New York (USA not Lincs) - Cheapest way
Discussion
For accommodation have a look at NY POD Hotels. Should be around $200 per night.
For flights - July to NY return should be from £500 and upwards depending on where you are flying from.
As for costs there - any city in the world can be done an a budget if you pay attention and avoid obvious tourist traps etc.
Good luck.
For flights - July to NY return should be from £500 and upwards depending on where you are flying from.
As for costs there - any city in the world can be done an a budget if you pay attention and avoid obvious tourist traps etc.
Good luck.
New York in July is HOT. If you must go then try and be there for the 4th of July so you can get to see the Macys fireworks.
Flights are not that expensive in July but everything else pretty much is. Look on BA holidays for flight and hotel packages as you get a better rate when doing that.
There are ways of making it cheaper when you are there. Dont bother with a cab from the airport if you land at JFk, airtrain and LIRR into Penn or Grandcentral cost us $12 last year.
Get a metro card or us Omny on your phone for the subway $2.50 per ride or maybe thats gone up this year.
Stay as central as you can afford. Midtown is good, Time sq area if you dont mind the noise.
Food can be done on the cheap, can still get $1 pizza slices.
Flights are not that expensive in July but everything else pretty much is. Look on BA holidays for flight and hotel packages as you get a better rate when doing that.
There are ways of making it cheaper when you are there. Dont bother with a cab from the airport if you land at JFk, airtrain and LIRR into Penn or Grandcentral cost us $12 last year.
Get a metro card or us Omny on your phone for the subway $2.50 per ride or maybe thats gone up this year.
Stay as central as you can afford. Midtown is good, Time sq area if you dont mind the noise.
Food can be done on the cheap, can still get $1 pizza slices.
I definitely would try Airbnb - just had a quick look and a few in Manhattan for under £200 per night which then is far cheaper than what I could see on Booking.com. I would say though I have never used Airbnb abroad but am sure with the same due diligence it would be ok. Maybe a gamble worth exploring?
As for flights - I have recently booked Heathrow to Chicago and LA to Heathrow (not sure how much this helps) - found SkyScanner to be far the best - actually through World Air Fares - great customer service when I needed to clarify something and actually gave me seat allocation for free on the way out (no idea how much that should have been - I have not looked for fear of being disappointed!!).
As for flights - I have recently booked Heathrow to Chicago and LA to Heathrow (not sure how much this helps) - found SkyScanner to be far the best - actually through World Air Fares - great customer service when I needed to clarify something and actually gave me seat allocation for free on the way out (no idea how much that should have been - I have not looked for fear of being disappointed!!).
Be aware up front that an $8 happy hour pint is really an $11 pint by the time the tax and tip have been added.
Oh, and it isn't even a pint either!
Lots of flights direct from London, cheaper to fly from there than other UK airports, not sure where you are located. Beware that most flights now seem to include only a carry-on bag, with it being the norm to charge £60 or more each way to take a checked piece of luggage.
It will likely be very hot and very smelly, but it's a great place to spend four days. Having spent many months there, four days seems perfect, actually.
Oh, and it isn't even a pint either!
Lots of flights direct from London, cheaper to fly from there than other UK airports, not sure where you are located. Beware that most flights now seem to include only a carry-on bag, with it being the norm to charge £60 or more each way to take a checked piece of luggage.
It will likely be very hot and very smelly, but it's a great place to spend four days. Having spent many months there, four days seems perfect, actually.
As someone who finds themselves in NYC often for work the one thing it is not is cheap. The biggest difference is food, the Pret opposite my office, sandwich, crisps and can of drink = $21. Luckily I claim back the costs but I actually feel guilty now when I submit all the receipts. The only cheaper thing there is the subway / rail that seems cheaper than London however it's rubbish.
It can be done cheaply, ish
Alot of the sights are free, central park, Flatiron, times square and walking random neighborhoods (one of the best yet little done thing to do)!
Pick top of the rock at sunset for the one and only skyscraper experience, you see central park before sunset then witness an awesome sight on the other side looking over the whole of Manhattan.
