It is very hard for students to find places to go during a long break. For instance, the regents break or the mid-winter break.
Saying so about breaks, Regents week is coming up soon and following that is the mid-winter break. Students who don’t have any exams are already making plans for where they want to go over the seven-day vacations. Some students would go out with their friends to eat out or go to a far-away destination, but what about the others?
Students who will be staying home because you believe going out somewhere is expensive. Or you just stay home out of boredom. What will you do: play games or watch a show, you need a break from screens. Or read a book, you are not in school.
Well, to those of you who can relate to these scenarios, you guys are in luck. Here are some affordable places in the five boroughs (and long island) that I believe you will enjoy.
Parks
- Central Park: Take your local train or bus to the central park to visit the calm side of Manhattan.
- Queens Botanical Garden: Take your local Q65 or Q17 to Queens Botanical Garden to enjoy the Lektrik: Festival of Light event for free.
- Cunningham Park: You will need a few of your sports equipment for this one. Cunningham Park offers spots for picnics and playing soccer, tennis, cricket, or baseball. There are also bike tracks for those of you who have a mountain bicycle.
- World Ice Arena: For $8, you will have a skating session of up to 6 hours.
Museums
- Museum of Modern Art: You can get a free admission if you bring your ID with you. Take the F train to 57 St to go to the Museum of Modern Art to view some of the modern and traditional artwork and sculptures along with merchandise that you can get.
- Museum at Fashion Institute of Technology: Take your local F train of 23 St to go to the Museum at FIT, which is free admissions. So, when the museum reopens on Feb. 19, 2025, you can go and
- Metropolitan Museum of Art: Student tickets are $17 according to the Metropolitan Museum admission web page. So, for $17 you get to see the artwork and join some of their events like the Juilliard HIstorical Performance Chamber Music Series or the Lunar New Year event
- Hall of Science: With $19, you can experience the SciSkate, an indoor ice skating rink, or the Design Lab.
Activities
- Queens Public Library locations: With over 50 locations over New York City, you can go to the local library to find books not available in the Edison Library, or gain information on work study and college information. Furthermore, there are activities like
- Game Zone at Long Island City: For those of you who want to either play on a better computer or play with your friends in-person for $5 per hour. For instance, right after finishing your Regents in the Regents week, you can head to the 169th St F train and then transfer to the E train to Queens Plaza, you can go play games in Game Zone to celebrate finishing your Regents.
- Bowling 360 Astoria: Located in Astoria, you only have to pay $10 per person for bowling 2 hours between 10AM to 1PM on Monday to Tuesday. Furthermore, they offer one serving food priced around the range of $7 to $50.
NYU Landmarks
- High Line: The high line offers a stunning view of the Hudson River and some unique and quirky artwork along the walkway.
- Ellis Island: According to the National Park Service website regarding Ellis Island you can enter the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty for $25 and get a Hard Hat tour of the southern hospitals of Ellis Island for extra $50.
