NYC on a Mustachian budget - help for 1st visit

[elaine amj]

My mom (late 60s) and I (late 30s) will be visiting NYC for the first time - does anyone have any budget-conscious Mustachian-style tips to share? We are both on a budget and this will not be a splurgy trip.

We will be traveling from Arlington in mid November - probably by Megabus or something similar (have to sit down and figure out the cheapest/best option).

We will have 3 nights and 2 full days. I have free hotel certificates am planning to stay at the Crowne Plaza Times Square (close-ish to Central Park for my early morning solo hikes and close to multiple subway lines)

Some things we have on our list

- Broadway show; been researching rush tickets/lotteries. We like musicals best so I am hoping for either Hamilton or Fiddler on the Roof. Budget will be max $50 or so per ticket (birthday gift for my Mom).

- a jazz pub (my mom's request - anything suitable for dinner near Times Square?)
- Statue of Liberty /Ellis Island
- Tenement Museum
- 9/11 memorial (will probably skip the museum because of $$)
- Central Park
- Brooklyn Flea Market (worth a trip to Brooklyn?)

We'll also have to look out for cheap eats as I know dining can easily blow a budget. We won't be doing any fancy upscale dining this trip. Is Happy Hour a big thing? We are happy to split meals too. I will also be checking Groupon.


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[onecoolcat]

There are plenty of cheap eats in NYC that are good.  My favorite are the Halal Guys street food carts.  It's amazing.

The American Musuem of Natural History is awesome if you are into that.  I think its like $22 per person (suggested donation).  There is also a landmark library nearby that is a real sight. 

I really liked just walking around NYC and stopping for a bite/coffee in different places.  You always find something to do along your way.

[dubaych]

Never posted before but have to speak out: ignore all "suggested donations." Pay what you want. Literally. Family of sixteen: $5. By yourself: $5. Or $1. Whatever. I've been at the desk next to huge families from other countries that are actually about to pay HUNDREDS of dollars to enter the AMNH.  If they can understand me, I always try to convince them to pay a dollar a head (or something reasonable, it's up to them). Works at the Met, too, but not at the Whitney or zoos.

[golfreak12]

Keeping tab on this thread.
Me and the wife are celebrating our 5 yr anniversary and will spend 5 nights in NYC in 2 weeks.
Originally we were gonna go to Hawaii because we have 4 free Hyatt nights but she has a full school schedule so she can't afford to miss more than 1 day. Hawaii require at least 1 week. So she settle on NYC. We were thinking of using our 4 free nights on the top Hyatt possible but it would free strange staying on such a high end place. Like the Park Hyatt is $1000/night. Instead we settled on Hyatt Place across from the Rockefeller Center.
While this trip is not so much on a budget since its our anniversary, its still worth saving some money.

[Dollar Slice]

Don't get your hopes up for Hamilton, those tickets are basically gold right now. Everything's sold out, tickets are hundreds of dollars on Stubhub.

There are lots of happy hours around all over the place. It's very easy to find cheap take-out/to-go kind of food pretty much everywhere in Manhattan. There are delis everywhere that serve sandwiches and sometimes hot foods, salads, etc. Plus pizza by the slice about every 20 meters. There are entire websites devoted to getting lunch in midtown, it's a very well-documented island if you google around a bit... :-)

- a jazz pub (my mom's request - anything suitable for dinner near Times Square?)

I am a jazz nut so I can definitely recommend some options there. I'll say up front that I don't recommend staying in Times Square more than necessary. It is a fine place to stay because there are tons of hotels and it's very central, but it's not someplace you want to spend time. It's about the most anti-mustachian place on earth - nothing but giant advertisements, overpriced chain restaurants, and stores selling crap you don't need.

None of these are in Times Square but they're all within 4 subway stops or less:
Jazz Standard: nice place, serves dinner, not that cheap but not super expensive ($25-$35 cover, medium-price food).
Village Vanguard: kind of divey, no food, but the most iconic jazz club in the world - if you are into jazz it's pretty cool. Lots of inexpensive restaurants nearby. Ticket + 1 drink minimum will run you $40ish per person.
Dizzy's Club: VERY nice, really a beautiful room, but can be expensive; serves dinner, live music etc. Book early as table seating often sells out.
Cornelia Street Cafe: Very cool little place, $20 cover includes music and a drink. Food available, not really cheap but you easily could share something.

If you really have to stay in Times Square for some reason, Iridium is about a 3 minute walk from your hotel. It is not a favorite of mine (I am a major jazz snob...) but it's not super expensive, they serve food and sometimes have great music.

There are cheaper places to see music but I'm not sure how far you're willing to roam or how far downmarket you want to take your mom... ;-)  Anyone can feel free to PM me if you have questions about live music while visiting NYC.

[elaine amj]

Wow - some AWESOME advice!!!

@DollarSlice Are there any jazz clubs with no/very cheap cover? Or even places with live jazz we can enjoy for free while eating a less expensive meal? My mom enjoys jazz but is OK not seeing the best performances. Thank u SO much for including prices in your post. Any possibilities of free or almost free? $20-40pp + food would be an expensive night out for us.

