history walking tours in nyc

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Experience the Excitement of New York City

Experience the excitement of New York City and discover its rich history and diverse culture on a first-class immersive adventure. Our expert-led guided walking tours will captivate you with amazing stories and surprising secrets as you explore the world-renowned neighborhoods of New York. Encounter iconic places with inspiring chronicles of extraordinary events and legendary people. You will discover how New York evolved from humble beginnings to attract the millions who came for generations in search of their dreams, to become a city most often referred to today as the “Capital of the World”

New York Historical Tours

Private tours, exceptional experiences in new york city.

Experience the rich history and diverse culture of New York City on an immersive guided tour with New York Historical Tours.    Take a personalized expert guided journey through many famous and familiar landmarks of New York City with an expert who will engage you with the incredible stories and intriguing secrets behind the most exciting city in the world. Offering personalized private tours for any sized group in Manhattan and New York City. An unforgettable experience for the first time visitor as well as the seasoned New Yorker. There are an exciting variety of tours to choose from whether you want to explore a distinct neighborhood, historic theme, and step back into history.

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Our 1st day we concentrated on the many iconic sights of Midtown Manhattan, including inside the Empire State Building, NY City Library, Grand Central, Rockefeller Center, and many more including hidden gems along the way – all fantastic!!!

Amazing tour! We were fascinated the entire time. We ran into another of their guides while we were out and about – equally kind and gracious. We will definitely schedule some of their other tours next time we are in NYC.

Highly recommend the Gilded Age tour. Learned so much about a neighborhood I thought I knew so well. A great way to rediscover a city you love.

I gave my husband a private Gilded Age tour as a Christmas gift and we went on our anniversary in mid-January.  Quite honestly the tour was so interesting, that the weather didn’t distract us. We’ve both lived and worked in New York City so are very familiar with the city, but we learned so much!

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For over 15 years, we have provided first class New York City experiences through a selection of in depth private guided tours and presentations to deliver the excitement of the city exploring many distinct neighborhoods and epic historic themes. We create custom New York City experiences tailored to unique interests and schedules for groups of any size. For special events we can bring a rewarding New York City experience to you on site or online designed to enrich and engage your audience.

Year after year New York Historical Tours has been awarded Trip Advisor’s Certificate of Excellence and consistently receives top accolades by travelers on the world’s largest travel website.

About New York Historical Tours

New York Historical Tours is dedicated to providing rewarding New York experiences through exciting and enriching professionally guided tours. We are a locally owned and operated family business committed to excellence and personal service. All of our tours are led by trained, experienced and knowledgeable officially licensed local tour guides.

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Best Historic Walking Tours in New York

