Prices in New York - 2021: Our Budget and Review

Dates: November, 2018; September-October, 2019; April 2020.
Term: 21 days, NY only, without “see everything in the States at once”.
Company: 2 people.

That summer, I could not even imagine that at the end of autumn I was waiting for a trip to New York - and generally the first in the United States.

I sat down at the article for a long time. Perhaps because I liked the city so much that I did not want to spoil my memories with red tape with the calculation of what was spent. During the period from November until the publication, we managed to once again go to the States - but this time to California (if you need text, beckon in the comments!).

Despite the dry title "Prices in New York", this is a complete guide-review-guide-anything around the city.
And then there will be a lot of photos, names of locations, food recommendations and just useful suggestions 🙂

Update 10/24/19: At the end of September 2019, we again spent 3 weeks in New York. So the article has grown a little (and not only due to the photos :)).

US visa cost - how did we do it?

Cost: $ 160 each - consular fee.
From the unobvious: 11,000 rubles for air tickets Moscow-Israel.

This is what a dream come true in Central Park in New York City.

Yes, we received a US visa in another country - Israel. It turned out spontaneously: tickets for a vacation in October Tel Aviv were bought back in May, and the idea to apply for a visa (and the realization that the queues in Moscow are gigantic) came in August.

I will not describe this process in detail - after all, they create extensive topics on the forums. But you can ask a question here in the comments, just too much adequate!

I will describe the background: for me, this tourist visa is the first, for a young man (Igor) - the second, after the expired annual one marked with clearance received. We live together, declared a civil marriage in the questionnaire; traveling together since 2016.

... and I will sum up that we were given a visa for 3 years. Without additional checks (marking CR, it turns out, is not for life).

Insurance.
Medicine in the USA is expensive. I advise you to take out insurance for any trip abroad - for peace of mind and a guarantee of NOT ruin.

One of our acquaintances turned to a clinic in New York with a child. For the X-ray and the conclusion of the therapist they asked 200,000 rubles! Do you hear a nervous laugh? Fortunately, he had a policy for the whole family, and the insurance company returned the money.

We have annual insurance from the bank (here >> you can read which cards come with such an additional option) - this helps a lot. Because in itself for the USA it costs from 1,700 rubles per person for 2 weeks. Online is more profitable: on Cherehapa or Compare.ru.

Airfare to New York

Our ticket: 48,000 rubles for two.
+ 9000 rubles to get to the capital from Kazan.

When we took this photo, we immediately realized that it would be in the text. The atmosphere of the city!

Well, the cost of a trip to New York starts with the flight. Look for air tickets, I think you know where - on the aggregators. Use calendars of low prices, compare both there and there:

• Aviasales
• Skyscanner

Good price for a ticket Moscow-New York: 20-25 thousand for one round trip. I will clarify that the "good price" is with a transfer. Direct Aeroflot stably costs from 30,000 rubles. We decided that we would endure an hour-long connection in Helsinki (we flew Finn Air) for the sake of economy.

«Difficult route»Or composite (with arrival and departure to different US cities) can also be found within 30,000 rubles per one. But the aggregator will have to torment a little longer, sorting out the dates. Tickets for the second trip came to us at 54,000 rubles for two on the Moscow-Los Angeles and New York-Moscow route (tickets between cities are not included).

When to buy? For "high" summer dates, there are adequate prices for the month. For "low" November, we took tickets a week before departure, found it easily, immediately and inexpensively. Christmas and New Year is a different story. But they usually prepare for such a thing long before.

✓ Time difference Moscow-New York: 7 hours.

✓ Direct flight lasts ≈ 10 hours.

With November we got to the point. Summer returned to the city for two days. From 10 numbers there was a golden autumn. And in the middle of the month the first snow fell - New York in winter, as ordered! Plus, we've seen: the remains of Halloween pumpkins by the houses, Thanksgiving and Macy's parade Black Friday (wow, how real it is!) and decorating the city for Christmas (and even a Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center).

But people are getting ready for Christmas - the perfect time for a trip / Macy's Parade, we got there too

How much does it cost to get from the airport to the city?

JFK-Manhattan Airport: $ 7.75 per person.
Brooklyn-JFK: $ 0 (and no, we weren't planted).

Our first 3 hours in New York - of course we went straight to Times Square

Landing - kiosk - queue to the officer for a stamp - exit to the arrivals hall (we are without luggage) - hello New York, what's next?