We're comfortable with roaming, but probably not too late at night too far from the hotel since we are two ladies by ourselves. One concern is if the subway costs start adding up too fast (I heard this gets expensive very quickly). We are fine taking buses or Lyft/Uber when practical too.

I am considering switching one night/all mights to a Lower East Side (or elsewhere) hotel but think it might be easier to roam without luggage during the day vs lugging our bags across the city at some point. As I understand, the buses all drop off around the Times Square area. And we fly out of La Guardia (we will likely take a Lyft? So Times Square is likely closer/less expensive?).Plus we really want to see a show so being within walking distance for an evening show would likely be best (since we will have to travel back to our hotel at 10pm or so).


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[elaine amj]

We will be in Washington and will hit up a couple of Smithsonians so will likely skip Met/AMNH. While I love museums, my mom is so so about them - she likes them well enough. So many other things we want to do in NYC and so little time!


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[Mariposa]

You can get a 7-day unlimited Metrocard good for all subways & buses for $31. A pretty good deal if you plan on riding the subway a lot ($2.75 a trip). NYC is really safe & there are people about at all hours: I'm completely comfortable taking the subway by myself (one lady) at 1am.

It's pretty easy to take the MTA to LaGuardia from Times Square if you aren't struggling with a bunch of luggage. It would be one subway & a select bus (M60), which makes limited stops.

[kaedwa]

Brooklyn resident here!  Hope you have a great visit to New York.  Here are some recommendations:

--Staten Island Ferry is free and will give you a great view of Statue of Liberty.  Head to the right side of the ferry when you board in Manhattan.  Close by is the sea glass carousel which is $5/ride/person and will make you feel like a kid again, especially when it's lit up at night.

--Walking over Brooklyn bridge (best from Brooklyn to Manhattan) is free, and gorgeous at sunset.

--I personally find the Brooklyn flea overwhelming.  I'd swap that out with a walk in Brooklyn Bridge Park. 

--One idea for the "jazz cafe" is is go to Bemelman's in the Carlyle around 6pm.  Have one very expensive cocktail ($20) each.  It will come with nice snacks.  There's a piano player who plays jazz standards, and gorgeous Madeleine drawings on the walls, and it feels very classic Manhattan.  After 8 or 9 there is a cover, so go early.

--There's a free guided tour of Grand Central Station every Friday afternoon around 12, google for more info.

--TKTS booth has decent deals.  Worth googling for box office rush tickets as well, which are often less expensive.  Some theaters have deals for people under 35 years old (Roundabout has hiptix for example).

I would avoid staying in Times Square if you have the option.  It's very crowded and touristy and really not fun for more than 5 minutes.  You can stay closer to Central Park on the Upper East Side or Upper West Side and still have good transit access.  Or stay downtown, which has great train access.

[Mariposa]

+1 to walking over the Brooklyn bridge if your mom is reasonably fit, and to Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Also recommend the Highline and the Cloisters, though the Cloisters is a bit out of your way for a 3-day trip.

+1 also to getting Hamilton tickets above. Impossible unless you're willing to put down some major $.

[golfreak12]

You can get a 7-day unlimited Metrocard good for all subways & buses for $31. A pretty good deal if you plan on riding the subway a lot ($2.75 a trip). NYC is really safe & there are people about at all hours: I'm completely comfortable taking the subway by myself (one lady) at 1am.

It's pretty easy to take the MTA to LaGuardia from Times Square if you aren't struggling with a bunch of luggage. It would be one subway & a select bus (M60), which makes limited stops.

Do you know if we can use the metro card for transportation from Laguardia Airport to Manhattan ?? I'm trying to find an economical way from Laguardia to Manhattan. Not many luggages.

[Dollar Slice]

LaGuardia is unfortunately a pain in the butt for transit - Newark has trains and JFK has subways but LaGuardia it's only buses and taxis. I believe you can use the Metrocard for the bus, which is the Q70. (See: http://web.mta.info/nyct/service/NewQ70LimitedStopService_brochure.htm ) It will take you to the Jackson Heights subway station in Queens, where you can switch to the subway. Do note that this trip will likely find you hauling your luggage up and down stairs a few times and will not be that fast.

@DollarSlice Are there any jazz clubs with no/very cheap cover? Or even places with live jazz we can enjoy for free while eating a less expensive meal? My mom enjoys jazz but is OK not seeing the best performances. Thank u SO much for including prices in your post. Any possibilities of free or almost free? $20-40pp + food would be an expensive night out for us.

One place I really like is Arturo's at 106 West Houston St. You could share a pizza or maybe appetizer + pasta, and be out of there pretty cheap. And they have free live jazz I think every night (you might want to call and check on times/days that they have music). You might have to ask to be seated in the room with the musicians if you really want to enjoy the music, as you can't hear it that well in some of the other rooms. No cover. I won't say the food is actually CHEAP, but you can get out of there pretty inexpensively if you try (pizza big enough to share = $20ish, pastas starting around $12). The food is not fancy but it's pretty great and a lot of locals go there.

