New York is hardly the world's cheapest destination, nor one untouched by tourism, but with some judicious searching on the internet it is possible to find comfortable accommodation, interesting dining in quality diners, top-class entertainment, and memorable sights.
Getting there
Get hold of the newspapers, and read teletext and internet sites. As an example, Trailfinders (0161-839 6969) found me a direct flight for £227. Among the other airlines servicing New York, British Airways (0845 7733377, www.britishairways.com) flies to JFK from Heathrow for £313.80 inc taxes, while Virgin Atlantic (01293 747747, www.virgin-atlantic.com ) flies return from Heathrow to JFK for £313.30 inc tax.
Getting around
Buy a $17 weekly Metro Card, giving unlimited travel on all subway lines and city bus services. The cards can be purchased at most subway stations or at a wide range of delis, newsstands etc.
When you arrive at JFK, take the free blue-and-yellow MTA bus to Howard Beach subway station. It stops outside every terminal building. From there, board the A Train that takes you through Brooklyn, under the East river, along the entire length of Manhattan before terminating just south of the Bronx.
Where to stay
Hotel rooms in Manhattan for less than $100 a night are relatively rare. Save cash by staying at one of the several excellent hostels, or reduce costs even more by staying in one of the outer boroughs. I booked a good-quality double room in Brooklyn at The Greenpoint YMCA. A deluxe double room (air-conditioning, TV etc) with breakfast costs $375 a week including use of the swimming pool, sauna and fitness suite. Single rooms run from $210 to $325 a week.
Useful links: YMCA of Greater New York (www.ymcanyc.org); New York Connection, a friendly hostel in the neighbouring Williamsburg district, double room $315 per week (tel: +1 718 386 5539, www.hostels.com/hostelnytravel ). For a map of Greenpoint, visit www.mapquest.com Use the zip code 11222 when searching. A more expensive option but still cheaper and better than most Manhattan hotels are bed and breakfasts guesthouses. For a list, visit www.brooklynx.org/tourism.
Greenpoint
The main advantage of staying in Greenpoint is not its bargain prices but the nature of the community. Its geography places it close to Manhattan while insulating it from surrounding neighbourhoods.
The main drag, Manhattan Avenue, is lined with shops, cafés and delis. It will not win any architectural prizes although a stroll around the residential streets of its designated historic district is well worth the time. Greenpoint's main attribute is that it is real New York. The local community, similar to New York City as a whole, is multi-ethnic. (More than 60% of New Yorkers belong to ethnic minorities; 40% were not even born in the US.) The predominant group is of Polish origin.
A few blocks south is the North Side district of Williamsburg. The architecture is grittier but a rapidly growing arty community makes it increasingly hip.
Useful links: www.Greenpt.com, www.brooklynonline.com/bol/neighborhoods/greenpoint.
Eating out
You will enjoy good food at bargain prices in Greenpoint and Williamsburg. If you are not staying in Brooklyn, it is well worth taking the subway to Greenpoint or Williamsburg's North Side. Stroll along their mainstreets making your own choice of where to eat. It will be a cheaper and better eating experience than you will find in Manhattan. (From Manhattan, take the L train to Bedford Avenue or the G Train to Nassau Avenue). If you stay at the Greenpoint YMCA, you will take breakfast in the 3C Diner on the Corner of Norman and Manhattan Avenues. Breakfast costs from about $3 with unlimited coffee.
On the opposite corner is Lite-Bites, superb for all types of sandwiches, snack meals and full dinners, all produced with the friendliest of service. For $4 to $8, you can enjoy a substantial meal of "traditional" New York fare. Their pastrami sandwiches are the best I have eaten in New York. A few doors down is the Stylowa Polish restaurant. I tried this venue because it was full of customers speaking in their native tongue, always a good sign. Two courses of good home cooking more than filled me up for the day. Cost for two courses runs from $5 to $10.
Walk north on Manhattan Avenue to the Muffin and Donut Cafe (Locally known as Meserole Donuts). For $1.35, they serve a strong coffee with a delicious donut.
