Korean Job Discussion Forums

[cazador83]

Might take a trip to NYC with the gf for a week. I'm from Texas and never been up there before. It's great because neither of us have been, and we'll both wanna do the touristy stuff.
However, I won't be staying at expensive places, etc. because I have a budget myself! We're planning on staying about a week.

Any suggestions on what to do there and how much it might cost? (food, transportation, cheap/moderate places to stay, etc.). Any tours also? (local tours, not Korean!)

Thanks!

[Tony_Balony]

You might not have to bring any money. Watch the movie "Midnight Cowboy"
You can make money while you are there.

[ginger7]

Plan to spend at least $40 dollars per day just on food and transportation. I doubt you'll find a hotel much cheaper than like $80 a night unless you stay in an outer burrough.

I lived in New York for four years. You basically spend $20 every time you leave your apartment. It's pretty expensive...

Check out all of the dog parks in the city. Walk the Brooklyn Bridge. Go to the Shake Shack in Madison Square Park. Walk around the Financial District then watch the sun set in the park looking at the Statue of Liberty. Go to all of the museums (the MET does not have a fixed price, it's just a suggested donation). Go to random diners. Definitely go to the Cuban restaurant called Havana on Prince and Elizabeth Street...gosh, this barely touches the surface...

[bucheon bum]

Dorm room in hostel will cost around 30 bucks.

Try to get a room via priceline if you want a regular hotel room. I've gotten a room for under 100 bucks a couple times.

Hotel 17 is ok budget place near Union Sq. There are some other budget hotels with shared bath that'll be 75-100. I can't remember any right now.

40 bucks/day for food and transportation? Eh no. You can do it cheaper. Ge the 7-day pass for the subway and bus. It costs 24 bucks (the cost of 12 rides). Food stands are awesome and cheap (about 5 bucks for a filling meal).

Staten Island Ferry is good and free.

Met Museum only asks for a donation. They make it look like you have to pay, but just ignore the ticket windows.

Central park is obviously free and pretty sweet, especially if you are with your partner. Good memories there.

If you're into a wide variety of people, take the 7 subway through queens. You have Corona, with its hispanics, Flushing with Koreans and Chinese, and Jackson Heights with South Asians. Personally I dig queens simply because it has all kinds of people.

Cheap hamburger and beer place: The Corner Bistro

Cheap beer and free hot dogs: Rudy's

Cheap but very good Vietnamese place in Chinatown: Nha Trang.

Yeah, if you couldn't tell I'm all about cheap, good food.

Honestly, I'm just happy strolling around most parts of NYC and checking things out. It is pretty damn cool.

And yes, go to a diner. Yes, go to Battery Park.

Uggh, this is making me want to go back...

[cazador83]

thanks for all the info so far guys! anything else, please let me know!

[Flash Ipanema]

As a fellow Texan let me warn you: I ordered a glass of iced tea in a restaurant. I had three glasses total and got charged $3 for each one because I didn't realize they didn't do free refills. My tea was more than my food. I should have gotten beer like everyone else.

[reactionary]

try http://www.parkavehotel.com

weehawken,nj

50-60 bucks a night, shared bathroom though. better than a hostel if you're with a gf.

learn the bus system though! do not take a taxi from manhattan - it's like 30 bucks for a short trip (only 10 minutes to times new square by bus).

stayed there a couple weeks. saved me hundreds, and kept me safe...some of the other cheap hotels are sometimes located in rough looking areas in queens.

[Alyallen]

[cazador83]

hey guys, thanks for all the awesome info! i'm a bit worried on costs right now, because the flight we're looking at would put us in NY for 12 days...and I'm thinking 12 days is probably too expensive for NY.

is this possible or way too expensive? our budget is kind of small...we wanted to spend maybe $2500 between the both of us. is that even possible??
or is there another cheaper place we could go? maybe 4 days or so in NYC, then off to somewhere cheaper (and still stuff to do) that's somewhat close?

any input would be great. thanks a lot!

[reactionary]

stay at that hotel i mentioned...12 nights would be about $720. a bus to-from the city costs about $2 (if it's a city bus) to $5 (if it's a "gypsy" bus)

~$1800 for food, entertainment, transport, etc is plenty for NY. just don't go to a fancy restaurant everyday - eat pizza slices, falafels, jamaican pies from hole in the wall places. take the bus, don't taxi. you'll be fine, and you'll still be able to buy a bottle of champagne at some snazzy jazz club a night or two.

and i doubt you'll be bored in 12 days.

[bucheon bum]

well if he's going to be there 12 days, I would suggest at least a couple nights in manhatten, just for the experience.

$2500 does seem sufficient to me. The Hudson Valley is nice though, and a train from Penn or Central Station (forget which one) goes up it. The long island railroad can take you out to points on, surprise surprise, long island. I haven't done it myself, but maybe someone else on this board has some ideas.

[cazador83]

hmm so based on this budget its possible? excellent. would i even be able to spend less? how much more would i need to be a bit more comfortable?

thanks for all your help guys.

[reactionary]

you could probably get by on 500+ less than what you're taking, but it depends on what you want. fancy hotel? swanky clubs? upscale dining?

those could put you over the top by however much you want to spend...just like in seoul.

[Mr. BlackCat]

I've been to New York a few times, always on a strict budget, and have always had a great time.

I f-ing LOVE the Natural History Museum. Yes, I'm a nerd, but I'm pretty sure everyone loves it. I've spent whole days in there and been forced to leave. The planetarium is my favourite part. Taking the lady there would be a fine date. It would be a shame to miss out on what many people consider the finest Museum in the world. The place where Lennon was shot (the Dakota, right?) is just down the street, too, and the Park is across the street.

Times Square is free and fun. Walk down Broadway and pretend you're high-class going to a show (I think you could probably get cheap last minute tix, anyway). Visit, or at least walk by, the UN and Crystler Building (the former fugly, the latter one of the most beautiful structures in the world). You'd be pretty silly not to go up the Empire State Building. Try to go at sunset to see the city by day and by night.

The Staten Island Ferry is great and FREE! Or, take one of those around the island boat tours that leave from 9th Ave. Totally worth it. Walking over the Brooklyn Bridge, again at sunset, is one of my favourite memories. I find that you can just walk around NY and have a great time. Everything is famous and beautiful and busy and in your face. I also found that I did a lot of walking because I was afraid of missing things on the subway. Actually, the subway is in itself something to experience. I usually skimmed on meals (always ready to treat myself to at least one good sit-down meal per visit, though) and splurged (like 12$) on boat tours or a Museum or something. By 10pm I would be too beat to go out and spend any more. My friends and I would just buy some beer at the store and do some more walking around. I just like being there.

I guess I'm just blabbing now. I don't think I could ever live there, but it's such a great place. I feel really alive and on another level when I'm there.

Have fun!

[oni]

Get the Time Out magazine, it's a weekly listings magazine and has all the goings on for museum/galleries, live music, clubs, comedians, special events etc.....

I agree that NYC is great for walking around Soho, Greenwich Village, East Village, Brooklyn