We're comfortable with roaming, but probably not too late at night too far from the hotel since we are two ladies by ourselves. One concern is if the subway costs start adding up too fast (I heard this gets expensive very quickly). We are fine taking buses or Lyft/Uber when practical too.

Subway tips: If you're going to be using them A LOT, you might do the 7-day pass as suggested by someone else. The rule of thumb is if you take the subway more than 13 times, the pass will save you money. In two days, I'd guess that's unlikely.

They sort of secretly soak tourists on the subway system, and I will tell you how to avoid it:
* First, they charge a $1 fee for your "disposable" metrocard. Don't throw it away! They can be easily refilled at the machines.
* Second, you can share a card with your mom to save a dollar if you are always going to be together. One of you goes through, then hand it back to the other to swipe. Perfectly legal and OK.
* Third, they give an 11% bonus on every metrocard you buy/refill over $5.50. This means you leave money on the card all the time because of the odd bonuses (11%? I can only assume 10% made the math too easy). This person has figured out how much to put on the card without ending up with money left over: http://gothamist.com/2015/01/25/metrocard_math_fare_hike.php  Jot those numbers down and if you decide to buy, say, a metrocard with 4 rides on it, you'll know exactly how much money to put on the card without waste.

You can take buses but they will be VERY slow at times (due to bumper to bumper traffic - you could often walk faster than the buses go at rush hour) and at rush hours in midtown they may be too crowded to get on without waiting for several buses to come and go. There's a reason everyone takes the subway even though buses are cheaper! :-)  I do take buses sometimes, but usually only when it's late at night and there's almost no traffic. That said, I've seen traffic jams at midnight... it's a crap shoot.

I am considering switching one night/all mights to a Lower East Side (or elsewhere) hotel but think it might be easier to roam without luggage during the day vs lugging our bags across the city at some point. As I understand, the buses all drop off around the Times Square area. And we fly out of La Guardia (we will likely take a Lyft? So Times Square is likely closer/less expensive?).

You're right, Times Square will be a bit closer to LaGuardia than downtown/village areas. The buses to other cities drop off at 42nd St. at the Port Authority, but local city buses go everywhere in Manhattan.

I wouldn't bother switching hotels mid-stream. You will waste a lot more time doing that than you would just taking the subway from Times Square to other neighborhoods. Getting to Lower East Side or Greenwich Village is 10-15 minutes on the train, no big deal. Remember, people who live here travel between boroughs, up and down Manhattan, all over the place... every single day. You don't have to just stick to one area. Everywhere in lower Manhattan is very safe and fun to explore.

[golfreak12]

Thanks for that. Our first time to NYC too and I booked LaGuardia thinking its the closest airport to NYC but it turned out to be the worst of 3.

[Dollar Slice]

Thanks for that. Our first time to NYC too and I booked LaGuardia thinking its the closest airport to NYC but it turned out to be the worst of 3.

Yeah, no one ever guesses that the most convenient airport to NYC is in New Jersey... :-/

[elaine amj]

@golffreak I am in the same boat! I had to make the decision very quickly and in a quick Google, I thought LGA would be easiest. Wish I had chosen one of the others now...might even have been a wee bit cheaper.


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[kaedwa]

Re: transit from Laguardia, I would take an Uber.  If you're downloading the app for the first time, you'll get $20 or so off, which will make your ride about $20-$30 total.  Landing at Laguardia and being in NY for the first time is stressful.  An extra $20 is well worth it to avoid the stress of finding a bus and figuring out the subway with luggage. 

Use the "share with friends" option on Uber to have your mom download the app as well - then you'll get an extra $15 credit and she'll also get a credit for the ride back to the airport.

[elaine amj]

I can stay anywhere - but the more I think about it, Times Square sounds the most convenient from a luggage perspective. We are taking a bus from Arlington/Washington and those all seem to drop off at Times Square. It will be around rush hour so if we can avoid public transport at arrival, that would be best. Then leaving from LGA (Sunday afternoon so traffic shouldn't be too bad).

On the plus side, I found I can take a subway, then the airport bus to LGA - hopefully that will avoid the construction traffic. Plus - its cheap! And should be doable with hand luggage. We are ruthlessly cutting down our bags. A rolling backpack for me and a rolling carryon for my Mom.

@kaedwa I will be considering uber or lyft. For now, the subway/bus thing sounds pretty good - and less stressful than worrying about traffic with the meter running on the way to the airport!


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[Mariposa]

You can get a 7-day unlimited Metrocard good for all subways & buses for $31. A pretty good deal if you plan on riding the subway a lot ($2.75 a trip). NYC is really safe & there are people about at all hours: I'm completely comfortable taking the subway by myself (one lady) at 1am.

It's pretty easy to take the MTA to LaGuardia from Times Square if you aren't struggling with a bunch of luggage. It would be one subway & a select bus (M60), which makes limited stops.

