<p>I’m a student heading to NYC for a week in August, and am looking for advice about how much to budget. I have a rough estimate but i just wanted to see what CC’ers say I plan to stay for 7 nights and will be looking at cheap accommodation, probably hostel, so if anyone has specific recommendations that would be great. </p>
<p>Other than that, how much should i budget for food per day? how much is a typical broadway ticket? I plan to do all the touristy stuff as it is my first time in NY. What would you say is an appropriate estimate for a week’s activities?</p>
<p>Check out the YMCA for a place to stay - it’s somewhere in the 60’s and around Central Park West. </p>
<p>Also, whenever I travel I also stay in hostels, I use hostelworld.com for reviews. I would do searches on the web specifically to make sure whatever place you are staying in does not have a bedbug problem. It seems like in most big cities, there are at least as few hostels that have that issue.</p>
<p>Many of the museums in NYC only require a donation or a small fee. Walking around neighborhoods particularly Canal Street area, and other areas downtown, is also free, and lots to see. </p>
<p>The links above posted by happymomof1 are great for finding discount BWAY tickets. If you are currently a student you can also go straight to some of the box office’s at the theatres with your student ID to see if they have a student rush/ student ticket price.</p>
<p>So… if you are able to find a hostel with beads for $35 - $65 per night… that comes to $245 - 455 for the week… plus $30 for the metro card.</p>
<p>The variables are what do you want to see while you are there, and how what do you want to eat. If you stick with yogurt, fruit, etc… that you can buy at a bodega for breakfast and/ or lunch… maybe sometimes pizza or a sandwich for lunch that should be pretty reasonable, and leave you a little more for dinner. It might also be wise to make lunch the meal you eat at a sit down restaurant (if you are looking for that experience), since lunch is generally less expensive… and then just grab a snack at dinner time. There are a lot of “Salad bars” in NYC that are pretty reasonable if you choose the right items. They change by the pound, so you want to avoid “heavier” foods, and only take what you know you will eat. [Top</a> Five Salad Bars](<a href=“http://nymag.com/nymetro/arts/columns/topfive/n_8785/]Top”>Top Five Salad Bars - Nymag)</p>
<p>Alcohol is generally more expensive in NYC… so, you will want to add to your budget if you plan to drink out. </p>
<p>Generally speaking if you do want to eat out in sit down restaurants and bars, avoid Times Square at all costs. Go over to 8th avenue and either up or downtown from there. Avoid big chain restaurants, frequent local bodegas, bars, and smaller restaurants. Most places in NYC put their menu out, so you can see prices and selections. Food Trucks may also be a less expensive options – [New</a> York City food trucks: a new way to bite the Big Apple - travel tips and articles - Lonely Planet](<a href=“http://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/new-york-city/travel-tips-and-articles/77726]New”>New York City Travel Stories - Lonely Planet)</p>
<p>Many Broadway shows and also Lincoln Center events have rush tickets for students. You do have to arrive and get on line early as rush tickets are limited and are generally distributed at 4 or 5 PM day of performance for that night’s performance.</p>
<p>Hostels can work but as an alternative see Airbnb.com under private room or shared room. Since everything is linked by MTA subways You can stay in the central neighborhoods tourists enjoy, or consider some lower cost options outside manhattan in the boroughs of Brooklyn or queens such as Williamsburg, park slope, prospect heights or astoria. Although your day will begin with a 20 min train into manhattan its all linked by the same METRO card for $2.50 per ride. Always check other guests’ reviews on Airbnb. Also look in manhattan neighborhoods near the City University of New York (Hamilton heights, Washington heights, or Inwood) to sleep if some students are listing places in their apartments; also can be in central manhattan using express subways in 10 min flat.</p>
<p>Use hopstop.com to analyze the time it takes from one address to another. They break out walk time v train time which is quite helpful. </p>
<p>Broadway is really worth an experience. But as an additional evening of theater look up what is available for off-off-broadway. This phrase is not about location; it means there are 100 seats or fewer, shows run only 3 weeks, and ticket costs range from 12 to 18 dollars. It might be in a small theater space or seated on gym bleachers but these are of similar scope as the fringe festival, but are available year round in NYC. If you research the synopsis on theater.com or hit upon some of the more established independent troupes such as Flux or Gideon Productions, you will find a satisfying evening of theater for the price of movie.</p>
<p>Live standup comedy is another kind of entertainment that can be accessible if you are cautious on the drinking budget. Do your research first on the acts as they can be raunchy re language, themes beforehand. </p>
<p>In August you might find a summer festival by some of the great music or dance institutions of NYC with prices more affordable than during the regular year.</p>
<p>Some museums have one free evening so look into that.</p>
<p>I agree the summer street festivals are terrific.</p>
<p>A word of caution about renting a room in NYC. It is generally illegal to rent a room or an entire apt in NYC. I cannot recall the specifics, but do recall that almost all rentals of fewer than 30 days are illegal. You would have no recourse if the ‘landlord’ were to renege on your agreement.</p>
<p>A judge recently ruled that air bnb rentals violate the law against short term (under 30 day) rentals. This is to protect housing stock for NYC residents as well as safety. VRBO and homeaway also generally violate this restriction. In addition there have been multiple reported scams where a tourist arrives to find either no apartment or one vastly misrepresented. I recommend the tripadvisor website. Post with your dates and nightly budget and some knowledgable posters can help. There have been some evictions of illegal hostels as well.
