Want to take a trip to New York City but don't want to spend a lot of money? Check out this list of 13 things to do in New York City for under $25.
1. Walk the High Line
Take a stroll through the West Side
of the city. The High Line runs from 34th street to Gansevoort
Street. There are many different gardens, outlooks and passages to take in the wonderful
sight of the city. You can even grab a bite to eat at Chelsea Market which is
right off of the High Line.
2. Picnic in Central Park
The best thing about picnics is you can choose how much you wish to spend. Pack a lunch from home or grab something to-go from somewhere in the city. Grab a bunch of friends, bring a big blanket, fun outside games and enjoy the weather! Nothing is more relaxing than a day in the park with your friends!
3. Bryant Park
Bryant Park is one of the best places to go to in New York City for fun free activities. There is always some free activity happening in Bryant Park. They often have free movie nights, free yoga in the park, free dancing in the park and many more free activities. My personal favorite is Broadway in Bryant Park. Every Thursday in July & August at lunchtime, performers from four different Broadway shows come and perform in the park for free. Each week is a different group of four shows. You bring a chair out into the lawn and sit and watch the performances. It’s a great way to get a look at what’s on Broadway right now and enjoy some free music in the park. Click here for a list of events happening in Bryant Park.
4. Governors Island
For only $2 you could take a ferry
to Governers Island. Governers’ Island is a small island located in the New
York Harbor. On the Island are different exhibitions and sightseeing locations
including an attraction called “the Hills” where you could get a full view of
the entire harbor and the Statue of Liberty. If you get hungry on the island,
you can hit the food section which is filled with many different food stands
and food trucks. You can also rent a bike ranging from $15-$25 and bike around
the island. My favorite thing to do at Governors Island is just sit on a bench
overlooking the Manhattan skyline and relax.
5. Go to a Baseball Game
Both New York professional
baseball teams have discounted tickets for students with a high school or
college ID. The Mets have tickets for $10 when you go to the box office the
morning of the game and show them your ID. The Yankees give all students and
teachers with a .edu or .gov email 25% off ticket prices which start as low as
$15. As the Mets say, “you’re guaranteed to have a heck of a day!”
6. Visit Museums
There are a large number of museums located all throughout New York City that you could visit for $25 or less. Some museums also even have a “pay what you wish” entry later in the night during off hours. Click here for a list of New York City museums and entry prices.
7. Take a Dance Class
Love to dance or are feeling adventurous and want to try something new? Take a dance class in the city! There are many different studios that offer drop in classes. Broadway Dance Center is one of the places to go for dance classes. It is located on 45th street between 7th and 8th avenue. They offer classes in a wide range of styles from ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, theater and many more. They also offer yoga and vocal technique classes as well. If you have never taken a class before, they have basic level classes that are made just for beginners. Levels range from Basic to Advanced. No matter what your experience level is, there is a class for you. A single drop in class is only $20. Click here for Broadway Dance Center's daily class schedule.
8. Visit Brooklyn
Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge! You could also go to Willamsburg, Brooklyn and explore the delicious food options around town. There is also a park along the water called Bushwick Inlet where you could sit on rocks looking at the Manhattan skyline. It is a beautiful place to go to watch the sunset and it's free.
9. Hit the sweet treats
The city is filled with sweet
spots! Research and find an awesome candy store to stop by. The most famous one
is Dylan’s Candy Bar. You could also hit the Hersey store and the M&M store
in Times Square. If you’re looking for cookies to satisfy your sweet tooth, try
Schmackary’s Cookies on 45th street between 7th and 8th
avenue. They have a variety of huge delicious cookies for $2.75 each.
10. See a show
Whether you like comedy shows, musicals or plays, you could easily catch a show for under $25. There are many comedy clubs and improv theaters around the city where they do shows every weekend. Some of the best experiences I have had in the city were at improv shows and I only paid $10 for my tickets. Lincoln Center also has very cheap tickets to operas or shows that take place there. Keep your eye out and always look for deals because you could also even catch Off-Broadway shows for under $25 with certain deals.
11. Explore small coffee shops
If you have some free time to waste and don’t want to spend a lot of money, go explore small “hole in the wall” coffee shops and find your favorite. Grab a cup of coffee, sit, relax, and read a book or write in a journal. It is one of the best ways to relax among the craziness of the streets of NYC. If you’re looking for somewhere to start, I suggest Frisson Espresso on 47th street between 8th and 9th or Coffee Bean on the corner of 49th and Broadway. Both shops have a very warm, quiet environment.
12. See a taping of a late night show
Tickets for taping of late night
shows are free. You have to apply for tickets previously online and will be
notified if you end up getting tickets. If you don’t get into the actual
taping, you might get into the monologue rehearsal where you go into the
studio and the host comes out and tries out their monologue for that night’s
show to an audience to see what jokes work and what don’t. Keep trying for
tickets if you don’t get them the first time. This is a laugh until you cry experience
that is not to be passed up!
13. Karaoke
If you’re over 21 and are looking for a great time, you could never go wrong with Karaoke. Karaoke is always cheap in the city. Some places even have rooms that you could rent with friends for as cheap as $4 per person. So that way you could be as silly as you want without worrying about strangers judging you. Get a group of friends together and have unlimited karaoke fun!