Food, can be done cheaply, there are places that give you free pizza and hot dog for every drink you have, 1 or 2 USD pizzas are actually pretty good for the money, Korean chicken wings will work out about 20usd for 2 people (exc drinks) ramen is only about 15/20 USD each , lots of street meat at reasonable prices, bodegas are great for a large sandwich at not too bad price (15usd ish, but they are normally large) tacos at los tacos no 1 will get you 3 very tasty tacos for about 12bucks
drinking is also possible, hit the dive cash only bars, just as fun experience as a cocktail bar, just different.
Basically stay away from tourist areas to eat and drink, walk the lower eastside its a lot cheaper, more fun and no tourists!!
Splurge on one or 2 of your must sees (like top of Rock, boat trip around the island, 1 fancy restaurant, 1 fancy cocktail/ speakeasy place)
So yes, NY can be bloody expensive, paying 150usd for a meal for 2 without a dessert and one drink each is pretty much the norm, at least, but there is a way to do cheaper, and in my opinion, its probably a more fun and authentic way to do it
Alot of the sights are free, central park, Flatiron, times square and walking random neighborhoods (one of the best yet little done thing to do)!
Pick top of the rock at sunset for the one and only skyscraper experience, you see central park before sunset then witness an awesome sight on the other side looking over the whole of Manhattan.
Food, can be done cheaply, there are places that give you free pizza and hot dog for every drink you have, 1 or 2 USD pizzas are actually pretty good for the money, Korean chicken wings will work out about 20usd for 2 people (exc drinks) ramen is only about 15/20 USD each , lots of street meat at reasonable prices, bodegas are great for a large sandwich at not too bad price (15usd ish, but they are normally large) tacos at los tacos no 1 will get you 3 very tasty tacos for about 12bucks
drinking is also possible, hit the dive cash only bars, just as fun experience as a cocktail bar, just different.
Basically stay away from tourist areas to eat and drink, walk the lower eastside its a lot cheaper, more fun and no tourists!!
Splurge on one or 2 of your must sees (like top of Rock, boat trip around the island, 1 fancy restaurant, 1 fancy cocktail/ speakeasy place)
So yes, NY can be bloody expensive, paying 150usd for a meal for 2 without a dessert and one drink each is pretty much the norm, at least, but there is a way to do cheaper, and in my opinion, its probably a more fun and authentic way to do it
Edited by satans worm on Friday 16th February 14:11
BA or Virgin do flight/hotel combos that can be reasonable even for Manhatten hotels. Cheaper still to stay further out but then you have to factor time and cost getting into town everyday.
Food can be cheap(ish). Find bagel shops and cafes down random side streets which can be reasonable. Pizza places are all over and can be cheap (avoid the chains - New Yorkers take their pizza seriously so there's no need to over pay)
Top attractions can be very expensive but there's still plenty to do that doesn't cost much so restrict yourselves to one or two attractions. Empire State is £££ and will take you an hour or two max. Statue of Liberty tour will also cost but you can spend all day there and will include Ellis Island so much more bang for your buck.
One of the best things about NY is that you can just wander around and it still feels familiar as you've seen so much of it on TV in various shows so download a walking tour and that's a free day just there.
Subway is pretty cheap and uses contactless so no need for cabs.
NY can be ruinlessly expensive but needent be.Just think like a local. After all, all those workers need to have lunch somewhere and they ain't paying tourist prices so do not be afraid to ask a copper where he eats for instance (we found an excellent little cafe type place that way, rough as s
t but good food).
Food can be cheap(ish). Find bagel shops and cafes down random side streets which can be reasonable. Pizza places are all over and can be cheap (avoid the chains - New Yorkers take their pizza seriously so there's no need to over pay)
Top attractions can be very expensive but there's still plenty to do that doesn't cost much so restrict yourselves to one or two attractions. Empire State is £££ and will take you an hour or two max. Statue of Liberty tour will also cost but you can spend all day there and will include Ellis Island so much more bang for your buck.
One of the best things about NY is that you can just wander around and it still feels familiar as you've seen so much of it on TV in various shows so download a walking tour and that's a free day just there.
Subway is pretty cheap and uses contactless so no need for cabs.
NY can be ruinlessly expensive but needent be.Just think like a local. After all, all those workers need to have lunch somewhere and they ain't paying tourist prices so do not be afraid to ask a copper where he eats for instance (we found an excellent little cafe type place that way, rough as s
t but good food).Gassing Station | Holidays & Travel | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff