Greetings fellow Travelers,
I hope that wherever you are in this beautiful world you are having a wonderful day. I’m excited to share with you the first of many TripReports from my incredible journey I had in the city that never sleeps – New York City.
This was a family trip however Luxury and budget are still evident even when we have dads credit card, and now after looking back, this trip was nothing short of amazing.
Road Trip Chronicles
Our adventure began with a scenic road trip to the city that never sleeps. With the car packed and excitement in the air, we hit the road, eager to explore all that NYC had to offer.
We chose to drive as flights were on the hefty side of prices and while we could afford them, it would mean we would have to sacrifice on the amount of days we had in NYC, so we opted for the drive to give us more time there.
This is something I want to highlight to students trying to travel, always try to balance out the trip, if you can cut costs on travel, you can allocate funds elsewhere for something else and it all depends on what you want as well. We wanted to experience New York and how we got there was not as important, so we rearranged and made it work, and I encourage you too to find that balance.
After a few hours of driving, we arrived at our destination: the Hilton Garden Inn New York Times Square. Situated in the heart of the city, this hotel offered the perfect blend of comfort and convenience in terms of location. Plus, with our Hilton Diamond status, we were treated to a complimentary upgrade and free breakfast for the whole family, making our stay even more enjoyable.
Psssssst………I am going to do another post on how you can achieve Hilton Diamond status without having to stay as many nights at hotels and maximise your benefits from it, as we did, stay tuned!
Navigating NYC Like a Pro
Once settled into our hotel, we wasted no time in venturing out to explore the bustling streets of Manhattan.
Now we opted to park our car off in a cheap parking garage a couple blocks away from our hotel for a couple of good reasons:
1. Parking is ridiculously expensive on the Island and it was so worth the 5 block walk to the cheaper parking area for the $150 dollars we saved.
2. Traffic is your biggest enemy in Manhattan, it takes forever to drive anywhere, it’s crowded and it just isn’t worth the time and effort when there are so many other more affordable and wayyyyy more efficient options available.
3. Time, I think this applies to all of us students, trips to cities like New York will be short, hotels are costly, vacation days a low, and for a gazillion more reasons. With that in mind, it just makes a lot more sense to find a form of transport that is fast, reliable and cheap and using your own car certainly won’t give you that.
My Favorite Transportation System In NYC
By a far margin the subway is my absolute favorite. The subway takes you everywhere, and even if it can’t take you exactly where you need to go, it can get you pretty close. With subway cards you also have access to the bus system which is an extra option if needed.
My personal favorite is the 7 day unlimited for $34 dollars. $34 dollars is an affordable amount and I doubt any of us students are going to be in the city longer than that, it’s the perfect balance and it allows you to make those unplanned trips anywhere without worrying about costs. If you decide late one afternoon you want to head over to Sunset Terrace at Chelsea Piers, there’s no worry about how much an unplanned trip will cost, jump on the subway to 23rd street, get off and take a stroll down the road to the piers. Easy as that!
Pro-tip: Before you go, make sure to download google maps or the MTA App to help navigate. In my experience, these two both work the best and offer some pretty precise live navigation which is really useful in Manhattan.
With our trusty subway cards in hand, we navigated the city like seasoned locals, hopping from one iconic landmark to the next. From Times Square to Central Park, we marveled at the sights and sounds of the city, all while keeping our transportation costs to a minimum.
High-Flying Savings With Groupon
We have all seen the Instagram stories, pictures and reels of celebrities and rich influencers dangling their legs 3000 feet above Manhattan, well of course that’s what I wanted to do tooo, but that comes at a steep price and remember how I told you we needed balance when planning our travel? This is exactly what I was referring to, I sacrificed taking flights for driving to re-allocate my money towards a private helicopter tour over New York City and so can you! Let me tell you how!
This was without a doubt one of the highlights of our trip. Taking a helicopter tour above the Manhattan skyline.
So…..how did we do it? Thanks to my smart and helpful sister, she found a GroupOn special with HeliFlights, which allowed us to score a discounted open door tour for two, allowing us to experience the city from a whole new perspective. This is a great way to save on the cost of a private helicopter tour over NYC, HeliFlights is a great company providing a great service and if you are lucky and keep an eye out on the GroupOn deals, you could score up to 50% off on your package. It saves you a ton and in my opinion is an even better experience than going with one of the more expensive companies that make you share helicopters with other people and do not have the same seating arrangement, meaning sometimes you won’t be able to get those legs over Manhattan pictures with your partner/friend as you might be seated in a way that does not accommodate.
I am going to try and do a more detailed post on the Helicopter flights on a budget and compare the different companies, their prices, services and experiences, make sure to check for updates on my Instagram for when that post comes out.
The HeliFlights airfield is located in New Jersey, it’s no problem to reach using the Bus or Subway. It takes about two hours one way with public transport but if you don’t fancy that, Uber is also an option. Either way the distance is worth the money saved.
The actual flight experience was more than I could have ever dreamed of!
As we soared above the skyscrapers, we were treated to breathtaking views of iconic landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building, making it a truly unforgettable experience.
I’ll let these pictures do the talking……
Central Park Picnic and Strolls
No trip to New York City would be complete without a visit to Central Park. The green oasis in the center of a concrete Jungle.