So what is next:

• an ordinary tourist is looking for monorail Air Trainto get to the stop Jamaicawhere the nearest metro station is located Sutphin Blvd-Archer Av-JFK Station... It takes 15-20 minutes to go by monorail, but it costs $ 5. You begin to understand that New York is an expensive city.
• By this stage, I strongly advise you to have 2 things: cash in small bills (no one in the subway will change your 100 bucks, and our bank cards passed through once with a break of 15 minutes) and the NYC Subway application.
• From the station with the long name, follow to the one you want. One-time metro ticket - $ 2.75 per person.
• tourist "comfort is more important than money" is looking for / orders Taxi... I saw on the Internet the terrible figures of $ 100 per trip, but in fact, on the way back from Brooklyn to the airport, we drove for $ 20. And they paid $ 0 (upd: unfortunately, now the conditions have changed). And here it is! ↓

I read a lot of reviews about New York, but tremendous life hack discovered on the spot, on the last day. Couldn't dodge the promoter. A new application for ordering a taxi has appeared in the city - VIA... And of course there's a generous promo code: $ 4 for the first 5 rides! I share - igor7c4. Download Via (it also works with a Russian SIM card), enter the coupon, the top twenty is counted to you. Do not forget to do it on the other phone if there are two of youthree or more!

And this is an analogue of Uber - a new taxi, which took us to the airport for free
(promo code just above)

Public transport - metro, taxi, bus

Metro pass for a week: $ 33 (+ $ 1 for the card itself).
Taxi around the city (≈ 10 minutes): $ 5-10.

In contrast to Los Angeles, prices in New York are lower. If only because public transport is well developed here, and a car is not needed.
* I do not exclude that this is why I am 100% team NY - I have no rights, but LA-shnye traffic jams and taxis I dream in nightmares :).

The New York subway is a big attraction too

Metro.
24/7, covering the WHOLE city (Manhattan is not the only borough in New York), with rats - atmospheric on each of its 27 branches!

In short, the fastest and cheapest way to travel. But Big Apple = big metro, and it's impossible to figure out where to sit on your own using the map at the station.

Download the application to your phone Nyc subway - how great it helps out and helps to build a route underground! Especially with high-speed trains that pass many stations (and, of course, yours :)). True, it works to the fullest only with the Internet.

• Have you arrived for a week or more? Take an unlimited 7-day pass ($ 33) - it is for both subway and buses. We spent 25-30 passes each. With a one-time ticket, that would be $ 69.
• ALWAYS READ ANNOUNCEMENTS that hang in front of the subway descent. Repair work is unfolding with lightning speed, and the stations are closed.
• Metro from / to JFK airport costs $ 5 + $ 2.75 - if you suddenly decide not to use discount taxi ride.

Taxi.
From the standard: Uber.
There is an UberX option - like in Russia, when the car is completely yours. And there is Uber Pool, when the car is shared with a fellow traveler (shared ride).
The stranger (s) are either picking up along the way or picking you up. Uber Pool is cheaper, but you can summon a maximum of two. We used it a couple of times, for 8-10 minutes we paid about $ 5-6.

From non-standard (because new): Via.
Uber analog. Few people know about the promo code, catch it - igor7c4... Get $ 20 on your first 5 orders (spend $ 4 each). The Russian number is supported, the main thing is to download the application. Oh, yes, Via also appeared in Chicago and Washington.

While we were in New York, they shot a video about prices and our budget,
and also gave a lot of tips for saving.

Rent a Car

Traveling on your own to the USA - and the idea of ​​a road trip from east coast to west coast - is great. But as you approach New York, hand over your car. Our sincere advice.If it's the other way around, rent on the last day in the city.

I give my word to Igor, who drove along the LA-NY route (without me ☹).

“Renting a car in NY is not a good idea. To get through the metropolis to the airport (the place to drop off the car), we paid about $ 50 for toll roads. Add in super expensive parking lots, traffic jams and huge fines that are easy to run into.

But if you are planning other states of America, then you can't do without a car. Since the publication of this article, we have traveled to the States four more times, and now, with pride, I can finally present to you my brainchild: the most detailed material about car rental in California! "

Housing in New York - price

Airbnb room: $ 60-85 per night for two.
Hotel: from $ 120 per night for two.
Hostel: from $ 50 per person.

How much does a trip to New York cost? An important stage number 2 (after air tickets).

