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Cheap+Fun things to do in NYC

  • ohiobucks1
    I am going from Thursday - Sunday and want to know some cheap (baller on a budget) fun things to do in the city!


    Thanks in advance to anybody answering.






    Reps for all quality answers ;)
  • justincredible
    Leave NYC? :)

    I've never been but I doubt there is much that will be cheap. Enjoy your trip!
  • Automatik
    Ehh cheap and NYC is pretty much unheard of, but there are things to do. I can't find the link right now, but I saw an article that listed the best free things to do in NYC. I'll post if I can find it later.

    Are you going with a lady? Go to central park one day, "Sheep's Meadow", the massive field in the middle. Bring food, wine, etc. Chill and take in the sites.

    The post is kind of vague...what are you aiming to do? Eat out? Party like a fool? Site seeing?
  • ohiobucks1
    When I say cheap, I mean cheap for NY standards.


    Also, I really don't care what I do, just want to take NYC in... Food is unimportant I will figure that one out myself... Sorry for being so vague, but I am interested in literally anything NYC has to offer especially site seeing
  • karen lotz
    go to central park and people watch.
  • Automatik
    Found it
    http://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/new-york-city/travel-tips-and-articles/76493
    Another that came up.
    http://www.timeout.com/newyork/things-to-do/free-things-to-do-in-new-york-city-1

    I may be checking out the Brooklyn Brewery this weekend. I've never been, but I've heard good things. Also I'd recommend the High Line park. It's a cool area and it also goes over the Standard Beer Garden, which is a nice place to grab a beer, not cheap though. $8 for a pint and $15 for a double in a massive stein.
  • bigkahuna
    We went on a budget last year. If you're into historical stuff, make the trip over to the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island. There's nothing to do on the statue unless you get head tickets. However, there are a TON of things to see in the Ellis Island museum. We spent well over an hour there and it didn't cost anything over the price of the ferry ticket, which was $15 I THINK.

    The nice thing about New York City is that some of the more iconic things are free. Rockefeller Center, Central Park, the NYC Public Library, NYSE... are all things just hanging around.

    I forget exactly how to do it, but you can get last minute tickets for Broadway shows in Time Square that are dirt cheap. If you/the lady friend are into shopping on a budget, Century 21 is a pretty cool mall with higher end designer stuff for pretty cheap.

    http://www.ohiochatter.com/forum/showthread.php?24572-My-experience-in-New-York-City

    There's a link to the thread I posted about my trip last year. As you'll see, we spent $2,000 for our trip. We went Thursday,Friday,Saturday as well. Keep in mind, $300 of that was for pre-order Broadway, so they were pretty pricey.
  • Automatik
    9/11 Memorial is also free. You book a time spot online. I'm sure it will be slammed this weekend, but you might have a shot. I have friends visiting and just spoke with one today. He just checked and said there were spots available. I've heard security is tight could take a bit of time...compare it to airport security. Everyone I've talked to said its awesome and a must see. I plan on hitting it up eventually, one night at sunset.
  • wildcats20
    Hookers?
  • derek bomar
    Stay the hell away from Times Square. It's lame. You can shop in Ohio.

    Go to McSorleys before it get's busy and get a light/dark beer - that's your only option. Oldest bar in the city.
    Check out Central Park and people watch (mentioned above)
    Eat some pizza/hot dogs.
    The Staten Island ferry is pretty cheap and runs you right by the Statue of Liberty. Also, check out Ellis Island if you can.
    It's not cheap, but you should check out a play.
    There are ton of really cool bars, but it's not like you're gonna find $2 draft night, so be prepared to spend some cash when you booze.
  • OSH
    NYRB?
  • hasbeen
    wildcats20;1177980 wrote:Hookers?
    FIRST thing I thought of.
  • Manhattan Buckeye
    Cheap bar = Rudy's.

    http://www.rudysbarnyc.com/

    Very cheap beer and free hot dogs.
  • said_aouita
  • Devils Advocate
    bigkahuna;1177970 wrote:K. There's nothing to do on the statue unless you get head tickets.
    If you talked nice to her, you would not need to purchase a ticket.;)
  • martyirish
    Take the Staten Island Ferry, it's free and goes by the statue of Liberty.
    Go into Brooklyn and walk across the Brooklyn bridge into Manhattan.
    Go into Central Park and spend some time at Strawberry fields.
    Hang out at times square.
    All these things are free.
    What I like to do in Brooklyn before walking across the bridge is eat at Gramaldi's pizza (on Fulton Ave.) then walk one block to the pier and have some brooklyn ice cream before the walk. very tasty.
  • Raw Dawgin' it
    wildcats20;1177980 wrote:Hookers?
    lol what kind of Aids ridden trash do you buy?
  • Crimson streak
    martyirish;1178498 wrote:Take the Staten Island Ferry, it's free and goes by the statue of Liberty.
    Go into Brooklyn and walk across the Brooklyn bridge into Manhattan.
    Go into Central Park and spend some time at Strawberry fields.
    Hang out at times square.
    All these things are free.
    What I like to do in Brooklyn before walking across the bridge is eat at Gramaldi's pizza (on Fulton Ave.) then walk one block to the pier and have some brooklyn ice cream before the walk. very tasty.

