1 Day in New York City for Under $50 (How I Did It)
Can you really spend less than $50 per person in 1 day in New York City? Of course!
When I visited NYC, I only spent $42.28 the entire day, and that’s including transportation to the city.
Visiting NYC doesn’t HAVE to be expensive. If you don’t mind packing some snacks, it’s a done deal. If your goal is to take advantage of your trip and see as much as you possibly can, I’ve got you.
This blog post covers the exact 1-day itinerary I came up with for a cheap 1 day in New York City:
- The High Line to Chelsea Market
- The Financial District down to the Statue of Liberty Viewpoint
- Pizza from where Peter Parker got fired in Spiderman 2
- Dumbo and the Brooklyn Bridge
- Times Square
But first, let’s talk about keeping things on a budget.
Use the table of contents to jump ahead in the blog post!
Tips to Spend Less during 1 Day in New York City
Getting Around New York City (Know Before you Go)
Train to New York City
I only spent 1 day in New York City because I was staying in Philadelphia.
I took a train to NYC and it only cost $17 per ticket. The ride was about an hour and a half long.
The key is not to take the Amtrak train or any super well-known (and therefore, expensive) one. I drove to the nearest NJ Transit Station, left my car there all day, and took a train to New York City.
If you’re in the area around NYC, check out the NJ Transit rail system map to see if there’s a station nearby you.
That way you won’t break the bank.
Plus, you get to sleep on the way back after a LONG day exploring the city.
Where to Park
If you’re driving into New York City in the morning to do this itinerary, book a parking space on Spot Hero beforehand and try to park close to The Vessel.
The cheapest parking lots for this 1-day NYC itinerary are on West 30th Street between 10th and 11th Ave. The best full-day prices are $25-$30.
You’d miss #1 on this itinerary, Penn Station, but you can explore it at the very end. You’ll pass right by it on your walk back to the parking lot from Times Square.
If you skip Penn Station, you’d start with The Vessel, then walk the High Line and do the rest of this itinerary.
The NYC Subway
I didn’t do ANY research on subway lines beforehand but I had no issues getting around.
I just used Google Maps to know what subway to take.
Just put the next destination in Google Maps and switch to public transportation. The directions to the subway and which one to take are really clear.
You don’t even have to purchase a ticket at the subway stations. You can get into the New York City subway by paying with your debit or credit card right at the turnstile. It takes your money directly and you’re off to the next destination!
Inexpensive Lodging for 1 Day in New York City
I spent $0 on lodging during my trip to NYC because I stayed at a friend’s house in Philly.
Then I just took the train to the city. It cost $34 for 2 people. So, staying with someone you know in NYC or a city close by really helps!
If you don’t know anyone, a hotel or Airbnb is the way to go.
Thankfully, there are hotels that aren’t too expensive. Plus, staying at a hotel is more convenient. That way, you don’t have to spend 2 hours on a train before and after your day in New York City.
Here are several cheaper but convenient options (starting with the cheapest):
- West 30th Street Guest House (super convenient location for this itinerary, but not great amenities – like a shared bathroom)
- Chelsea Rooms NYC (great location and reviews – a modern vibe)
- Leo House (great location and reviews – more of an old-school hotel)
- Motto By Hilton (small, super modern rooms, located in Times Square)
And now, let’s get straight to the 1-day NYC itinerary!
My NYC Itinerary Map
Tap the icon on the top left to see a drop down menu with all the points on the map!
How to Spend 1 Day in New York City
1. Penn Station or Moynihan Train Hall
Welcome to New York City!
This is where I arrived on the NJ Transit train, and the architecture is astounding from the get-go.
Penn Station is the perfect place to start this itinerary. Even if you’re driving yourself into the city, it’s a great first destination.
I mean, it’s one of the most iconic buildings in New York City.
Explore Penn Station and the area and then walk down W 33rd Street towards Hudson Yard. My head was on a swivel the whole way, looking all around and mostly UP.
It’s only 3 blocks to The Vessel. But if you’re a photo nerd like me, you can stop at the B&H Photo Video store.
Something else you can do is visit the Edge skyscraper, which has a crazy view. But that costs at least $34, so it isn’t part of this itinerary. I just gazed at it from below… still absolutely stunning.
2. The Vessel
This architectural beauty is a honeycomb-shaped building with no purpose. So it’s just art – art that’s 150 feet tall.
It was closed when I visited because people were jumping off to their deaths.
However, it’s back open now and costs $10 to walk inside. But going inside isn’t really necessary. In my opinion, it looks best from the outside.