It is pointless to suffer about sky-high housing prices in New York. There is nothing you can do about it. I'd better put all the useful info in 3 blocks.

And I will note that New York consists of 5 boroughs (boroughs) - Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island.

Where to look for housing?

Hotels - if you want to chic in Manhattan in a room with a cool view, or you are in the city for 1-3 days and love the romance of hotels. Select and book for:

• Booking - everyone knows, everyone uses it.
• RoomGuru - aggregates Booking (i.e. collects offers) and +9 more hotel search engines around the world.

Hostels - if you need one and it's super cheap. Anything cheap of this type will be located in Chinatown or Harlem. They search on the same aggregators as hotels. But in general, there is a more interesting option for single backpackers (see the table below).

Here are some popular tourist hotels in Manhattan:
* for ordinary tourists, and not for those who are not averse to spending even 100k per night

• 4 * Pod Times Square (Times Square) - the location is clear from the name, 2 minutes to Times Square. One of the rare options that are reasonable in price and do not suffer in quality.
• 3 * La Quinta (Upper West Side) - a hotel in a good and convenient area in terms of transport. You can explore Central Park inside and out.
• 2 * The Jane Hotel (Greenwich Village) is an atmospheric hotel in an interesting area of ​​Manhattan (brownstones, Friends and Carrie Bradshaw's houses, illogical street intersections).
• 3 * Four Points by Sheraton (Chelsea) - rooms with a view of the Empire or the World Trade Center for a more or less reasonable price.

By hostels:

• HI NYC (Upper West Side) is a clean hostel 5 minutes from Central Park (its northern part).
• Canal Loft Hostel & Hotel (Chinatown) - Near: Direct tube to Kennedy Airport, Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges. And the rooms are only for four, and not for ten, as they think about hostels!
• Royal Park Hotel & Hostel (Upper West Side) - Passable semi-hotel, semi-hostel. Advantages: very close to Central Park and the metro.

Our apartment in Brooklyn, rented from an American (super modern housing with a robot vacuum cleaner, Alexa and a popcorn machine)

Apartments in New York - "golden mean" for everyone. And the Airbnb service, where these apartments are exhibited, is the best they have invented for travelers.
Airbnb is very popular in the States, and I understand why: it is more profitable, more comfortable, there is a choice always and everywhere. If you are a beginner - take away coupon up to $ 54 >> for your first booking. Non-newbies, register again, with a different phone number (I have used up to grandmother's :)).

By the way, according to the laws of the state, you can donate something to Airbnb only on condition that the owner lives there permanently. Therefore, in New York, renting rooms is more common. And it's not scary at all! The room is yours, private, and all other rooms - kitchen, bathroom, living room, whatever else - are shared with the host. Oh, now I'll show you the pictures!

Accommodation prices.

How much can you rent a house for?
* the cost is indicated per night; taxes rise with the number of nights.

How to save money?
It will not be about Couchsurfing or "bear with cockroaches for a profit of 10 bucks." I am for reasonable spending (including time), and not fierce savings.

Here's what we came up with in 3 weeks of living in NYC:

• It is reasonable to settle in Manhattan if your timing for the city is 1-3 days. Because it's a pity to lose the already limited time in the subway to / from other boroughs (from 20 minutes to an hour one way).
• Look for adequate prices for apartments in New York in Brooklyn. This is NOT a criminal territory for a long time, but quite a developed and civilized district. In Bushwick, you can book a room for $ 50 for two (but he recently got out of the ghetto chains, so we are not taking into account yet).
• We didn't like the hour to drag to Times Square from Myrtle Av station, because with Utica Av we got there in 30 minutes. Moral: Stop in Brooklyn near a subway with express lines (like A). Look at it on Google maps and mentally transfer it to the Airbnb map.
• The neighboring state of New Jersey - across the bridge from Manhattan - is noteworthy. Accommodation there is even more budgetary, but the New York Pass does not work, and you will have to pay $ 10-12 for a round-trip bus.
• By the way, about hotels: inexpensive three- and four-star hotels are waiting in Queens (from $ 80 + $ 15-20 tax).
• Well, the cool micro-districts of New York are Williamsburg (in Brooklyn), Brooklyn Heights, East and West Village, Upper East Side (near Central Park). But the cost of housing is decent here.

Lower manhattan

Where are we staying?