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New York City is the perfect walking town. The streets are laid out in a grid pattern so it’s easy to navigate and if you get lost or have questions, locals love to pave the way with directions and advice. (They may keep walking while tawking but they’ll go out of their way to help.) Still, while many will happily tell you where to find the best Chinese food, if you want to learn about the city’s history, best to go with an organized walking tour that will embellish the walk with insider knowledge. These tours take 2 steps forward and 1 step back into New York’s past, sharing anecdotes about neighborhoods, residents and iconic buildings. Personal History Tour Joyce Gold , a New York history teacher at New York University and The New School, has been giving visitors walking history lessons for 25 years. Her 2- to 2 1/2- hour “field trips” include tours about the bohemian and flamboyant Greenwich Village, the Irish in Hell’s Kitchen and New York gangs. Gold leads most of the tours herself, which she enlivens with insights culled from her years of teaching history. Central Park Tour The Central Park Conservancy offers several free walking tours that delve into the park’s fascinating history. The “Views from the Past” tour gives a glimpse into how the park was designed by landscape architects Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux in 1858. The tour, “A Road Once Traveled,” explores the role of the park’s wildlife habitat, Harlem Meer, during the American Revolution and the War of 1812. Custom-Made Tours The popular Big Apple Greeter tours are led by more than 300 volunteers who lead custom-made tours of the city in over 30 languages. The guides will meet you at your hotel, or wherever else you want in any of the boroughs, and show you whichever neighborhoods you’d like to explore. The tours vary in time. Oh, and they’re free. Tip: You must book at least 1 month in advance. New York Food Tour Foodies will eat up the Foods of New York Tours that take a bite into the Big Apple’s historic neighborhoods including Chinatown and Greenwich Village. Experienced guides feed you tidbits of info about the culture, architecture and history -- as well as food tastings from specialty and ethnic foods shops and restaurants. Grand Central Tour Grand Central Terminal isn’t only the world’s largest train station; it is also an architecturally stunning building with a past that most commuters don’t even know. Take the self-guided audio tour (the 30-minute “local” or 1-hour “express”) or free guided walking tours. On Wednesdays, the Municipal Art Society runs a tour that highlights the architecture and history of the Beaux-Arts landmark. On Fridays, a tour of the terminal and surrounding neighborhood, led by urban historians, is offered by the Grand Central Partnership. Neighborhood Tours The Big Onion Walking Tours offer 30 neighborhood history-based tours led by guides who hold an advanced degree in American history or related fields. The 2-hour tours, spanning 1 to 2 miles, include explorations of neighborhoods like Brooklyn Heights where you’ll see the former homes and haunts of many literary types including Truman Capote and Walt Whitman. The Free Historic Districts Walking Tour by NYC by Foot explores a couple of the city’s oldest neighborhoods from a historical perspective -- SoHo, Little Italy, Lower Manhattan and Chinatown. Bonus: Your well-behaved dog can hoof it, too! The guides function as “part professor, part performer” and while the tours are free, the company’s motto is “We’re so hip, we know you’ll tip.” Ghost Tours There’s nothing too scary about the Haunted Greenwich Village tour offered by Gotham Walking Tours. Instead, this history tour led by Lina Viviano, a native New Yorker who taught American history and politics at Harvard, tells tales about sites linked to famous residents and events where ghosts are said to roam, like Mark Twain (who knows, maybe he had a ghostwriter) and the devastating Triangle Shirtwaist Company fire that still haunts New York. Walking is not only a great way to discover the Big Apple but ideal for working off those extra calories and getting some fresh New York air (well, okay, maybe not fresh.) So, bring some comfy walking shoes and explore away. Laurie Bain Wilson writes often about New York City and is the author of several travel guidebooks, including New York City Made Easy and New York City with Kids .

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New York City history tours from the Bowery Boys Podcast

Bowery Boys Walks is now hosting private in-person walking tours for small groups. Read more about us and our guides .

New Full Day Bus Trip! Vanderbilt Mansion in Hyde Park and Dinner

• Sat, June 1 at 10:30 AM: Join the Gilded Gentleman for a Bus Trip to a Gilded Age Landmark - Limited tickets available

May Walking Tours

• Fri, May 10: Gilded Age Mansions of Fifth Avenue (11 AM)
• Sat, May 11: Glorious Grand Central Terminal Tour (10:30 AM)
• Sat, May 11: Gilded Age Mansions of Fifth Avenue (11 AM) - Only a few tickets left
• Sat, May 11: Glamour, Greed, Money & Murder in 19th Century NoHo (11 AM)
• Sat, May 11: New York Newspaper Tour (2 PM)
• Sun, May 12: Tastes of Chinatown: Neighborhood History and Food Tour (11 AM)
• Sun, May 12: Jane Jacobs vs Robert Moses (11 AM)
• Sun, May 12: Gilded Age Mansions & Memorials of Riverside Drive (1 PM) - A few tickets left

See all upcoming tour dates on our tour calendar .

The Bowery Boys Walking Tours take you through the streets and back alleyways of New York City's history.

Read the latest posts from our blog, including interviews with our guides, and tips for exploring New York!

Have fun walking through New York's history

The Bowery Boys NYC History podcasters, Greg Young and Tom Meyers , have been entertaining their audiences with tales of New York since 2007. Now they're taking their stories to the streets, with Bowery Boys Walking Tours developed by the Bowery Boys along with expert tour guides .

Give a Bowery Boys gift card!

Give the gift of history! With a Bowery Boys Walking Tours digital gift card , the recipient can choose the tour and dates that work best for them. Our gift cards can be used for virtual and in-person tours.

