New York: Here We Come on a Budget!

If you haven't jumped on the green bandwagon and purchased a fuel-efficient vehicle, like my Scion Xd, shame on you! Thanks to the modern wonders of 300 miles per tank, I should make it from Orlando to New York on $75, providing that all systems are running smoothly prior to take off. After the $75 on glass, I have to finish my vacation on a budget. If you're in need of an adventure try this exciting way to do New York on a budget. Don't forget to pack your camera and your laptop, because this adventure is one that you will surely want to document.

As any smart road traveler would do, make your first stop Wal-Mart. A girl has got to eat! Stock up on baby carrots, cold cuts, cheese, chips and bottled water. A girl, however, cannot live on sandwiches alone. Prepare some homemade chicken salad and a cold rice and bean salad to pack away in your cooler for the times when sandwiches just don't hit the spot. Remember to stick to water, because although caffeine wakes you up temporarily, it makes you have to pee twice as much and you're bound to crash. You might be surprised to find out that water is effective at waking you up. It also keeps you hydrated and on a hot summer day. With the air conditioner in your car sucking the hydration out of you, water is your best bet. If you're not too excited about sticking to tasteless beverages check out the powdered drinks at the grocery store. Be sure to look at the sodium content and remember to stay clear of caffeine; I'm sure you'll find something to spice up your bottled water of choice. You should be able to walk out of there only $20 poorer, but with two days worth of food. Shop with your head not your belly young grasshopper!

Although you could drive straight through, I recommend opening up your address book and contacting your long lost friends. It's a great opportunity to catch up with someone you haven't seen in a while and to stay well-rested throughout your journey. Don't know anyone on your way to New York? Don't worry! You have plenty of other options. www.couchsurfing.org is filled with new friends who are willing to let you crash on their couches. If you're not as adventurous, look into camp sites. http://www.i95exitguide.com/ is an excellent resource to figure out what your options are. Not going the I-95 route? Google has plenty of other options for you. Be proactive and use that wealth of information we like to call the internet. You do not want to end up nearly asleep at the wheel or sleeping at a truck stop that is secretly a gay hangout and end up experiencing something straight out of a sitcom. Surprisingly, just because it's funny on television does not mean you'll find humor in it when it happens to you.

You've arrived at the Big Apple and you're in desperate need of a nap. www.travel.yahoo.com has motel and hotel options for every budget. I always recommend calling ahead they do reserve the right to change their prices. If a motel is not on your budget, call up the family (come on! everyone has family in Jersey.), click back to couchsurfing.org or check out www.citysearch.com for a list of campsites near New York City. If you have a few extra dollars to spend, camp for a few days and then treat yourself to a night at the W hotel on Broadway and 47th. I promise you won't be disappointed.

Your New York adventure can start anywhere you please. Fine a pastry shop and start people watching. Rockafeller Center or Midtown are fantastic places to people watch. If you're traveling on a budget, people watching is the only thing you'll be doing in Midtown. Be sure to pick up your $10 tickets at Carnegie hall well before noon, as availability is limited. It may not be the best seating, but who can refuse a $10 ticket to a world-class cultural experience. After stealing your ticket from Carnegie Hall (it is, after all, a steal), if you have an extra $15 (and a student ID) you can spend the afternoon in the Guggenheim or the Smithsonian. Be sure to check out their websites to find out what is on display. If your wallet is looking a little thin, check out www.clubfreetime.com for free events going on during your stay in the big city. Before you spend all afternoon in a museum, be sure to grab some grub. If you're feeling frugal, pack that lunch and enjoy on a bench in Central Park. However, I recommend unleashing that sense of adventure that brought you to New York to begin with and spending a few bucks on something authentic. Are you really going to plan your entire trip based on some article you read on the internet? I think not! Head down a side street and find yourself a $5 gyro. I dare you.

If you head into town on a Friday, according to www.moma.org, "Admission is free for all visitors during Target Free Friday Nights, held every Friday evening from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. Tickets for Target Free Friday Nights are not available in advance." If you can't make it on a Friday, keep your student ID on hand. Admission with a student ID is only $12. If you're not feeling the museum of art, you can check out the Statue of Liberty for around $12. Lady Liberty reopened to the public this year for the first time since 9/11- you have no excuse now!

Be sure to stop at a bodega on your way out of the city for some New York-style snacks and more bottled water. Once again, you have to make the decision to drive straight home or set up your tent somewhere along the way. I know that after your adventure in the big city, this decision will be the least of your worries. Drive safely and don't forget to lay off the caffeine.