Expensive attractions with cheaper alternatives
You don’t need to spend big to get a million dollar experience.
BridgeClimb vs Pedestrian walkway
Many people (Sydneysiders included) don’t realise that there is a pedestrian walkway running alongside the road on the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It offers stellar views over the harbour and Opera House, is completely safe and doesn’t cost you a penny. Start from the stairs near the pylons at either end and don’t forget your camera.
The Shard vs Sky Garden
If you want a view of the London, there’s no need to pay the £20+ fee to get to the top of The Shard. Instead, head to Sky Garden at 20 Fenchurch Street, just across the River Thames. It’s an incredible space that spans three storeys and gives uninterrupted 360-degree views across the city, complete with landscaped gardens and open observation terraces. Entry is free – you’ll just need to book a ticket online before you go.
MOMA vs The Bronx Museum of the Arts (and others)
The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City (better known as MOMA) has a suggested admission price of US$25. Jump on the subway and head to the Bronx, an up and coming neighbourhood that’s also home to a seriously cool museum. In fact, there are a dozen or more New York museums that you can see for free, so get your fix of arts, culture or history without having to pay a thing.
Hong Kong Philharmonic vs Street concerts in Wan Chai
To see some of the best musicians in Hong Kong, you don’t necessarily have to pay big bucks to sit in the concert hall. The Wan Chai district is known for its lively restaurants, historic buildings and buzzing nightlife, but a few nights a week it’s also the spot for free outdoor concerts. Composer, performer and music activist Kung Chi-Shing organises free performances on different nights of the week outside some of the district’s most famous buildings. It’s an immersive, raw, authentic experience that money can’t buy.
Hundertwasserhaus vs Kawakawa toilet block
Bet you didn’t expect to see a toilet block on this list, huh? Iconic Austrian-born architect Friedensrieh Hundertwasser has created hundreds of buildings around the world, but the Hundertwasserhaus apartment block in Vienna is his most famous. If you can't afford the plane fare, head over the pond to New Zealand’s Bay of Islands and visit the most famous toilet block in the world. In 1998 he redesigned the small toilet block in this remote rural community, the only building he ever designed in the Southern Hemisphere and a bona fide international icon.
Have you experienced any of these attractions?