How to get a small, but satisfying bite of the Big Apple
By Jane Holahan
Updated Feb 19, 2007 15:40
I’d become a Broadway regular, checking out the latest plays and musicals every other weekend or so.
Well, it didn’t quite work out that way.
Lack of energy and lack of money are my problems.
My weekends are usually spent vegging and trying to catch up on my sleep. The idea of heading off to the hyper-pumped world of New York City is beyond me most Saturdays.
But mostly, it’s a money thing.
Going to New York for a weekend or even a day is a costly proposition.
But last weekend, two friends and I threw economic caution to the wind and took a bus trip to the city that never sleeps.
I hadn’t been to the Big Apple in a few years and I was primed. My bank account wasn’t of course.
But amazingly, except for the $112 theater ticket (I know, I’m getting dizzy just looking at that figure) it turned out to be a rather inexpensive trip.
Here are my tips for a cheap trip to New York City.
_ Take a bus trip.
Trains costs more than $100 now, when they aren’t sold out. Driving is for insane people and parking is absurd. Bus trips are wonderfully cheap. Ours, which was through Harrisburg Area Community College, cost less than $35.
_ Don’t go to tourist traps.
We decided to eat lunch at Lindy’s, a long-time New York City eatery that names its food after stars. Since it was still kind of early, we all asked for the breakfast menu.
Breakfast is cheap, right?
We sat there in shock. Two eggs, toast and bacon or sausage (“The Mel Brooks”) was $20. A bowl of cold cereal was $6. I was scared to see how much a glass of orange juice was.
We fled and found a nice little deli a few blocks away. The atmosphere wasn’t great, but I had one of the best turkey clubs I’ve ever had and it cost about $6.
Our dinner, at a little cafe, wasn’t bad either. Great service, a lovely atmosphere and a total bill that was less than $100 for all three of us, tax, tip, dessert and wine included.
_ Don’t go to expensive museums.
I know. Culture is one of the main reasons to go to New York. We had plans to check out MOMA, the Museum of Modern Art. It’s just been rebuilt and is supposed to be an amazing place. But the admission was $20 and we had about an hour and a half to spend there before our matinee began.
Too much money, not enough time. We passed.
Obviously, the rest of the world isn’t as cheap as we are. The line went on and on and on.
Instead, we got our culture by walking around Times Square and the theater district. There is so much to see on the streets of New York and it’s free.
_ If you go to a Broadway show, make it a good one.
I told you about the $112 theater tickets. We decided to see a brand new show called “The Drowsy Chaperone.” We’d take our chances, rather than see a revival or some big special-effects show that would leave us feeling unpleasantly empty.
The show was absolutely fantastic. We laughed, we cried, we hummed the tunes. It made us feel so happy we couldn’t stop talking about it.
And yes, it was worth every penny.
_ Don’t go to restaurants that charge you to come through the door.
As we walked around the theater district, we noticed a restaurant that had a Martian theme. The windows were filled with Martian creatures, which you could buy, and funny comments about how their food was out of this world.
It cost $3 just to go into the restaurant. Can you imagine that! It’s the next frontier. Remember how we all vowed we’d never pay to shop. Now kazillions of people belong to B.J.’s and Costco and they love it.
Can paying money for the privilege of entering a restaurant be that far behind?
So go to New York and see the sites. It’s a great city and you can have a great time, even when you’re being cheap. I did.
(Jane Holahan is a New Era staff writer. Her column appears every other Wednesday.)
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