The 100 Best Affordable Vacations (17 page)

 
Brooklyn Heights Promenade.
The promenade offers unparalleled views of the city, encompassing the Brooklyn Bridge and Staten Island. This esplanade atop the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway is also one of New York’s most romantic spots, especially at sunset.
Bet. Montague
&
Middagh Sts., Brooklyn.

 
Central Park.
New York City’s backyard is big (843 acres) and historic—sheep once grazed in the 150-plus-year-old green space. On any weekend you’ll find joggers circling the reservoir and children climbing on the Alice-in-Wonderland bronze statue at East 74th Street near the Conservatory Water; in summer, would-be Boys of Summer throng the sports diamonds. Some of Central Park’s freebies are well known: Holiday concerts on the Great Lawn and at the Naumberg Bandshell; Shakespeare in the Park performances at the Delacorte Theater; the John Lennon Memorial near the park entrance at 72nd Street and Central Park West. Others are often overlooked, including the 18th-century Dairy (now a history center), the Conservatory Garden at East 105th Street, and the catch-and-release fishing program at the Harlem Meer. A few park attractions charge modest fees, including the
Carousel
(212-879-0244, $2), the
Central Park Zoo
(212-439-6500, $10), and, in winter, the
Wollman Ice Skating Rink
(212-439-6900, Nov.–March, $14).
www.centralparknyc.org,
www.centralpark.com
.

 
The Cloisters.
The entrance ticket to the Metropolitan Museum of Art also includes same-day entry to the Cloisters in Fort Tryon Park at Manhattan’s north end. The Cloisters is what it sounds: a medieval cloister constructed from architectural elements gleaned from various structures in Europe dating from the 12th to 15th centuries. The artworks—chalices, tombs, stained-glass windows, tapestries, and more—hail primarily from the same period. (Hint: Admission prices at the Met are suggestions only; you should pay the full amount, but if you’re really strapped you can pay less.)
The Cloisters, 99 Margaret Corbin Dr., 212-923-3700. Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 5th Ave., 212-535-7710,
www.metmuseum.org
.

 
Free museum days.
A number of New York City museums and gardens are free one evening a week or month, including the
Museum of Modern Art
(11 W. 53rd St., 212-708-9400,
www.moma.org
, Fri. 4 p.m.–8 p.m.), the
Morgan Library
(225 Madison Ave., 212-685-0008,
www.themorgan.org
, Fri. 7 p.m.–9 p.m.), and the
Whitney Museum
(945 Madison Ave., 212-570-3600,
www.whitney.org
, donation, Fri. 6 p.m.–9 p.m.).

 
Free walking tours.
The
Central Park Conservancy
(212-360-2726,
www.centralparknyc.org
) offers free walking tours of the park, exploring its history, ecology, and design; each tour lasts 60 to 90 minutes. Neighborhood development groups offer free walking tours as well:
Village Alliance
(212-777-2173,
www.villagealliance.org
, summer only),
Lower East Side Business Improvement District
(866-224-0206,
www.lowereastsideny.com
, 2-hr. tour of Orchard St. April–summer),
Grand Central Partnership
(212-883-2420,
www.grandcentralpartnership.org
, 90-min. tour of Grand Central Terminal and neighborhood Fri. 12:30 p.m.; meet at 120 Park Ave. in sculpture court), and
Municipal Arts Society
(
http://mas.org
, 90-min. tour Tues. 12:30 p.m.; meet at Downtown Information Center, 55 Exchange Pl., Ste. 401, bring photo ID, donation).

 
New York Federal Reserve Museum.
The fortress-like New York Federal Reserve is actually open to the public—or at least parts of it are, with advance reservation. Its museum hosts exhibitions on the history of money and how the Fed works; it’s even possible to visit the gold vault on a free scheduled tour. Requests must be made in advance.
New York Federal Reserve, 33 Liberty St., 212-720-6130,
www.newyorkfed.org
.

 
Staten Island Ferry.
The Staten Island Ferry is one of the world’s great rides—and it’s free. Some 20 million people per year make the journey between Lower Manhattan and Staten Island, the city’s most suburban borough. For most tourists, though, the destination isn’t Staten Island but the hour-long round-trip ride itself, with views of Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, and the Lower Manhattan skyline.
Staten Island Ferry, 4 South St. (Manhattan), 1 Bay St. (Staten Island),
www.siferry.com
.

SLEEPING ON THE CHEAP

Though a number of shared-bathroom and value-conscious lodgings have opened in New York and other hot tourist areas in recent years, an increasingly popular option is to rent an apartment or time-share—especially if you’re traveling with a family or several couples.

What you’ll get: more space for your buck. Sometimes you’ll save 50 percent or more over a hotel. In New York, vrbo.com recently listed a two-bedroom apartment in midtown Manhattan for $275 a night and a four-bedroom East Side townhouse for $600 a night. What you’ll likely give up: room service, daily maid service, and, in many cases, 24-hour support.

Lodgings are available through a variety of websites in metro and tourist-friendly areas around the globe. Some websites put you directly in touch with the property owner, who has the final responsibility for delivering the property as promised. Other websites offer only properties that are professionally managed by an on-site company, which means you may have some backup if the property isn’t quite as advertised, or if something goes wrong. Be sure to check out any guarantees. Note that some cities are considering bans on rentals of less than a week.

Ask plenty of questions when looking at listed properties because each is individually owned. Are linens included? Is there a minimum rental required? Does the property have a full kitchen or just a refrigerator? What is the cancellation policy? Is the unit suitable for small children or those with mobility issues? Are there any additional fees beyond the per-night rate? What about parking?

The following sites on the Internet are good places to start your search:

 
www.homeaway.com
: Owned by the same company as vrbo.com, including properties from individuals and some management companies.