By Eoin O'Carroll
New York City occupies only about 300 square miles of the Northeastern U.S., but it makes its presence felt in every corner of the globe. If you're a first-time visitor, no matter where you come from, the Big Apple may already seem familiar.
It will also seem bloody expensive. This is, after all, the land of the $7 beer, the $10 movie ticket, and?this is truly outrageous?the
$41 burger
.
But in a city this big, you're bound to find some bargains. Amidst the swank hotels, chic restaurants, trendy bars, and chi chi boutiques, you'll find no shortage of great deals including all-you-can-eat buffets, two-for-one happy hours, cut-rate theater tickets, pay-what-you-wish museums, and, yes, a delicious burger for $5.
If it's your first time to the city, consider signing up for a
Big Apple Greeter
, a volunteer tour guide chock-full of personalized insider tips who will take you and up to five of your friends around the city for two to four hours. The service is a great way to learn about a neighborhood you wouldn't otherwise visit. What's more, you'll get a free all-day subway pass. Best of all, the service is completely free. Demand is high, so be sure to sign up well in advance.
Things to do: Eóin's picks
The steady influx of huddled masses yearning for freedom has turned New York into one of the world's greatest eating cities. Whether you're noshing on tikka in Queens, prosciutto on the Upper East Side, or some Thai curry Downtown, the city's international flavors will stretch your cultural horizons, but not necessarily your budget. As for drinks, while you'll have no problem finding $15 martinis, you'll also find no shortage of places with cheap booze and a hopping atmosphere.
If you're looking for aesthetic fulfillment, you've come to the right place. New York has more world-class museums and theater companies than any other American city. What's more, many of the museums have a "pay-what-you-wish" policy, with a suggested donation amount. However, if you're a broke college student, you do have the option to not pay.
Here are some of my top picks for restaurants, bars, and culture:
Most listings are located in Manhattan; other locations are noted in parentheses.
| Food |
| Where |
| Burger Joint |
| Caffe Buon Gusto |
| Jade King |
| Punjabi Kebab House |
| Republic |
| Drink |
| Where |
| Astor Wines and Spirits |
| Botanica Bar |
| Blue and Gold |
| Brooklyn Brewery |
| Cherry Tavern |
| Down the Hatch |
| 9C |
| Culture |
| Where |
| American Museum of Natural History |
| Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum |
| The Metropolitan Museum of Art |
| TKTS Discount Ticket Centers |
| Whitney Museum of American Art |
Key: $ Cheap $$ Not bad $$$ A splurge $$$$ Stupid expensive
For other restaurant, bar, and entertainment listings, buy a copy of the weekly magazine
Time Out New York
.
Where to stay
New York has a variety of cheap hostel lodgings, including a
Hostelling International
location, which offers dorm beds starting at $18 per night. This Victorian building on the Upper West Side is right near Columbia University, as well as the Museum of Natural History and the Seinfeld coffee shop. Best of all, there's no curfew.
Another good choice is the
Wanderers Inn
. This Upper East Side place offers a free continental breakfast every morning and free pizza every Wednesday night. Dorm beds start at $25 per night. You'll need to bring a passport to check in, and a padlock to secure your gear in the lockers provided.
For an extensive list of hostels, check out HostelWorld's
New York page
.
Getting there
The New York metropolitan area has three?count 'em three?major airports: LaGuardia in Queens; JFK, also in Queens; and Newark in New Jersey. With millions of business travelers and tourists passing through these airports every year, you'll find no shortage of flights to New York, making your chances of finding a discounted airfare pretty good.
The airports are serviced by most U.S. airlines, including many low-cost carriers (with the notable exception of Southwest). And, while most budget airlines choose to make smaller airports their main hubs,
JetBlue
has made New York's JFK its East Coast hub, increasing the availability of affordable flights and challenging other lines to keep their prices in check. You can find flights from the West Coast to New York on JetBlue for about $200.
If you live near another big Northeastern city like Boston or Washington, D.C., forget about flying and hop on one of the
Chinatown bus services
, which can cost as little as $10 each way.
Getting around
Thinking of using a car in New York? Fugheddaboudit: Driving and parking in this city is a nightmare. And, taxis can get pretty expensive. Your best bet is to use the
subway
, which goes almost anywhere. Each ride is $2. If you plan on using the subway often, you can purchase a multi-ride MetroCard from the machines in every subway station. With one of these, you can get 12 rides for the price of 10. The best aspect of New York's public transportation system is, however, the
Staten Island Ferry
, which is free and offers a great view of the Statue of Liberty.