Visiting New York on a budget – 6 Things to do in New York for free or little money
New York for free? Sounds too good to be true. I mean, we all know that city trips cost a fortune. And New York is no exception. What if I told you there are heaps of things to do in New York that cost little to no money? Perfect, if you are visiting New York on a budget. Or if you want to keep some spare change for that shopping spree.
OK, without further ado, let’s dive straight into it. I’ll share with you 6 things that you can do in New York for free or for very little money. Yes, some might require a little planning. Surely that’s a little price to pay to get the most out of your trip when visiting New York on a budget.
Walk Brooklyn Bridge
As the oldest of the bridges, Brooklyn Bridge spans the East River and connects Manhattan and Brooklyn. At just under 500m, Brooklyn Bridge was the longest suspension bridge at the time. Nowadays it just about stays in the Top 10, even nearby Williamsburg Bridge being marginally longer.
Explore Central Park
Actually, Central Park should be on your itinerary, regardless of whether you visit New York on a budget or not. There are loads of things to do and see in Central Park, other than just going for a walk.
New York for free: Take the Aerial Tramway to Roosevelt Island
Roosevelt Island is a small island in the middle of the East River, spanning approximately from East 48th Street to East 85th Street.
What is there to see on Roosevelt Island?
You can just go for a walk on Roosevelt Island. It offers you great views of the Manhattan Skyline, from a rather unusual angle.
Nowadays around 10.000 people actually live on Roosevelt Island. So, it is a fully functioning little community, complete with cafes, a few shops and restaurants.
Visiting New York on a budget: Staten Island Ferry
Another thing to do in New York for free is riding the Staten Island Ferry. The Staten Island Ferry is a passenger ferry connecting the southern end of Manhattan Island with Staten Island. It is running 24/7. The actual ferry ride takes around 20-25 minutes and ferries depart every 15 to 30 minutes, depending the time of day
As you cross the bay, the ferry will pass the Statue of Liberty, offering you a view of this New York landmark absolutely for free.
Arriving at Staten Island, you can go for a little walk along the seafront until you get to the ‘Staten Island September 11th Memorial’. Which in itself is quite a beautiful memorial. And it offers you a magnificent view of Manhattan from across the water.
Free Museum Days
New York has some of the greatest museums in the world: MoMA, Guggenheim, Met. Unfortunately, most of those come with a rather hefty price tag. But with a bit of planning, you might be able to visit some of them completely for free.