    +1 on gramaldi's. I also like ray's too.
  • bigkahuna
    The ferry for The Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island was only $13/person. I thought it was worth it because of all the cool things at Ellis Island in the Immigration Museum.
  • Scarlet_Buckeye
    I spent an entire summer living in NYC. I hated it at the time, but looking back on it, you really do have the world at your finger tips. There's so much to do; so many sights to see.

    My favorite place to go (by far) was Central Park. There's always a ton of people there and it really is a nice break-away from reality.

    Being a boater, my 2nd favorite thing to do in NYC was ride the Staten Island Ferry - it's actually a free ride too (or at least it was when I was there -- I looked it up for you, and yes, it is still free). I literally would ride the Ferry back & forth just simply to get on the water and feel the cool breeze (it also didn't hurt that you get pretty close to the Statue of Liberty, so you get to check that out when most of those "Tours" to do the same thing are ungodly overpriced and horrendous long hour waits.

    Another "free" thing to do is to go to NYC Metropolitan Museum of Art. Perhaps the best kept secret is that the Met is actually "free." Yes, free. They advertise ridiculous admission prices, but if you look closely, they are entirely recommended prices. Because the Met is funded by the state, you can technically pay whatever you want to get in. So... technically you can "donate" $5 and receive admission as opposed to spending the recommended $25 admission fee.

    It's not "free," but I do recommend going to the top of the Empire State Building. Why? Because you really do get a great view (especially on a clear day) of the entire NYC skyline. Don't fall for those guys advertising that you can "skip the long line" and "take a helicopter ride." You don't want to do that. Bide your time and you will be up to the top in no time. Besides... once you get up there, you want to take your time and take in all the sights. You do not want to be rushed or scooted out of there because it's time for the helicopter to grab a new set of tours, right? (NOTE: At the time I was in NYC, the World Trade Center Memorial was in it's infancy. There was really nothing to see. The fences 15 ft high and you really couldn't see anything (at least worth-while). By now, things have likely changed, so it might be worth-while to swing by over there and check out what the Memorial has to offer.)

    I know this one is going to sound stupid / cheesy, but... seriously... ride the NYC subway. It smells and it's dirty, and you'll see some interesting characters, but really... it builds character. I promise you will come away with a deep appreciation for just how spectacular the NYC subway system truly is, and how impressive the whole "underground" (under the city and all it's buildings) truly is. (It's also a great way -- perhaps even the best, in terms of cheapest -- way to get around the city. Sure cabs are faster, but you will end up paying MUCH more if you rely on cabs, as opposed to learning & getting around the subways.

    If you have even the SLIGHTEST sweet tooth, you MUST go to Magnolia Bakery. I PROMISE you they will have the best tasting cupcakes you have ever had in the world (or at least that I've had). They are a little pricey (I wanna say $4 per cupcake or so; but that's because they are THAT good and it is a famous bakery), but the frosting is simply to die for. You might ride a sugar buzz the rest of the day, but I promise you it will be worth every penny for those 5 minutes of indulging in it.

    One of my favorite restaurants that we went to (granted it has sentimental value) was La Caverna. It's a little pricey, but it has a really great ambiance and some pretty tasty good food.

    A nice "snack" and something that is definitely cheap & affordable, yet EXTREMELY delicious is Pommes Frites' fries & sauces. I kid you not, you are going to think, "What can be so special about fries?" but trust me... go there and you will see. They literally have EVERY kind of sauce you can imagine and it's a nice "break" / snack to stop and eat some delicious fries with amazing sauces. It's right in the middle of Hippy Town/Village, so it would be a great excuse to see some of the culture NYC has to provide. DEFINITELY recommend this place.

    I know it's going to sound cheesy, but seriously... take one night and go see Times Square. It kinda is impressive and just a fun / touristy thing to do. Again... it won't cost you any money other than the transportation to get there. I would recommend doing this at night so you can see all of the bright lights. It truly is breathtaking (at least for me it was).

    Finally, I never saw a Broadway show (and like I said, I spent an entire summer living in NYC), but I really wish I would have. This is definitely one thing I truly regret. I wish I would have just forked out the money and gone-and-seen one. Not quite sure what's playing out there now, but I definitely wish I would have caught the Lion King (or even Phantom of the Opera, again) out there.

    Other "cool" things to check out...
    Hope this helps.
  • Automatik
    I recently went to Pommes Frites for the first time. I got the Poutine.....it might be the GOAT drunk food.

    I find it funny that people actually ride the Staten Island Ferry for the hell of it. I have friends there so I ride it every now and then. It doesn't get that close to the statue, but I suppose you could get an ok photo. People watching is always good on there. I've seen some of the craziest people on that boat.

    The Frying Pan is also a nice food/drinking spot. I always recommend this to people when the weather gets nice. It's in Chelsea, on the end of w. 26th st on the water. A few old boats docked and strung together. It's got a nice vibe and one of my favorite day drinking spots. Also, always full of dime pieces.
  • hasbeen
    Raw Dawgin' it;1178501 wrote:lol what kind of Aids ridden trash do you buy?
    I believe the cheap kind.