One of my favorite things about Rutgers is its proximity to New York City. The train station and bus stop are both right on College Ave., near the Barnes and Nobles. The SABO office, which is located in the SAC, provides students discounted bus tickets; a round trip is $17 compared to the $28 round-trip train ticket. If you buy tickets online on sites like Megabus, you can find even cheaper deals. Once I got a ticket for $1!
As college students, we all like to save. Especially after spending almost $30 on train tickets, I find myself hesitating to spend more on things besides food. When you’re in New York City, there is so much to do. Here are some exciting sites to see in the city without breaking the bank.
1. Museums
We all know NYC is home to the Met. But, there are dozens of other renowned museums like the Guggenheim, the Whitney, Cooper Hewitt, etc. Many offer “pay as you wish” pricing, so check them out! You can find a list here.
Besides these, be on the look-out for pop up museums! Last winter, NYC hosted the Museum of Feelings by the World Trade Memorial, while this summer, the Museum of Ice Cream opened by the High Line.
Pictured: the Whitney Museum of American Art
2. Art Galleries
Unfortunately, not all museums may have “pay as you wish” pricing at the right time, and tickets can be pricey even with a student discount. If you’re looking to see art, especially if you’re more interested in modern or contemporary pieces, I’d suggest going gallery hopping. Galleries are free and open to the public, and visiting them is an equally enriching experience. While they appear all over the city, you can find many clustered downtown in SoHo and the Lower East Side. Since they’re in more artsy neighborhoods, you’ll find cool murals walking down the streets. Makes for a nice Instagram post!
Pictured: Richard Taittinger Gallery (located in the Lower East Side)
3. Food Festivals
Whenever I’m on Facebook, I always see events pop up that people are interested in. They mostly all have to do with food tastings in NYC, and I always find myself wanting to go as well. It’s easy to get tired of dining hall food, and it’s possible to get tired of the restaurants on Easton and George. NYC has some great food, so why not attend a food festival? You often need tickets, but I feel that money is worth spending for great food. And being a large, diverse city, NYC has all types of food. You may have heard of Smorgasburg in Brooklyn. Did you know there was a Dumpling Festival last weekend in Chinatown? Or that there is a Dessert Festival coming up in late October?
Pictured: Smorgasburg
4. Parks
Chilling in a park is such a great way to relax. When the weather is nice, you can even grab a couple of friends and have a picnic. Like all previous things on the list, NYC is loaded with parks. You’ve got Central Park uptown, Bryant Park near Times Square, the High Line by Chelsea, and Brooklyn Bridge Park by the Brooklyn Bridge.
While they are farther from Manhattan, the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens and the Met Cloisters are also beautiful sights to see.
Pictured: Cloisters
5. Explore!
Manhattan is divided into multiple unique neighborhoods! Take a look, walk around, window shop, try new foods, and see what you find. Maybe you’ll really fall in love with a certain place.
Pictured: Chelsea
So, as life gets busy and you find yourself needing a well-deserved break, consider taking a trip to NYC! You’ll have a blast.