See New York City on a bargain plan

From time to time, we feel the need to mention that "expensive" New York is filled with bargains. Here is a refresher course on attractions that are either free or cost just a few dollars.

Pay whatever you wish Fridays from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Whitney Museum of American Art (800-WHITNEY [944-8639]; whitney.org ); Thursdays from 5 to 9 at the Jewish Museum (212-423-3200; thejewishmuseum.org ); and Fridays from 6 to 8 at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (212-423-3500 ; guggenheim.org ). Pay what you want every day at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Cloisters (212-535-7710 ; metmuseum.org ). The Museum of Modern Art (212-708-9400 ; moma.org ), meanwhile, is free from 4 to 8 on Fridays.

With warm weather coming, there will again be free performances in the city's parks by the New York Philharmonic (212-875-5900 ; newyorkphilharmonic.org ), Metropolitan Opera (212-362-6000 ; metopera.org ), the Public Theater's Shakespeare in the Park (212-539-8500 ; publictheater.org ), and other groups. For information, call the City of New York Parks and Recreation Hotline at 888-NYPARKS (888-697-2757) or visit the Central Park Conservancy at centralparknyc.org.

The Brooklyn Botanic Garden (718-623-7200, bbg.org ) is free all day Tuesdays and from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturdays; seniors visit free on Fridays. Admission on other days is $5 for adults, $3 for students and seniors, with children under 16 always free. The grounds of the Staten Island Botanical Garden (718-273-8200 ; sibg.org ) are open from dawn until dusk at no charge. The Queens Botanical Garden (718-886-3800; queensbotanical.org) is free.

The Queens County Farm Museum (718-347-3276; queensfarm.org ) is free and open daily year round. There are weekend tours of the farmhouse and greenhouse, educational programs, and a fresh produce stand. Speaking of food, some vendors offer free samples of farm-fresh produce, homemade breads, cheeses, and cider at the Union Square Greenmarket (212-788-7476; cenyc.org).

At no charge, a Big Apple Greeter (212-669-8159 ; bigapplegreeter.org ) will share the secrets of favorite neighborhoods. Reserve at least three to four weeks in advance.

On Saturdays at 2 p.m., Union Square Partnership (212-460-1204 ; unionsquarenyc.org ), gives a free walking tour, including stops at New York's first film studios, opera houses, grand theaters and nickelodeons, "Ladies' Mile," and Union Square Park.

Guided, multilingual tours of the United Nations (212-963-TOUR [8687]; un.org ) are $11.50 adults, $8.50 seniors, $7.50 students, and $6.50 for children ages 5- 14. Children under 5 are not allowed on tours.

Many of us know that the Staten Island Ferry (718-727-2508; siferry.com ) is free and operates 24 hours a day. But for $4 round trip, you can get more great views by riding the Roosevelt Island Tram (rioc.com) across the East River.

With advance planning, you may be able to attend free tapings of television shows like the "Late Show with David Letterman" (212-975-5853 ; cbs.com/latenight/lateshow ) and "Live with Regis and Kelly" (212-456-3054 ; tvplex.go.com/buenavista/livewithregis ). For some shows, standby tickets are available on the day of taping. And speaking of TV, the Museum of Television & Radio (212-621-6800 ; mtr.org ) costs $10 for adults, $8 for students and seniors, and $5 for children under 14.

That is a partial list. More information is available at nycvisit.com, and a free guide has information and coupons to save on hotels, restaurants, sightseeing, and shopping ( 800- NYC-VISIT , 800-692-84748 ). As for hotels, Travelocity recently sent e-mail subscribers a price alert listing decent hotels for $140-$202 a night.

Although those who sell it will surely disagree, a study in the May issue of Consumer Reports magazine concludes that people rarely need travel insurance. The report quotes Bob Hunter, director of insurance for the Consumer Federation of America, as saying that even under dramatic circumstances such as war or natural disaster, travelers are likely to receive refunds on canceled trips. Then there is the question of redundancy. The Better Business Bureau suggests that "before you purchase coverage, check your homeowners' or medical insurance policies to avoid overlapping." The magazine does say that you might want to consider the category of emergency medical assistance if your health is precarious or you are going overseas and your insurance, including Medicare, is unlikely to cover you.

The Mirror Lake Inn in the Adirondacks believes mothers are worth more than a day of celebration. Thus, the Mother's Day for the Whole Family package is available throughout May. The offer features overnight accommodations, a scavenger hunt for dad and the youngsters, a spa service for mom, breakfast each morning, use of the pools, Jacuzzi, fitness center, spa services, beach, canoes, rowboats, and paddle boats (weather permitting). The cost is $350 Sunday-Thursday and $630, with a two-night minimum, Friday-Saturday. The price is for two adults and two children; additional children are $35 each.

Visit mirrorlakeinn.com or call 518-523-2544.

A free last-minute deals newsletter is being published online by the New England Inns and Resorts Association. Every other Tuesday "Inn Crowd" subscribers get an e-mail with up to 20 offers that are unavailable elsewhere and valid for a limited time.

To subscribe, visit newenglandinnsandresorts.com or call 888-705-5353.

In last week's listing of odd Connecticut facts, I wrote that the state has 4,000 chickens instead of 4 million. My thanks to Bill Taylor of Taylor Egg Products in Madbury, N.H., for pointing out the error.

When not included, hotel taxes can add significantly to the price of a trip. Offers are subject to availability and there may be blackout dates. Richard P. Carpenter can be reached at carpenter@globe.com.