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Tag: trip planning

  • Save Money On Your Trip to New York City

    Tips for Planning a Trip to NYC

     

    If you’re headed to New York City, be sure to check out the links below for money-saving trip planning advice.

    Free Things to Do in NYC – There are plenty of free things for a visitor to do and see in New York City. Plan to fit a few free things into each day, or plan an entire trip around free activities. We list some of the top free attractions and activities. Read more >>

    The Most Affordable Top-Rated Hotels – The very best hotels in NYC can be very expensive. But there are also many very good, highly-rated hotels with reasonable rates. We sorted through the highest-rated NYC hotels at TripAdvisor and created this list of the ones with the most affordable prices. Read more >>

    NYC Attraction Passes – If you plan on visiting several museums and other attractions with paid admission, you can probably save some money (and some time) by purchasing an attraction pass. There are several passes available and they’re all a little different. We outline what they each offer so you can make the best choice. Read more >>

    Save money on dining out in New York City – Food can be a big part of the budget for a trip to NYC.  But if you’re careful, you can enjoy great dining and the NYC “foodie” experience without busting your budget. We provide some great “cheap eats” resources to help you plan your meals in NYC. Read more >>

    Broadway Ticket Discounts – Part of a NYC trip for many people is seeing a play or musical on Broadway. Going to the theater in New York really is a great experience. You’ve probably heard about the discounted same-day tickets sold at the TKTS booths, but there are other ways to save on Broadway show tickets, and many of them don’t involve standing in long lines. Read more>>

    Subscribe to the NYC Cheap Travel Newsletter and stay up-to-date on the latest NYC deals and money-saving travel information. Subscribe >>

    Explore everything NYCCheapTravel has to offer – Find money-saving tips and discounts on places to stay, things to do, dining, and transit.

     

     

  • Apps That Can Save You Money

    Here are some money-saving apps you’ll want to load up on your smart phone before you next trip to NYC.

    Scoutmob Local – Find mobile deals on dining in NYC. A fun way to discover nearby places to eat out and to save a little money in the process.

    Goldstar App – Keep up-to-date on Goldstar’s latest discount offers for events, entertainment, and activities around NYC. (It works in other cities too).

    Groupon App – Purchase deals online and redeem directly from your mobile device.

    TodayTix – Great for people who don’t like to wait in lines. Browse ticket availability and prices, place your order, and tickets are hand-delivered to you in front of the theater.

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    Subscribe to the NYC Cheap Travel Newsletter and stay up-to-date on the latest NYC deals and money-saving travel information.

     

  • Visit NYCgo.com, NewYork.com & TripAdvisor for Trip Planning Resources

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    Three good all-inclusive NYC sites worth visiting if you’re planning a trip to the city are NYCgo.com, which is the official tourism site, NewYork.com, and TripAdvisor  All cover things to do and places to stay, plus they each have certain special sections at which they really excel. Some good information found on each site is highlighted below.

    Disclosure: NYC Cheap Travel has affiliate agreements with NewYork.com and TripAdvisor.com and may receive a commission for certain actions made by visitors sent from here to their sites.

     

    Good Info:

     

    Where to Stay:  TripAdvisor is an excellent resource for hotel selection. The traveler reviews are very helpful and the price comparison from various hotel-booking sites is useful for getting the best rates on your stay.

    Itineraries:  NYCgo.com has a nice selection of suggested itineraries, featuring sights and activities for all kinds of interests.

    What’s Happening?  The events section at NYCgo.com has lots of event information – the options can be a little overwhelming. The Top Annual Events page is a good way to find out what major events might be happening during your visit.

    On Broadway:  The Broadway Shows section at NewYork.com is a good source of information about what’s playing on Broadway.  They have news and features about current shows and maintain a section that lists both new shows that are opening soon and a “last chance to see” list of shows scheduled to end their runs.  They also offer good discounts on select shows.

    Where’s That??  The NYCgo.com guide to boroughs and neighborhoods is a good way to orient yourself to the various parts of the city.

    Transit:  NYCgo.com also has a nice guide to transportation in the city, with links to more in-depth information on how to make use of the many transportation options available.

    Some In-Depth Info:  The “Secrets of …” series of posts at NewYork.com provides interesting behind-the-scenes looks at some of the city’s iconic establishments.

    Traveler Advice:  Although most people think of TripAdvisor as a hotel resources, another very useful feature of their site is the “Traveler Articles” written by fellow travelers. There’s an extensive selection of articles about NYC travel, covering just about anything you might want to know.

     
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    Subscribe to the NYC Cheap Travel Newsletter and stay up-to-date on the latest NYC deals and money-saving travel information.

     
     

  • Stay on a Sunday and Save $$$

    sundayYou can save some good money by staying in NYC on a Sunday. Apparently most people check out of New York City hotels on Sundays. So many of the Manhattan hotels offer very good rates for that night to keep their rooms full.

    Go to TripAdvisor or any hotel search site, pick a New York City hotel and check the Sunday rates compared to the rest of the week.  The difference can be significant.

    NYC Cheap Travel checked rates for the Westin New York Times Square on the third Sunday in June and on the following Monday. The Sunday rate was $183 and the Monday rate was $499!  We did another rate check, this time on the Distrikt Hotel for the second Sunday in June and the following Monday. The Sunday rate was $169 and the Monday rate was $499.

