economical to buy a really big value card rather than passes, especially if you will walk from place to place rather than a lot of long-haul trips.

- Free sightseeing buses include:

The M15 runs from the Staten Island Ferry and goes up 1st Avenue past the UN.

The M5 starts in Greenwich Village, goes past Herald Sq/Macy's and near Times Sq, and runs up the Upper West Side and Riverside Park all the way past Grant's Tomb.

The M4 runs almost the length of Manhattan and terminates at the doorstep of the Cloisters- you also get SAME DAY Free admission to the Cloisters if you already paid at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The B51 runs from City Hall Park in Manhattan and goes across the Manhattan Bridge to Downtown Brooklyn.

The M104 runs from 72nd and Broadway and goes downtown RIGHT THROUGH THE MIDDLE of Times Sq.

The M8 runs from East Village to West Village along 8th or 9th Street, dependent on direction.

All of these attraction-packed tours are a friendly $2 per person. Quick bus guide- the first letter is the Borough of Service (M/Manhattan, B/Brooklyn, Q/Queens, Bx/Bronx, S/Staten Isl, X/Interborough Express).

- You may be tempted to buy snacks while in Midtown while in a Deli/Bodega. Don't! This is the home of the $2 Coke and $1.25 Hershey Bar. Go to the SUPERMARKET instead. There is a big Associated Supermarket on 57th Street near Carnegie Hall. It will cost more than you are used to at home, but it is a full Supermarket.

- Don't make Dinner a big meal, this is the most expensive time to eat. Go European. Eat a light breakfast, a huge lunch, and a light dinner. You will be able to afford lunch at restaurants that break the bank at dinner. If you did what I told you and saw all your majors in the morning you will be ready for a rest then anyway.

- Church services are free. It's going to be less crowded at places like St. Patrick's because gawking tourists are intimidated to visit during Mass. If you are Catholic, go to the Mass. If you are not Catholic, go anyway. You get to see the building IN USE.

- If you are Mormon DO NOT MISS the NYC Temple across from Lincoln Center. Free, of course. Sorry, LDS members only. (drat)

- There are some really quirky National Parks in NYC. Yes, National Parks.

Federal Hall (Wall St.), where George Washington was inaugurated, is FREE. Closing in December for renovation.

Castle Clinton, a fort from the War of 1812 (Battery Park) is FREE.

Teddy Roosevelt's Birthplace (28 East 20th St) is only $3.

Grant's Tomb (122nd and Riverside Dr) is FREE.

Hamilton Grange, Alexander Hamilton's house (287 Convent Ave) is FREE.

Remember, NYC is America's OLDEST big city. Yes, older than Boston (by 6 years) or Philadelphia (by 58 years). There are tons of great historic sites here. NYC is only 22 years younger than Santa Fe, the oldest State Capital.

Don't forget to go to all the big department stores. At that time of year, all of them have their window displays for the holidays. They can be quite something.

Check out theatremania.com for discounted tickets (broadway, off-broadway, off off broadway).

If you are interested in a particular restuaruant and want to see what their menu is like go to menupages.com. You can also check out restuarants all over the city. Remember that NYC is more than Manhattan.

Don't forget all of the things in lower Manhattan, such as Ellis Island and the Statute of Liberty.

By the way enjoy the basketball game (Rock Chock Jawhawks??).

Geez, QC, do you do this for a living?!? If not, you should! Thanks to everyone for all the great suggestions, and especially the various websites. The more I can check out and arrange from home, the better. And bless ya, emmas, we will certainly be "Rock Chalk"ing our Jayhawks (the ground under KU is supposedly lined w/ chalk deposits) at Madison Square Garden. Getting lost in this great thread, I nearly forgot that's why we are going!

don't miss Ellis Island museum. rent the head phones which allow you to move thru at your own pace and explain what you are looking at. probably around
$8/pp by now...maybe a bit more....but worth it. you can take the same ferry that gets you to the statue of liberty...choose to get our and wander around the island and get photos of the statue, and then get back on the next ferry going to ellis island and take a leisurely or quick look at what the immigrants saw as they came across from europe into our country. VERY WELL DONE...even your kids will be interested. and i say that from experience with my own. if i were to cut down anywhere on this visit, i'd eliminate all but one of the headphones and explain to the rest of the family.

I've lived in NYC for 15 years and am a fan of doing things "on the cheap." Get Rob Grader's book "The Cheap Bastard's Guide to New York City, 2nd : A Native New Yorker's Secrets of Living the Good Life--For Free!" It includes all of these suggestions and much more.

In response to the suggestion of taking taxis, unless it's terribly cold or you're very late, DON'T. Your kids will love using the subway or the views from the public busses. A $7 "fun pass" gets a rider a full day of public transport.

You can use your "fun pass" to take the A/C train to the first stop in Brooklyn (High Street) and walk back across the Brooklyn Bridge (after pizza at Grimaldi's). The views are unparallelled and the price can't be beat!

It is hard to add much to QC's excellent, comprehensive suggestions. Regarding food, though--young kids need to re-fuel often, so remember that NY bagels are very filling, and definitely do the hot dogs/papaya; also, my kids and I had a contest going for years as to which shop had the best pizza slices. We tried hundreds, couldn't choose a winner, though my vote would be for the shop at the corner of 33rd and 3rd. One of the great pleasures of Manhattan, IMHO,is the wealth of delicious, really cheap, exotic restaurants. Time is money, too, and don't waste a moment preparing when there are thousands of great dining experiences (takeout can be fun, too).

