Dollar-Wise Travel

The Miami Herald

Going to the Big Apple can be a really big deal

September 27, 2009

New York -- When you hear the term budget travel, we know what you think: cheap hotels, C-list attraction and meal portions that wouldn't satisfy your average toddler.

But what if we said you could save hundreds of dollars on a weekend trip to New York without missing any of the things that make the city great?

The Big Apple is ripe with freebies and good, solid deals. Here are our favorites:

Where to stay in New York

From now through 2011, more than 60 new hotels are being build in New York. Recent openings include The Smyth (in Tribeca), Cooper Square (in the Bowery), Stay (midtown), The Jane and The Standard (Meatpacking District). Due to open in next few months: Hyatt Andaz Wall Street and Hyatt Andaz Fifth Avenue, and W Downtown.

Hotel rates in New York City have dropped up to 30 percent from last year, but still remain the most expensive in the nation. Rates are highest October through December, when the average topped $300 a night in 2008.

Online booking engines such as hotels.com, Travelocity, Expedia and Orbitz offer a wide range of properties and rates starting in the low $100s per night.

The Broadway Hotel and Hostel on the Upper West Side has dormitory-style rooms as low as $26 per person per night. Private rooms with private baths start at $159 a night. Guests who stay three nights or more in November get 10 percent off their entire stay. 212-865-7710, www.broadwayhotelnyc.com.

And across the Hudson River, Jersey City and Hoboken got new luxury hotels this year: The Westin Jersey City Newport (201-626-2900), opened in January, and the W Hoboken Hotel (201-253-2400) opened in March. Information on both: www.starwoodhotels.com

The hotels, two miles apart, are trying to lure business travelers and tourists away from New York with larger rooms, cheaper rates, view of the Manhattan skyline and access to the city via the convenient 24-hour, $1.75 PATH train.

~~JAY CLARKE, ASSOCIATED PRESS

(Pictures of The Broadway Hotel and Hotel)

Broadway Hotel's Walking and Club Tours

Film Festival Finale Tonight: Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Steven Spielberg’s classic scifi blockbuster stars Richard Dreyfuss as a regular guy whose strange obsessions turn fantastically clear at Devil’s Tower. Co-starring Teri Garr as his frustrated wife, and Francois Truffaut, the legendary French director, as a scientist seeking communication with extraterrestrials. (1977) 132 Min. Panavision (Sony/Columbia)

From con men and convicts, to custody battles and close encounters, it’s been a summer of memorable Monday nights in Bryant Park. Claim your favorite patch of grass one last time when the lawn opens at 5pm, then sit tight until sunset for tonight’s feature presentation.

(Taken from blog.bryantpark.org)

Restaurant Pick of the Week

Cafe du Soleil

Picture yourself in a sunny french rustic bistro in provence as you inhale the scents of herbs, garlic and wonderful smells of slowly cooked stews with tender vegetables and a bottle of wine set out before you.

Enjoy simple authentic bistro fares while soaking the sun at Cafe du Soleil.

(Restaurant is a few minutes away from the Broadway Hotel and Hostel. Please ask front desk for more details)

Meet the Birds at Bryant Park

Meet the Birds in Bryant Park –

featuring avian guests Desi and Ruby. These Eclectus Parrots are part of a new exotic bird education program. Stop by to watch, ask questions, interact with the birds, or just take pictures. Perfect for children of all ages, this program is brought to you all summer long free of charge.

The sociable, people-friendly birds come to us from the Arcadia Bird Sanctuary of New Jersey. A great resource for the tri-state area, Arcadia provides services for birds in need, whether they’ve been injured or their owners can no longer care for them. An exotic bird, like a Macaw, can live anywhere from 40-80 years, and pet birds will often outlive their owners! When problems arise, Arcadia is there.

Arcadia Director Terri Jones is both a certified avian specialist and a life-long animal lover. You can find her with feathered friends in town every Tuesday from 11:30pm-2:00pm by the Carousel. She brings different types of birds each week, so there’s always a new bird to meet.

(Article and Picture taken from http://blog.bryantpark.org)

City of Water Day!

Thousands of water enthusiasts will float, ferry, paddle, row, splash, canoe, and kayak their way to beautiful Governors Island for the Second Annual City of Water Day Festival. A FREE day of entertainment, education, and adventure for the whole family celebrating the potential of our waterfront, this one-of-a-kind festival is presented by the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance, Parks, and others.

Festival highlights include more than a dozen fun and free boat tours, including bird-watching eco tours and tours of the working harbor; special children’s activities from fishing, arts and crafts, rides, and a kids race to an exciting line-up of local bands, and more!

For more information, you can go to www.cityofwaterday.org

Great Jazz On The Great Hill at Central Park Conservancy

When:

Saturday, July 11, 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Where:

Central Park and Jazzmobile

Central Park West
New York, NY

FREE EVENT! Enter at 106th Street and Central Park West

(Photo and Info taken from yelp.com)