The New York area is one of the largest in the world. With approximately 8 million people being in New York City alone and with less than 900 thousand kilometers squared radius, it is the densest city in all of North America! After a long anticipated debut we finally made our way to the Big Apple, and we were so excited we could barely contain ourselves. Going there has been a childhood dream for us ever since we decided to be world travelers and see everything this globe has to offer!
The people, lights, Times Square, Rockefeller, everything seems so exciting! This poised a big question though… What to do? What New York City event to pick? Well, I want to share with you some tips on New York travel that won’t break the bank! These are all an incredible experience and I would suggest doing them all if you can. Keep in mind there is no shortage of things to do in New York City. You’ll never get the chance to do everything, so do what you can, relax and enjoy what this wonderful city has to offer!
1) New York City comedy clubs: This is maybe the best thing I can suggest if you enjoy any sort of comedy at all. It works out really well because they have salesperson on the streets in the middle of Times Square, you don’t even have to look or try to find tickets. They will literally just flag you down and give you a very good price (We only paid $20 for both of us) on the condition that you buy 2 beverages at the club. The nice thing about their special, for those who don’t drink alcohol you can buy any drink of choice. Soft drinks and water were accepted as well so it really can appeal to everyone who enjoys this sort of thing and the cost is very low for the reward. It really was such a great time, the comedians were fantastic and we were very glad we decided to go. Highly Recommended!
2) Times Square: I realize this must be on everyone’s “top of the list” but it really is an amazing sight to see. This experience is something that you will never forget. The lights, people, banners, you don’t even realize how crazy it is until you are there. I must have seen Times Square on television a million times but honestly it really just is not the same. Spend a little time there to take in the atmosphere. There are plenty of very nice places to eat but the prices on their novelty restaurants (Hard Rock Café, ESPN Zone, etc) are very expensive. If you want something for a very good price, check out the side streets and look for the local pubs. I would really recommend going at night to see it lit up. A note to those who absolutely hate crowds of people, if you go to Times Square don’t go on a Friday or Saturday evening when it is the most busiest. We went on both a Saturday and Sunday night… the Saturday was chaos, and the Sunday was very nice and calm in comparison 🙂 All the same, I really enjoyed both of them in different ways.
3) Rockefeller Center: We had the pleasure of going during December month, so we got to experience the Christmas tree and Skating Rink all done up at Rockefeller center. This is also home of the famous NBC Studios (Costs $18.50 for the tour).
4) Central Park: One of the most famous parks in the world and the most visited park in the United States, Central Park is a wonderful place to go on a nice day. Central Park is actually bigger than 2 of the world’s smallest nations; Monaco and Vatican City.
5) See a local New York City Event: Take in a ball game, a musical, or something at the theatre! New York really has everything to offer no matter what your hobbies or interests are! You can usually find something very reasonably priced as well, depending on what you are after.
I realize as most people do, New York tends to be quite expensive but with these travel ideas you can go out and have a really great time and still not spend too much money. There is plenty to see, even just going to see the landmarks and places like Rockefeller, Central Park and Times Square are well worthwhile! I really enjoyed my time just walking the streets and taking in the atmosphere.
If you are planning to stay in Manhattan for a week or so, I would really suggest picking up a copy of “The New York Pass”, spend your week and do everything you can. These passes are actually very reasonably priced (Starting at $55.00 daily and only $139.99 for a 7 day period, per person) and you get FREE access to literally almost EVERYTHING you could want in New York City. Here is just a glimpse of what is here. Keep in mind these are only about a quarter of the free things you get, not even including the other discounted items and special offers.
I absolutely loved my time in New York! I found it really offers you so much, no matter what month, or what day, there is always something for you to do that is interesting. How can you not like that about a city? It has everything and it is a great place to visit. I hope these tips on New York travel were helpful! I know I can’t wait for our next adventure, here in the Big Apple!