New York City

Sightseeing Walking Tours

Be the first of the day to discover two of New York’s most iconic monuments with exclusive first ferry tour departure to Liberty Island, including a visit to the Statue of Liberty Museum and Ellis Island. Watch American history come to life with the only tour operator that runs ferries this early. Arrive at the grounds just under the watchful eye of Lady Liberty, where great views across NYC's skyline, Lower Manhattan, and the Big Apple await. Then, board the city's earliest ferry to Ellis Island (early morning tour only), ensuring you avoid the swelling afternoon crowds. Follow in the footsteps of some 12 million immigrants and learn about the process those hopeful individuals went through to settle in America. View and walk the Stairs of Separation, growing to understand the Island's two very unique names - "The Island of Hope" and "The Island of Tears". After your guide has explained to you the history, they will give you the option to continue your exploration of Ellis Island on your own with the audio guide (included) or return to The Battery on the ferry with them. If you wish, feel free to stay on Ellis Island a bit longer to explore your personal heritage and find all the unique and interesting sights in the special location.

Discover an iconic scene often captured in film and photographs, beautifully dressed women with impressive hats in Harlem heading to church for Sunday worship. But, see more than fashion or a show, Harlem congregants consider church worship and church family an integral part of life and a source of weekly spiritual sustenance. Sunday Gospel in Harlem invites you to be a part of this custom by respectfully joining a local church family for an hour of worship including gospel. Learn neighborhood history and importance of houses of worship. Visit a local church and participate in gospel worship with parishioners. Enjoy a sense of community and cameraderie. See former residences of some of Harlem's notable residents associated with the Harlem Renaissance.

Formerly the mainstay of poor, working-class Irish Americans, the story of how Hell's Kitchen got its nickname is as exciting as the neighborhood itself. It is known for its long history of ethnic tensions. Listen to stories about its complex past, from which the famed musical "West Side Story" was born. Learn how, despite having a history of crime and gang violence, Hell’s Kitchen has become a gentrified, metropolitan area that now boasts some of the most expensive properties in Manhattan. This exciting food tour takes you to the best restaurants in midtown – some say the best food in New York. Tease your taste buds with all sorts of different cuisines, including Caribbean, Chinese, French, German, Greek, Mexican, Thai, Italian, Ethiopian, Turkish, and Indian, among others. From empanadas to custom-made donuts to exotic curry puffs, this delicious tour takes you through five different locations in the colorful neighborhood, giving you a real taste of New York dining.

A Big Apple experience doesn’t get more authentic than a visit to SoHo, Little Italy, and Chinatown, where you’ll experience very different worlds in a relatively small area. Spot movie stars, celebrities, and fashionistas in historic SoHo district with its charming cast-iron buildings – its greatest treasure. On this 2-hour guided walk you’ll hear stories of immigrant struggles and gang violence in Little Italy and Chinatown as you sample ethnic food. The itinerary includes visits to many of the following sites: • Spring Street • Greene and Spring streets (site of the Manhattan Well Murder, which was the first recorded murder case in New York City) • Cast Iron district • E.V. Haughwout Building (home to the first safety elevator) • 421 Broome Street (where Heath Ledger died, in Mary Kate Olsen's apartment) • Old Police Station (1909 Beaux-Arts building, which is now a residence) • Ravenite Club (the story of John Gotti) • Old Saint Patrick's • Mulberry Street (heart of Little Italy) • Alleva Dairy (where cheese has been made for a hundred years) • Italian American Museum (site of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire) • Umbertos (site of the mob hit on Joe Gallo) • National Shrine Church of San Gennaro (story of the liquefaction of the saint's blood) • Opium den • Bloody Angle (Doyers Street) • Columbus Park (of Gangs of New York fame)

Avoid wandering around the Metropolitan Museum in New York lost and confused, and discover the highlights of the museum's huge collection with an expert guide. Tour in small groups of no more than 15 participants (for a more intimate experience), following a carefully-planned itinerary that starts in Ancient Egypt. See perfectly preserved Ancient Egyptian tombs, and tiny dioramas that show what life was like in the times of Tutankhamun. Learn about their burial rituals in the Egyptian mummies area, and see the Met’s mascot “William.” Continue to the Temple of Dendur, and discover a temple of Ancient Egypt smack in the middle of Central Park! Your guide will provide all the gossip about this and other exhibits, such as how Jackie O procured the Temple of Dendur for the Met; tales about the armor of Britain’s infamous King Henry VIII; and how some think the Antioch Chalice may be “The Holy Grail.” See ancient works of Greek statuary and Roman frescoes, before moving to the exotic exhibits from Papua New Guinea. Admire beautifully carved Bisj poles collected by a Rockefeller, at the cost of his life. Then, head to the 2nd floor to soak in some of Claude Monet’s dreamlike “Water Lillies.” Be energized by the expressive works of Vincent Van Gogh, and inspired by a bronze of Rodin’s “Thinker.”

