A comprehensive guide to touring the Big Apple on a Small Budget
Enjoying the Big Apple’s biggest attractions can be expensive. However, buying a seven-day unlimited-ride, USD30 MetroCard on New York’s subway system opens up a world of free experiences. The subway is an attraction in itself and you will inevitably spend much of your vacation time checking out routes and ducking in and out of the various stations, armed with a MetroCard and a copy of the iconic subway map. Here’s 10 of the best free NYC activities.
1. TAKE THE HIGH ROAD – The High Line
This once abandoned and unsightly stretch of elevated railroad track was transformed in 2009 into a snaking haven of green, suspended nine metres above the ground, to connect the Meatpacking District with Chelsea’s market and art galleries. From wonderful views of the Hudson River to lush gardens, art installations and sculptures, this shining example of urban renewal is full of hidden moments and perspectives. Architecture fans will love looking down 18th Street, and up on 17th and 30th Streets there are steel cut-outs framing the scenes below. After experiencing this unmissable free attraction, explore Chelsea’s nearby art galleries situated mainly around 21st to 24th Streets and 10th to 11th Avenues, and time your visit for wine-and-cheese openings on Thursday evenings. Metro Station: 14th Street – 8th Avenue
2. A WALK IN THE PARK – Central Park
It doesn’t take a brilliant travel mind to tell you that it’s free to visit most parks, but then, New York’s Central Park is no ordinary park. This 340-hectare swathe of green is jam-packed with free events, points of interest, familiar scenes from the movies and some of the world’s best people-watching. It would be easy to spend your entire vacation here, but some top picks to get you started include a visit to Strawberry Fields, a tranquil garden created by Yoko Ono in memory of John Lennon, catching a free Shakespeare in the Park production at the Delacorte Theater during July or August, picnicking in Sheep Meadow, strolling the Literary Walk or watching performers at the ornate Bethesda terrace and fountain. Metro Station: 57th Street – 7th Avenue
3. RIGHT ON TRACK – Grand Central Terminal
Go back in time to a bygone era of train travel and romance by visiting New York’s most stunning beaux arts building – Grand Central Terminal. A few facts about this architectural gem: it opened its doors at midnight on 2 February 1913, the terminal has 44 platforms and 67 tracks, Andy Warhol held an underground party on the Waldorf platform in 1965, 750,000 visitors pass through daily and the vaulted ceiling of the main concourse is decorated with twinkling constellations. A free guided tour run by the Municipal Arts Society begins at 12.30pm every Wednesday at the information booth on the main concourse. Metro Station: Grand Central – 42nd Street
4. LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL – Times Square
Where Broadway meets Seventh Avenue, better known as Times Square, is quintessential NYC – pulsating lights, larger-than-life billboards, yellow cans, Elvis impersonators, showbiz glitz and bustling souvenir stores. According to a recent survey, Times Square is one of the world’s most-visited tourist attractions. For the full effect of the dazzling section of neon lights north of 42nd Street, visit when the sun goes down and get carried along in the frenzied and energised atmosphere. Metro Station: Times Square – 42nd Street
5. NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM – Museum of Modern Art
The Museum of Modern Art, also known as MoMA, showcases arguably the most comprehensive collection of modern masterpieces on the planet including classics such as Van Gogh’s Starry Night, Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup Cans and Jackson Pollock’s One. Although the usual cost is USD25 for adults; it’s free every Friday between 4pm and 8pm. Whether you have one hour or four fours to visit the galleries, it helps to have a plan. If it’s a short visit, concentrate on a specific exhibition in depth. If you have more time, you can endeavour to explore the MoMA from top to bottom, pick up a free mobile device, see a film or stroll through the Sculpture Garden. Metro Station: 53rd Street – Fifth Avenue
6. WHO PAYS THE FERRYMAN? – Staten Island Ferry
Every Big Apple visitor wants to see the Statue of Liberty, but with cruise tours of New York Harbour costing almost as much as a seven-day MetroCard, for a free alternative, join commuters on the Staten Island Ferry to enjoy spectacular vistas of Manhattan skyline and glimpses of Ellis Island, Governors Island and the Statue of Liberty. After leaving the southern tip of Manhattan’s financial district, the ferry takes about 25 minutes to make the eight-kilometre crossing to Staten Island, where most visitors simply hop back on for the return journey to experience more city skyscraper views that are even more dramatic. Metro Station: South Ferry
7. SYMBOLS OF HOPE – 9/11 Memorial
Designed by Michael Arad and Peter Walker and titled Reflecting Absence, the 9/11 memorial features two stunning waterfalls and reflecting pools, each about 500 metres square and set within the footprints of the original twin towers of the World Trade Center. Bronze panels frame the pool with the names of those who died in the terrorist attacks. When the entire site is complete, the surrounding plaza will include more than 400 swamp white oak trees, plus a museum (currently under construction) to provide a place of reflection and contemplation for visitors from across the country and around the world. Reserve a free 9/11 Memorial pass at 911Memorial.org. Metro Station: Rector Street or Cortlandt Street
8. EXPLORING THE BURBS – Greenwich Village
Simply exploring on of New York’s diverse range of neighbourhoods on foot is a satisfying experience which doesn’t cost more than a bit of shoe leather. With its leafy lanes, cobbled corners, a bohemian atmosphere and those movie-familiar townhouses, Greenwich Village is the most walker-friendly of them all. Begin your walkabout at Washington Square Park, where street savvy chess-players hustle for a game and street performers put on a show by the fountain where Bob Dylan sand his first folk songs. A few blocks to the north at 48 W 11th Street, is where Oscar Wilde lived in 1882 and across to the west at 90 Bedford Street is a TV landmark; the apartment block and fictitious home of the cast of Friends. Metro Station: W4th Street – Washington Square
9. A BRIDGE TOO FAR – Brooklyn Bridge
Built entirely from granite and completed in 1873, the Brooklyn Bridge with its distinctive pointed arches is one of those iconic landmarks that makes New York, New York. Strolling the 1,600-metre span of this graceful bridge that links Manhattan with Brooklyn is a rite of passage for New Yorkers and visitors alike. Well recommended is to first take the subway to High Street Station on the Brooklyn side and walk back across the bridge towards Manhattan. Early evening in good light can be particularly atmospheric; the shifting perspectives of Manhattan’s skyscrapers seen through the intricate struts of the bridge are a dream come true for creative photographers. Metro Station: High Street
10. NYC BY THE SEA – Coney Island
Combine a great day out with getting maximum MetroCard value by taking the hour-long ride to Coney Island which sprang to prominence as a working class seaside resort at the turn of the 20th century. In recent years it has experienced something of a revival, attracting New Yorkers who come to sample Nathan’s legendary hotdogs (the hot dog was invented here in 1867), enjoy a cold beer at Ruby’s bar or experience the amusement park rides. Other activities to keep your dollars firmly in the wallet; stroll the boardwalk, catch some rays on the beach, or take a dip in the Atlantic Ocean. Metro Station: Coney Island – Stillwell Avenue
