Tourists and Locals Note: 10 Ways to Save Money in New York
'27.08.2020'
Vita Popova
These 10 ways will help you save tens of dollars and see as much as possible. Useful tips are shared by the author of the channel Daily Culture on the site Yandex Zen.
Even if you are an experienced tourist and know how to plan your time and finances, seeing New York in just a couple of days and not going broke can be a daunting task. Indeed, there are so many interesting places in the Big Apple, and I want to see all of them.
These 10 tips will help you see tons of attractions and save money.
- Discounted Broadway musicals
Times Square is a square in central Manhattan located at the intersection of Broadway and Seventh Avenues between 42nd and 47th Streets. The world famous Theater District is also located here, where the largest Broadway theaters, cinemas, restaurants, hotels and other entertainment establishments are concentrated. That is why the street name has become synonymous with American theater.
It's unforgivable to be in New York and not attend one of the Broadway shows. Moreover, if you can save a lot on tickets. “Right in the city center, in Times Square, there is a ticket office that sells tickets for Broadway musicals at a 15-50% discount. How are these tickets different from those you can buy at the box office? Discount tickets are sold on the same day the performance will take place. The remaining tickets from all the box office in New York are brought here, and this is a great budget opportunity to see legendary Broadway musicals, ”the author suggests.
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Note that due to the coronavirus pandemic, Broadway theaters will be closed until the end of the year due to the pandemic, according to the news agency. Interfax... However, you can always just take a walk down Broadway, where many office buildings, various representative offices and agencies are located. Getting on this street is easy enough, as the lights on Broadway are "so bright you can see them from space."
- Free tours
In New York, many companies organize tours for free. "Guides conduct excursions exclusively for tips: about $ 8 per person, but you can pay less, or give nothing," the author notes.
You can find such tours both on the Internet and just on the street - in New York you will surely meet excursion groups or promoters with “Free Tours” signs.
- Chinese buffets
“Fast food is traditionally considered the cheapest place to eat. But in New York, things are not at all like this: not only is it insanely harmful, but the prices at local McDonald's are much higher than those we are used to in Russia. Therefore, Chinese buffets are becoming the cheapest place to have lunch with delicious and hearty food, ”the author said.
There is often an all-you-can-eat promotion in these buffets. You can pay a certain amount and get access to the buffet and taste whatever you want; cold drinks are included in the price.
- The Statue of Liberty
The first thing that comes to mind when we talk about New York is the skyscrapers and the Statue of Liberty. The latter is one of the main symbols of the whole of America!
It is a crime to visit New York and not see the world famous monument. It is located on Alice Island, where special excursion ferries run. “But wise tourists will never spend $ 30 on a ticket and a few hours of their time waiting in line. Bright orange ferries leave in the immediate vicinity for Staten Island, a remote New York area with no metro. This ferry is absolutely free, there are no queues for it, but the most important thing for us is that the ship passes next to the Statue of Liberty! You can take beautiful photos not only against the background of the statue, but also take pictures and admire the panorama of Manhattan, ”the author shares.
The ferry runs around the clock with a frequency of half an hour.
- Free water
Few people know, but in New York you can save on water. You can get a glass of cold water for free at all Starbucks stores. In this metropolis, they are located at almost every corner. “You can ask for a glass of cold water for free, and it’s not a shame. Friendly baristas will not refuse the visitor and wish a good day goodbye, ”suggested the author.
- Entrance to museums
If you can't imagine traveling without visiting museums, of which there are a lot of New York, we have good news for you. "In New York museums, the ticket office lists the cost of the admission ticket, but in some places you can pay as much as you can afford - this is called the suggested price, or tickets available to everyone," the author suggests. Thus, you can visit, for example, the famous Metropolitan Museum.
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Also, many museums have “happy hours”: the Museum of Modern Art is open for free on Fridays from 16 pm to 20 pm, in the Guggenheim Museum you can pay as much as you want for admission on Saturdays from 17:15 pm to 19:45 pm.
- Shopping
Discounts and sales at local malls and department stores last year-round. If you want to save as much as possible, go shopping during the holidays - Christmas and other holiday sales are amazing in their generosity.
One of the most lucrative shopping spots among tourists is Macy's. “The fact is that there is a special 10% discount for foreigners, a coupon for which can be issued in the customer service department. This coupon even adds up to discounts on the sale, ”the author writes.
- Outdoor activities
“I can tell you with 100% certainty that it is impossible to get bored in New York. Locals love to spend time in parks: go in for sports, walk with their families, sunbathe and relax from the bustle of the city. But there are also screenings of various films in the parks, ”the author shares information.
Film screenings are held on a strict schedule, with screenings starting at 20:30.
Bryant Park is considered the most popular place among moviegoers. There are screenings every Monday. The full schedule of events in this park can be found on its website.
Also on Mondays, movies can be watched on Coney Island, on Tuesdays - on the roof of the Bronx Terminal Market, on Wednesdays - in Hudson River and McCaren Parks, on Thursdays - in Brooklyn Bridge Park, and on Saturdays - on Roosevelt Island. Many entertainment programs are also held in Central Park - their schedule can be viewed on its official website.
If you are a true connoisseur of live music, go to one of the city squares, where various concerts take place in the evenings. “The most famous are Summer Stage and Mad. Sq. Music, ”the author suggested.
- Chelsea Art Galleries
Chelsea is a highly developed area. There are both apartment buildings and low-rise residential blocks, as well as prestigious skyscrapers. There are more than 200 art galleries in the area that have occupied former factories. “The whole secular artistic life is in full swing here. Each tourist can visit galleries for free, as well as come to the opening of exhibitions and not only enjoy the art, but also treat themselves to a glass of wine and snacks at a buffet table, ”the author writes.
Note that Chelsea art galleries are closed to visitors during quarantine. However, you can take a walk on the High Line - a park, laid out on the site of the elevated railway. Today it is a popular attraction in the city.
- Botanical Garden
Whenever you come to New York - winter, spring, summer, or fall - you should definitely take a stroll through the famous Central Park. But if you want to go to nature, avoiding the crowds of tourists, go to the Botanical Garden. “There is a magnificent rose garden, an orchid greenhouse, a Bonsai bonsai museum and much more,” the author writes.
Free admission to the garden is available on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 10 to 12 noon.
