New York City vacation rentals

It’s easy to go to New York City on a budget. The city offers countless free and cheap things to do. Some of our favorites include:

• Stroll through Central Park, where you’ll find walking trails, picnic spots, and other freebies like Shakespeare in the Park shows. When hunger sets in, head to one of the many street vendors selling cheap eats.
• Ride the Staten Island Ferry for a free 25-minute cruise that takes you past Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, and treats you to Manhattan skyline views.
• Get discounted tickets to see a Broadway show via the TKTS website or TodayTix.

Five to seven days is the ideal amount of time to explore New York City. With numerous landmark attractions—like the Statue of Liberty, High Line, One World Observatory, Rockefeller Center, and Central Park, to name a few—plus several neighborhoods and boroughs, New York City requires both time and energy to explore.

Five to seven days also gives you enough time to eat your way around the city, watch a Broadway show, and take relaxed city strolls. Can’t fit it all in? Don’t try to. The best New York City itinerary is one that’s set to your own personal pace. Besides, the city is so vast and varied, that a return visit is a must.