Taking a bite of the Big Apple has great potential to take a big bite out of your bank account as well, but for the savvy traveller there’s no shortage of ways to explore this thrilling metropolis on a budget. Here are a few ideas that provide a bang without a buck.
Take a boat ride into the harbour
What better introduction to the famed skyline than from the city’s surrounding waters? While there’s no lack of pricey sailing options, the Staten Island Ferry offers a boat ride that cuts across New York Harbor for free.
Although its technical purpose is providing a commuter service between Staten Island and Manhattan, this journey offers striking views of the skyline from an open deck. Also included is a fairly close encounter with New York’s leading lady, the Statue of Liberty, so you can snap photos of her without pushing through throngs of tourists.
The ferries depart in 30 minute intervals for a voyage that lasts 20 minutes. There’s nothing like a fresh sea breeze to cool you off on one of New York’s infamously humid summer days.
Trade chaos for calm with a West Village neighbourhood stroll
There’s nothing like wandering aimlessly to absorb local atmosphere, and whether you’re visiting with a backdrop of springtime blossoms or autumn foliage, the West Village is an idyllic district to navigate.
Don’t expect any skyscrapers in one of New York’s oldest quarters. Instead, you’ll find low rise colonial architecture characterised by fancy townhouses and ivy covered brick. Even some cobblestone streets remain, recalling a previous era when horses and carriages were the closest thing to a traffic jam.
A counterculture mecca a few decades back, the West Village is quite posh now, but still dotted with quirky coffeehouses and funky boutiques. It’s rare that something isn’t filming here, so if you wander the side streets you may even bump heads with a camera crew. In fact, you can pose for a picture outside of the Friends house on the corner of Grove and Bedford Streets or the façade of Sex and the City‘s Carrie Bradshaw’s apartment at 64 Perry Street.
Tour a world renowned beer brewery
Calling all beer lovers! Maybe you’re already familiar with the Brooklyn Brewery brand, a local-gone-global tipple that began as a microbrewery amidst a wasteland of derelict warehouses in the 1980s. Fast forward a few decades and it’s now the focal point of a gentrified, scene-conscious Williamsburg. The facility offers cheap tours daily, but if you visit on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon they’re free.
This is quite a popular attraction, so come prepared to queue a bit. However, the 30 minute tours are well worth it. Enthusiastic guides will walk you through the fermentation process, show you the brew tanks, and narrate the brewery’s history.
The tour concludes in a tasting room with numerous beers on tap, including seasonal specialties. While the booze ain’t free, you may cheekily ask the bartender for some small samples, though it pays to purchase a drink token. The tasting room embraces a friendly beer garden atmosphere that encourages an afternoon of socialising.
Stroll along a sky-high garden
In a city often referred to as a concrete jungle, pragmatic planners thought outside the box to create additional green space. The High Line is a former industrial railway that was rescued after years of abandonment and reinvented into a pathway of urban gardens.
Elevated above street level, you’ll get a sensation that you’re drifting through the city as taxis speed beneath you. The southern end hosts meticulously manicured greenery while weeds roam wild in the northern end, providing a glimpse of how nature reclaimed this structure. On display between are art installations and some of Manhattan’s most innovative architecture, new and old, creating a photographer’s dream. Bonus points for the ability to walk thirty city blocks without having to stop for traffic.
The High Line isn’t a park in the most traditional sense, so if you feel like sprawling out in a grassy field then perhaps you can arrange a picnic more uptown in – you guessed it – Central Park. Travelling in August? Don’t miss out on the city’s Summer Streets initiative.
Enjoy wine and cheese while gallery hopping
Art aficionados need not shell out hefty museum fees to experience some of the city’s finest contemporary art. Close to the High Line, there’s a cluster of blocks crammed to the brim with over a hundred art galleries. Between 10th and 11th Avenues in West Chelsea, you can circumnavigate these galleries to observe museum quality exhibitions without spending a single dollar.
This includes famed behemoths like the David Zwirner Gallery, which rotates established modern artists in its huge, airy space, or the Gagosian Gallery with its acclaimed showcase of buzzy international artists.
It gets even better between 6 and 8pm on a Thursday. Many galleries host opening receptions for their latest shows in this slot, with an animated crowd and complimentary hors d’oeuvres. Throwing back several glasses of free Merlot and munching on handfuls of provolone cheese cubes seems far more cultured in a gallery, right? Even if art doesn’t excite you, the scene and grub certainly will.
Listen to live music in a historical jazz den
New York has always pioneered the music scene, breaking new trends and attracting the world’s leading acts to play at its many venues. More challenging is finding a spot to regularly enjoy live music for free. Arthur’s Tavern is one of the oldest continuously operating bars in the city and offers live jazz music without a cover charge.
Honestly, the tavern itself is small and dingy and the staff are notoriously rude, so the real appeal here is the irresistible music that will be luring you in from the street. Depending on when you visit, you may encounter a brass band pumping out 60’s hits, or the popular Grove Street Stompers performing authentic jazz. Regardless, the music compliments the bygone dive joint atmosphere. Seating is usually elbow-to-elbow, but that’s part of the charm. Be open to making some new pals!
Greenwich Village actually hosts several jazz clubs, and while the rest charge an entry fee in the evening, some allow you to attend their less lively afternoon sets for free, such as 55 Bar or Smalls.
Dance above an illuminated skyline
Any visit to the city that never sleeps requires some nightlife, and luckily one of the city’s “it-spots” offers free entry. Atop the Meatpacking District’s stylish Standard Hotel is Le Bain, a rooftop club featuring whimsical décor, on-the-pulse electronic DJ’s, and a panoramic view of Downtown that smacks you in the face.
There’s a slight vibe of elitism here, but this attractive crowd is more likely to sport a well-fitted t-shirt than a blazer. During the night’s peak hours it’s more challenging to get past the bouncer, but as long as you’re patient, polite, and dress the part (think chic, but casual) there should be no issue. A more rewarding plan is to arrive early and plop down on one of the oversized waterbeds that offer a chill session and a prime view to watch the Hudson River sunset.
If Brooklyn is more your scene, head to Williamsburg’s boutique hotel The Wythe and take the elevator to their über-cool roof bar with free entry, The Ides.
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