New York and budget travel seems to be a paradox as New York and I was experiencing this weird situation. New York had always attracted me and I found a 3 days holiday as a perfect time to visit this fascinating city. It is said that ‘It is easier said than done’ and I found it really true as planning a trip to New York sounds too simple. But the problem lies ahead as I was facing financial trouble and was planning a trip to one of the most expensive cities in the world. At the end of the trip, I realized that there is a common misconception among travelers like me that New York is not a destination for budget travelers.
Finding a cheap airfare for New York was like a battle in itself, the quest after reaching New York was easier than it. I found a hostel near the Central Park at $30 per night while a hotel would have charged around $200 per night. The most important feature of this hostel was its accessibility to famous museums of the city, airport and other places of interest. As it was Friday, I was able to save a few bucks as city’s museums like Museum of Modern Art and Whitney Museum of American Art allow free entry for a specific time period on Fridays. I was lucky that a person I met at hostel had told me about it and I could enjoy these places without paying anything. The green lawns at Central Park with musicians playing violins, artists have made it a popular tourist attraction. It can be enjoyed to the fullest without paying a cent. For getting glimpses of famous spots like Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and New York Harbor, I took an inexpensive ferry ride at Staten Island. Other free of charge tourist attractions that I visited includes St. Patricks Catherdal, Times Square and Rockfeller Plaza.
I explored some parts of this city on foot and came across specimens of art deco architecture like Chrysler Building and Empire State Building. On Saturday, I took a winery tour at Williamsburg’s Brooklyn Brewery as it is conducted free of cost on Saturdays. I found that eating outlets even for ‘budget’ travelers are little pricey, so I took a little more off beaten path to find more economic options. A relished an authentic Asian meal for $5 at Chinatown in Manhattan. Instead of sitting down at a restaurant in the city and having a meal, I opted for on the feet food like sandwiches which are filly and at a quarter of the price. Another economic option for lunch was pizza. 2 large cheese pizza slices for $2.50 were more than sufficient to suit somebody of my appetite and there are pizza parlors at almost every corner.
Though I was on a budget trip to New York, it did not mean that I had to leave the good things of this city instead New York can be well traversed on a tight budget too.
