<p>My daughter, mother and I will be in NYC at the end of February for several days. As I am on a pretty tight budget, I am looking for some suggestions for hotels, restaurants and other things to do do that are not exorbitantly priced. We would also like to see a show. Any suggestions? Keeping in kind that my daughter is 13. Thanks!</p>
<p>The best way to save the biggest bucks is to skip staying at a hotel. Instead, book someone’s entire apartment for your stay via a website like Vacation Rental By Owner, [VRBO®</a> is Vacation Rentals By Owner](<a href=“http://www.vrbo.com/]VRBO®”>http://www.vrbo.com/) or Airbnb, <a href=“https://www.airbnb.com/[/url]”>https://www.airbnb.com/</a> </p>
<p>I never stay in hotels anymore, I’ve gotten too spoiled by staying in homes or apartments. Twice (or more) of the space of a hotel room at half (or less!) of the price of a hotel. It really is the way to go.</p>
<p>1) At the Metropolitan Museum of Art or the American Museum of Natural History you can pay as little as you want. There is a high “suggested” entrance fee, but if you want to pay much less than that, or even nothing, you’re free to.</p>
<p>2) If you like books and beautiful spaces, the main branch of the NY Public Library, at 5th Ave. & 42nd St., is a joy, especially the Reading Room. They usually have interesting exhibits on the ground floor as well.</p>
<p>3) For discounted Broadway tickets there’s the TKTS booth in Times Sq. (and another at the South St. Seaport), but this can involve standing outside in long lines, which may not be fun in February!</p>
<p>4) But if the weather is nice, walk through Central Park. Or walk the High Line. Or explore Greenwich Village. There’s a lot to do in the city that doesn’t cost a thing.</p>
<p>There’s a great organization in NYC that sells very low-priced (like $5) tickets to museums and shows to teens, who can be accompanied by an adult. Your daughter would be eligible to join.</p>
<p>High 5 Tickets to the Arts is dedicated to making the arts affordable for teens. Through High 5, teens ages 13 to 18 can buy $5 tickets to the best of New York City dance, music, theater and visual arts events all year round.
[High</a> 5](<a href=“http://high5tix.org/Aspx/AboutHigh5/Default.aspx]High”>Homepage - ArtsConnection Teen Programs)</p>
<p>My kids took advantage of High 5 when we visited years ago. It’s a great deal. </p>
<p>Check out Tripadvisor travel forum for NYC for a lot of travel tips. </p>
<p>I also booked our hotel using Travelzoo one time and got a great deal. But also try calling the hotel directly because sometimes they can beat others prices. On that site you may also find deals on show tickets. We bought Little Mermaid tickets for under $75 on travelzoo.</p>
<p>You can also save money on transportation by choosing a well located hotel.</p>
<p>Agree with book lady’s suggestions. Love Central Park. If you go to TKTS in Times Square, or even if you are just in Times Square, climb the large red plexiglass staircase for a fun Times Square photo op.</p>
<p>Grand Central Terminal is pretty to walk through. I even drag visitors through the Post Office, although it is looking worse with each passing year. A walk through the library is a must. Your daughter might want to read the history of the Croton Reservoir before visiting the library and Bryant Park. [Bryant</a> Park | Park History](<a href=“http://www.bryantpark.org/about-us/history.html]Bryant”>http://www.bryantpark.org/about-us/history.html)</p>
<p>Bryant Park behind the library has gotten so commercial.</p>
<p>If you go to the High Line, be sure to read the posters that explain the history. I think they are at the southern end, but now I can’t recall. </p>
<p>Visiting the Sept 11th Memorial is free but you just obtain timed visitor passes in advance.