Do you know if we can use the metro card for transportation from Laguardia Airport to Manhattan ?? I'm trying to find an economical way from Laguardia to Manhattan. Not many luggages.

Yes, you can.

The fastest from LGA to Times Square would be to take the M60 select bus to 125th & Lennox in Manhattan and then 2/3 down to Times Square. You could take the Q70 select to Roosevelt & 74th in Queens and then the 7 train, but that's more stops.

I think the select buses out of LGA are pretty convenient. When flying, I prefer LGA > JFK >> EWR. There's a pretty convenient train from EWR that goes to Penn Station, but it's something like $25 round-trip.

[brooklynmoney]

For food you can literally walk into any pizza by the slice place you see and it will be good.hamilton tix are impossible and probably close to 500 than 50 anyway. If you like food you might want to try Smorgasbutg in BK by the same people that do the flea.

[gp_]

take the subway everywhere, it's the best way to experience all of NYC on a budget. a week long unlimited mta ticket is only $31.

the tenement museum is great. the lower east side (where it's located), has a lot of affordable things. if you keep walking down delancey st. (main street which intersects with allen st. (where the tenement museum is on), you'll hit the bowery which has a lot of good chinese food. many places have 10 dumplings for a few bucks. vanessa's dumplings is really popular (and sometimes really crowded), but you really can't go wrong with most places.

i'd suggest going to DUMBO (a neighborhood) in brooklyn - it's a few stops from the delancey/essex subway stop. you get a pretty incredible view of 2 bridges, manhattan, and it's right on the water.

like many have mentioned, dollar slices are solid.

have fun!

[elaine amj]

Such fabulously useful feedback and tips!!!

Going to dream of Hamilton but won't have my heart set on it. I only thought of it because the lottery tix are only $10 each. Long shot I am sure. Hopefully we will have a much higher chance of $37 (or so) tix for Fiddler on the Roof. Should I plan to be at the box office to wait in line for about 9am (for 10am open)?

DUMBO sounds cool - will fit that in when we go to Brooklyn. Will do Brooklyn Flea Market (it will have moved indoors), DUMBO, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge - prob on the Saturday.

Very excited for the Tenement Museum. If my mom is too tired, she can chill in a nearby cafe or something.

I am sold on the unlimited pass. I plotted out a rough itinerary and at minimum we have about 10-12 trips.


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[elaine amj]

On the list of cheap eats are:
- Halal Guys street food carts (thanks @OneCoolCat!)
- dollar pizza by the slice
- also heard lots about amazing NY bagels so definitely plan on those at least a couple of times!

Will also hunt for websites listing cheap food deals (thanks for the tip @DollarSlice!)

My mom also qualifies for senior deals, so that should help! Plus it is her birthday (the day we leave!) so I can hunt for birthday freebies.

I have various CCs, but unfortunately no press passes.

@golfreak12 I was debating the more luxurious Intercontinental Times Square but I like that the Crowne Plaza Times Square is closer to Central Park and the Broadway theatre we plan to go to plus it has a full service gym (I like the idea of fitting in a free aquafitness class or something - too cheap to pay for classes locally). The best part about your choosing the Hyatt Place are yummy free breakfasts! Even though Park Hyatt is way more luxurious, Hyatt Place will save u way more!


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[projekt]

The fastest from LGA to Times Square would be to take the M60 select bus to 125th & Lennox in Manhattan and then 2/3 down to Times Square. You could take the Q70 select to Roosevelt & 74th in Queens and then the 7 train, but that's more stops.

I thought the fastest way to get from Roosevelt/74th to Times Sq. would be to take the F to 42nd st. and walk a block west, but it's been a while since I was going in and out of Queens.

[Mariposa]

The fastest from LGA to Times Square would be to take the M60 select bus to 125th & Lennox in Manhattan and then 2/3 down to Times Square. You could take the Q70 select to Roosevelt & 74th in Queens and then the 7 train, but that's more stops.

I thought the fastest way to get from Roosevelt/74th to Times Sq. would be to take the F to 42nd st. and walk a block west, but it's been a while since I was going in and out of Queens.

That may be a little faster if the F is running express, but you've got to walk a long block. Still think from LGA to Times Square the M60 and 2/3 is probably best.

[Dollar Slice]

The fastest from LGA to Times Square would be to take the M60 select bus to 125th & Lennox in Manhattan and then 2/3 down to Times Square. You could take the Q70 select to Roosevelt & 74th in Queens and then the 7 train, but that's more stops.

I thought the fastest way to get from Roosevelt/74th to Times Sq. would be to take the F to 42nd st. and walk a block west, but it's been a while since I was going in and out of Queens.

That may be a little faster if the F is running express, but you've got to walk a long block. Still think from LGA to Times Square the M60 and 2/3 is probably best.

If you look up where the OP's hotel is, it's 6 blocks from the 2/3 and very close to the E, which is why I'd probably go with the Q70. Also, Lenox/125th might not be that comfy if you are the kind of person (like the OP) who seems a bit skittish about the city. Not dangerous, but there are a lot more homeless/addicts etc. in this neighborhood than in midtown.