Step aboard the decks of an elegant 1920's-style yacht, for an educational architecture tour around Manhattan, hosted by architects and members of the American Institute of Architects New York Chapter (AIANY). Enjoy your trip through the Hudson, East, and Harlem rivers from the air-conditioned observatory, or wander to the outer decks for fresh air and sunlight. Circumnavigate the island of Manhattan, passing under all 18 bridges, while taking in the sites and architecture. Examine the visionary development of the waterfront memorials, get an update on the One World Trade Center, Downtown "Starchitecture", Jean Nouvel's 100 Eleventh Ave. condos, and classic icons of lower Manhattan like the Woolworth Building, Wall Street's art deco spires, and the Brooklyn Bridge. Marvel at New York's great engineering feats, such as the Harlem River's bridges: swing, lift, and fixed-span. Hear the story of postwar urban renewal and public housing along the East River and much more.

Visit over 12 top downtown NYC attractions with this special access ticket and tour. Save time and see more: Statue of Liberty, Museum Access, Ellis Island, 9/11 Memorial, Wall Street, New York Stock Exchange, Charging Bull, Federal Hall, Federal Reserve Bank, Trinity Church, Fearless Girl, and more. Meet your guide in the Financial District to learn about the history of NYC, the early Dutch settlement and how it transformed to the financial capital today. As you walk along Wall Street, you’ll see the New York Stock Exchange, Federal Reserve Bank and other financial and historical institutions. Next stop is the 9/11 National Memorial where you’ll see the enormous reflecting pools, the largest man-made fountains. You’ll hear stories of the events, tragedy and heroism of that day. The guide will take you directly to the Reserve ticket line where you will get priority boarding to the ferry that will take you to Liberty Island. Before sending on your way to Liberty Island, your guide will tell you the key things to check out on Liberty and Ellis Island as well as share the amazing stories of America immigration and the story behind the Statue of Liberty. It is a better experience to explore the Liberty and Ellis Island at your own pace after you are given the history and the key sites to check out. You decide where you’d like to spend more time – whether it is to learn the history and construction of the Statue, admire the views of NYC or look for your ancestors’ names on Ellis Island. As you sail to the island you’ll see the amazing NYC skyline. Get those cameras ready for amazing views of Lady Liberty and NYC. Once on Liberty Island, there are handheld audio guide (available in 9 different languages) you can use while exploring the islands and museums. 8:45: Meet expert guide outside the fence of 24 Broad Street 9:00: Guided tour of Wall Street and the Financial District 10:00: Guided tour of the 9/11 Memorial 11:00: Board Statue Cruises ferry for Liberty and Ellis Island -  Audio Guide available on Liberty Island

Explore New York’s most bohemian neighborhood on a 2-hour tour of Greenwich Village, and discover its reputation as a magnet for intellectuals, artists, and beat poets. Meet your guide on the corner of Waverly Place and 6th Avenue and set off in the footsteps of Henry James and Edgar Allan Poe. Learn about artists, such as Jackson Pollack, who gave the neighborhood its freewheeling identity. Hear stories of radical thinkers like Upton Sinclair and John Reed, who debated in smoky cafés. Feel the energy of “the Village” as you stroll from Washington Square Park to the haunts and hideaways of Dylan Thomas, Jimi Hendrix and Lenny Bruce. Savor stories of how the Beat Generation flourished here, and uncover some of New York's rarest sights - including the smallest piece of private property in the city! Along the way, you will go to Jones Street, where Bob Dylan's album cover “The Freewheeling Bob Dylan” was shot, see the 1st integrated NYC club at the Cafe Society, learn about the birth of gay rights at the Stonewall Inn, and see the apartment building used in “Friends.” Admire the oldest wood frame house in the village, and finish your tour at 77 Bedford Street, former home of Issac Hendricks, and the Cherry Lane Theater, the oldest continuously running off Broadway theater in New York.

Learn the story of Prohibition in the United States, and hear about the nationwide ban on the sale, production, importation, and transportation of alcoholic beverages between 1920 and 1933. Led by rural Protestants and social Progressives in the Democratic and Republican parties, the dry movement was coordinated by the Anti-Saloon League and mandated under the 18th Amendment to the US Constitution. Many Americans resisted the move, and in cities such as New York, secret bars continued to operate, hidden from public view. Your guide will take you to some of the best-preserved of the 1920s hotspots, taking you back in time to the era of the Roaring '20s. Learn about the Volstead Act that defined the types of alcoholic beverages prohibited, and the local laws that were sometimes even more strict. Hear about the ratification of the 21st Amendment that repealed the 18th Amendment, and brought an end to Prohibition in December 1933.

This small-group walking tour takes you through Williamsburg, the hippest neighborhood in Brooklyn. Discover its cutting-edge culture, fascinating history, and creative street art during a 2-hour neighborhood stroll. Your guide will take you through into laid-back area that features loads of boutique shops, restaurants, and restored lofts. Experience a scene that's setting global trends! See innovative small businesses, creative architecture, and vibrant street art. You’ll also be treated to one-of-a-kind view of New York City's waterfront and the Manhattan skyline. Learn about Brooklyn's heritage as a capital of immigration, manufacturing, and beer brewing. Hear about its recent gentrification, and how its culture, identity, and future are being shaped.