Visiting the major cities of the U.S. is great fun, and a patriotic way to spend your travel bucks. But many cities such as New York, San Francisco, Boston, and Chicago can be very pricey options compared to some other vacation ideas. Kiplinger’s has some good tips to follow when visiting any major metro area and breaks them down into accommodations, transportation, entertainment, and dining.  For example, “taking advantage of a city’s bike-rental program” can be a fun way to get a more intimate look at neighborhoods, and of course it’s great exercise. And what with the trend in food trucks, good, cheap, local grub is the perfect way to keep tabs on your budget and hang with locals at the same time.

Photo: Teresa Boardman via Flickr