Travel Planning: New York City
Travelers who head to New York City during the summer can experience a great deal of free concerts and tours in the city’s buildings and parks. Places like Central Park and the New York Public Library offer free walking tours and, in the case of the library, offer hour long tours of special exhibits at the Library. As well, the New York Philharmonic and other arts institutions in the city put on free concerts in Central Park and at Town Hall, among other places. As well, festivals like the River to River Festival offer free music, exhibits, and book readings in the various beautiful settings of New York City.
As well, travelers should use the great public spaces of New York City as destinations on their vacation. The Staten Island ferry is a great economical way to tour the majestic exteriors of the Statue of Liberty and historic Ellis Island. Other great public spaces to observe are the Rockefeller Center, Times Square, and St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
One of the most thrilling aspects of traveling to New York City is the glitz and glamor of the various television and radio shows being produced on a daily basis. Vacationers can become part of their favorite shows by becoming part of a studio audience, an experience that few people forget. The most important factor in deciding whether to attend a television show while in New York City is how often the shows film.
For shows like ABC’s Good Morning America or NBC’s The Today Show, not only is the shooting schedule daily during the week, but anyone can attend without advance notice. NBC innovated the idea of having a window to the New York streets and they have used this to introduce thousands of people over the years from all over the world. Both NBC and ABC often have summer concerts and those who brave the weather and the large crowd gets to see some of the hottest bands in the music industry.
Travelers who are more interested in a television studio setting may consider shows like Live with Regis and Kelly and the cooking show Emeril Live. Regis and Kelly is shot live daily from Monday through Friday, giving many opportunities for audience members to come through. The waiting list is typically six months for Regis and Kelly. Emeril Live, one of the Food Network’s popular shows, only shoots three weeks out of the year but is a hot ticket in New York City.
Traveling to New York City on a budget can be easy when vacationers decide to take advantage of great hotel deals and city passes to myriad destinations within the city. In addition to the big tourist attractions like the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, and Rockefeller Center, there are other parts of New York to explore that won’t bust a traveler’s budget.
While budget chain hotels and the more glitzy, big name hotels may get the most business, travelers should consider resting in a nice, inexpensive place outside of the city center. One example of a great place to stay at a reasonable price is the Marrakech Hotel in the city’s Upper West Side. The Marrakech, a new addition to the pantheon of hotels in New York, runs around $99 per night. The price is even better when travelers consider amenities like flat screen televisions and the beautiful touches of North Africa in each room.
Once vacationers are settled into the Big Apple, they need to look into various city passes that will save them money on popular tourist attractions. The Manhattan City Pass allows discounted fees to enter the Guggenheim, the Empire State Building, and other great sites. The best bargain may be the Brooklyn Pass, which allows entry to the New York Aquarium, Prospect Park Zoo and nine other sites, including a free tour and beer tasting at the Brooklyn Brewery. The total cost of the Brooklyn pass is $25, $15 for children.
