So, what do you do when a family member goes to a conference in New York City for 4 days and offers you the second bed in the room for free?  Well, you hop Metro North to Grand Central Station. Even though it was late January (2017), with warm clothes and boots, NYC is still a great place to explore. At the time I came in, it was just as easy to walk to the hotel and with my backpack suitcase, I didn’t have to worry about rolling my luggage.

We stayed in the Hilton Hotel near Times Square – much nicer than my usual hostel digs. The first night I roamed around Times Square and had dinner with my family member at Friedman’s near Penn Station. If you have to eat gluten free, Friedman’s is a great find. There are several locations, each with a different menu, and they are a real safe haven for people with celiac disease. The food is so good, even those who don’t need to eat gluten free will love it.

The next day, it was snowing, and I hopped the nearby subway for the trek down to the Financial District to go to the 9/11 Memorial. Living in Connecticut, with its close proximity to New York, 9/11 was an emotional event for me, and I wanted to spend time at the Memorial and the Museum. I couldn’t see much of the Memorial because of the snow, but the Museum was excellent and well worth the time.

In the afternoon, I stopped by Chelsea Market. I love large indoor and outdoor food markets and this one doesn’t disappoint. I picked up something for dinner and breakfast the next morning and had a late lunch at the Friedman’s in Chelsea Market.

The third day was sunny and relatively warm (from a winter in NYC perspective). I took the subway to 81st street and Central Park West and walked across Central Park to the Metropolitan Museum of Art on 5th Avenue. The park is beautiful in any season and there were no shortage of walkers, runners, and bikers on the trails. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is a classic NYC museum. They recently moved to a mandatory fee for people who are not New York residents, but don’t let that stop you – it’s worth it.

I walked home along 5th Avenue until 57th Street and then up to 7th to go to Fresh & Co to pick up dinner. They have a good variety of organic seasonal food with some gluten free options. It’s a good place to pick up gluten free muffins for breakfast as well.

If you are interested in snagging some discounted same day tickets for Broadway, stop at the TKTS Times Square Booth. The available shows are listed online and you can purchase them at the booth on a first come, first served basis. The booth is only open certain hours and you may need to wait in line when you get there.

The morning of my last day, I walked a couple of blocks to the Museum of Modern Art. I always like looking at modern art, although I can’t say I understand much of it. It was fun to go through. In the afternoon, I walked back to Grand Central Station for the train to CT. Grand Central is a destination in itself. The architecture is amazing, and it has a great food market downstairs. I enjoyed roaming around while I waited for my train.

For a reasonable budget (no lodging), I spent 4 days in the city visiting museums, walking around, and eating good food. If you are going to share a room with someone (especially if you aren’t paying for it), make sure you are a considerate guest. Stay out of the way when they are trying to get out in the morning and let them dictate when the lights go out at night. Respect that they may need some quiet working time, so bring a book or other quiet activity. Who knows, you might get invited back the next time they are in the city.