Not sure where the Hyatt Place is that the other person talked about, I can't find one by Rockefeller Center... but if it's by Rockefeller it's also right on the E/F/M trains and not that close to the 2/3.

Probably not a huge difference either way but I guess NYCers love to discuss public transit :-)

[elaine amj]

Did more research in rush tickets and found a cool blog that includes personal experiences submitted by readers!

https://broadwaycrowdsourced.wordpress.com/

Fiddler on the Roof
Policy: General rush, $37, available when the box office opens.
Information submitted: 2 entries, both from fall 2016.
Experience: One person got tickets forty-five minutes before the show; another person got tickets mid-morning. No line.
Location: Mid-rear mezz on the aisle; side orchestra
Updated: September 19, 2016

Hamilton
Policy: Cancellation Line. SRO is also sometimes available.
Information submitted: 3 entries, from weekdays/weekends August 2016.
Experience: First people were in line around 3:00 am; more people started to trickle in around 5:00 am.  Both people arrived between 3:00 – 4:00 am and got tickets. One account had the first people in line at 6:00 am.
Location: These were orchestra, but with a cancellation line, these can be totally random. They do often also sell unclaimed digital lottery seats, but at regular prices (our account said $199.)
Updated: September 7, 2016

I'm definitely not interested in the Hamilton craziness. Will add my name to the lottery for the fun of it (since tix are only $10) but not going to plan on getting to see it.

On the good side, sounds like chances are VERY good to see Fiddler on the Roof!

THRILLED!! I really cannot stomach blowing $60-100+++ per person on a couple of hours of entertainment but consider $30-40 pp pretty reasonable. So glad my plan sounds doable.

We did this when we were with my Mom in London too - got fab seats for Warhorse just a few hours before the show for next to nothing.


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[golfreak12]

The fastest from LGA to Times Square would be to take the M60 select bus to 125th & Lennox in Manhattan and then 2/3 down to Times Square. You could take the Q70 select to Roosevelt & 74th in Queens and then the 7 train, but that's more stops.

I thought the fastest way to get from Roosevelt/74th to Times Sq. would be to take the F to 42nd st. and walk a block west, but it's been a while since I was going in and out of Queens.

That may be a little faster if the F is running express, but you've got to walk a long block. Still think from LGA to Times Square the M60 and 2/3 is probably best.

Not sure where the Hyatt Place is that the other person talked about, I can't find one by Rockefeller Center... but if it's by Rockefeller it's also right on the E/F/M trains and not that close to the 2/3.

Sorry I got all the buildings mixed up. The Hyatt across from the Empire State building.
I think me and the wife will use this service from Laguardia. $28 each for round trip.

[golfreak12]

@golfreak12 I was debating the more luxurious Intercontinental Times Square but I like that the Crowne Plaza Times Square is closer to Central Park and the Broadway theatre we plan to go to plus it has a full service gym (I like the idea of fitting in a free aquafitness class or something - too cheap to pay for classes locally). The best part about your choosing the Hyatt Place are yummy free breakfasts! Even though Park Hyatt is way more luxurious, Hyatt Place will save u way more!

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Yeah the Hyatt place I looked at was $319/night. It was $1847 total for the 5 nights with all the taxes.
I used the option of 10,000 +$125 per night and I ended up using 50K Hyatt points and $735 total so my 50K points was worth more than $1000.
I wouldn't know what to do staying at a super high end place like the Park Hyatt.
We're saving the 4 nights free for something else.

[elaine amj]

Just curious (forgive me as I know u did not ask for opinions) -  what was the main reason u chose not to use the 4 free nights in NYC? At $319/night, the Hyatt Place is pretty spendy - and even with redeeming points, u are still spending $125/night (a typical Hyatt Place is $125-175/night I think). Would this not be a really good redemption for your free nights?

Especially since u don't really care for high end, super expensive hotels? Plus, don't the 4 free nights have to be used within a year?

For me, I found NYC so crazy expensive, even for points redemptions that I was thrilled to be able to use my free night certs there. Plus I have no other major travel plans before they expire - my other option would be to use them on a place I can get for $50/night near me.