Experience number 1 (road trip).
September 2017. When Igor and his friends drove to New York by car, they checked into New Jersey at the Super 8 by Wyndham 2 * hotel ("probably one of the best ever options - $ 688 for 5 nights for four!"). By bus from ND - 20-30 minutes to Times Square.

Experience number 2.
November 2018. We looked at the prices, realized that Manhattan could not afford - and we were looking for two weeks before departure - and decided to be in Brooklyn.

The rooms were found through Airbnb (and it so happened that both were in the Bed-Stai area):

• half the time we lived in a townhouse with an American on the second floor (the coolest experience!) - $ 75 per night for two, Art. Utica Av.
• half - in a two-level apartment with Russian emigrants - $ 65 per night, Art. Myrtle Av.

Of course, we could not help asking them - we live in the same space 🙂 Russians have been renting a 3-bedroom apartment for $ 3500 a month for 10 years, two of which are rented out. They work as ordinary managers, and even get laid off.
An American, he is 30 years old, his parents bought a house for $ 1,000,000, and he pays them as a mortgage. Works with websites, resells exclusive crosses to Soho stores and rents 2 floors.

With the American it worked out better (maybe because he is free and easy to communicate). We were subsequently invited to celebrate Thanksgiving. And this is the coolest thing about Airbnb - where else could such immersion in local life be possible?

Mobile communications and internet

International SIM DrimSim: € 0.02 per MB of internet.
Beeline "Everything for 1800": 60 rubles per day for 100 MB.

Everyone has such photos from New York, we are no exception 🙂

Even a week-long vacation in New York is difficult to spend without the Internet. Firstly, because maps.me - an offline navigator for cities - is wildly stupid in Manhattan because of skyscrapers, and something more substantial is needed, such as Google maps. Secondly, in the sense of this beauty in Insta not to spread ?? 🙂

An American SIM card costs on average $ 30-60 for 30 days of connection and the Internet (packages are different, from 2 GB to 10).

In short, I survived as best I could: I caught Wi-Fi at all angles. Well, “survived” is a strong saying, New York is very wi-fi friendly. In Manhattan, for example, there are many dedicated LinkNYC kiosks that give out great Wi-Fi for free.

Igor had DrimSim. Build a route in Google maps, check with NYC Subway, text messages, post stories - it's okay. So, we were not lost, and we were not lost. 100 MB from DreamSim in the USA costs 2 €.

The tariff "Everything for 1800" from Beeline is our discovery from a trip to California. Now he is always with him abroad. Details are in our separate article about communication and internet abroad (caution, usefulness).

Food in cafes and restaurants

Dish at a cafe: $ 10-15.
Slice of pizza to go: $ 1-4.5.
Big coffee to go: $ 4-5.

Our trip to New York was planned on a budget - "which means we cook and eat at home, dear" 🙂

But we did not refuse street food, coffee shops and pastry shops.
I vow to correct and supplement this section with "serious" titles after another trip to NYC (maybe soon).

In general, cafes in New York - and other kinds of places to eat - abound. It seems to me that here you can find ANY cuisine of the world!

Where to eat in New York? Our Tips

It is clear that prices in New York do not bite, but gobble up the wallet. But, damn it! Not only is 9% added to the cost of the dish from the menu in the check (taxes, sir), but also include a voluntary-compulsory tip in the amount of 15-20% of the amount.

Prince Street Pizza / Pret A Manger with your favorite yoghurt / Cafe Habana

Pret a manger - their Bircher Muesli yogurt with cranberries and pomegranates ($ 4) - a godly addition to coffee ($ 4.7) !!!

It's like Starbucks, but cleaner, bigger, and tastier. A good place to sit, look at passers-by, think about plans. The network is scattered throughout Manhattan, but one of the cozy locations is near Central Park (100 Central Park S).

And if a freelancer with a laptop goes to New York - Pret cafe at 100 Church St is a must visit for him. Previously, Casey Neistat used to hang out here 🙂

The halal guys Is probably the most famous street food. I recommend the truck next to 1300 6th Avenue. Stand in line with the office workers, then sit by the flower bed and eat this huge plate of chicken and rice ($ 9). Attension, take one for two.