Useful links: www.brooklynchamber.com, www.brooklynonline.com, www.tasteofbrooklyn.com
Drinking
Soft drinks (soda) are best purchased in local shops and mini marts. Coffee can be picked up almost anywhere for 75c a cup. Never pay more than $1. Alcohol varies hugely in price. In local bars, beer is cheaper than in the UK while in some Manhattan spots it is outrageously expensive. Cocktails are popular with some bargains in Greenpoint.
Useful link: www.timeoutny.citysearch.com .
Sightseeing
The best way to enjoy the spectacular views of the Statue of Liberty and the towering buildings of lower Manhattan is from the free-of-charge Staten Island ferry. Alternatively, take the ferry from Battery Park, which calls at the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island and costs $7. Alight at both if you wish, entrance is free. Ellis Island Immigration Depot must count among the best historic sites in The US. Free guided tours are available. A related site is the Lower East Side Tenement Museum on Orchard Street. Here you can experience what life was really like for many immigrants.
City tours can be expensive but cover a lot of ground quickly. For a true taste of The Big Apple, try some more informal options through the links below. The best value boat tours are generally the trips from Sheepshead Bay.
Probably the best district for an evening stroll in all of New York City is fashionable Brooklyn Heights. Take the A Train to High Street. Walk up to the esplanade with its spectacular views, through the back streets steeped in history, to the cafés and shops near the Borough Hall.
Useful links: www.newyorktalksandwalks.com, www.nylikeanative.com, www.brooklynx.com, www.brooklynhistory.org, www.dorothyb.com (for tours from Sheepshead Bay).
Museums and galleries
The City Pass at $32 is a bargain for first-time travellers, giving entry into four leading museums. In addition, you can visit the Empire State Building and World Trade Centre for breathtaking views of the city.
These museums are free at the following times: Museum of Modern Art, Friday 4.30pm-8.25pm; Whitney Museum of American Art, Thursday 6pm-8pm; Guggenheim Museum, Friday 6pm-8pm (the Guggenheim Museum in SoHo is always free). The Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Cloisters have a joint admission of $10;use your City Pass to visit both for only $5.33. The Jewish Museum on 5th Avenue, close to The Guggenheim, is well worth a visit. Take the final page of their website with you for half-price admission of $4.
Useful link: www.cityguideny.com.
Parks and gardens
Central Park in Manhattan and Prospect Park in Brooklyn are oases of green in the urban landscape. Although both share the same designers, they are very different in character. Central Park is good for people-watching, although its size is difficult to appreciate. Prospect Park is more rural, located next to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, which is free on Tuesday and Saturday mornings. Free guided tours on all days.
Useful links: www.bbg.org, www.prospectpark.org.
Entertainment
Broadway and even off-Broadway shows and plays are expensive. The famous TKTS offices offer discounted tickets but they are still costly.
Located next to The Brooklyn Bridge, on a converted barge is the only venue where I am happy to pay the asking price ($27). This is the famous Bargemusic (www.bargemusic.com). A picture window behind the stage allows the audience to enjoy classical music with the Manhattan skyline as a backdrop.
Some of the larger museums and galleries have music evenings, which can be enjoyed at no extra cost. Guggenheim: Fridays and Saturdays 5pm-8pm; American Museum of Natural History: Fridays in The Planetarium 5.45pm-8.15pm; Whitney Museum of American Art: Thursdays 6pm-9pm.
Many museums and galleries have movie nights where admission is included in the price of entry. There are frequent free movie shows in the parks, such as West Side Story in Prospect Park. Bryant Park in Manhattan also has a weekly open-air free screening of a classic movie. On Thursdays Brooklyn Bridge Park offers a programme of Brooklyn/New York-related movies.
Useful links: www.brooklynart.org, www.brooklynx.org, www.prospectpark.org. For New York City as a whole, try www.cityguideny.com, www.summerstage.org, www.nyphilharmon.org.
Shopping
Shopping in New York is much cheaper than in the UK. Apart from the plush stores of Manhattan, try Orchard Street on the Lower East Side on Sundays, but even the markets there are increasingly aimed at tourists. For cheaper neighbourhood shops, try Greenpoint.
Useful links: www.timeoutny.citysearch.com.
