Okay, so 2016 was an amazing year for travel for me! I went to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico in March, Las Vegas in August, and California in October. It was also my very first time in New York City in December! So here’s a little bit about my first adventure in New York! Also, if you’re like me and on a budget, here are some places that had some great prices.
The flight from Detroit to New York was not so bad. I’ve never had a problem with flying, my only problem is turbulence, not fun. As soon as my friends and I got to New York, we took an uber to our Airbnb, which turned out to be in the perfect little area of Murray Hill. It was the perfect size for two of my friends and I, since most of the time we were going to be walking around and not really there.
My favorite thing about New York were the countless coffee shops around every corner. I LOVE COFFEE.
The Caffebene was such a cute little area that had so many options to choose from. I got a caramel latte ($3) and a delicious strawberry waffle drenched in chocolate ($4) It was delicious. Not only was this place super cute, but super affordable for my budget.
Since it was my first time in New York I was going to take advantage of all of the sights there. Of course we went to 
Times Square! Surprisingly, it wasn’t as busy as I thought it would be. So many fun shops and little gift areas to stop and look in.
Later that day, we were trying to find a place for lunch. I did some research and found this cute little burger/shake place and I had to go.
Black Tap. I looked them up and saw that they had the best looking burgers and milkshakes and decided we had to go. The wait to get in was about 45 minutes, a bit long but wasn’t too bad. As soon as we got seated I knew that I had to try one of their milkshakes. They were HUGE! I ordered a cheeseburger, fries and a giant chocolate, peanut butter milkshake. The cheeseburger and fries ($15) was so good. Sometimes I don’t like ordering fries because I feel like they’re too greasy, but this place had some pretty good fries haha. I knew they were popular for their milkshakes so I had
to order one. Might as well go all out, right?! It was the best decision ever because it was SO rich and chocolatey and had all of this stuff topped on it. I tried my best to eat the whole thing, but holy cow, there was a lot. I recommend getting a shake there, it was so worth it.
So one of the main reasons my friends and I came to NYC was to see a live taping of the Jimmy Fallon show! My friend Victoria got tickets and we went. It was one of the best experiences ever! Not only was Jimmy super funny and nice, we got to see him interview Denzel Washington and see Tony Bennett sing live. Also, we made it onto TV! Jimmy came up and high fived us all and we made it on TV (Hi Mom) Also we made it on time to be on Good Morning America! Am I famous yet?
Such a fun time. Afterwards, my friends and I continued to explore the city for the next days. So many fun sights to see, coffees to drink and foods to eat.
I learned that the best way to get around NYC is to walk. We took an uber here and there to get to further spots, but walking was the best choice. I enjoyed walking around because there was something to see around every corner. However, I did not like the cold, haha.
It was Christmas time in the city, and everything was so beautiful and lit up. I love Christmas time. Even the churches there were just as beautiful. We made a stop at the St. Patricks Cathedral and it was unreal. I loved seeing a bunch of Santas dancing around the Rockefeller tree, it was a sight to see.
The perfect ending to an amazing trip! My first trip to NYC was definitely one for the books. So many adventures and things to see.
If you’re on a budget, much like I was, I recommended A.) Booking with Spirit airlines. My friends and I did that and we didn’t bring luggage or carry ons, just one personal bag because you aren’t charged for it. B.) Book an Airbnb. We found a great deal on an entire apartment to ourselves, split between 3 people, it was $80 for three days! My first time using Airbnb and I will for sure be using it again.
C.) Enjoy the foods and places. I wanted to make the most of the city and enjoy and try everything. If I was to shell out more money, I’d rather it be for foods/drinks that are iconic to the city.
I am for sure going to make 2017 my year to travel. Here’s to the next adventure!
JULIA Q 