My favourite thing to do at central park is grab some food and make a picnic out of the visit. It’s always a beautiful site to sit on the grass, enjoy some food and stare at the tall surrounding skyscrapers.
If you do plan to do this, one tip I highly recommend is buying food before you get close to the park. Trust me, food trucks, restaurants and takeaways near the park are higher priced than ones further away and it’s those small savers that add up.
After grabbing lunch, we made our way to the park, eager to soak in its natural beauty. It really is just gorgeous, and huge! Much larger than we imagined, try to visit it on multiple days and explore different parts on each day. No two areas are the same and it is just humongous. If you are up to it, you can try doing a morning run through the park, it’s definitely one you won’t forget.
From leisurely strolls along the winding pathways to picnicking on the lush green lawns, we enjoyed every moment spent in this urban oasis. If you are planning to walk and explore a lot, I think it goes without saying that you should wear some good walking shoes, but if you are like me and enjoy photoshoot opportunities, then you are for sure in the right place. Carry your tripod or bring a friend to get all of those sunkissed and scenic shots. It really is a shooting-set like no other.
If you are visiting with your significant other, this part is for you, a major attraction is the horse-drawn carriages riding through the park, but do be aware, these come at a hefty price…….per minute.
While horse-drawn carriage rides were tempting, we opted for walking instead, taking in the sights and sounds of the park at our own pace.
Exploring Iconic Spots
- 5th Avenue
As students, our pockets may not be deep enough to afford to even breathe the air inside some of the glamorous stores on 5fth avenue, let alone purchase anything…….yet! Still, it is an experience I encourage you to go and try. Take a walk down with a cup of coffee, take some pictures, walk into some stores and act like you can afford something even though you can’t. It’s worth the fun. - Grand Central Station
Go at night! Please please please visit this magical place at night. The darkness through the windows and lighting on the inside is an entire vibe and scene to take in. Sit around for a few minutes and just enjoy the magic inside. It’s one that is hard to describe but really is a feeling like no other. - Magnolia Bakery
Best banana pudding ever! Make sure to set aside at least $50 for Magnolia Bakery alone. I went for two rounds of their Banana Pudding on my trip and that is not even including the cakes and cups of coffee I bought. Their recipe is one of the tastiest in the world! I love it so much, a few months after this trip I was transiting through NYC on a trip and I left the airport just to get to the nearest Magnolia bakery for a serving of Banana pudding and boy was it worth it.
There are stores in, Bleecker Street (Original Store), Inside Bloomingdale’s department store on the Upper East Side, Central Park South, Grand Central Terminal, Grand Central (Madison Avenue Corridor, Hudson Yards, Moynihan Train Hall, Rockefeller Center and in the Upper West side. - Halal Guys Food Cart
The legendary Halal Food Guys Cart is spectacular. These guys have been around for years and have perfected the art of hot, wholesome, flavorful food. The juicy meat mixed in with the vegetables and rice, topped with their white and red hot sauce is a bowl from heaven. I recommend buying yourself a bowl before heading to central park and indulging in its goodness.
[Cart Location] - Empire State Building
Okay now I did not personally go up the Empire state building for two reasons. One is I took a helicopter tour which in my opinion is better than climbing a tower with limited views. Two is the price, it’s ridiculous how much they charge to go up and in my opinion, I would rather scratch up some extra dollars and pay for my helicopter experience again! But if it interests you, this is a famous visiting spot and many of my friends and family have recommended it.
[Insert Screenshot] - Carlos Bakery
We have all seen Buddy “The Boss” from Cake Boss and if you have the time, it is worth visiting the Carlos Bakery store. Be prepared though, all sweet treats are ridiculously expensive, I think the cheapest item I found when I went was a cupcake for $6 dollars and I did not buy it. It’s more of a place to visit to say “Been there, done that” than a place to actually get any sort of culinary experience. - Wall Street
This is the business end of 5fth avenue. You visit wall street to take a walk down, take a picture at the Bull and watch all the fancy cars, suits and briefcases go on their business. It is a nice place to visit, definitely worth the time and effort to go there. You would be missing out on a New York special if you didn’t. - Time’s Square
Last but not least, Times square. I don’t need to emphasize how amazing this place is so I will jump straight to the tips around visiting. When it comes to visiting Times Square, timing is everything. To avoid the crowds, we opted to visit early in the morning or late in the evening, allowing us to soak in the neon-lit magic without the hustle and bustle of the daytime crowds.
Crossing Bridges and Exploring Beyond
For a different perspective of the city, we ventured beyond Manhattan’s borders, crossing bridges and exploring neighboring boroughs. From the breathtaking views of the Brooklyn Bridge to the scenic tram ride to Roosevelt Island, we discovered that there’s so much more to New York City than meets the eye.
Our family adventure in NYC was truly an experience to remember. From exploring iconic landmarks to indulging in delicious eats, we discovered that traveling in style doesn’t have to break the bank. With a bit of planning and a sense of adventure, it’s possible to enjoy all that the Big Apple has to offer without breaking the budget. So pack your bags, grab your subway card, and get ready to embark on your own budget-friendly adventure through the streets of New York City!
Stay tuned for the next blog post on TravelingMojo! Your next adventure awaits.