- I spent a weekend by myself in New York City and ended up spending $250, including accommodations.
- I found a ton of free events and cheap food on both Saturday and Sunday.
As someone who takes pride in being able to travel on a budget, I set out to spend a fall weekend in New York City for $250.
I live in Philadelphia and decided to take a bus to the city, but I didn't count that as part of my budget.
To start, I spent $106 booking one night in a four-dorm hostel, which was a great deal considering I spent more than half my summer travel budget on hotels.
Here's everything I did with the other $144 — and why I wouldn't travel to the city on this kind of budget again even though I had a nice time.
I started with a cheap breakfast and a stroll through Central Park
Once I arrived from Philly, my Saturday breakfast was a muffin and coffee from a food truck for $4.50.
For my first morning activity, I found a fall foliage map on the Central Park Conservancy website and headed to the famous park on the upper part of Manhattan.
Walking through the lush park and using the map to identify the warm-colored leaves was delightful. Plus, it was free.
I took the subway throughout my trip — at $2.90 a ride, it was the cheapest form of transportation besides walking, which I also did a lot of.
I found a free event to attend before lunch
I found a free event at Murray's Cheese in Greenwich on the NYC for Free Instagram page, which shares free events and giveaways across the city.
My curiosity got the best of me, so I stopped by and watched employees cut a 200-pound wheel of Emmentaler cheese while enjoying some free samples and fondue.
Then I made my way to a nearby restaurant, Tue Thai, where I got a lunch special of noodles, dumplings, and a salad for $12
The city seemed to be filled with free and cheap activities
While passing through Washington Square Park, I encountered some chess players, and one of them persuaded me to pay $10 for a lesson.
He was very animated, so I was entertained while I got my refresher on the game.
Then I made my way to Smalls, my favorite NYC jazz club. It hosts free jam sessions on Saturday afternoons with a one-drink minimum, which I satisfied with an $8 cider.
It was hard to leave, but I also needed my NYC art fix. I headed down to Chelsea to explore a row of free galleries, including the Gagosian and the International Print Center.
I explored them for an hour before they all closed at 6 p.m.
For dinner that night, I had a $10 plate of chicken and lamb over rice from a food truck.
At times, it was hard walking past a charming restaurant, but I knew its menu would drain my budget. Plus, I think the food I was eating was just as good.
Sunday, my last day, was just as cheap and eventful
For breakfast on Sunday, I had a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich and a coffee at my hostel for $7.95.
Then I kicked off the morning with more free activities: walking the High Line park and seeing the Vessel at Hudson Yards.
While I was out and about, the pastry display case at La Bergomat tempted me. I splurged on an $8.50 chocolate and hazelnut dessert and a $3 coffee.
A little later, lunch was a $12 vermicelli salad with tofu and vegetables at Pasteur in Chinatown.
I had a few more cheap snacks and treats throughout the day, including coffee, soda, and a slice of pizza.
One of my favorite cheap activities was a trip to Governors Island
Later that afternoon, I headed to the Battery Maritime Building to catch the ferry to Governors Island, a 172-acre island off of Lower Manhattan.
The ferry is free on the weekends before noon, but I arrived after, so I paid the $4 roundtrip fare.
On the island, I did a free walking tour, learned about the island's history, saw more fall foliage, and strolled through the crisp air.
The island looked and felt completely different from the city, but the breathtaking views of the Statue of Liberty and the Manhattan skyline were reminders that I wasn't far.
I cut the tour short and made my way to Brooklyn Heights before it got dark so I could do a self-guided brownstone walking tour.
My evening was also full of free events
I stopped at Sahadi's grocery store in Brooklyn for dinner and got two veggie dolmas, grilled veggies, baklava, a cashew-and-pistachio crunch, and an Americano for just $11.
A bit before 7 p.m., I hurried off to catch a free comedy show in Soho that I found on Eventbrite. The event-management platform is often used for paid events, but plenty of free ones are usually listed, too.
Then the night took me to Groove, a live-music venue in Greenwich Village, to see its house band, Black Soul Experience, for free. It was an awesome hour of singing and dancing to soul and funk covers, and it made for a perfect ending to the weekend.
I wish I could have stayed longer, but I was catching an 11 p.m. bus back to Philly.
I enjoyed my time, but I wouldn't do it again on such a strict budget
Ultimately, I went slightly over budget and spent $258, including taxes, tips, and subway rides.
I enjoyed my time and was surprised by how much I was able to pack into the weekend with my time and budget constraints.
NYC is a great spot to find cheap and free fun, but the city just has so much to offer. I would've liked to enhance my experience with tickets to the symphony or an interesting exhibit and a meal at a Michelin-starred restaurant.
Next time, I'll leave more wiggle room in my budget.