NYC On A Budget: Big Apple, Little Coin

Classes are ending, summer is coming and the one thing on everyone's mind (besides projects and finals) is vacation. So the question is, where should you go? Sure, you could head to the beach (again), but why limit yourself to boardwalk fries and the same old sea when you could go to NYC? New York has everything you could possibly want. It's European, it's Asian, it's All-American, it's big, it's small, and best of all, you won't get sunburned while you're there. One thing it doesn't have to be is expensive. Sure, there are pricey shops and expensive restaurants, but you need not to break the bank to get a taste of The Big Apple.

Central Park is just about the cheapest and most versatile place in all of New York. Besides taking a stroll through the 843 acre park or having a Sunday afternoon picnic on the lawn, visitors can attend free concerts by the New York Philharmonic or the Met and public performances of Shakespeare's "The Winter‘s Tale" and "The Merchant of Venice" in mid- to late summer.

The Statue of Liberty is part of New York's - and the country's - identity, so it'd be pretty much unpatriotic of you to not check it out. The statue itself is free, but the ferry will run you $12. You'll also want to hit up the other tourist standards: The Empire State Building, Grand Central Station, 5th Avenue and Times Square, all of which are free, but the trinkets and shops you'll find within or near them aren't, so watch your wallet when you enter the memorabilia shop. Take it from me: you don't need the snow globes or bumper stickers.

While you're in Times Square, you might want to plan ahead to get in line at one of the three TKTS booths for cheap Broadway tickets. You can't just drop by, though, or else you'll end up spending an ungodly amount of time waiting in line. Go with a friend, plan to eat somewhere or bring lunch, and alternate between holding your place in line and exploring the sights and shops that make Times Square an experience you won't want to miss.

Forget the fancy restaurants and the foreign cuisine: if you're craving a taste of New York, you must have a hot dog. Whether it's from one of the Nathan's Famous locations throughout the city, out of a street vendor's cart with a simple squirt of mustard, or paired with a papaya smoothie (an odd combination that only makes sense when you taste it) at Papaya King or Gray's Papaya, it's bound to be good - and cheap.

New York has a little of everything for everyone and a lot for a lot less than you may think. It may cost a lot to live there, but when you visit, you don't have to spend a fortune or miss the good stuff as long as you plan ahead. As for me, I'd pick a trip to NYC over the beach each and every time.