Spending diary: what a long weekend in Brooklyn, New York cost me

My sister was heading to Brooklyn for work and invited me to bunk up in her fancy hotel. I looked it up on Instagram, and it was a done deal. I had been to Manhattan twice before, when I had no money – once with school, once with university – so was eager to see a different part of the city with some cold hard cash in my pocket.

Pre-trip costs

Flights: £297 (about $390)

Accommodation: Free (thanks, Hollie)

Total pre-trip spending: £297 / $390

On the ground

Friday

Total daily cost: $127.95

9am: The view over New York as I flew in left me awe-struck, and I just wanted to get out and explore. So, I jumped in a cab ($53.90) from La Guardia straight to Public, where I checked in, threw my bag in our room and went out to explore the neighborhood.

11am: I walked over Brooklyn Bridge to Dumbo, where my sister Hollie was working for the week to meet her for a quick coffee at Brooklyn Roasting Company ($4.50). She went back to the office and I had a wander around the area.

1pm: We met again for lunch at Sweetgreen because she was in a rush and it was quick and easy (it’s a chain). I had a peach and burrata salad ($14.10).

3pm: Two whoopie pies from ($5.50) One Girl Cookies gave me the energy to power on through tiredness. I went into dozens of interesting shops, including an hour in bookstore and exhibition space the POWERHOUSE ARENA, where I bought Year of the Monkey by Patti Smith ($24.95).

5pm: I went back to Public for a quick nap and then took advantage of the free wine (for hotel guests) and read my new book while I waited for Hollie to finish work.

7pm: I walked back over the bridge as the sun set - it sounds romantic but in reality, it was rammed with tourists and frustrated commuters honking as they passed on their bikes. Hollie and I met for dinner at Tacombi, where we went overboard with tacos (al pastor, black bean, shrimp), corn, guac and two mushroom quesadillas ($25 for my share).

Saturday

Total daily cost: $73.73

9am: Hollie was desperate to go to Coney Island, and as she was funding my accommodation, and the sun was out, off we went. The subway ($2.75) took almost an hour but felt like a whirlwind tour of Brooklyn because you pass through so many different neighborhoods on the way.

10am: A hot dog ($2.45) for breakfast usually indicates a hangover, but we were bright-eyed and bushy-tailed – the Coney Island hot dog just had to be done.

12pm: It would have perhaps been wise to save the hot dog until AFTER riding the 90-year-old wooden roller coaster ($10 for one ride) at Luna Park. I didn’t throw up, but it was close.

4.30pm: The weather started to turn so we left for Industry City, a multi-use venue in Sunset Park. I made a beeline for Avocaderia and ordered a whopping salmon-and-avocado salad ($12 including tip) – because hot dog for breakfast. To satisfy my sweet tooth, a single chocolate truffle from Li-Lac ($1.58).

8pm: Queued for an hour for a couple of slices of Prince St Pizza ($2.95). Worth it.

9pm: I bought us a cocktail each at Public’s rooftop bar as a thank you for letting me crash ($42 including tip).

Sunday

Total daily cost: $109.75

10am: The Brooklyn Flea pops up under the Manhattan Bridge during summer, with stalls and stalls of vintage clothing, handmade jewellery, woven baskets and other crafts. I picked up a pair of retro sunglasses for ($20) and then made a sharp exit before I parted with more cash.

12pm: My sister had booked her flight for a sociable time so we parted ways and I opted for my go-to lunch-for-one situation: a street-food market. The Time Out Market in Dumbo has so many different options and an incredible view over Manhattan. I went for a bowl of spicy tonkotsu ramen ($22) and a beer from Mr. Taka.

2pm: I underestimated the portion size and took the metro ($2.75) to walk off my ramen in Prospect Park – because Central Park is not the city’s only green space.

5pm: Another great option for a solo diner: Public’s casual restaurant Louis has an amazing $5 pizza-and-beer deal from 5pm-7pm.

8pm: I lazily took a taxi to JFK ($60), using the fact that I’d booked the red-eye back to London to justify the spend to myself.

The final tally

Overall spend: $701.43

Notes

As my sister had kindly let me stay in her hotel, I could afford to be less careful than I perhaps would have been otherwise. Having said that, I did find some easy ways to save money on food without sacrificing taste or comfort – if I lived in New York, I’d have kept the pizza and beer for $5 a secret. So while this certainly wasn’t a cheap weekend away, I only regret spending money on cabs when I could have used public transport.

More travel spending diaries:

A weekend trip to Cologne
A long weekend in Paris
A three-day road trip to Baltimore