Ten Destinations Where the Cheapest Things to Do are the Tourist Attractions

In these ten locations taking public transportation, eating local food and accessing public sites are actually the tourist attractions you want to see, at prices set for the local population.

This article was last updated November 11, 2018

1. New York City’s streets

Walking the famous streets on the island of Manhattan like Fifth Avenue or Broadway will take you past dozens of famous sites without costing you an additional penny. You may see a free art gallery exhibit erected for the day and showcasing a soon-to-be-famous artist you have never heard of before. Or discover a specialty shop full of products for the person who as everything. If you go during the yearend holiday season, the store window displays stand alone as grand works of artistic achievement.

You can take plenty of selfies in Central Park, at Rockefeller Center or under the Tiffany’s sign.

To see the island from the water, ride the Staten Island Ferry for free (yes free). You get a leisurely twenty-five minute ride from Lower Manhattan to Staten Island. But avoid rush hour when the regular commuters pile in.

Whenever, you tire of the sidewalk, you can slip into the subway and pay $3 to return to where you started.

You can use information in this Time Out guide to get ideas and plan your own itinerary.

2. Singapore’s food centers

At Singapore’s authentic hawker centers, which is the local name for a bustling food market, you can eat a filling delicious meal – meat, rice, veggie, soup – for $5. The most popular places will have long lines, and that’s a good sign you should join with the locals to see what is on offer. The ‘real’ as in non-touristy centers will appear cluttered and dirty at first, but cleaners move through all the time and clear away the chewed chicken bones, soaking paper napkins and scattered cutlery.

Hawker centers are a window into the city-state’s multicultural population. People from all walks of life will stop for a bite to eat and you can people-watch to get a sense of how this famously food-centric community engages in their favorite pastime.

To get around from one hawker center to the next, ride the extensive and efficient bus and metro system where the swipe on/swipe off fare payment means you only pay for the distance you travel. You can go a few blocks for about 20 cents, or all the way across the city for a few dollars. Set aside a few days to enjoy the range of places to go.

Check out the tips in this Time Out article for some of the best hawker centers in the city.

3. Bangkok’s river

In Thailand’s capital city Bangkok, the busy Chao Phraya river operates like a major thoroughfare. You can move along the water like a local to get to famous sites including the Grand Palace, Reclining Buddha and many temples. While seated in your boat, enjoy the atmosphere of the city in action.

Bangkok is one of the few major cities where the riverfront has an integral and functional role. While other cities may provide walkways along their water, Bangkok supports daily transportation and commerce. People move in and out of the boats as easily as buses, and move with the same intent as land-based commuters.

Although there are plenty of organized river cruises, jumping in a ‘transit’ boat provides the same service for a fraction of the price. The rides are stable and safe, and more interesting as you watch locals with their market goods coming and going to the riverside’s important stops.

This New York Times article provides insight into what’s in store for you along the waterway.

4. Mexico’s cross-country roads

Mexico’s 31 states are linked together by an extensive road network that supports efficient long distance bus networks. You can choose tiers of service, from basic second class to luxury.  And luxury (De Lujo or Executivo) does legitimately mean comfortable seats, air-conditioning, wi-fi and clean restrooms, at favorable prices.

Traveling by bus gives you the opportunity to see the country, maybe even stop in smaller destinations you would have passed by. This is especially useful in areas where you may want to see a series of attractions close together like the Pacific Coast beach cities between Puerto Vallarta and Acapulco.

Safety considerations are always a factor in Mexico, and you must stay alert and aware even on the high-end buses. But if you have the time to take in more of the country as you move around, you can benefit from this on-the-ground experience.

This Busbud post has a good list comparing different bus lines.

5. Romania’s Black Sea coast

Romania’s Black Sea coast has been a favored spot for Eastern European sun-seekers for decades. Although you may start your visit in the capital Bucharest or take a detour to see Dracula’s castle in Transylvania, if you want beach action you can find an inexpensive bus trip to the coast.

You can travel from the main bus stations in Bucharest out to the Black Sea in a safe, although usually crowded, long-distance bus and see the countryside and meet the people. As the country becomes more open to tourists, you may find one or two people ready to engage with you. The most interesting part of the trip is to see the outskirts of the big cities. Often the rural areas of a country are a more realistic reflection of the country’s economic health than the cities. You can often be certain if you see busy markets and prosperous-looking people in the countryside, you can believe the economic growth stories.

