Free New York: How to Save Money While Traveling

Here are some useful tips to help you avoid unnecessary spending in New York:

Happy Hours

It is possible to eat cheaply in New York! Every day, from around 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (or from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.), many bars and cafes offer special prices on their menus (so-called "happy hours"). This is a great way to enjoy a tasty snack, and sometimes even a full dinner, at a minimal price.

Here are a few places that offer Happy Hours:

• Vinatería — daily, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Italian and Spanish cuisine.
• Sanfords — daily from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Here you can try delicious oysters.
• The Highwater — Monday through Friday, from 1:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Cocktail bar with light cuisine.
• Bella Union — Tuesdays from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Be sure to try the local burgers here.
• Dante West Village — daily from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. This establishment once received the "Best Bar in the World" award.

Shopping in New York

Shopping in the Big Apple is not cheap. Prices in regular brand stores are not particularly budget-friendly, and discounts and sales are not as frequent as one would like. However, there is a solution! In Manhattan and Brooklyn, you can find large outlet stores such as JC Penney, Century 21, Marshalls, and Target with a wide selection of clothing from global brands and really good discounts.

The shopping process is extremely simple: go to the store's website, find the item you want, check its availability, and if it's in stock, come and pick it up. That's it!

City and public transport

Of course, traveling around the city by taxi is more convenient and faster, but this method of transportation will quickly eat up your budget. It is better to buy a Metrocard and use the subway and buses. And don't forget to walk — not only will you save money, but you may also stumble upon places you would have missed if you had traveled exclusively by public transport.

Or, conversely, by not using the subway, you would miss the chance to experience the true aesthetics of New York. Interesting architecture, old photographs, schoolchildren's paintings, musical attractions — this is all part of the New York subway.

For reference: you can buy a pass at any subway station, tourist office, store, or kiosk.

NY City Pass

A proven way to save money is to purchase a city pass. With it, you will have free (or almost free) access to the city's main attractions, plus a sightseeing bus tour.

You can find out more and purchase a card here.

You can book a hotel in New York with a discount of up to 65% on the website.

New York can rightly be considered the museum capital of the world, and the fact that many of them are free to visit only adds to its popularity with tourists. New York museums can be divided into three types:

Free — no admission fee. Examples include:

• The Bronx Museum of the Arts, which permanently exhibits works of contemporary art. It also hosts exhibitions by contemporary conceptual sculptors and artists.
• The Latin American Community — a museum and library dedicated to Spanish, Portuguese, and Latin American culture and art. In addition to paintings, there are sculptures, photographs, textiles, archaeological finds, and other historical curiosities on display.
• Nicholas Roerich Museum. About 200 works by the famous philosopher fill the three floors of this former residence, along with various artifacts he brought back from his numerous travels.

Museums with recommended donations ( optional admission fee, any small contribution is required):

• The Brooklyn Museum of Art is one of the largest in New York. It has a rich collection of exhibits on Egyptian culture and history. Here you can trace the entire history of art from ancient times to the present day. Admission is completely free on the first Saturday of every month.
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art is a must-see for all visitors to New York, even if you are not particularly interested in art. The huge collection is regularly updated and provides a complete overview of the history of art from around the world: from ancient China, Greece, and Egypt to contemporary art up to about World War II.
• The Studio Museum in Harlem is dedicated to the art of African-American artists, both local and foreign, as well as art related in some way to Black culture and history. The collection consists of works from the 19th and 20th centuries, as well as photographs by James Van Der Zee, the legendary photographer of the Harlem Renaissance. Admission is free on Sundays.
• Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden. This area on Staten Island was once used as a home for retired sailors. Now it is a large cultural center that hosts exhibitions and concerts and has nine botanical gardens! While there is a fee to visit the exhibitions and concerts, you can walk around the complex and botanical gardens for free.

Museums that are free on certain days (free or recommended admission at certain times on certain days of the week). Among the most interesting are:

• The Society of Illustrators. The collection features more than 2,000 works by American illustration stars, as well as temporary exhibitions dedicated to graphics and illustrations from different eras and peoples.
• . The museum is entirely dedicated to American art. The exhibition features about 21,000 works by more than 3,000 artists: paintings, sculptures, and installations from the 20th and 21st centuries in various styles (modernism, socialist realism, abstract expressionism, pop art, minimalism, and others).
• The Guggenheim Museum. A magnificent art museum.

You don't have to be a millionaire to have a good time in New York. The city offers a wide variety of interesting activities that won't cost you a penny.

• Chelsea Galleries

Most of New York's galleries are concentrated in the Chelsea neighborhood. This is where the city's artistic and bohemian life is in full swing. All galleries are free to enter, and if you are lucky enough to attend an exhibition opening (usually on Thursdays), you can enjoy free wine and cheese.

For more information, visit the website.

• High Line

Once upon a time, a railway ran through this area, but today, a park has been built in its place, connecting the city's warehouses and Chelsea galleries. The park offers a beautiful view of the Hudson River, hurried pedestrians, and the hustle and bustle of the city, which seems infinitely distant from a height of 10 meters. The park also hosts entertainment events and exhibitions.

• Boating

Don't miss the chance to see New York from the water and have an unforgettable adventure at the same time! Free kayaks can be picked up at public piers such as the Boathouse Center in Downtown and the Long Island Community in Queens.

• Summer outdoor concerts

A paradise for music lovers in New York begins in the warm season when summer stages open in city parks. For example, SummerStage in Central Park regularly hosts free concerts and open-air festivals. Cultural life is also in full swing in Prospect Park, Brooklyn. Throughout the summer, the Celebrate Brooklyn! festival hosts free concerts, film screenings, and dance shows.

• Open-air cinema

Do you like to spend your evenings watching your favorite movies? Then you should definitely check out one of the free movie screenings held in open-air parks. They show everything from art house films to popular blockbusters. Screenings usually start at 8:30 p.m. Here's a secret: the most popular place for movie lovers is Bryant Park, where mass screenings are held every Monday evening. You can also watch movies on Mondays at Coney Island (right by the sea), on Tuesdays on the roof of the Bronx Terminal Market, on Wednesdays in Hudson River Park and MacArthur Park, on Thursdays in Brooklyn Bridge Park, and on Saturdays on Roosevelt Island.