NYC Savings Tips

new York insider tips

for the budget

Free Activities in New York

If you want to see New York City without spending a lot of money, you can do so. Many of the sights are free. From the Brooklyn Bridge to the High Line to Central Park. You won't get bored.


You can even go to museums or zoos for free at certain times, or you can pay as much as you want. But be careful, the conditions, times and reservation options vary so much from museum to museum that it's best to find out for yourself on the respective museum's homepage. And always make sure to read carefully whether Pay-What-You-Wish prices also apply to visitors or only to locals.


I would like to make two recommendations here: It is definitely worth going to the Whitney Museum of American Art on a Friday. Tickets must be reserved online.


Whitney Museum on Friday: Here is the link to the pay-what-you-wish ticket reservation


And also the Morgan Library offers free admission on Friday evenings: Link to free ticket reservation

  • New York Insider Tipp Staten Island Fähre

    image title

    Lady Liberty  - von der gratis Staten Island Fähre aus gesehen.

    Button
  • Littel Island als gratis New York Insidertipp

    image title

    Little Island,  die hippe Insel am Hudson River bietet im Sommer auch gratis Events an.

    Button
  • Weihnachten in New York

    image title

    Christbaum am Rockefeller Center

    Button
  • Central Park ist für alle offen

    image title

    Im Central Park werden im Sommer viele gratis Veranstaltungen angeboten.

    Button
  • Galerien in New York

    image title

    Die Galerien bieten eine prima  kostenlose Alternative zu den Museen - vor allem in Chelsea. 

    Button
  • High Line Park New York

    image title

    Der High Line Park ist ein ehemaliges Bahngleis über den Straßen Chelseas.

    Button
  • Graffiti in Bushwick

    image title

    Graffiti in Bushwick - quasi ein outdoor Museum (The Bushwick Collective)

    Button
  • Strawberry Fields

    image title

    Strawberry Fields im Central Park - das Mosaik zum Gedenken an John Lennon, wo immer Musik gespielt wird.

    Button
  • 9/11 Memorial

    image title

    9/11 Memorial - die Fußabdrücke der Twin Towers

    Button
  • Times Square

    image title

    Times Square - ein einziges Happening, das man mag oder meidet, aber auf jeden Fall gesehen haben muss.

    Button
  • Brooklyn Bridge New York

    image title

    Brooklyn Bridge - von  Brooklyn nach Manhattan oder umgekehrt

    Button
  • UN-Headquaters

    image title

    UNO Generalversammlung und Hauptsitz - die schönste Sicht hat man von Roosevelt Isalnd aus.

    Button
  • Chinatown

    image title

    Chinatowon

    Button
  • image title

    Mit der Gondel nach Roosevelt Island - man zahlt mit der normalen Metro Card mit der man auch Subway und Bus fährt.

    Button
  • DUMBO

    image title

    Blick auf die Manhattan Bridge von Dumbo

    Button
  • image title

    Squibb Bridge Park - die Verbindung von Brooklyn Hights zum Brooklyn Bridge Park.

    Button
  • Grand Central Terminal

    image title

    Grand Central Terminal - mitten in Midtown. Der schönste Bahnhof der Welt.

    Button

Free Sightseeing

Seeing New York is inexpensive. A Metro Card and you're in. If you like to travel on foot, there is no shortage of corners and places worth discovering. If you would like to take a nearly free New York city tour, there is a huge selection of New York tours at Free Tours by Foot. You pay a tip - but of course this should correspond to the US conditions.


There is also the Big Apple GreeterThese are New Yorkers who show their city from a completely different perspective. Big Apple Greeters are not tour guides and don't want to be paid. They take you to the places that shape their everyday lives, that they know and love.

Save with sightseeing passes

In terms of pre-budgeting, I'm a big advocate of sightseeing passes. You've already paid in advance and you really don't have to worry about whether this or that is really worth it.


There are two types of passes to choose from. With one, you pay for a number of days and can visit as many of the attractions as you can on each of those days. With the other type, you choose a number of attractions and can visit these attractions over a longer period of time.


It doesn't matter which of the two main providers you choose (GoCity or Sightseeing Pass). They both offer the main attractions such as observation decks, the MoMA, the Natural History Museum, boat trips, bus trips and guided tours on foot and by bike.


However, if you really want to plan a more specific attraction, you should check beforehand whether it is really included in the offer.


Everything else can be found on the providers' homepages, which are also available in German. Next to them are the four options from the main providers. There is also the NewYork CityPASS, but this is only worth it for a first short visit, as it has a reduced offer.

  • Tagespass von City Go - See as much as you can

    Pay once and visit as many attractions as you want every day!

  • City Go Explorer Pass - Choose the number of attractions and save

    Decide how many sights you want to visit in New York and save up to 50%

  • Tagespass von "The Sightseeing Pass" - See as much as you can

    With the New York Sightseeing DAY Pass you can choose from more than 150 attractions and offers.

  • The Sightseeing Flex Pass for a certain number of attractions

    Admission to 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 or 12 attractions with the New York Sightseeing FLEX Pass.

  • Tagespass von City Go - See as much as you can

    Pay once and visit as many attractions as you want every day!

  • City Go Explorer Pass - Choose the number of attractions and save

    Decide how many sights you want to visit in New York and save up to 50%

  • Tagespass von "The Sightseeing Day Pass" - See as much as you can

    With the New York Sightseeing DAY Pass you can choose from more than 150 attractions and offers.

  • "The Sightseeing Flex Pass" for a certain number of attractions

    Admission to 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 or 12 attractions with the New York Sightseeing FLEX Pass.

Save with sightseeing passes

In terms of budgeting in advance, I am a big advocate of sightseeing passes. You have already paid in advance and really don't have to worry about whether this or that is really worth it. This way, the highlights are on the table, especially on a first visit to New York.


There are two types of passes to choose from. With one, you pay for a number of days and can visit as many of the attractions as you can on each of those days. With the other type, you choose a number of attractions and can visit these attractions over a longer period of time.


It doesn't matter which pass provider you choose (here are the two best: GoCity or The Sightseeing Pass), they both offer the main attractions such as observation decks, the MoMA, the Natural History Museum, boat trips, bus trips and guided tours on foot and by bike.


However, if you really want to include a special attraction, you should check beforehand whether it is included in the offer.


Everything else can be found on the homepages of both providers, which are also available in German. Below are the four options:

Cheap Eating in NYC

Ka thing of impossibility

If you go to a restaurant in New York, you have to expect high prices. That's true most of the time, but not everywhere at lunchtime. Many restaurants offer a small selection of menus at a set price of 11 to 25 USD. It's best to stick to the water tab and tip well. The lunch specials, as these menus are called, are even cheaper in Brooklyn than in Manhattan.

For further New York Insider Tips for Cheap Dining Click here for the corresponding blog post.

The thing with the tip

If you do not buy your food from a food truck or a snack stand, you still have to pay tax and tip (20% plus) on the stated price.


Make sure you look at the bill to see if the tip (shown as a gratuity) has already been included. Then you don't need to add anything to it, unless you are extremely impressed with the service.


Many self-serviceIn restaurants, when paying by credit card, a fairly high tip amount is suggested directly on the display. You don't have to pay it like that: Among these suggestions, there is always the option of adjusting the tip or omitting it altogether if you don't use a table.


Saving on concerts and musicals

Serviceliste

And here we go back to the general

New York insider tips

This link leads to the New York tours from TreffpunktNewYork

New York City Tours

Contact: New York Sightseeing and Tours

A short message is enough:

Subscribe to Newsletter

Share by: