» New York: Cheap or Expensive?

March 26, 2009

New York: Cheap or Expensive?

It is possible to travel to New York on a budget if you plan carefully. While New York is one of the most expensive cities in the world to live in, travelers who make decisions ahead of time, alone or with the aid of a travel agent, can find a way to stay in the city inexpensively and still enjoy themselves.

Cheap airline tickets to New York are relatively easy to find, because there are so many airports that service New York City. Between Kennedy Airport, Laguardia Airport, Newark Airport, and even flights into Philly and Newburgh that are within reason. That means there are five airports in the area to choose from when buying plane tickets, and lots of discount airlines who fly into them. Check out JetBlue and AirTran, among others, for discounted flights at certain times of the year.

Once you’ve got your cheap plane tickets, use a New York travel guide in order to find out tips on where you can stay inexpensively. You can stay in one of the outer boroughs and use public transportation (Brooklyn and Queens are your best bet for these). An alternative is to stay in New Jersey right across the river and take the PATH train, which is like a subway. Believe it or not, New Jersey hotels near the PATH line are closer to midtown Manhattan than hotels in downtown Manhattan.

Eating in New York is possible on the cheap as well. While restaurants in Manhattan are certainly among the most expensive in the world, there are less expensive restaurants in the outer boroughs that still offer a fine dining experience. As an alternative, you can make your big meal out be lunch and picnic for dinner or eat at one of the large delis with salad bars, which are one of the best sources of bargain meals in the city.

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