Under $100: NYC’s Financial District

Stay in New York City’s Financial District for a fun weekend in the city that still manages to be relaxing at the same time. The Wall Street area is more secluded and calm during the weekend, after the hordes of businesspeople have flocked to the Hamptons, giving you and your fellow travelers a wide berth to explore this side of the city and all it has to offer.

Start your day with breakfast at Financier Patisserie, a French-inspired cafe known for making the best croissant in the city. If that’s not to your taste, you can also try a variety of French cakes, quiche, pastries, breakfast sandwiches and more. Grab a cup of coffee, a light breakfast and a window seat for just a few dollars.

Venture into the only crowds you’ll see during this stay at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum. Buy your tickets ahead of time to skip the long, meandering line at the ticket counter and spend the next hour or two exploring a monumental day in history. Tickets are $24.

Get lunch at Adrienne’s Pizza Bar, a hole in the wall where you can squeeze into a table facing the bar or sit on the sidewalk, enjoying perfectly thin and crunchy pizza topped with the ingredients of your choice. The menu is small, but you’re sure to still find an Italian favorite you’ll love, plus a great cocktail. Lunch options start at $9.

Take a walk around Wall Street and visit some of the most Instagram-worthy spots, such as (obviously) Wall Street itself; Bowling Green, the site of the 1626 sale of Manhattan and a historic cultural site for centuries; and the “Charging Bull” statue. Make your way over to the Battery for views of the Statue of Liberty and maybe even a beer from the small snack stand hidden in the trees.

For dinner, pick a spot at one of the picnic tables at Route 66 Smokehouse, where the barbecue is top-notch and the drinks are heavy on the whiskey. The menu includes everything from spicy tacos to classic brisket sandwiches. Dinner options start at $12.