Travel to NY help!

Dantemustdie

I'd just like to start off saying I'm new here, I've been kinda surfing this place for a while and decided to join, anyways I'll get right to the point. I am looking to travel to NY sometime in the next few months, maybe in september for 2 weeks, and was just wondering how much I'd need for everything (including flight, accommodation, spending money etc).
I won't be doing any shopping while I'm there, I just want to enjoy myself, see some sights and meet new people. I've never been abroad before so it is sort of a daunting task for me, does anyone recommend travel agents for a noob like me? I already have a passport that I got last year, I have like 1200 saved already but I don't think it'd be enough, anyone want to help me with this? I'd be glad if you could, and I thank you in advance

crazy_kenny

1200 wouldn't even get you a decent hotel for a week in NYC.

HeidiHeidi

I haven't been there for years, so I can't advise on your overall money requirements, but as regards accomodation if you don't mind roughing it a bit a quick google threw up this site http://www.hostels.com/new-york/usa.

Hostels are great for if you're travelling on your own, gives you a chance to meet other people (if you want, no obligation) and these days they're usually clean, cheap and cheerful.

I haven't stayed in many, but used a few of them in Scotland last year and they were great. I'm sure further research would throw up other similar options.

crazy_kenny

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

I haven't been there for years, so I can't advise on your overall money requirements, but as regards accomodation if you don't mind roughing it a bit a quick google threw up this site http://www.hostels.com/new-york/usa.

Hostels are great for if you're travelling on your own, gives you a chance to meet other people (if you want, no obligation) and these days they're usually clean, cheap and cheerful.

I haven't stayed in many, but used a few of them in Scotland last year and they were great. I'm sure further research would throw up other similar options.

I wouldn't advise staying in a hostel in NYC if its your first time travelling.

johnnykilo

Unfortunately New York being the centre of the universe, there's always demand for hotels consequently hotel prices are always high. You're talking at least $/€100 per night for somewhere basic and not even necessarily anywhere central.

I was there a few years ago and stayed in a couple of hostels. They were a good bit cheaper and if you're young (which I'm guessing you are from your post) it could be a good experience if you've never been abroad before; you get to meet lots of other like minded people, make some new friends etc...

I'd recommend making a list of what you want to see and budgeting how much money you'll need. For example if you want to see the Statue of Liberty, Empire state building (all the usual tourist places) you can buy a city pass online before hand and that will save you a lot of money. You may find you mightn't even need 2 weeks in New York; I saw everything I wanted to see in a week (it meant a lot of long days walking around but it is possible, depends on what you want to see and do though obviously).

From a quick check flights seem to be about €500 and they generally don't change a lot. In these days of the internet I haven't heard of anyone using a travel agent in about 10 years. Half the fun anyway (I think) is planning the trip yourself, plus you might discover some places off the beaten track a travel agent wouldn't have even heard of.

A couple of other tips. Travel as the locals travel i.e. the subway, you can get a week long unlimited subway ticket for around $27 and don't just stay in Manhattan, take a trip over to Brooklyn or Coney Island and see what actual New York is like not just the touristly places in Manhattan.