How to Go to the US Open for Free!
By: Shannon Howitt - Travel, Eat, Drink Guest Contributor
Planning a trip to the US Open? Here are some tips and thoughts from my visit to the Open in 2023!
We arrived on a beautiful, warm, and sunny day in NYC, what a great way to start our weekend trip to the US Open! We decided to stay at the Archer Hotel, which is a beautiful property right around the corner from Bryant Park. Whether you’re staying in the area or not, if you’ve not visited Bryant Park, add it to your list and check the park schedule before your visit as there are so many wide ranging activities on a daily basis at the park.
There’s an endless number of amazing places to stay in NYC, so pick the one that fits your vibe and budget. We like to use Booking.com, Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo to explore our options.
(Bryant Park)
As we had just arrived from the airport and were exhausted, it was so convenient to be able to eat at one of the handful of open air eateries in the park, which was absolutely delightful. However, with so many seating areas in the park, next time we think we would consider picking up a picnic at the Whole Foods across the street.
(Note: Whole Foods does not sell wine (at least not in this location), which was a big surprise to us. The Whole Foods we are used to shopping at in South Florida has a huge selection of wine...)
Don’t miss Fan Week at the US Open
Being huge tennis fans, going to the US Open was something we had wanted to do for many, many years. We usually go yearly to both the National Bank Open in Toronto, as well as the Miami Open, but were so glad to be able to add the US Open to our rounds as it exceeded all of our expectations!
We decided to make sure our trip overlapped with Fan Week, when the grounds of the US Open are open to the public and free. This is a great option to experience the Open if you’re looking to save a few dollars. While admission is free, there will be events that will require a special fan pass (which you can get for free in advance), or paid admission. Make sure to check the website for the full schedule and all the details.
Fan Week happens the week before the main matches start, and consists mainly of qualifying matches. There were many advantages to going during fan week, but the biggest is for those who want to avoid large crowds. Although it was still quite busy, the crowds are nothing like what you see on TV, when the tournament really gets going.
(Eugénie Bouchard and Vasik Pospisil)
Make sure you get the fan pass - a QR code on your phone which will get you into all sorts of neat experiences. Aside from the qualifying matches, which we were able to easily sit in the front row to watch, we also saw Eugénie Bouchard and Vasik Pospisil play. You can also watch the star players practice - we saw Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcarez, Taylor Fritz, and Félix Auger-Aliassime. You can really be quite close for these practice sessions as well.
The fan pass also gets you into Arthur Ashe stadium (the largest tennis stadium in the world!!!) and all the other stadium areas. Our favorite court was the Grandstand stadium. If you needed a break from all the tennis, there were lots of fun contests to enter and companies with free samples to give away. There were lots of lovely shops to purchase US Open merch, Ralph Lauren clothing, and Wilson tennis gear. There were several open air bars, a stage with entertainment, and lots of food choices from sandwiches, salads, and burgers, to Mexican, sushi, Middle Eastern, etc. And, there was also an Eataly outpost.
Quench your thirst with the signature cocktail of the US Open, the Honey deuce, which is basically a vodka spiked lemonade mixed with raspberry liqueur. For more fun, it’s topped with three honeydew melon "tennis balls”. At the 2022 US Open they served 400,000 of them during the event, so it’s definitely a popular way to stay refreshed and tipsy during the event.
(Watching players practice at the US Open.)
Despite not seeing any of the star players in real matches, we felt like fan week was a great way to experience the US Open. Aside from smaller crowds, the price was FREE! US Open tickets during the actual tournament are quite pricey, so this is an affordable and fun way to experience it. I would say our expectations were exceeded and it’s truly an impressive tennis facility.
Important Tip About Getting To and From the US Open
We made the mistake of taking a taxi to the tournament (which is in Queens) from Manhattan. It was slow and costly. On the way back, they were not allowing Ubers or taxis onto the tournament grounds (due to a logistical error), so we had to take the 7 train back to Manhattan. This helped to fill our quota of people watching (if you’ve never been to NYC, the people in the subways are very interesting to say the least), and the subway is a much more efficient and cost effective way to get to and from the event. If you’re in Manhattan, grab the 7 at Grand Central Terminal and get off at Mets-Willets Point Station. Check the MTA website for the most current and accurate info.
(NYC Subway)
Now Most Importantly, What Should You Wear?
There’s a fair amount of walking involved, so comfortable shoes are a must! Be prepared for changing weather conditions, as we started off with a warm and sunny morning that turned into a cool and drizzly afternoon. We did not have clothes that were appropriate for the change in weather, and were cold, damp, and a bit miserable. That is until we realized that that made for the perfect opportunity to SHOP! There are several fun shops on site, and we all walked away, warm and dry, and with new additions to our outfits.
Typical attire for the event is usually sporty chic. For women, cute little dresses (preferably of the sundress type), with socks and sneakers or strappy sandals. I recommend stripes, florals or a white dress. Maybe a light sweater over the shoulders, depending on weather.
Need more ideas? Check out this article from Vogue on what to wear to the US Open.
For men, you can default to golf attire if you’re stuck for inspiration. Club preppy chic. Put on nice shorts with a belt and button down shirt and you’ll blend in easily. Again, add a jaunty sweater tied around the shoulders, and you are all set!
How were the celebs dressed for the event? Well, here is more fashion inspiration for you in Town & Country’s list of 18 best dressed celebs at the 2023 US Open.
Finally, don’t forget to protect yourself from the sun by wearing lots of sunscreen and bring a hat!
All in all, we had a wonderful three days in NYC, and are so glad we had the experience of going to Fan Week at the US Open.
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