VISITING NYC ON A BUDGET

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Friend,

New York is definitely a vibe. I am literally on the flight from NYC writing this post because I just couldn’t wait. I wanted to get the biggest bang for my buck because it was a last minute trip, and I didn’t have much time to plan for it. New York is one of the most visited states and it can be easy to overspend, so I devised a post to share with you to get you better equipped before your trip. Since my trip was so complex, I’ll section this post up so that it’s easier to digest.

WHAT TO PACK

• Comfortable shoes:

You’re gonna be walking….A lot! If you’re planning to wear heels at all on your trip, bring a bag that will carry your heels, wear your sneakers/flats in transit there, and put your heels on at the venue.

• Layered clothes:

Depending on what time of year you are traveling, NY weather can be a bit brutal. Be prepared to check the weather ahead of time and be prepared to layer up. It’s easier to take layers off than to not have enough layers on and freeze.

• Headphones:

There will be a lot of Ubering and walking, if you like music, pop one headphone in one ear and listen to your favorite music to distract you from your aching feet from walking.

• Cash:

Some eateries and shops only take cash. Avoid paying ATM fees and get enough cash from your bank before traveling.

• Fanny pack or small backpack:

Traveling and sight seeing is much easier when your hands are free. Be sure to keep an eye on your carrying case of choice as much as possible. It is common to be pickpocketed there. I personally travelled with my friend and had her walk behind me so that we would always have a set of eyes on our belongings. She wore a fanny pack so that her belongings were in sight in front of her.

BUDGETING WHILE IN NY

• Take the subway:

This is probably the cheapest way of travel depending on your destination. Just be sure to know which stop you need to get off.

• Uber Pool:

This option tends to be cheaper than regular Uber. It is essentially a carpool. Be mindful that with this option, it may take a little longer to get to your destination, but nevertheless, it’s cheaper. My friend and I wore Uber Pool out during our stay!!!

• Eat local, it’s cheap:

Look for places that advertise low prices. My friend and I only went to one expensive restaurant the entire trip, and it was only because they had what we both wanted. She wanted sushi and I wanted Ramen.

• Walk:

Get out and explore. If you are staying in NYC and not the outskirts, then you are most likely going to be in walking distance to most of the attractions. We stayed at Pod 39 and saved so much money just by exploring via walking.

NYC ATTRACTIONS WE VISITED

• Rosè Mansion:

A wine tasting experience that has photo ops for days! Each room takes you into a different era in time. This was my favorite stop from my entire trip in NYC.

Grand Central Terminal.

This was a subway terminal that had a lot to see. We saw live performances and great visuals.

• Chinatown:

This is the hub to shop ’til you drop! You can get all your knockoff fashion here (lol). I won’t go into much detail on that, but you can definitely rack up on souvenirs and goodies here affordably.

•Times Square: There is almost always and act going on here. Check out the official Times Square page for specific dates and times. You never know, you may stumble across something you really may want to see.

Hotels
We stayed at Pod 39 which was in NYC and was in great proximity to the attractions we wanted to see. I was drawn to this hotel because of its visuals. If you follow me on Instagram, you know about my colorventures (Follow me to see what that even means). Pod 39 has so many things that I love: graffiti, a hippie-styled lounge, a rooftop bar, and dope visuals. The rooftop bar was perfect because you could see the beautiful New York skyline. The bar had no cover charge to get in because we were already paying guests at the hotel. We took the elevator to the top floor, showed our room key, and wa-la: free entry no questions asked.

BEFORE YOU TRAVEL

• Prepare to walk a lot

• Make yourself a bucket list of what you want to do while you are there.

This is one reason why my friend and I came back home being dog tired……I may or may not have loaded us down with things to do…..but ultimately, we were both grateful because we were able to get a fuller experience of New York. We could have gone down there and just winged it….wung it?….went with the flow…but we more than likely would have came back home and discovered missed opportunities. Definitely try to get a good experience while you are there that you cannot otherwise have in your current home state.

WHAT TO AVOID IN NEW YORK

• DO NOT Take your eyes off of your belongings

• DO NOT reveal that you are not from there

• Try not to look like a tourist.

Not to scare you but, while you are looking up at the skyline, you just may get pickpocketed at the same time. Also, you always have to be aware of sex trafficking and people taking advantage of your lack of knowledge of the area.

• Don’t try to be cute, there will be a lot of walking. Almost anywhere in New York that you go, you will have to walk. Whether it is walking to a more convenient location for your Uber pickup, or just walking to your venue, prepare to be on the move. I would advise that you don’t wear heels as much as possible, unless your transportation is dropping you off right in front of the venue. One alternative is to wear walking shoes and bring heels with you in a bag (my friend and I did this which was clutch when we went to Rosè Mansion).

TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS

• Subway
• Uber
• Lyft
• Taxi
• Bus
• Shuttle

NIGHT LIFE

We went to two rooftop parties…. In one night (lol). Anywho… One was at our hotel, and the other was at Hudson’s Terrace. Hudson’s Terrace was more our speed, but the one at our hotel was definitely nicer visually. Hudson’s was enclosed and the hotel was open. My suggestion for night life is to plan ahead. I personally love using Eventbrite to see what is going on and where. I was able to get us onto 4 guest lists (I love to be over prepared, don’t judge me) for free. The drawback was that we had to get there by a certain time. We ended up getting on the DJ’s VIP list with bottle service and a booth. It…. Was…..LITTTT!!! Unfortunately, the first person’s guest lists we were on, was not even at the club when we got there so we ended up having to pay a cover, but the doorman worked a deal where we would be a part of another girls birthday party booth, which was clutch. This party was by far one of my favorite highlights of the trip. They really knew how to deck us out and party!!