People go to New York for the street life, restaurants, cultural treasures and more. I go to New York because it makes me thinkjollibet, which is how I found myself on a beautiful September morning walking the High Line on the West Side of Manhattan, marveling at the resilience of nature, the engineering of tall buildings and how people can afford to live here.

I didn’t have to figure out the last — I did that 30 years ago — but I was tasked with coming up with ways travelers can visit affordably.

For this test of budget travel, I focused on popular places, many of them in expensive areas of Manhattan, with one excursion to Brooklyn. I found I didn’t have to forgo theater or good food over my three-day stay while indulging in my admission-free favorites: parks, pop-up art and conversations with strangers.

My top tip for saving time and money in New York: Take public transportation, including to and from the airports.

On previous trips between La Guardia Airport and Manhattan, I’ve taken taxis (from about $40), van shuttles (from $29) and a bus ($2.90). None were speedy.

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