<a href=“http://www.911memorial.org/visit[/url]”>http://www.911memorial.org/visit</a></p>
<p>Sign up for Travel Zoo NYC emails and you may learn of a pop-up deal on some random activity you would not have considered.</p>
<p>oldmom–thanks for that link. Need to check it out.</p>
<p>Have a fun trip!</p>
<p>You can also consider “Kids’ Night on Broadway”</p>
<p>On Kids’ Night on Broadway, young people age 6-18 can see a participating Broadway show for free when accompanied by a full-paying adult </p>
<p>Kids’ Night on Broadway will take place in New York City February 24-March 2, 2014. Tickets will go on sale on January 8.</p>
<p>[Kids</a>’ Night On Broadway - Kids Go Free](<a href=“http://www.kidsnightonbroadway.com/kids.php]Kids”>http://www.kidsnightonbroadway.com/kids.php)</p>
<p>Agree with pugmadkate re the apartment stay. I have been using VRBO for 7 years now, with each apartment being better than the one before (used in NYC and Kona). My best friend are heading to the cit for a week in March and got a lovely 1 bedroom on the 4th floor of an elevator building in the UES (85th St) for $1100, last time I stayed in a hotel in NYC it cost $290 a night (just a hotel with 2 beds, nothing fancy). You can do the math.</p>
<p>Check out the listing for free museums or the days you will be there f(and btw, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is ALWAYS free, as is the Cloisters (well technically they are pay as you like, so drop a buck or 2 if you have it). [Free</a> and Discounted Admission at New York City Museums](<a href=“http://gonyc.about.com/od/museums/ss/Free-Admission-And-Discounted-Admission-At-New-York-City-Museums.htm]Free”>http://gonyc.about.com/od/museums/ss/Free-Admission-And-Discounted-Admission-At-New-York-City-Museums.htm) And don’t forget if you are a BofA customer, they offer Museums on Us: [Museums</a> on Us®](<a href=“Bank of America's Dedication to Support Arts & Culture”>http://museums.bankofamerica.com/) </p>
<p>Free…round trip (each direction is about 25 minutes) on the Staten Island Ferry. Try to time your ride over to catch the sunset, when you arrive in Staten Island, hop on the very next ferry going back to the city and you’ll see the city light up.</p>
<p>Also free…the new (well kind of new) Highline Park.</p>
<p>Also free…the 9/11 Memorial Park; this one you’ll have to book online, but it’s free and breathtaking! <a href=“http://www.911memorial.org/[/url]”>http://www.911memorial.org/</a></p>
<p>Buy a Metro card for $30 for 7 days (I know you won’t be there for 7 days, but it will pay for itself, as each fare is about $2.50 each way) for use on the subways and buses (except not the express buses) - one cool thing you might like is to take the M4 bus from 83rd and Madison all the way to the last stop, which is the Cloisters ([The</a> Metropolitan Museum of Art - Getting to The Cloisters](<a href=“http://www.metmuseum.org/visit/visit-the-cloisters/getting-to-the-cloisters]The”>The Met Cloisters | The Metropolitan Museum of Art)) it’s an awesome way to see parts of the city. </p>
<p>And now for the show…you can try the TKTS booth (I usually go down to South Street Seaport location as the line is waaaayyyy shorter) [TKTS</a> Discount Booths](<a href=“Discount Broadway Tickets for On, Off & Off-Off Shows | TKTS by TDF | TDF - Theatre Development Fund”>Discount Broadway Tickets for On, Off & Off-Off Shows | TKTS by TDF | TDF - Theatre Development Fund), and then there’s also this cool idea: Off-Off@$9: Both TDF members and non-members may purchase tickets to a large selection of Off-Off Broadway productions online using our Off-Off@$9 service. [Off-Off@$9:</a> A Passport for the Adventurous Theatregoer](<a href=“Discount Broadway Tickets for On, Off & Off-Off Shows | TKTS by TDF | TDF - Theatre Development Fund”>Discount Broadway Tickets for On, Off & Off-Off Shows | TKTS by TDF | TDF - Theatre Development Fund)</p>
<p>Can you tell I love the city? I go about once a year to visit my D and have yet to break the bank!</p>
