NYC native’s budget friendly advice for your next weekend trip

Sometimes grad school can get overwhelming. Although Syracuse offers an array of activities and restaurants to explore, a weekend getaway can be the ideal escape to power through the rest of your semester. Take a trip downstate and explore the city that never sleeps!

Concrete jungles where dreams are made of? Whichever signature you choose to identify New York City—it’s one thing for sure, these concrete jungles will run your wallet dry if you do not plan your trips carefully. As a native city dweller, sometimes I forget the hype associated with NYC conversing with my peers. But let’s face it there’s no other place quite like the Big Apple. I’ve got a few tips to spare breaking the bank before your next trip.

Fly, drive or bus it?

The first and most important part of your journey is choosing your mode of arrival. From SYR: JetBlue, Delta & United fly direct to LGA and JFK. According to the experts at Hopper the best days to book the cheapest flights are Thursdays. A non-stop flight is less than an hour. This gives you the opportunity to spend more time exploring the city!

If you decide to make a road trip the trip is approximately 4.5 hours. Investing in an EZ-Pass before you hit the road will save you the stress later (The George Washington Bridge alone will cost you $15). There are numerous tolls no matter the varying route options.

Want to avoid the stress of tolls, driving and parking?! The bus may be your best bet. NYC is a commuter friendly city, no matter which borough, you are bound to find a train or bus stop or even a dollar van (no it is not a dollar!). From Syracuse you can take the Grey Hound, Megabus or OurBus. The earlier you search for dates, the cheaper the tickets would be. Taken into account the multiple stops the journey would be about 5.5 hours.

Where to go? What to see?

The popular attractions can be quite expensive and can be overcrowded with tourists. There is so much vibrancy and culture that runs through the veins of this city. Check out the options below to immerse in an authentic New York experience and truly make your trip worthwhile.

-There are plenty of free museums for all ages

–Free walking tours

–The High Line

-Times Square (take in the tantalizing experience of the proclaimed “Crossroads of the World” but be mindful of exuberant restaurants in the area and the vast amount of tourists)

– Summer Stage is a free music festival held across the city from May-October

NYC is by far one of the most expensive cities to visit however if planned accordingly you can make your trip worthwhile. These suggestions are a mere drop in the bucket of what you can possibly do. I hope this serves as a solid foundation to kickstart your itinerary.

Do not forget to indulge in the iconic NYC pizza and check out more free things to do here!

Erica Rawlins

Erica Rawlins is a graduate student at S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. She is studying Public Diplomacy. Her interests lie in advocacy, branding and harnessing the power of social media. Upon graduating from Syracuse University she hopes to tie her interests into a career that impacts emerging markets.