3. The High Line
The High Line is a New York City park that’s elevated and spans over a mile!
It’s a pedestrian walkway from the Hudson Yards to Chelsea Market that used to be a rail line.
It’s the BEST way to enjoy NYC architecture. Walking down the High Line, you get to see all types of plants and flowers – it’s like an aerial botanical garden. There’s also art, street performers, and food.
But my favorite thing about the High Line were the views of the city.
As you pass intersections, you get elevated views of the city in all its glory. You get to see down the streets for blocks and blocks – traffic, pedestrians, and all types of buildings in a leading line into the horizon.
And then you also get to see random gorgeous buildings because the High Line doesn’t follow a road. It’s right in between the buildings. You can even see inside some people’s apartments, since you’re way up on the rail line.
How to Get to the High Line in NYC
From The Vessel, walk towards the small walkway between buildings (south).
From that walkway, you can get on the High Line and walk 1 mile to Chelsea Market.
Keep in mind – that entrance was closed when I visited.
If that happens to you, walk in the direction the High Line takes to another street. You’ll find an open entrance eventually. This was one of the highlights on my trip, so keep looking for an entrance. You won’t be disappointed!
You can check what’s open and what’s closed on the High Line website.
4. Chelsea Market
Chelsea Market is an old factory that turned into a tourist attraction.
This brick building has a bunch of different restaurants and shops. Lala and I walked around to get to know the place.
Though Chelsea Market is open every day from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., the shops inside won’t all be open in the morning.
That’s fine because Chelsea Market isn’t really a low-budget place to eat. If you had breakfast before coming to NYC, like us, let’s move on to the next destination.
Get on the New York City subway to head over to the 9/11 Memorial. Google Maps does a great job telling you where to get the subway and which one to take.
5. 9/11 Memorial
This place is beautiful and impactful.
It’s the perfect monument to those who passed on 9/11.
Two structures were made right where the Twin Towers once stood. The memorial is somber but gorgeous. Water flows down into a bottomless pit in the middle of each monument.
Everything around the memorial speaks of beauty – the trees, the towering buildings all around, the new World Trade Center…. And the Oculus Plaza.
6. Oculus Plaza
As soon as you get off the subway after Chelsea Market, you can tell things have changed.
The skyscrapers are all even taller, the hustle and bustle is legit, and traffic is way worse.
It’s so New York City.
And as you take in the 9/11 Memorial, you might see a really weird structure a block over. That’s the Oculus Plaza.
It’s both a transportation hub and a shopping mall. I had no idea what it was when I saw it, so I went inside because I was curious about that weird structure.
What you can see from the ground is cool, but most of the Oculus Plaza is underground and it’s immense!
We walked around the mall, marveling at how beautiful and gigantic it was.
7. Joe’s Pizza
Remember how Peter Parker gets fired from a pizza place at the very beginning of Spiderman 2?
Well, we had lunch at that pizza place.
The pizza is classic New York-style pizza, which means it’s thin but crispy pizza that you can fold.
The slices at Joe’s Pizza cost $4-$6 depending on your toppings. And they’re SO good! I had a slice of pepperoni for $5.
8. Wall Street to Statue of Liberty Vista
From Joe’s Pizza, walk south into Wall Street.
You can walk down Nassau Street or Broadway. Nassau Street is narrower, so the skyscrapers feel like they’re closing in. It’s amazing. And then Broadway is… well, Broadway! An NYC must-see.
Regardless of what way you go, two things you need to see are the Fearless Girl and Charging Bull. These are 2 iconic Wall Street statues. Plus, by walking to them both, you’ll get a wonderful stroll through Wall Street.
Wall Street is the financial district of NYC and I loved the people-watching.
Once through Wall Street, you’ll get to a park called The Battery on the southern tip on Manhattan island. Walk through it to the Statue of Liberty Vista, where you can see the Statue of Liberty off in the distance.
The view over the water is awesome, with boats crisscrossing the bay everywhere.
9. Ferry to Brooklyn
Once you’ve had your fill of the view, walk towards Pier 11 with the bay on your right side.
Pay $4.50 at the booth for the ferry to Brooklyn.
The ferry ride is short but sweet – a great break from all the walking. You get to see the Brooklyn Bridge from below and the Manhattan Bridge in the distance as you approach Brooklyn.
When you land, the Ferry drops you off at the Dumbo neighborhood. This is where my favorite part of the 1-day NYC itinerary began.