<p>We (2 adults w/2 kids) found a New Jersey hotel on a discount hotel website and drove to the Staten Island Ferry to get into NYC. There were tolls to pay and a parking fee at the Ferry, but we still felt it was a better deal.</p>
<p>Free tickets to Shakespeare in the Park was worth the wait on line. (people watching and visiting with “real” New Yorkers while waiting was an experience itself!)</p>
<p>Metropolitan Museum of Art was the best!! Seeing the giant painting of Washington crossing the Delaware was incredible. Egyptian room was an unexpected wow also. We paid a reduced fee to get into Natural Museum of History and still felt we overpaid. Yes, it is huge, but we just didn’t enjoy it. (Of course, my son was all into "Night at the Museum movie, and we didn’t feel like we saw many actual spots in the museum that were scenes from the movie. YMMV)</p>
<p>S (age 9 at the time) and I went to see Blue Man Group while H and D (teenager) went to see Les Mis (discounted tix for both shows). Best decision ever to divide up and see more age appropriate shows.</p>
<p>We bought all day ride all you want to subway tickets (can’t remember what they called it) but it was worth the investment and saved our feet.</p>
<p>The train station architecture was great, and we enjoyed an inexpensive meal there. Public Library had displays of both the Guttenberg Bible AND the original Winnie the Pooh stuffed animals. We got there close to closing time, and had to run from one exhibit to the other. Try wrapping your head around two such opposite items in a 5 minute time span. We still laugh about such an odd combination of exhibits.</p>
<p>Bella Vita Restaurant, on a side street right off Times Square near all the theaters sells pizza by the slice, in addition to having a sitdown restaurant. We saved $ by getting our slices and eating them on the street. Can’t say enough about how delicious the pizza was!</p>
<p>We did mostly free stuff, walking a lot, St. Patricks Cathedral, Ground Zero, Trinity Church (from National Treasure movie). I brought a tiny throw blanket so we could collapse in Central Park when we got tired. People watching, see how the native New Yorkers use the park as their backyard was interesting. </p>
<p>We packed and carried snacks and sandwiches and a water bottle as we walked the city. That helped us be able to choose when we wanted to pay for food (and have some time to pick the best value).</p>
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<p>True, but compared to what it was like in the bad old days, it’s a pleasure!</p>
<p>Booklady–you are so right! I worked overlooking the park as the restaurant opened and the bistro tables were brought in. Blissful lunch time oasis. Now I walk past and see every inch covered in tents. Am just being stodgy!</p>
<p>There’s supposed to be a popular Italian restaurant that serves meals family style at the table, large portions…don’t remember the name of it…anyone remember? Less expensive that way? I think?</p>
<p>Just walking around FAO Schwartz is fun,…I don’t have daughters, but is she into American Girl? Or is she too old for that?</p>
<p>Hard to give good suggestions for end of February…you’d want to stay indoors for the most part…museums are always the best! The wax musuem too…</p>
<p>There’s also that popular discount clothing store…I’m having a senior moment, forgetting names…actually I think I went to the one that was right by ground zero…like 10 different floors of clothing all at huge discounts, that a 13 year old girl would enjoy! ;)</p>
<p>CT1417, there is a holiday craft market at Bryant Park (similar to the one at the south of Union Square), plus there’s free ice skating in winter (expensive skate rental though). The number of tents and commercial stuff varies according to the season. I think there’s more open-air space in the summer when people are more likely to want to sit outside.</p>
<p>chocchip–were you thinking of Carmine’s? I haven’t been in years and years…since my single days….but it struck me as more for groups of six or eight or more. Three might fully benefit and be required to all eat the same thing.
