New York on a Dime

by Alyce Vilines, GEM Tennis (alyce@gemtennis.com)

With a well-deserved reputation as the country’s most expensive city, New York may scare off the more budget-conscious traveler, but for ardent tennis fans heading to this year’s U.S. Open the sacrifice will certainly be worth every nickel.

With that said, and understanding that you may have to drop a good chunk of change just to make your way into the tournament, GEM Tennis has pulled together a list of FREE and fun things to do during your visit to the Big Apple.

To start, we have found a group of passionate New York volunteers excitedly awaiting your arrival in their hometown.   Known as the Big Apple Greeters, these over-400 New York enthusiasts provide personalized and FREE tours of the city lasting from 2-4 hours.   Each member of the tour also receives a Metro Card “Fun Pass”, which offers you unlimited (i.e. FREE) access to the city’s subway and bus system for the entire day.

After your overview tour, head out on your own to take advantage of some of New York’s most renowned and FREE landmarks:

A trip to New York would not be complete without a stroll through beautiful Central Park.  Her 843 acres of manicured and natural gardens, lakes, and pathways offer a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of the city.  You are free to wander aimlessly through the park, but we recommend you take advantage of the FREE walking tours offered by the Central Park Conservancy. Their experienced tour guides will make sure you don’t miss the whimsical statue of Alice in Wonderland, the hand-painted historic Carousel, the shimmering waters of the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir, and the serene gardens of the Strawberry Fields.  If by chance you are prudent enough to pack a picnic lunch, there is no better place to kick back and enjoy your lunch than in the park’s bucolic Sheep Meadow.

If you’ve got an hour to spare (or even if you don’t) book a FREE cruise on the Staten Island Ferry and enjoy the hour-long round voyage from Battery Park to Staten Island.  The spine-tingling views awaiting you include the skyscrapers and bridges of Lower Manhattan, the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and New York Harbor. (Don’t forget your camera!)

A must-see on your trip to the Big Apple is the epicenter of New York’s famous New Year’s Eve celebration- Times Square. Join the Times Square Alliance on any Friday at noon for their FREE behind-the-scenes “Times Square Exposé” walking tour of the neighborhood- visited by more than 26 million people every year.

If you are in town for the U.S. Open, you’ve arrived a few months too early to behold the hallmark Christmas tree that lights up the sky at Rockefeller Center each Christmas season, but you are right on time to appreciate the beautiful architecture, art, and energy of this world-famous complex of buildings.  Don’t miss a FREE stroll (and some great people-watching) through this quintessential New York square.

Before you leave the home base of NBC Studios (located at- you guessed it- “30 Rock”efeller Center!) consider waiting in line to purchase FREE tickets to a taping of one of your favorite TV shows.  Let’s face it,  when will you get another chance to view The View, watch Saturday Night Live live, the Today Show today, Emeril Live live, or Late Night with Jimmy Fallon late at night!

St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the largest Gothic-style Catholic Cathedral in the country, took over twenty years to construct before its momentous opening in 1879.  Join the more than five million visitors who come to behold the magnificent art work, stained glass, and architectural splendor of this New York landmark every year . . . for FREE!

Whether you find yourself coming or going in New York, be sure to pass through Grand Central Terminal, the monumental transportation hub located in midtown Manhattan.  Built in 1913, this grand dame of train stations was thankfully rescued by New York’s landmark laws and restored to her original grandeur in 1998.  You will have to pay a fare to board the trains transporting the five million commuters passing through Grand central each day, but the FREE people watching in the cathedral-ceilinged concourse doesn’t get any better!