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[golfreak12]

I'm glad you asked.
The free Hyatt mights are for any category so it would be somewhat a waste spending it on a category 4($319) vs 6 or 7.($600-$1000/night)
Our 5 year anniversary was coming up in Oct and my plan all along was to go to Hawaii. I signed up me and my wife just to get the 2 free nights each x 2. The problem is she's taking 4 classes this semesters and they are tough classes. Going to Hawaii is like missing almost a day flying back and forth so we would have to spend at least 7-8 days in Hawaii just to make it worth while. With school being in the way, I know she wouldn't be able to relax and just have fun in Hawaii.
With that, our next destination after Hawaii was NYC since neither of us have been there and we both wanted to go there badly. 5 nights require missing only 1 day of school so we settle on that.
Once we decided on NYC, I did thought about using the 4 free nights on numerous Hyatts available in Manhattan but we feel like its a waste since we wouldn't be in the hotels that much VS a Hawaii resort. I came across the Hyatt Place that let me use the points + Cash. After calculations, the 50K points was worth $1000+.
The 4 free nights do not expire until July 2017. We have 2 more chance to use it. Christmas break and Spring Break. We will probably use the 4 free nights during Spring Break to hit Hawaii or one of the Hyatt all inclusive resorts, HYATT ZILARA CANCUN. Those Hyatts are $600+/night. 4 nights at those resorts are worth $2500++ VS $1500 at the Hyatt Place in NYC.
BTW, I see that you are from CANADA. We were just Toronto in August for a week. We enjoyed it a whole lot.

[elaine amj]

4 nights at the Hyatt Zilara Cancun would be the absolute best use of those Hyatt free nights! And I totally understand your reasoning - its exactly how I think too! I much prefer staying in simpler places in busy destinations and nice resorts in a vacation spot.

I had got the Hyatt CC a couple of years back planning to use it at the Hyatt Zilara Cancun too. Had it booked and everything! Unfortunately, DH got a new job and I had to cancel it. We ended up using them at the Cat 4 Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Orlando. Worked out though - rooms were $400/night, we spent 3 full days at the resort (barely leaving the grounds) and a $20/day resort fee gave us full access to canoes/kayaks/aquabikes, pitch n putt golf, tennis courts, rock climbing, gorgeous pool. Loved it!


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[Apostrophe]

I took my wife and kids to NYC this summer, and we flew into LaGuardia, stayed near Times Square, and took the subway everywhere.

Subway - the best way to travel like a local. The unlimited cards for $31 CANNOT be shared between two people. Once you swipe, there is about a 20 minute delay before you can swipe it again (to prevent two people from sharing a card unethically). If you get a regular card for a 'pay per ride' sort of thing, then yes, you can share a card, since each swipe will charge the card for one ride. We bought the unlimited cards, and loved having unlimited access to subways and buses.

Broadway - we used an app called TodayTix (iOs, not sure about other platforms) to check and see who had good deals on tickets. The prices were good, and I highly recommend the experience. Splurge if you can and scrimp elsewhere. It's worth it!

Food - eat from a street cart at least once, eat local as much as you can, and skip the chain restaurants, especially near Times Square. The food is sub-par, the prices are insane, and you may as well be at a strip mall in Omaha. Just don't.

Statue of Liberty - the lines can be long, and the prices will seem expensive. Worth it, though - it's a neat thing to see.

WTC memorial - we didn't pay the $25 per person or so for the museum, but we did see the memorial and we talked to our kids about our experiences that day, watched a couple real-time news broadcasts from that day on youtube, and made it a little personal to them. There is a cheaper memorial/museum across the street which our girls went through and appreciated. I think it was $10 per person.

Have a great time!

There is nothing quite like NYC!

[elaine amj]

Thanks @Apostrophe!

How did u like staying near Times Square? Would u do it again?

I am debating the Statue of Liberty. My mom has asked to see it so now debating if it is "worth it". I do think seeing Ellis Island would be really cool. I don't typically go to tourist attractions simply because it is the thing to do - I like to figure if the time/money/effort is worth it to ME.

I love your suggestion of the other cheaper WTC museum and will consider it.

I did find the TodayTix app and was very impressed. Will try getting rush tix at the box office first and if that doesn't work out, will likely do TodayTix or something similar. I was rather discouraged when I looked up ticket prices a few weeks ago but now with these options, I am pretty sure I will be able to find a show we want to see at a price I am willing to pay.


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[Dollar Slice]

In re: Statue of Liberty - if you don't want to take the time to do the actual full visit/tour, you can see it (somewhat distantly) from Battery Park in Manhattan; or you can go on a boat ride (like the Staten Island Ferry or one of the many boat tours around the island) and get a closer look and take some photos.

I like taking visitors to Battery Park at sunset, you can see the Statue of Liberty and watch the sun set across the water. For free! :-) 

[Apostrophe]

Thanks @Apostrophe!

How did u like staying near Times Square? Would u do it again?

I am debating the Statue of Liberty. My mom has asked to see it so now debating if it is "worth it". I do think seeing Ellis Island would be really cool. I don't typically go to tourist attractions simply because it is the thing to do - I like to figure if the time/money/effort is worth it to ME.

Staying near Times Square was cool. The kids had never been to the city, so they wanted to feel the hustle and bustle of everything. We stayed at an Airbnb at 8th ave and 46th St, and really enjoyed the location. Lots of good food around, and a quieter scene than the hotels right in TS.

Statue of Liberty was a must see for us, and getting out on the water is a really neat way to see the city. I would not skip this. We did not get off the boat to tour Ellis Island or the Statue herself, but the boat ride, the pics we got, and the experience was totally worth it.

