Part Two: Go Big in the Big Apple on a Budget

I set out to New York City - in my opinion, the best city on the planet - for a four-day weekend. There is something about this city in the fall - the changing colours in Central Park, the little nip in the air - that is irresistible. To say I love this city is an understatement.

I had one goal: spend no more than $500 Canadian, without feeling like I'm on a tight budget.

Of course, the easiest way to do this is find like-minded travelers. I called my parents, who were long-overdue for a vacation. I gave them my travel pitch, and pretty soon we were knee deep in brochures, online vacation packages and New York City travel specials.

Now back from an incredible vacation, we each managed to stay under our $500 budget, and we certainly soaked in every last drop of the city in those four days.

I've learned that with planning and a little self-restraint, you can stay in luxury, fly in style and do an exhausting amount of things in the city that never sleeps.

Where we stayed:
The Gracie Inn Hotel: $198
Split three ways, we stayed in this amazing little gem on the Upper East Side for three nights. Owner Daniel and concierge Scott were incredibly helpful, offering maps, coupons, bagel recommendations - even their leftover metropasses to help us experience New York. They took our complimentary breakfast orders each morning and were available at all hours to make us happy. The perfect hosts, really.

We stayed in a two-bedroom, cozy suite with a double bed, a fold out couch and a kitchenette - perfect for storing a few groceries and making a few quick meals to save more cash for seeing the city.

The cost of the room, split three ways for three nights, totaled just under $200.

How we got there:
We flew United Airlines, out of Buffalo. We stayed in a beautiful hotel near the airport, with a park, sleep n' fly offer - and got an amazing deal. All told, flight and overnight hotel (including parking and shuttle service) put me back $130.
While we didn't regret this choice, one thing to note: on the way home, the line-up at the border was excruciatingly long: nearly four hours of stop-and-go traffic had all of us losing our minds at the end of an otherwise smooth trip. Just be prepared.

Total cost of the essentials (flight and hotel)? $328. I know what you're thinking: that only leaves $172 for eating and seeing the city. As it turns out, that's more than enough.

What we saw:
It's worth noting that, for this article's sake, this list has been considerably edited. It seems New York City has a limitless number of sights and sounds to take in, and all for a very budget-friendly pricetag.

West Side Story: $24
Far and away, though, the steal of the weekend was seeing West Side Story on Broadway. I'd planned on getting tickets from the TKTS discount booth in Times Square, but the lineup went on for about seven city blocks, and my parents and I walked away disappointed. We decided to go into the playhouse itself, on the off-chance there were some cheap seats still available for that evening's performance.

What a shock it was to hear the ticket man say ‘I've got three left, for $24 each.' He warned they were ‘partial view' seats - but they were anything but. Sitting in the first row of the balcony, taking it all in that evening, I still couldn't believe the deal.

The Met: Free
A short walk from the Gracie, the Met (like all the big galleries) has a ‘recommended' admission price. Theirs is $20, but you're not required to pay a thing. My dad gave a small donation, we spent a few hours perusing ancient Greek statues, and everyone was happy.

Central Park: $2 on the carousel, $4 on street performers, $3 on roasted peanuts
We spent many hours strolling the park, and it wasn't nearly enough: between the statues, the people, the random musicians, the beautiful scenery - it's amazing that a metropolis as busting as New York has this gigantic gem right smack in the centre of it all. And it was John Lennon's birthday during our visit, and Strawberry Fields (a must-see, any time of year) erupted with Beatles tunes from local musicians. Truly an experience to remember.

Top of the Rock: $21
This experience neared the priciest of our trip, but it was well worth it. The Rockefeller Centre isn't even close to the tallest building in the city, but it boasts incredible views from all angles. Just when you think the view can't get better, take the escalator and go up one last floor - you really do feel on top of the world.

Staten Island Ferry: Free
Hundreds of New Yorkers use the ferry as necessary transportation every day - so it was an experience in itself, to feel like a local. The hour-long roundtrip journey was definitely a trip highlight - it nears the Statue of Liberty, and gives an unparalleled view of lower Manhattan. Go at sunset for a trip to remember.

Where We Ate:
We spent $35 on groceries (fruit, granola bars, yogurt) for snacks on the go, and decided to have one lunch and one dinner on the town.

Lunch: The Hampton Chutney Company (in Soho) $8
With mammoth-sized dosas (Indian crepe-like sandwiches), we talked about our delicious meal here for days. Select from a variety of ingredients and homemade chutneys to go with your dosa, and be sure to sample the iced chai tea for an authentic experience that puts Starbucks to shame. It's a must-have lunch, inexpensive and very un-touristy.

Dinner: DB Bistro (44th & Broadway): $34 each
A fancy but not overdone French bistro, DB is a classy after-theatre joint. When you dine after 9 (as all the cool New Yorkers do), and show your theatre tickets - you get 20% off the bill. My dad had the DB burger - for a whopping $32 - but he's still talking about it, 3 weeks later.

A little treat: Billy's Bakery (Greenwich Village) $3
A lovely New Yorker on the ferry ride told me that, despite the hype over Magnolia Cupcakes (of Sex & the City fame), the best cupcake in New York was found in Billy's. And right he was. It looks and feels like a grandma's kitchen, with metal tables and 50s décor - and I made audible ‘mmm' noises as I devoured my peanut butter and chocolate cupcake.

With just under $50 left, I hit the Mecca of designer discount stores, Century 21, across the street from Ground Zero. I walked out with a designer leather wallet for $30 (regularly priced at $98), and declared the trip an overwhelming success.