In addition to TKTS and student rush, broadwaybox.com offers discounted tickets that you can either pre purchase or print off the offer and they will honor at the box office. Summer is often a time for free shows in Central Park as well.</p>
<p>Regarding museums some have a posted “suggested” admission. If you just say “for one” you’ll be charged that fee. If you confidently state what your budgeted donation is, they will simply honor that. I also recommend stops at Grand Central Terminal and the NY Public Library.</p>
<p>The legal hostels in Manhatten are YMCA Vanderbilt, YMCA Westside, Hostelling International and possibly Chelsea International Hostel. It is generally less expensive to stay in one of the other boroughs of NYC as long as it is convenient to the subway. With a 7 day unlimited metro card, you can get around easily. The Long Island City area of Queens is a very quick subway hop.</p>
<p>On Thursdays during the summer, Bryant Park (42nd and Sixth Avenue)has “Broadway in Bryant Park” at lunchtime. Each week, a couple of musicals put on 10-15 minute free performances, and while you probably won’t get the stars, free is free. Bring lunch and they even have chairs. Check [Bryant</a> Park](<a href=“http://www.bryantpark.org%5DBryant”>http://www.bryantpark.org) website for their schedule. It wasn’t up last week, but should be listed soon. When you’re there, don’t miss visiting the Library–my favorite place in NYC.</p>
<p>Bhmomma can you possibly provide a link to the judge’s ruling re Airbnb and other such sites in NYC being illegal? It was my understanding that the target problem is people who rent apts to one tenant after another on such sites, where there is no actual resident tenant. In fact, most listings are by resident tenants looking to fill in a week while on vacation so you might occupy their actual bedroom. It is also clearly evident by reading other guest reviews (as I suggested to the OP) whether the host has been honorable or not, the condition of the room, etc. </p>
<p>I would actually like to know since I stay inNYC often using such sites. I wouldn’t want to do anything illegal and certainly not suggest same to a young person.</p>
<p>Does anyone have a link to untangle this? It’d be a shame to warn people off of something that is otherwise an affordable, flexible, student-friendly travel option in NYC…</p>
<p>We just stayed in New York last month using airbnb as suggested by our friends who had used it for a previous stay. I also would hate to do something illegal and this was an excellent alternative to a high priced hotel. We had a two bedroom brownstone that we shared with my parents while visiting for our D’s graduation.</p>
<p>Here are some other suggestions for things to do that are free or not too expensive:</p>
<p>Go for a walk along the High Line. I think we have entered it each time we walk it near the beginning which is around 30th and 9th or 10th.</p>
<p>Ride the Staten Island Ferry for free and get a great view of the Statue of Liberty and Lower Manhattan.</p>
<p>Make a reservation to see the World Trade Memorial online. Visit Trinity Church while in lower Manhattan.</p>
<p>Walk the Brooklyn Bridge and explore Brooklyn Heights or Dumbo. Take a subway to Brooklyn to see Williamsburg where the hipsters used to hang out. Look online for the scheduled Brooklyn Flea Markets on Saturdays and Sundays during the summer months.</p>
<p>Head uptown and visit Hamilton Grange (Alexander Hamilton’s country home) in Harlem and Grant’s Tomb both for free. See the Cathedral of St John Devine (largest gothic cathedral). Walk around the campus of Columbia.</p>
<p>Check Playbill online for all the Broadway shows that have rush or student rush and go early in the morning to stand in line for tickets. I recommend both Once and Book of Mormon (you can get standing room tickets for this and will normally get a seat by intermission). </p>
<p>You can line up for free tickets to Love’s Labour’s Lost (a musical) at the Delacorte in Central Park which is on July 23rd through August 18th. You have to get there very early for a chance at tickets.</p>
<p>Sit on the steps at Times Square with a cold drink and people watch. Go into the giant Toys are Us and look around. Grab M n M’s at M n M World. </p>
<p>Walk through Central Park and then head up to 5th Avenue to window shop.</p>
<p>The weekly subway/bus card will cost you $31 as they have a $1 charge for the card itself.</p>
<p>For great meals at decent prices check out all of the diners in the city. We had many lunches out at diners and the food was really good and prices were cheap! As far as drinks go head to a pub especially at happy hour for a decent priced drink.</p>
<p>For museums check out their websites as many are “pay what you can” all the time. These include the Met, Museum of Natural History and the Cloisters (uptown also part of the Met). Some museums like the Moma have special hours that are free. I think theirs is Friday evening. The Frick which is a nice museum has pay what you can for a couple hours on Sundays.</p>
<p>New York strictly limits short term rentals (under 30 days) so that even owners of co ops or condos are prohibited if the unit is in a building with more than ?4 units. In addition to the law most co ops And many condos have strict policies against sub letting without pre -screening. Housing stock is tight, rent control makes it tempting for landlords or tenants to break laws passed to protect working class NYers.</p>
<p>Sorry to go off topic! Google the issue if you care to. There have been irate long term tenants, and some vacationers evicted or arrive with no real place to stay.</p>
<p>Bumping thread to share that, this week in NYC, a city regulatory board overruled in favor of Airbnb, overturning the court ruling of May 21, 2013 discussed in this thread.</p>
<p>The new ruling is clear that Airbnb is acceptable in situations where another resident roommate also lives at the apartment during during the tourist’s stay. The acceptability of renting a completely vacant apartment, which is some percentage of all Airbnb listings, remains unclear because in this particular case there continued to be another roommate on-scene.</p>
<p>So if a tourist contracts for a “shared room” or “private bedroom” (rather than “whole apartment”) through Airbnb, it would be fine in New York City.</p>
<p>I find this case ironic, since it was a roommate who brought up the entire situation to the attention of others, resulting in a fine. And yet, the existence of a roommate was the key fact that overturned the case this week.</p>
I plan to stay for 7 nights and will be looking at cheap accommodation, probably hostel, so if anyone has specific recommendations that would be great. </p>