[freya]

Skip the Empire State Building and go up to the Top of the Rock (Rockefeller Center) instead.  It costs nothing unless you buy a drink, and the view is better.  St. Patrick's Cathedral and Waldorf Astoria are nearby and worth a look, plus all the swanky stores like Bergdorf Goodman and the enormous Apple Store on 59th/Central Park South.  From there you can stroll right into Central Park.

As an alternative to the subway, you might want to consider the hop on/hop off tourist buses, especially if one of you might not be able to pound the pavement all day.  There's nothing that can ruin a trip to NYC faster than sore feet, and most non-NYCers aren't used to all that walking.  The subway has been a real disaster lately, with trains sitting in tunnels for hours, unannounced stretches with no trains running, and randomly closed stations.  Fortunately the city buses are fairly reliable though, and you don't have to walk as far to get to a stop.  I suggest the tourist bus for day one, and city buses thereafter.  If you do use the subway for long hauls, e.g. Times Square to Battery Park, check the MTA service alert page first.  Don't just assume that a train is running, especially on weekends.

[mb196]

I second "DCA" who suggested M60 bus to subway.   From LGA to Manhattan you can take the M60 bus puts you in the city in 40 minutes.  From there, you can transfer to the subway, but you must have your MetroCard for the transfers to be free.   Absolutely, purchase the weekly card.

Central Park is a world in itself and you can do separate walks on a daily basis and never be bored of it.  Check out the calendar on Central Park Conservancy.  They always have interesting walks and they are all free:

Central Park Conservancy
www.centralparknyc.org | Follow: @centralparknyc | Like: facebook.com/centralparknyc

The choices for Jazz noted above by "Dollar Slice" are all very good.  For FREE options, check out the following two:

NYU School of Music  and  Columbia University Manhattan School of Music (http://www.msmnyc.edu/Instruction-Faculty/Programs/Master-Classes)

For less expensive than downtown, check out these Jazz venues in Harlem:

Minton, Cecil and Ginny's Supper Club.  These last two offer dinner and a performance (hence Supper Club)
Bill's Place on 133rd Street is also good. 
If you don't want to go to Harlem, try Smoke Jazz Club on Broadway and 106th street


My Best Places for quick and inexpesive food:
- Mamoun's Falafel - 119 MacDougal St New York, NY
- Little Italy Market on Arthur Avenue.  Go all the way in the back to Mike's Deli.
- Little Italy in Manhattan (Mulberry Street) is also very good but will be double the price.
- Zabar’s 80th Street and Broadway
- Dinosaur Bar-B-Que” at 700 W 125th St, New York, NY 10027 - (212) 694-1777.  This place is by the new Harlem Piers with amazing views.

Queens also has great/affordable food.  You need to plan to get there via subway.

Make an effort to visit the New York Historical Society and see their film about New York.  It is one of the best films I have seen in my entire life.  An excellent depiction of the history and geography of NYC.  You’ll be talking about it for ages.

http://www.nyhistory.org/visit/destination-film

Admission is pay-as-you-wish from 6-8 pm on Fridays, which to me reads 1 dollar.

The Metropolitam Museum of Art and American Museum of Natural History are both suggested donation, again hand them a dollar for two people.  The way I see it, you'll spend so much money elsewhere, save what you can on these two.

If you have time, please try the following:  Take the subway all the way downtown and walk the Brooklyn Bridge, visit the 9/11 museum and got to Battery Park and take the free Ferry to Staten Island.  It departs every 10 minutes and will give you the best views of NYC.  From Battery Park, take the subway to Chinatown and have a hectic but tasty lunch at Joe’s Shanghai (joeshanghairestaurants.com). Don’t be flustered when you’re hurriedly seated at a community table and asked to order.  Service is very quick.

You can find big-city elegance at Grand Central (grandcentralterminal.com). Its Beaux-Arts style architecture is a treat.  If possible, have drinks at the Campbell Apartment within Grand Central.  Plenty of food choices in the lower level of the station.  Finish up with a late-night elevator ride to the top of the Empire State Building (esbnyc.com), which is open till 2 a.m.

For a trendier and modern take on Manhattan’s single scene, check out the roof top bar http://www.skyroomnyc.com/

Send me a private message if you'd like additional info about any of these.

Regards,
Me

p.s.:  Remember this at all times, for the Real New York, get out of Times Square.

[I'm a red panda]

I recommend visiting Broadwayforbrokepeople.com  They have links to all the online lotteries. Some you need to enter the week before your trip, but most you enter the morning of the show. 

Maybe I have good luck, but I tend to get a show 3 or 4 nights of a 5 day trip, and rarely spend more than $40 for it.  I find TKTS too expensive, but you can get discounts there too.  If there is something you have to see TheatreMania often has sale codes you can use online.  The chances of seeing Hamilton on a budget are near zero, so I'd look for something else...

Book of Mormon standing room only has been my absolute favorite score; but you have to get in line for that. The change to online lotteries has really made me happy! I used to have to run from work to make it in time to enter lotteries!

