Although New York may seem like a dauntingly expensive city to visit, it’s entirely possible to take in Manhattan on a budget. With a number of free things to do, delicious cheap eats to be found, and plenty of reasonably priced hotels to choose from, you can convince your clients to enjoy a well-rounded visit that won’t break their bank.
If your clients are visiting Manhattan during the warmer months (June through September), there are plenty of low-cost outdoor activities to enjoy. A bike rental at Central Park will only cost them a few dollars, and the High Line, one of New York’s most popular free attractions, provides a restful nature break above the buzzing West Side. There are of course tours that you can offer to your clients that are located at or around the High Line. Your clients can climb up to what was once a set of abandoned freight-train tracks and stroll along what is now a ‘park in the sky’ thanks to a decade of planning and restoration.
Tip
If they rather stay indoors, have them check out the Metropolitan Museum of Art and suggest the ever popular Skip-the-Line Access or the Renegade Tour of the American Museum of Natural History or the Skip-the-Line Access to the Guggenheim.
Transit
While a guided tour of NYC from the water such as the Statue of Liberty Express Cruise is a great way to see some of the major landmarks (and a lot of the city skyline), your clients can also hop on the Staten Island Ferry for free. The hour-long “commute” offers beautiful views of Manhattan’s southern tip, Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.
Although Manhattan is known for its yellow taxis, it takes a true traveler to navigate the city’s subway and public transit system. In addition to costing less than a cab, riding the subway with a MetroCard will show your clients a slice of the Big Apple they wouldn’t otherwise see—and they will also become much more familiar with the city than if they were driven around it
Stay
Centrally located in NYC’s burgeoning NoMad neighborhood, the boutique Life Hotel, located in the 1893 building that once housed LIFE Magazine, has small but renovated and affordable rooms that pay homage to the building’s heritage with wrought-iron bed frames and brass fixtures.
Other economical options include ONE UN New York, with its prime views of the Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building, and The Leon in Lower Manhattan, known for its convenient location next to the Manhattan Bridge. Solo travelers who simply want to drop their things and go might like Pod 51 in Midtown. For more budget hotels and great deals, try hopping on the subway over to Brooklyn to stay at Hotel Le Bleu or The Brooklyn.
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