On the coast, the largest city Constanta has a variety of places to stay and a delightful central square where you can enjoy meals and drinks in a number of reasonably priced restaurants.

You can linger for days and not break the bank in this easy-going gentle atmosphere.

This article gives you the Lonely Planet’s overview of the Black Sea coast.

6. Las Vegas resorts off-peak

The resort hotels lining the Las Vegas Strip are themed centers of entertainment offering a variety of distractions for the typical tourist. If you want to sample the most famous places, without paying the regular prices, look for off-peak days, especially in summer when there are few conventions, and fewer people braving the hot desert days.

You may find middle of the week rates for under $50 a night (plus room taxes) to stay at popular spots like Excalibur or Luxor. In fact, you may even want to try one or two different locations to learn how each hotel is different and to explore the attractions. Along the Strip, you can catch free attractions like the dancing water fountains at Bellagio, or the ship battles at Treasure Island.

And when you get hungry, the range of food offerings means you can eat fast-food to haut cuisine without ever leaving your hotel. If you have always wanted to visit Las Vegas but were unsure about the cost, pick a midweek off-season time to go.

USA Today covered the cheapest time to visit Las Vegas in this 2017 article.

7. Washington, D.C.’s museums

The capital of the United States is one city where visiting the most famous sites may actually cost you nothing. If you like to walk (which you should in D.C.) you can make your way around the famous monuments of the National Mall and get your photos at each of the iconic statutes. When you’re ready to switch to the indoors, walk into the museums, more than a dozen on the Mall are free entry. These two activities alone could take you days.

When you are ready to go further, you can rent a bike and follow the paths along the Potomac River to see more of the city and visit the neighborhoods like Adams-Morgan and Georgetown. Or hop on the tourist-friendly ‘circulator’ buses, which are part of the regular transit system but cost a flat $1 and get you to most of the major tourist sites.

While accommodation costs in the capital may not always be reasonable, your sight-seeing costs will be negligible.

To plan your museum visit check out this list from washington.org (a travel site).

8. Hong Kong’s skyline

Arriving in Hong Kong, on the edge of China, you see a city boasting its wealth and glamour through fabulous architecture.

To get an even more enduring look, one of the most spectacular rides you can take, for 25 cents, is the Star Ferry from Central to Kowloon. For more than 100 years, iconic wooden boats have taken passengers across Hong Kong harbor. You get a panoramic view of the city’s glimmering skyline and the frantic pace of the wide variety of boats that pass through. Clean, comfortable and not to be missed, this is both an introduction to Hong Kong and a fast way to travel from one side to the next.

The Star Ferry website offers the latest schedule and fares.

9. Los Angeles by rail

Los Angeles, the sprawling U.S. city that defines gridlock traffic is engaged in an ambitious public transit project that will place trains above ground, underground and on the street. So far, a visitor who is staying downtown can easily and directly get to the beach in Santa Monica, Universal Studios, Koreatown or the largest museums by taking the train. Along the way you will see L.A. in its overbuilt glory.

Passing through neighborhoods that transform from block-to-block and sharing your seats with many of the city’s diverse residents will bring you closer to understanding the city and its many facets beyond the view presented by Hollywood.

For an extra bonus, take the free art tour of the metro stations to learn about the artwork, artists, and inspiration behind the designs inside some of the stops.

For metro maps, schedules and ideas you can check the metro website.

10. Vancouver’s Seawall

A city built neatly into a lining of mountains and water, Vancouver, British Columbia provides a concrete pathway around its corners called the Seawall. You can walk for free, or rent a bike (highly recommended) or roller skates and make your way around.

As you do you will see the city’s downtown core, its expansive Stanley Park and the neighborhoods of the former Olympic grounds. This is where you soak up the atmosphere and beauty of this West Coast jewel, and learn more about the slow, even pace that magnifies this Canadian city.

For a seawall map and guide check out the city’s website.

Do you know any other inexpensive and iconic activities to do in global destinations?  Let me know your ideas: contactcase(at)readyentrepreneur(dot)com.