Broadway is the only thing I do in NYC, so I have no other tips. 

[JoJo]

I haven't had good luck with the TKTS booth (1/2 price tickets).  They will always sell only the best seat available (not the originally cheap seats) resulting in prices that are well above your budget.  I've been in NY for business on off days (Sun, Tues) looking for tickets.  Last time there were 2 shows I was interested in and prices were $63 and $90 and another time there was a play I really wanted to see and the ticket was $87.  It was a really good seat, but I found out later I could have gotten a regular price worse seat for a bit less. 

[elaine amj]

  JoJo: From what I have seen, getting rush tickets at the box office on the day of will be my best bet.


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[elaine amj]

The recommendations on here have been the absolute best I have found anywhere from a fun/value perspective! Thank u all soooo much!

Another question - one of my Mom's requests was the Empire State Building. But she is ok with an alternative. I looked at Top of the Rock and its all crazy. I simply won't pay $25-35 to go to the top of a tower.

I saw a suggestion for a lounge at the Rockefeller. But the drinks are supposedly $15-20 each. I don't even have any interest in drinking. Any other less expensive options with a nice view? I'd prefer food to drinks - happy hour specials would be ideal.

I do have a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge in my plans so maybe that will suffice for the view.


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[LateToTheParty]

Great tips. Posting to follow. We are headed there in June for a fancypants Central Park wedding.

[lithotomist]

A great place for a solid night of Jazz is Smalls https://www.smallslive.com/  Its a basement club near Washington Square Park in the Village.  Its a flat $20 cover for the night, first come first served.  Free pretzels too :)

[pbnj]

Posting to follow.  Tentative trip planned in April with 14yr old son.  Such great tips from everyone!

Don't mean to highjack the thread but does the MTA pass cover subway and bus or are they 2 separate?

[Dollar Slice]

Don't mean to highjack the thread but does the MTA pass cover subway and bus or are they 2 separate?

MTA pass covers subway and regular buses. It does not (IIRC) cover express buses. And it doesn't cover commuter type trains like Metro-North, LIRR, PATH, etc. or the AirTrain at JFK.

[brooklynmoney]

Free amazing views can be found in many midtown and downtown offices if you know anyone who works in a normal office building with a view you can get in for free. -
Alas I have none to offer at this time but maybe someone else does.

[Mariposa]

Don't mean to highjack the thread but does the MTA pass cover subway and bus or are they 2 separate?

MTA pass covers subway and regular buses. It does not (IIRC) cover express buses. And it doesn't cover commuter type trains like Metro-North, LIRR, PATH, etc. or the AirTrain at JFK.

Yep. MTA pass also covers select buses, such as the ones out of LGA (M60, Q70). Express buses (different from select buses) are $6.50, but most tourists probably won't need those.

[Dollar Slice]

Free amazing views can be found in many midtown and downtown offices if you know anyone who works in a normal office building with a view you can get in for free. -
Alas I have none to offer at this time but maybe someone else does.

I have an outstanding view of a 10th floor brick wall right by Penn Station ;-)

My rooftop view at home is better but I'm not quite to where I'd be inviting total strangers to my home just so they can save a few bucks.

[JoJo]

Don't mean to highjack the thread but does the MTA pass cover subway and bus or are they 2 separate?

MTA pass covers subway and regular buses. It does not (IIRC) cover express buses. And it doesn't cover commuter type trains like Metro-North, LIRR, PATH, etc. or the AirTrain at JFK.

Correction - I have the MTA metrocard and it most certainly includes the AirTrain at JFK.

[Dollar Slice]

Don't mean to highjack the thread but does the MTA pass cover subway and bus or are they 2 separate?

MTA pass covers subway and regular buses. It does not (IIRC) cover express buses. And it doesn't cover commuter type trains like Metro-North, LIRR, PATH, etc. or the AirTrain at JFK.

Correction - I have the MTA metrocard and it most certainly includes the AirTrain at JFK.

The 7-day and 30-day pass does not cover AirTrain. Copied from MTA site:

7-Day Unlimited Pass
Cost: $31, reduced fare $15.50
Good for unlimited subway and local bus rides until midnight, 7 days from day of first use.
Note: PATH, AirTrain, and Express buses do not accept 7- and 30-Day Unlimited Ride MetroCard.

30-Day Unlimited Ride MetroCard
Cost: $116.50, reduced fare $58.25
Good for unlimited subway and local bus rides until midnight, 30 days from day of first use. This card is protected against loss or theft when purchased at a vending machine with a credit or debit/ATM card.
Note: PATH, AirTrain, and Express buses do not accept 7- and 30-Day Unlimited Ride MetroCard.

I wouldn't call a pay-per-use MetroCard a "pass," but I guess that is just semantics... to clarify for pbnj: the unlimited ride passes for 7 or 30 days cover subway and bus but not the extras I mentioned. A card that you load up with money and pay per ride will indeed cover subway, bus, and AirTrain. But the AirTrain costs extra and is not like a regular subway-to-subway connection where you transfer free.