Cafe Habana - popular, first of all, because of Lenny Kravitz's video for the song Again. And the spiced popcorn, which is superb here ($ 4.5).
17 Prince St

Prince street pizza - Turn the corner from Habana and find a stellar pizza. In the sense that so many celebrities have tried it - not to see all the pictures on the walls and 20 minutes of waiting in line. Take a piece of pepperoni ($ 4.5), you won't go wrong. Delicious!
27 Prince St A

Rice To Riches - the kingdom of puddings! Someone seems like sweet rice porridge, but we appreciated it as a dessert. What flavors we got ... like cheesecake and hazelnut ($ 9.75). But you first ask to try it, it's free. A portion for two is epic.
37 Spring St

Delicious Rice Puddings from Rice To Riches

The Butcher's Daughter - a place for breakfast. Smoothies ($ 10), eggs benedict ($ 16), and vegetarian options. The service sucks, but for the sake of the eggs you can endure - just class.
19 Kenmare St

Steve's Authentic Key Lime Pies - a small pastry shop producing the best lime pie ($ 20 for a whole; $ 5.5 for a slice). Nearby is a view of the Statue of Liberty. We brought the pie as a Thanksgiving treat and found out that the place is known - and adored - by all the locals.
185 Van Dyke St

Junior's Restaurant - and with him a pastry shop, where we ate 3 pieces of classic pecan pie ($ 7.5) ... Verdict: real guilty pleasure. By the way, on Thanksgiving, a giant queue of New Yorkers for pies is lining up near the restaurant.
386 Flatbush Ave Ext

Our favorite fair at Union Square

Trade fairs - in November we often visited Union Square Greenmarket. Drink apple cider ($ 1), try goat cheese with lavender, or stock up on gluten-free cookies and pumpkin scones (renting a stand - Our Daily Bread, $ 3-5).
All year round Mon, Wed, Fri and sub .; Union square

My little conclusion: the cost of living in New York, in our case, could be reduced if we did not drink a hundred-oh-only coffee.

Groceries in supermarkets

Purchase for a day for two: $ 15-30.
Water bottle: $ 0.5.

We ate ourselves, and it came out economically. Once I calculated how much our breakfast costs (bagel, cream cheese, avocado, kale, egg): $ 6 for two! In a cafe it would have been $ 16-20. No tip.

Supermarkets - where is it cheaper?
We bought food in 4 supermarkets (they are the main ones):

• Whole Foods - mega-healthy, super-organic, very trendy market chain from the omnipresent Amazon. White sugar will not make its way onto any label, not a single bum will come - because 1) high quality, 2) expensive. Despite the "2)", we still went to Hall Foods more often ... A tribute to the general obsession with healthy lifestyles, what to say. But WF also has promotions: for example, Greek yogurt for $ 5, and in TJ's it is for $ 9.
• Trader Joe's - the products are cheaper, but also of good quality. There is already common cola and water without electrolytes. I noticed that there are always tents in front of the Trader, where Mexicans sell seasonal fruits-berries 2 times cheaper.
• Costco - like the Russian Metro, a wholesale store with huge volumes of sales: peanut butter in 3-liter cans, and palm-sized grapes (aren't you gosh for an hour?). It's interesting to go and take a look.
• Stop & Shop - a chain of boutiques in Brooklyn and the Bronx, usual. All basic items are in stock.
• Pharmacy - the local US "zest", any pharmacy does not lag behind supermarkets in the range of food and gizmos for the home!

Oh, exactly: Whole Foods is our ABC of Taste; Trader Joe's - Crossroads or Carousel; Kosko - Metro; and pharmacies - Pyaterochka and Magnets.

The United States is a country of consumption. In stores, there are a lot of promotions like "two / three for the price of one" or just good discounts on certain products.

I felt the influence of the American "buy-and-and". In the morning we ate yoghurt with granola. I go to Whole Foods because I know that Fage was on sale yesterday. There is no discount today, but granola has dropped by 2 bucks. The story ends with the fact that I take both granola - like for the future - and yogurt. And instead of $ 5.5, I leave $ 11 🙁

At first, we drank Naked juice almost EVERY day!
Well, I advise ice cream on coconut milk 🙂

What to try?

Subjectively. Because there is a lot of choice. Well, how can you sell orange juice from 10 producers, 3 varieties from each? 🙂

• Naked Mango Protein ($ 3.5)
• Kale ($ 3.5) - for those who love arugula and all these greens. Because it's not like in Russia at all.
• Halo Top Ice Cream with Coconut Milk ($ 5)
• Reese's, of course! (often for a stock two for $ 6-7)
• Kevita Kombucha with Lavender ($ 3.5)

Products: Prices in New York - 2021

* important note: if you go to Brighton Beach, you will find the same 2 packs of raspberries that are in Manhattan for $ 4 for 1!

