Get tickets to a show, go to dinner and a show. Or museum and then dinner. Or just walk around. We got nice rates at a Fairfield Inn and Suites opposite Mount Sinai at 10 Avenue and 58 W st. The hotel was not romantic but it was walking distance to Central Park, the theater where we saw a show and to lots of restaurants.

Dinner at either Semma or Via Carota, both in the West Village (innovative Indian or exceptional Italian; each with fabulous people-watching too).

So much, depends on what you want. Probably cheaper as people said to stay in NJ and take the train in.

I would walk around neighborhoods like Little Italy, Chelsea, Chinatown, Soho and try a fun restaurant and maybe do a tour. There are tons of cheap tours and great ethnic eats. Pizza is delicious in NYC, get a slice at Joe's Pizza (several locations) and walk around Little Italy for a cannoli and stop in Chinatown for dumplings.

Walking across Brooklyn Bridge is beautiful as well.

Here are some walking tours:
https://freetoursbyfoot.com/new-york-tours/

You say you are not super familiar with NYC. Does that mean you have never been there?

Wow some of you people are unbelievably boring and unimaginative.

Yes, NYC is an expensive city but that doesn't mean you have to spend a ton and certainly doesn't mean you should skip it altogether.

OP as a former NYC resident here are my recommendations for a good time on a budget:

Stay in an outer borough but close to the subway. Flushing Queens has decent hotels under $200 + probably $50-$75 for parking. Or if you want really cheap ($125 + free parking) stay near a Metro North Hudson Line station and take the train in. That also has an added bonus of being closer to Boston and not having to drive out of the city the next morning.

If you stay in Flushing my sample itinerary:

Take the 7 train to Jackson Heights/Roosevelt Ave and have lunch at the Jackson Diner. It says "diner" but it's really an Indian restaurant and while certainly not the most authentic or best in the city it's great, inexpensive, and probably still batter than 90% of Indian restaurants in the country. Afterwards take the 7 train into the City to 34th St/Hudson Yards and walk the High Line. If you like art the south end of the High Line lets out right at the Whitney, which is well worth the $30 admission. Or if you prefer history you can hop on the A or C trains at 14thst/8th Ave and head to the Natural History Museum at the 81st St. stop, or if you prefer to keep things free, you can enter Central park and take a walk south through the park back towards the 7 train. Eat dinner in Flushing Queens - you'll be near your hotel and also it has some of if not the best cheap eats in the entire city. Flushing is known for Chinese food and literally any random place you walk into will be 10x better than any Chinese food you can get here.

If you stay on Metro North, you're probably going to want to stay closer to Manhattan since your train will be arriving and leaving from Grand Central. If it were me I'd grab lunch at one of the legendary pizza places like L'Industrie, definitely hit up one of the aforementioned museums (or the Met), and then maybe dinner and drinks in Koreatown.

Sure, it's a little touristy but you're a tourist, there's nothing wrong with that. All in excluding hotel you can have a great day for around $100 apiece.

For two people try the Fairfield Inn and Suites in Chelsea

Go see a broadway show or go to Dizzys club at Lincoln center. Gypsy is amazing so personally I would see that or John Proctor is the Villian

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree, what do you want to accomplish? That’ll help narrow down an area to stay.

My advice would be to stay in Hoboken NJ or Jersey City (Exchange Place.) You can get beautiful city views and it’s easy to dump your car instead of having to find parking in the city. PATH gets you either downtown or midtown depending on your interests.

Can you recommend a specific hotel? NP

We like Hyatt House Jersey City. It’s a bit worn, but the views from the lobby are great and it’s really close to the PATH and ferry.

Bypass it and drive somewhere else cheaper for the night

I'd see a show. There are tons of choices. What do you like?

Comedy Cellar. If I'm in town on biz, I'll go there for a random show on a Tuesday night. The young standup comics are great; I've never had a bad time there. Lots of famous comedians hang out there and will do 5-10 minutes of material, there's no pre-notice.

Anonymous wrote:Agree, what do you want to accomplish? That’ll help narrow down an area to stay.

My advice would be to stay in Hoboken NJ or Jersey City (Exchange Place.) You can get beautiful city views and it’s easy to dump your car instead of having to find parking in the city. PATH gets you either downtown or midtown depending on your interests.

Can you recommend a specific hotel? NP

Agree, what do you want to accomplish? That’ll help narrow down an area to stay.

My advice would be to stay in Hoboken NJ or Jersey City (Exchange Place.) You can get beautiful city views and it’s easy to dump your car instead of having to find parking in the city. PATH gets you either downtown or midtown depending on your interests.

Define too much money

NYC is expensive

You want to see a show? Go to a museum? Go up a skyscraper at sunset?

DH and I are going to visit his family in Boston later this month and on the way back we decided to spend the night in NYC.

Any suggestions on where to stay and what to do the evening of June 26?

Neither one of us is super familiar with NYC and don't want to spend too much money.