by Bella Cooper

Created on: May 09, 2009

New York, New York! There is a tons of things to do in the city that never sleeps, but can you manage to enjoy it on a modest budget? The good news is that there are actually endless options of things to do for free or inexpensively. Here is a guide outlining some of the cheap activities you can do on your trip to New York City.

1. Central Park
Central Park is a gem, and the best part is that it is free to visit! From the peaceful lakes, sports fields, the Central Park Zoo, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, there are literally hundreds of things to do within the 843 acres of the park. Take a boat ride, ride a carousel, play in one of the many sports fields, go on a jog or a bike-ride on the 6-mile path through the park, take a horse carriage ride, or check out a puppet show at the Cottage Marionette Theatre. The Wollman Rink and Pool are also fun places to experience ice-skating in the winter and swimming in the summer. In the summer, at the Delacorte Theater, the festival of "Shakespeare in the Park," concerts that are performed at the Great Lawn, and a series of Summerstage performances are given periodically. Finally, there are very cheap food options found in the park that are delicious, from the numerous hotdog, pretzel and ice cream stands located throughout the park.

2. Window shopping
New York has beautiful places to shop that are just as fun to explore as they are to actually buy from. Take a walk through the upscale Madison Avenue, Fifth Avenue, and Times Square. Window shop at the famous Bloomingdale's, Macy's and Saks department stores, and bring your children to F.A.O Schwarz, the American Girl Place, and Nintendo World.

3. Tours of the city
There are many different types of tours of New York at a range of price ranges. Among these, consider taking a bike tour as this is a great way to see the city, allowing you to cover a lot of the city and get exercise at the same time. There are also many options for walking tours, where you can focus on specific neighborhoods in the city, and many of these tours are actually free.

3. Museums
There are several great museums in New York that are always wonderful to visit and are not too pricey. Check out the American Museum of Natural History and the Children's Museum of the Arts. These are great options for families, as they offer many hands-on educational activities.

You will love New York City, even on a tight budget.

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