How much money do you need in New York if you cook at home? Expect $ 20-30 per day for two.

I heard the idea that eating in the USA is beneficial OUTSIDE the home. Well, probably yes, if you become a regular visitor to street food or McDonald's, where there is a 2 = 1 promotion for a survey on the site (infa at the bottom of the check). But you won't be eating burgers and pizzas all day, will you?

How much are entertainment and attractions in New York?

Walking Anywhere: $ 0.
Excursion to the Statue of Liberty: $ 20.
World Trade Center Observation Deck: $ 42.
Metropolitan ticket: $ 25 (pay-what-you-want canceled).

Brooklyn Bridge and Top of The Rock lookout
(dear, like all the main lookouts in town)

I thought how to describe the section "What to see in New York" in a less volumetric manner. And I decided that the photos and the names of the places will speak for themselves.

I'll try to conveniently organize the sights of New York, let's go.

From the new one.

An observation deck was opened in 2019 Vessel - a kind of hornets' nest in honeycombs. Unusual, free, but it is better to book tickets online in advance.
The Shops and Restaurants at Hudson Yards

Amazon Go - the first store in New York without cash registers, cashiers and cash registers. You come in, put what you need in your bag, and leave. Intrigued? We've already been to this in San Francisco, it's cool 🙂
200 Vesey St, Winter Garden

From the good old classics.

And all of it is in Manhattan. In general, it is fascinating and cinematic to walk around the island with your feet in any direction (except for Harlem). And for a walk, as you know, they don’t take money. Therefore, the following locations are free:

A view of the ice rink and the city from Central Park
(one of the scenes of the movie Home Alone was filmed here)

• Times Square - New York and Times Square, like Moscow and Red Square. And even if every second person says that this point is overvalued and boring, I would return.
• Central park - Central Park is a fabulous place in the bustling, always hectic Manhattan. Notable Spots: The Pond, Woollman Rink (Home Alone 2 skating rink, open from October to March) and Bethesda Fountain.

• Flatiron building - iron house. And you already get the idea.
• Grand central - the central railway station.

• Fifth Avenue - a year ago it was the most expensive street in the world.
• Rockfeller Center - at the end of November, the main Christmas tree of all New York is installed on the square in front of Rockefeller Center. The observation deck is open all year round on the upper floors. Top of the rock ($ 41 or $ 52).

• Oculus Metro Station
• 9/11 Memorial
• Wall street - and a local bull with grated eggs.

• Battery park - a park with a view of the Statue of Liberty, from here they sail on an excursion ($ 20).
• Empire state building - a cult building with an observation deck ($ 38 or $ 42), for the time being, it adequately reflects the impact of Top of the Rock in the flow of tourists.
• Soho District - bohemian and fashionable.

Let me summarize from my experience: this is what you can see in New York in 3 days at a leisurely pace. If the three days are suddenly completed in 2 days, you can get something from the places below.

You may not have known.

Chelsea Market - like the Depot in Moscow, but larger and more pohipster.
75 9th Ave

The high line park - a park on stilts, winding between houses at about the level of the 4th floor. Built on the former railroad tracks.

Walking in High Line Park / Got on an NBC show

Chinatown - Chinese region. Such a city in a city where you can gawk at Chinese people in T-shirts picking their noses and buy cheap fruit.

Bronx Zoo - a huge open zoo in New York, animals in their natural environment (but still limited by their own, albeit large, habitats).
Free on Wednesdays, use it! Giraffes, penguins, poisonous frogs (I have never seen a frog of bright blue or yellow color), leopards, lions and 600 other species of everything that is not a man. It takes a long time to get to the Bronx.
2300 Southern Blvd

News studios near Rockefeller Center - Lives and news broadcasts are often filmed here. We got so caught up in an interview with Winnie Harlow after the Victoria Secret show!

Transport routes.

The feature of all four is the panorama of skyscraper Manhattan.

View from Roosevelt Island

• Ferry to Staten Island - follows from Whitehall Terminal, free. An overview of the Statue of Liberty opens, the window surfaces are covered with tourists. But floating back and forth is worth it.
• Funicular on Roosevelt Island - the path is exciting, the views are pretty, and the island is not very. It is notable for the building of the hospital, preserved from the terry years. Dilapidated, but history.
  You can drive with a pass
• East River Ferry - to admire the skyline (skyscrapers) from the water and swim under the Brooklyn Bridge - a cool activity both in the afternoon and in the evening!
  Departs from Wall Street Pier 11
• Williamsburg Bridge Metro - branches J, Z or M. Look in the windows 🙂

Brooklyn.

