A weekend trip to NY, no car, good cheep hotel...?

Question

Im taking a quick weekend trip up to New York for my birthday. Ill be there from the 14th to the 17th of Dec. I dont have many plans for while Im there. I mostly just want be there. But Im also running on a tight budget.

Iv only got about $700/750 dollars to pay for the plane ticket and the hotel. Travelocity has been pretty nice, but I still need to pick a hotel that has transportation (like close access to the subway), or that I can walk to a few attractions from, I suppose.

Im just wondering what neighborhoods would you recommend?

(Theres a Red Carpet Inn in Brooklyn with a subway station right next to it for the L train... mixed reviews... Anyone know about it?)

What are some cheep attractions?

How much does a taxi generally cost? And how much for the subway?

I would appreciate any travel tips for New York really. Thanks for your time.

Added details:

Iv got more then $700/750. But thats all I want to spend. With travelocity there are a lot of places that I can get for that. Even one right in Manhattan. My problem isnt so much the money as it is the neighborhoods.

(Iv got much more money alloted for other things, including transportation, food, entertainment, etc etc.)

Can I assume Manhattan is safe?

Answer 1

I live in Brooklyn, and know NYC better than any 10 people you'll meet.. and I'd recommend to any girl (alone especially) not to brave the L-train at night, especially heading that way. You want to stay in Manhattan. And if not, you want a safer area. There's hot-bars/places in another section of Williamsburg, but there's also street gangs, street drugs and plenty potential for things you'd only see on TV, and writtern by fat white guys in LA. Reality is, you want to see it on TV and not experience it, alone.

Keep searching, because that might be a no-tell/motel out there in Wiliamsburg -- and it DOES get dicey at night, around there (plenty of Projects around). If you don't mind running into some would be, someday Rap Superstars (once they're arrested & released & signed to a label)... then, go ahead. Jay-Z's old Marcy Projects are there, too, is what I'm saying... Here's your hotel, with 2 BETTER options... although the Comfort Inn is only access'd by cab (and that's $12-15 each way to Manhattan). You can make due, but the newer one on 4th Avenue (Le Bleu seems new, which is good) is best. Again, cheaper shouldn't mean dangerous - but it can, with the one you're looking at!

http://www.expedia.com/pub/agent.dll?qscr=htwv&from=m&stat=1&khst=1&locn=&ploc=&loid=177851&eapid=13290-1&kword=HS:Brooklyn_New%20York&&zz=1195576650599&&&rdct=1

With that kind of low-funds, you might be better-off traveling like a Swiss or German tourist would, and checking out a Y or a small, low budget per room/night place in Manhattan.. but be careful about the neigb's you choose, they can change per every 10-15 blocks quite severely.

Answer 2

Sweetie, you will need more money than that to stay here for 3 days. I'm assuming the Red Carpet Inn is in Canarsie, not the best neighborhood. Yellow taxi's can become expensive if traffic is bad because they run on a meter. The subway costs $2. per trip.

Answer 3

if you only have $750 to your name you may not want to go to new york and save your $$$ for a rainy day or to pay a bill or 2!!!!