    So, don’t head home on Sunday like everyone else. Try to shift your travel plans to include a Sunday. The rates for the rest of the week may still be high, but at least you’ll save some off your total bill thanks to the cheaper Sunday rates.

     

     

  • Save on Go Bus Travel Between Boston and NYC


    NEW (07/27/14): Use promocode: CJGOBUS10 for 10% off your trip at check out!

    The Go Bus  is a popular and inexpensive way to get to New York City from the Boston area.  The buses run daily and have departures scheduled for every couple hours.  The Boston area bus stops are in Cambridge, at the Alewife Bus Station and in Newton at the Riverside Bus Station.  In New York City, the bus stops in Manhattan at 31st Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues (near Penn Station).

    You’ll travel in modern buses with high back seats, free wi-fi, electric outlets, bathrooms, and tinted panoramic windows.

    You’ll get the best rates and save money if you travel Monday – Thursday and take the early buses.  Friday, Saturday, and Sunday fares are more expensive.  And late afternoon/early evening fares are more expensive also.

    You can search around the Go Buses website  to find the best deal.  Type in the dates you want to travel and they’ll show you the rates for all the buses that day, so you can find the cheapest.  You can also use the date selector to scroll through other days and see if you could save money by switching your travel date.

    Tips:

    • Use available promo codes
    • Travel Monday – Thursday
    • Be flexible and pick the departure time with the least expensive fare.
    • Book a round trip and apply any discounts offered.

     


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    Subscribe to the NYC Cheap Travel Newsletter and stay up-to-date on the latest NYC deals and money-saving travel information.

     

  • Friday Finds for January 31st, 2014

    “Friday Finds” is a weekly round-up of useful and interesting things found online.

     

    Some useful apps to help you navigate New York City


    Hop Stop – This will tell you how to get from point A to point B on foot or by subway, bus, or taxi.  Also estimates travel time and fares.

    The Central Park App – find your way around the park and find out about events.

    Urban Wonderer Audio Tours App – this free app included self-guided audio tours of NY neighborhoods.

    Open Table Mobile – Find a place to eat and make reservations on the go.

    Yelp Mobile – Check user reviews on the go.

     

  • Friday Finds for January 24th, 2014

    “Friday Finds” is a weekly round-up of useful and interesting things found online.

    Restaurants with live music –  Get the most out of meal-time and enjoy some live music with your dinner.

    Cradle of Aviation Museum – This Long Island museum looks great. They have a planetarium too.

    Eight Hot Tours for Cool Days – If you’re planning a winter trip to NYC, here are some ideas for things to do.

    Path Through History Transit Map – This is an interesting map put out by MTA that shows historic sites and how to get to them with MTA public transit.

     

  • NYC Books – Good Last Minute Gift Ideas

     

    Humans of New York

    Yep, it’s available in stock again at Amazon, at least for now. Humans of New York, in case you haven’t heard about it, is the New York Times best-selling book chock-full of photos from Brandon Stanton’s incredibly popular photography blog. Stanton roams the streets of New York, photographing people he meets along the way. He has a knack for getting his subjects to open up and interesting and entertaining things. Each photo is accompanied by a quote from the person photographed. It sounds simple, but the result is a beautiful thing and a lovely tribute to the people of New York City.

     

     2014 New York City Restaurants

    Sure, you can find restaurant information online these days, but it’s not quite the same as have a nice guidebook in your hands, is it? Over 2,050 restaurants are included. And they’re indexed by type of cuisine and neighborhood. Hungry for seafood in SOHO or a cheesesteak in Chelsea? This guide’s got you covered.  If you’re going to visit New York City, buy one of these guides.

     

     Lonely Planet New York City (City Guide)

    In the age of the Internet it’s tempting to forego using a printed travel guide in favor of all the excellent online resources (like this one!). But books are nice. And when you’re planning a trip, guidebooks are very nice. And Lonely Planet makes very good guide books. This one includes neighborhood information, restaurant recommendations, maps (including one you can pull out and take with you), walking tours, and information on all the top sights.

     

    New York, New York! The Big Apple from A to Z

    If you’re planning a trip to New York City with kids, this book should help get them interested in and excited about the trip.  It’s an illustrated A -Z guide to the city. Includes lots of interesting little facts about New York too.

     

     

    More New York Books at Amazon.com

     

     

  • Friday Finds for December 13th 2013

    “Friday Finds” is a weekly round-up of useful and interesting things found online.

    Wanderu’s Search Tool for Buses and Inter-City Trains – This is a cool tool for finding the best deal and most convenient mode of bus travel from Boston or Washington DC to New York City.  You pick the day you want to travel and you’re presented with a list of options that you can sort by departure time, arrival time, travel duration, or price.  It’s just like the airline searches, except for buses. Neat idea. So far, the only routes to NYC are from Boston and DC, but the site developers expect to expand nationwide in the upcoming year.

    Rainy Day Fun in NYC – What if you plan a trip to the city and it’s pouring down rain when you get there? Walks of New York provides good ideas on how to spend your time indoors, where you’ll stay nice and dry.

    New York Times City Room, New York Today – An excellent morning roundup of what you need to know for a day in the city. Includes weather, transit issues, events, and headline city news.