Manhattan Bridge View / Good Old Brighton Beach

Brooklyn Bridge and Brooklyn Park: the first for me is the most beautiful bridge for walking (and even the San Francisco bridge is inferior), the second is a favorite place to watch New York at night.

Dumbo: famous for a spot for photos against the backdrop of the handsome Manhattan Bridge. Googlemaps Dumbo manhattan bridge.

Red Hook area: industrial area. Here is Ikea, delicious lime tarts (see the Where to Eat section) and an unbroken view of the Statue of Liberty.
I recommend planning for the weekend - on Saturdays and Sundays the ferry from Pier 11 is free (but on the way back you need a check from Ikea, buy ice cream).

Brighton Beach: the area where Russians live in New York. More precisely, immigrants from the USSR. Here, everything has remained at the level of the early 90s: the Volna cafe and the Golden Key, MosVideoFilm video rental, Belarusian condensed milk with buckwheat on the counter. And the endless ocean with a sandy coast ...

Dean Street: one of the many photogenic streets in Brooklyn with brownstones (dark red brick townhouses) that you can hop on the porch and take a shot.

Our favorite places.

Fair at Union Square: feel the atmosphere, grab a few samples of local products. Smile because life is good. To be amazed, because there are trailers to adopt nearby - with well-fed, well-groomed cats and dogs, picked up from the streets.
Union Square Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday

Bryant Park: in November we saw an ice rink and a Christmas market surrounded by skyscrapers. Handsomely! In summer, New Yorkers mingle with tourists on the lawn. Sunbathing, sipping Starbucks ice lattes, and Whole Foods lunch.

The New York Public Library: the library where the heroes of the film "The Day After Tomorrow" survived. Impressive both outside and inside. Rose main reading room on the 3rd floor - an ideal room to sit with a laptop (sockets, comfortable tables and chairs and a motivating vibe).
476 5th Avenue

Bridge at the intersection of E 42nd St and Tudor City Pl: so that the spire of the Chrysler Building fits harmoniously into the photo.
Near Mary O'Connor playground

Housing Works Cafe: two in one: a coffee shop and a bookstore. Cozy, delicious coffee, but the seats are often busy. Large latte - $ 4.5.
126 Crosby St

Other.

Entertainment cost:

• Cinema ticket - from $ 8-20 (cheaper early in the morning)
• Tickets for the NBA (pass-through match like Brooklyn Nets-Miami Heat) - from $ 40 at ticketmaster.com
• Tickets for an NHL match (with mediocre teams like the Ottawa Senators) - from $ 55 at stubhub.com
• Helicopter flight over Manhattan - $ 150-300 for 15 minutes.

We got around all of the above not even in a week, but in three. We returned somewhere 5 times (Central Park), evaluated something in a minute and moved on (Flatiron). Of course, the city is revealed in its own way for everyone. Yes, and I think that the best places in New York are those that I accidentally discovered myself 🙂

And yes, a blog about New York that only advises on typical tourist locations is not a bloody blog. NYC isn't just Manhattan.

New York museums

To the people - museums are free! Somehow New Yorkers chanted - probably 🙂 - and since then you can just go to the most popular ones. But on a specific schedule.

• Museum of Modern Art - the Museum of Contemporary Art is closed until 21.10.19. You can drop by MoMA PS1: Free admission on Fridays from 4 to 8 pm. The queues are gigantic! Our opinion: reviews are high, impressions are zero. Little Galeries Bartoux is more interesting side by side.
  Standard ticket - $ 25
• Guggenheim Museum - starts up for donation (pay what you want) on Saturdays from 5 to 8 pm. There are fewer queues.
  Standard ticket - $ 25

• American Museum of Natural History - great. It's not a pity to give a hundred square meters for this! Although the Museum of Natural History allows you to take a ticket for an update any day and at any time at your discretion.
  Standard ticket - $ 23
• Metropolitan Museum of Art - and Metropolitan has stopped supporting the pay what you wish system since 2018. More precisely, it is available to residents. Tourists are charged $ 25 each.

How much does a trip to New York cost? Our spending

Our experience: 230,000 rubles for two for 21 days.

