Budget travel tips for visiting New York

New York can often be an expensive place to visit but it’s not all designer shopping and expensive days out; there are still ways to save money and some great things to do for free.

The main cost for staying in New York is always going to be accommodation; the average night in a hotel can be anything from $250 upwards, which can take a huge bite out of your budget. Try staying in the less trendy areas of Manhattan, such as East Midtown, which are still fairly central but not as popular with tourists. The Tudor Hotel on New York’s East side has 300 well appointed guest rooms and suites in a central location, with great views of the city as well as hYou could also venture further out of the city to Brooklyn, Queens and even hop across the Hudson River, to New Jersey. As long as you don’t mind the longer transportation times, you can save yourself a fair amount of money.igh speed internet, a restaurant , fitness centre and business centre.

You could also venture further out of the city to Brooklyn, Queens and even hop across the Hudson River, to New Jersey. As long as you don’t mind the longer transportation times, you can save yourself a fair amount of money.

Seeing all of the sights in New York City can soon add up but the city also has some great things to do for free. For the best views of the city hop on the Staten Island Ferry, it might seem like a simple suggestion but there are few better ways to get a great view of the city, the round trip is free and takes about an hour. One of New York’s greatest historical sights, Trinity Church, offers free one hour classical performances every Thursday at 1pm.

Free guided tours are often a great way to see some of New York’s most famous sights, such as the Grand Central Station, the Chrysler Building and Times Square, without having to shell out a dime. The "Crossroads of the World" tour leaves from Times Square and takes you on a tour of some of the neighbourhood's most notable theatres historic buildings and churches.

You can also take a free tour of the Grand Central Station, led by historian Justin Ferate; you will get an insider’s view of the iconic train station as well exploring other historical buildings, notably the Chrysler Building and The News Building. Seeing a theatre show in New York is usually one of the highlights but can be quite pricey. However, it is possible to get 40-50 percent off ticket prices for select shows. The TKTS stand in Times Square offers such tickets, but you will have to turn up on the day to see what the shows are although it’s usually a good selection and worth the hour-or-so wait in the queue.

Spend a day in Central Park for a great, relaxing day out. It will likely be on your list of things to see so make sure you see it all; there are lots of walks, you can picnic on the Great Lawn, people watch as people zoom past on rollerskates, bikes and even horses. During the summer you will also find free public art performances and concerts.

New York has some of the best museums in the world, and you will find that you can see some of these absolutely free. The Museum of American Folk Art is free, the Cooper-Hewitt National Museum of Design is free on Tuesday evenings, The Whitney Museum of American Art is free on Fridays, the Guggenheim has suggested donations after 5pm on Fridays, The Metropolitan Museum of Art is free, with a suggested donation of $20, and the Museum of Modern Art is free after 4pm on Fridays.

There are plenty of free and also cheap activities to do whilst in New York City and the best part is that some of them are likely to be on your list of things to do and see so take advantage and see as much as you can of the Big Apple, without breaking the bank.