The tree should be up at Rockefeller Center and is worth a visit. Topaz Thai is one of my favorites and just behind your hotel at 127 W. 56th Street. Grand Central should also have their holiday market set up as will Bryant Park. The Municipal Arts Society used to do free tours of Grand Central every Wednesday at noon.

Sorry, I didn't realize about the age restriction to the Letterman show. That definitely explains why I didn't see any kids there.

We took a free tour of GCT too - it was wonderful! Every Friday at 12:30pm Grand Central Partnership hosts a free tour. Meet on 42nd Street in front of the Phillip Morris/ Whitney Museum across the street from Grand Central. For more information, call 212-697-1245. Our host covered Grand Central and also took us over to the Chrysler Building and explained a lot about it. Can't recommend it highly enough!

QC, you rock! Wonderful ideas! We went to Ellis Island (Sept. 2004) and heartily suggest you go as early as possible. I think we were there at 9 and couldn't get a Statue of Libery time until 3! We also stood in line for security for about an hour. Has that changed??? Night views from Empire State Bldg. were awesome. Our wait was less than 1/2 hour at night. Did anyone suggest walking across the Brooklyn Bridge??

Sorry to butt in without any real advice but I just wanted to comment on the kid-friendliness of "Mama Mia" as I have freinds with mixed reactions on this topic.


While I personally think it would be fine for an 11yo provided you discuss what's going on, it does involve a character who isn't sure which of 3 men fathered her child--that's the plot. Decide if your kid is mature enough for that theme and whether you are ok talking about that with him.

Of course, all the other show suggestions are wonderful. Have a great time in NYC!

Hi there:
One more suggestion - the NYTimes had an article today about a new FREE ice-skating rink in the city - in Bryant Park, by the NY Public Library. It should open October 28th. Skate rentals will be available for $7.50, which is still a way better deal than the other outdoor skating rinks (and hopefully less crowded since it is new.) It sounds very cool & I definitely plan to check it out during my next visit in November!

Here is the article by the way: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/06/ny...ink.html?8hpib

I haven't read thru this thread yet. But you could take the staten ferry to get a skyline view of Manhattan and the statue of liberty too from the water. The ferry fair should be really cheap compared to a tour boat. When I went many years ago, it was only 50 cents.

Another idea: hop on the 7 train from Midtown (or transfer) and ride it to the end (Flushing). Great for an inexpensive dinner (follow your nose for terrific ethnic food of all sorts) or pastries, ice cream...On the way back, the views of the skyline are positively fabulous where the tracks are above ground. (And, you can hop off at Grand Central for the laser light show.)

Here's an idea for stretching your money in NYC:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34688479

Pis, I couldn't get your suggestion to take me to a specific thread. What's the title of the thread?

That thread was deleted by the editors.
It was a mildly amusing tale of the triumph of good over evil. One in which the protagonist had abandoned the common courtesies of the web and was attempting to advance a Ponzi scheme on any who was born yesterday. You missed "nothing" in my estimation. Carry on.

Actually, you're visiting at a pretty good time! You're in-between the two major holidays, so there will be a slight lull in the tourism activity. Still busy, but not as totally nutty as Christmas.

BroadwayBox.com should be a great resource for you if you want to go to a show. It will offer about the same prices as the TKTS booth without the lines. Many shows will have discounts for early December (but don't even think about Wicked or Spamalot!) Generally, these will be for weeknights.

I wouldn't recommend Chitty for your group; older teenagers may not enjoy it. Hairspray or the Producers could be a fun choice.

Depending on how cold it is, a walk over the Brooklyn Bridge could be a great, memorable experience for all. There is no better reward than pizza from Grimaldi's at the end! (Or to give you energy at the beginning)

As far as museums, there are so many "specialty" museums in NYC that you may find one that fits the interests of all, such as the Intrepid or TV/Film.

John's Pizza is excellent, especially if you want a Theatre District option.

There are always tons of free or low-cost events going on. I would suggest picking up a copy of Time Out NY when you get here and browsing through all of the current suggestions.

Definitely buy the $7 subway pass. It will cost your group $10 each time you use the subway otherwise :)

Enjoy! :)

"Definitely buy the $7 subway pass. It will cost your group $10 each time you use the subway otherwise."

Let's go to the videotape. There are 5 people in the group for a 3 day visit.

(5 people) x (3 days) x ($7) = $105 for daily passes. Everyone needs their own pass.

How much will they ride the subway? $105 is 52.5 rides at $2 per. Divide that by the 5 people and they will need to ride 10.5 times per day each to break even. They only start getting discounted rides at the 11th ride of the same day. That's a lot, even for a tourist.

$10 per group ride sounds like a lot. Is it?

Let's assume 5 rides per day.

1. Hotel to Attraction 1
2. Attraction 1 to Attraction 2
3. Attraction 2 to Attraction 3
(already getting to be a lot- these poor people will be exhausted by this point)
4. 1 misc. ride
5. Ride back to hotel.

And this assumes ZERO free Subway-to-bus transfers. Note- there are free transfers if you do so within 2 hours of your first ride.

That's $150 total. But think about it. They will not do 5 rides per day. Three is more like it.

(3 group rides) x ($10) x (3 days) = $90

But to get $90 worth of rides you do not need to put $90 on your card. You only need to put $72 on your card. Any purchase over $10 gets you a free 20% bonus.

($90 value) x (80%) = $72

Look - it's cheaper. By a lot.

Before anyone posts that my math is wrong, remember we are looking at the TOTAL COST of the option. Yes, the passes expire each day and so it appears that the $7 pass only needs 4 rides to be a deal. But...

All 5 people need to ride and use their own pass.

Cash cards DO NOT EXPIRE. They can be SHARED. Another reason why total cost of use is lower.