+ Flights and get to Moscow: 57,000 rubles.
+ Accommodation through Airbnb: $ 1,200 ≈ 80,000 rubles.
+ Everything else (food, entertainment, transportation): $ 1,060 ≈ 70,000 rubles.
+ Shopping * (clothes, shoes, souvenirs): $ 375 ≈ 25,000 rubles.
* optional but very beneficial.

Here's a real example of how much a trip to New York costs. Is it expensive, is it homeless? Compared to a traditional vacation somewhere in Europe / Asia (I remembered that wintering in Bali for 2.5 months ruined us for 300 thousand) - not cheap. But this is the USA.

We didn’t go to restaurants, but we didn’t live like backpackers, and the overall experience was positive.

For me, New York is big, big ♥, which, it seems, I have not even half explored. There may be a grin - “and the guide, then, has already written” - but what I learned, I tried to describe sincerely and authentically. Hope it turned out well.

I will send the link to a friend. The first thing he asked after our return: "how much are the tickets to New York, what is the price?" Hello, Vasya:)

We were in New York in the fall, but for a couple of days (we were lucky) winter came

Our Tips

Above, I seemed to say goodbye, but I cannot but sum up everything that can come in handy in New York. So, life hacks in descending order from "fat" to "take note":

$ 20 for an online taxi.
$ 20 * promo code for the new Via taxi app - igor7c4. If you do it on 2 phones, there will be 10 trips with a discount. It is possible in the city.
* ($ 4 each for the first five orders).

$ 10-15 for food delivery from GrubHub.
We saved 100 dollars! Action plan:

1. Looking for a GrubHub coupon for your first order online; open a website (NOT AN APPLICATION), enter the address where to deliver; choose what you like.
2. Place an order: your email, some details and - attention! - in the "phone number" field, enter a fictitious American number (for example, the owner with Airbnb, but replace the last digits). No confirmation code required.
3. Enter the found promo code and pay the bill $ 10-15 less 🙂
4. Repeat until you run out of e-mails available to you.

Sim card DrimSim and € 7 bonus.
So that the Internet was immediately from the moment of landing (and not only in the USA, but all over the world). Calling a taxi, checking Googlemaps, chatting in WhatsApp is enough. 7 euros to the account >>
If you need to sit in the insta around the clock, download video, then a local sim card will help out.

Switch to American Apple ID.
For iPhones. Process instructions are available online. And you need this to get all sorts of small bonuses in applications, for example:

• Free coffee at Pret A Manger
• $ 5 discount at Uniqlo
• Or apply first order coupons from Seamless and Caviar (food delivery). Coupons are found in establishments - they are like business cards in a glass near the cash register. Rice To Riches was exactly like that.

Housing in New York.
Renting apartments and rooms on Airbnb is the most affordable option. If you jumped here from the table of contents, I insist that you read the "Housing" section. A discount of up to $ 54 applies to the first booking.

Website 1iota.
You can sign up for free on the extras of the American TV show Jimmy Kimmel or the NBC Morning Show.

As well as:

• Visit museums on the correct (all infa above) days. Saving $ 25 each - okay, no?
• Top of the Rock is better than Empire State Building. Because from the first one you can clearly see both Central Park at a glance, and the Empire itself. You can climb Rockefeller in the last cheap slot and wait for the sunset (it is $ 10 more expensive).
• Free panoramas of Manhattan or the Statue of Liberty go to NYC Ferry.
• There are excursions around New York in Russian on Tripster - both walking, automobile, and museums.
• By the way, about cash. I had 500 dollars with me, and everything else was on the card. We use the debit Tinkoff Black: we linked a dollar account to it in 5 minutes, bought bucks in the app and withdrawn and paid in New York without commissions and conversions.

What would we change on our trip?

- We would try to rent one apartment and immediately for the entire period, because moving from house to house is exhausting and wasting time.
- Wouldn't go to the Guggenheim Museum or MOMA. But if you have an ardent love for painting and art, don't listen.
- We would fly by helicopter for $ 150 for two (there was a similar promotion, because off-season).
- I would order food at home from the very beginning: there is a lot of choice, the price with promotional codes is lower, time is saved significantly!
- For some reason we did not watch concerts in New York. Therefore, we would go to someone's performance.

Now that's all for sure. I will conclude with the truth we understood: a trip to New York is several times cheaper than to California 🙂