10. Dumbo and My Bucketlist Picture
DUMBO is the acronym for “Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass.”
It used to be a major manufacturing district, and now it’s a historic district. With amazing views over the water and gorgeous brick buildings, it’s a vibing place to walk around and eat something.
But before going to a coffee shop, I had to get a bucketlist photo.
To get there, we walked down Water Street to Washington Street. There, you get an impressive view of the Manhattan Bridge above you, framed by brick buildings.
But the BEST part is that the Empire State Building (way off in the distance) fits perfectly in the middle of one of the bridge’s arches, in the middle of the photo.
This is the photo…
Coffee Shop
Lala and I went to Devoción.
We needed to give our legs a break before walking across the Brooklyn Bridge and had to wait for the sunset.
They have delicious coffee and even better pastries, but I just got a coffee.
Devoción was completely full, but it was beautiful. It has a lot of wood decorations and is full of plants. That, with warm lights, made even more relaxing after the grey of the city.
12. The Brooklyn Bridge at Sunset
As the afternoon came to an end, we walked towards the Brooklyn Bridge to walk across it.
Most places say it takes 30 minutes to 1 hour to cross the Brooklyn Bridge. It took us the entire hour because the view was SO amazing and we stopped all the time.
We took pictures of the bridge, the skyline, the bridge with the skyline, and joined hundreds of people taking selfies and portraits.
Funny enough, the sunset wasn’t my favorite part (you can see the Statue of Liberty way off in the distance against the sunset).
My favorite part about walking across the Brooklyn Bridge was how the lights in all the buildings slowly started lighting up. Those yellow lights on the silver skyline were like art!
Something about the randomness of the warm lights and the sharp angles of the buildings (and how huge they are), all in the light of sunset, seen from a spectacular, gigantic bridge, was the most exciting thing about the day BY FAR!
This was the highlight of my 1 day in New York City.
13. Times Square
What can I say about Time’s Square?
It’s iconic.
Though people told us it wasn’t worth the time, we went anyway. It’s a place you just need to experience.
With just 1 day in New York City, visiting Times Square is well worth your time.
Get right in the middle of it and enjoy the sensory overload (which I love). Then head anywhere that catches your interest. There are SO many stores you can walk into.
And that was the end of our 1 day in NYC… or so we thought!
How I Ruined my Budget for 1 Day in New York City
At 6:02 p.m., we were standing in Time’s Square.
We saw a huge sign for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and thought we’d go see what one of these famous NYC theaters look like.
I’m sure you’ve guessed where this is going…
Tickets were only $50 each, so Lala and I looked at each other, debated it… and ended up watching the show. So, we went over budget by $100 at the end of our 1 day in New York City. But it was one of the BEST experiences.
The way they “do magic” in the play is mind-blowing, and the set is incredible. At some point, dementors fly over you (and we were in the very back) – it’s actually really scary.
Both going to a show AND seeing Harry Potter and the Cursed Child had been dreams of ours, and it was worth breaking the budget.
Plus, it didn’t feel bad because we had only spent $42.28 each. That’s amazing for a day in New York City.
What about Central Park?
I wanted to see buildings.
I’m a person loves traveling and exploring in the outdoors, but I rarely tour cities.
And New York City is THE city. All I wanted to see was skylines, skyscrapers and the gritty reality of the city.
I know Central Park is a super iconic place, but it just didn’t fit into the 1 day I had to explore NYC.
Now, if I had another day there, Central Park would definitely be on my itinerary.
I also want to go to China Town someday, visit the Statue of Liberty, go up the Empire State Building and go to more museums. Next time!
Trip to NYC Cost
Here’s how much my trip to NYC cost:
| Train to NYC | $17 |
| Subway (2x) | $5.80 (2.90 each ride) |
| Coffee | $9.98 |
| Pizza | $5 |
| Ferry | $4.50 |
| Total | $42.28 |
Final Thoughts on this 1-day NYC Itinerary
All in all, Lala and I spent $42.28 each during our 1 day in New York City. $25.28 if you don’t count the train!
It was an incredible day, and I can say I know New York City pretty well because I really made the most of my day. I got over 30,000 steps and some INCREDIBLE memories.
I’ve visited America’s coolest cities, like Austin, San Francisco, San Diego, Las Vegas and Chicago, but New York City has been my favorite. Like I said before, it’s THE city.
I hope this itinerary was useful, and you’re ready to go explore New York City.
If you have any questions about it, let me know in the comments and I’ll be sure to answer!
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