[Family</a> Style Italian Restaurant NYC | Italian Dining & Cuisine Large Portions](<a href=“http://www.carminesnyc.com%5DFamily”>http://www.carminesnyc.com)</p>
<p>Were you thinking of Century 21 for shopping downtown? Only went once so can’t comment. I was a Daffy’s fan twenty years ago but they have closed.</p>
<p>End of Feb weather could be OK. The beauty of NYC is that the snow disappears quite quickly so walking around might not be all that bad.</p>
<p>oldmom–I thought I saw one of those ice bars at Bryant Park, but now I can’t even remember when I was last in walking past there. We drove in the last two times we were in town for evening events. As I said, I am just being stodgy. All of Manhattan seems to be flourishing and there is something for sale on every square inch.</p>
<p>momofmusic–One more suggestion if you want to travel further uptown. St John the Divine and The Cloisters.</p>
<p>Not only selling stuff, but I think every inch of Manhattan has a website!</p>
<p>[Bryant</a> Park](<a href=“http://www.bryantpark.org/]Bryant”>http://www.bryantpark.org/)</p>
<p>FOOD: in NYC my favorite cheap-good foods are from Cuban-Chinese and other Spanish restaurants and of course, pizza, bagels and salad bars.</p>
<p>Agree with all above. If by some chance it is warm, rent a bicycle and ride the newish Hudson River park. It goes from the GW Bridge (or beyond, I didn’t go that far) down to the south ferry. You could also walk it, it gets very close to the High Line for a bit (no bikes allowed up there). </p>
<p>Walking is free and it’s the best way to see the city unless the weather is bad. If it is or your feet just hurt, take a city bus ride…some of the north-south routes are very long and the Broadway ones will let you see a lot of tourist stuff (Times Square, Herald Square, etc). Crosstown routes are short but transfers (1? it’s been awhile) are free.</p>
<p>^^CT1417: Yes, and Yes! ;)</p>
<p>Carmines is the restaurant, but you’re right…it’s probably much better for a larger group.</p>
<p>Century 21(?) I think that was it! Or was it some ABC name(?) Can’t remember!! It could have been Century 21…our whole family went in there once after visitng Ground Zero. We needed a little “pick me up” at that point and I was given that clothing store as a suggestion. All of us bought a few items and we all enjoyed the different clothing selections and the inexpensive prices. Again, this is a 2 hour activity, just to break up the day from walking, sightseeing and museums!</p>
<p>By-the-way, we found the best, most authentic restaurants that we just “fell into”, on side streets, that had the best prices and the tastiest dishes!</p>
<p>With your Metrocard, you can go from train to bus or bus to train or one bus line to another bus line and it counts a one ride, as long as you transfer within 2 hours (I think) of when you first swipe.</p>
<p>For those of you of a certain age (65), like me, you can get a half-fare metrocard (with your photo taken on the spot!) at an MTA office downtown near Bowling Green. It’s right around the corner from the Museum of the American Indian, which is owned by the Smithsonian and is also free all the time–they don’t even ask for a contribution like the Met and the Museum of Natural History. Closest train is the number 4 or 5 to Bowling Green, and it’s a short walk to the Staten Island Ferry or the ferry to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.</p>
<p>Website for a visit to lower Manhattan:
[Downtown</a> Alliance - Lower Manhattan](<a href=“http://www.downtownny.com/]Downtown”>http://www.downtownny.com/)
and if your feet hurt by the time you get there, they have a free shuttle bus:
[Downtown</a> Connection | Downtown Alliance - Lower Manhattan](<a href=“http://www.downtownny.com/getting-around/downtown-connection]Downtown”>Home - Downtown Alliance)</p>
<p>chochip–the ABC you are thinking of is probably ABC Carpet & Home. It is huge and a pretty old building, but probably not the place to spend time if only in NYC for a brief visit. Agree with you about falling into restaurants. Excellent food can be found for the same price as the Times Square chain restaurants.</p>
<p>I also like the Museum of the City of NY, but depends on what is on display.
[Current</a> Exhibitions | Museum of the City of New York](<a href=“http://www.mcny.org/exhibitions/current]Current”>Exhibitions | Museum of the City of New York)</p>
<p>One warning…</p>
<p>There is an effort to put the home rental sites out of business in NYC. They are illegal. The hotels are screaming. They have to pay a tax of about 14% a night. The home stay places aren’t collecting it…which is one of the reasons they are cheaper. They also violate a lot of other City ordinances. See this article for a part of the story. [Why</a> Does New York Hate the Sharing Economy? - Bloomberg](<a href=“Bloomberg - Are you a robot?”>Bloomberg - Are you a robot?) If you’re looking for February, you’re probably okay. Further out, you might not be. I expect a real crackdown. </p>
<p>If you are willing to share a bathroom, I recommend this place [Hotel</a> 17 New York City](<a href=“http://www.hotel17ny.com/]Hotel”>http://www.hotel17ny.com/) </p>
<p>For restaurants, I’d suggest trying some of the good places in the other boroughs for a couple of dinners.</p>