Join us on a walking tour!

Tours can fill up fast, so get your tickets now!

5 Fascinating Historical Tours of New York City

Discover Manhattan's Long & Curious Past on 5 Guided Tours

Allan Montaine / Getty Images

New York City tells the tales of its past through art, architecture, food, and landmarks. Yet with the fast pace of the city, it can be hard to truly take it all in. That’s where historical tours come in. Across Manhattan, knowledgeable guides are bringing the history that surrounds us (and that we often walk right by) to life. From the earliest history of New York as a Dutch settlement to the opportunity to board a historic aircraft carrier, here are five favorite historical tours in NYC .

Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Tour

New York is a city of immigrants, and for many new Americans, their story began on Ellis Island. Follow in their footsteps with this 4 1/2-hour guided tour with ExperienceFirst , kicking off with a boat ride in New York Harbor. The first stop is Liberty Island, home to the Statue of Liberty, which served as a symbol of welcome to millions of immigrants. After a guided tour of the museum in the statue’s pedestal and a stroll around, the tour continues back on the boat as it sails toward Ellis Island. The original building still stands where millions of immigrants over five decades were processed before officially entering the United States. After your guide provides context about the buildings and the island’s history, it’s time to explore. You can look up the records of your own ancestors, wander through the Ellis Island Museum, and roam the grounds before boarding the boat back to the tip of lower Manhattan. Meets at the bookstore inside Castle Clinton National Monument in Battery Park, from $57/adult.

TripSavvy / Donghee Eim

Tenements, Tales, and Tastes: A Tour of New York’s Lower East Side

For many immigrants, their story continued on from Ellis Island to the tenements of New York’s Lower East Side . This 3-hour tour with Urban Oyster is an on-foot exploration of one of Manhattan’s largest melting pots, home to Italian, Irish, Chinese, and Jewish settlers, among many others, over the years. This tour begins at City Hall with a Dutch snack before winding through the narrow streets of Chinatown and Little Italy. Stops will include everything from historic synagogues to a century-old bakery to the revitalized Essex Street Market. Historical sites are also included; expect to see both an African burial ground and the Lower East Side Tenement Museum. Snacks from a variety of cultures are included in this tour, so bring an appetite. Meets at the fountain at City Hall Park, from $69/adult.

Wall Street and 9/11 Memorial Tour

The most comprehensive history tour of New York City is found downtown, in today’s Financial District, where Manhattan as we know it first began. This 90-minute walking tour with Wall Street Walks begins on Wall Street—named by the Dutch during the 17th century when Manhattan was still New Amsterdam. The street today marks the northern extremity, or “wall,” of that original settlement. This neighborhood is also dense with landmarks dating back to the American Revolution, including Federal Hall, where George Washington took the oath of office as the first President of the United States. Jumping forward in time, this tour covers Wall Street as the home of the American financial sector, including the imposing New York Stock Exchange. A stroll through the neighborhood concludes at the 9/11 Memorial, now home to two striking pools in the footprints of the former World Trade Center Twin Towers. Meets at 55 Wall St., from $35/adult.

Rockefeller Center Tour

In Manhattan, a rich history is often right under our noses. One of the best examples is Rockefeller Center, known today for its annual Christmas tree lighting and iconic ice-skating rink, but actually an important historical site in its own right. This 75-minute walking tour offered by the Rockefeller Center is led by a local historian and explores the history of Rockefeller Center from its Art Deco buildings to the Radio City Music Hall to its extensive displays of art, including sculptures and murals. This tour is a particularly good fit for art and architecture enthusiasts, with in-depth coverage of 30 Rockefeller, formerly called the GE Building, which is home to the viewing decks of Top of the Rock and a major Art Deco landmark dating back to 1933 (it was here that the famous photograph of workers sitting on a beam high above the New York City skyline was snapped). Meets at West 50th Street, between Fifth and Sixth avenues., from $25/adult.

Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum Tour

History is brought to life aboard a floating landmark at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum . The USS Intrepid , a 900-foot-long aircraft carrier, is docked in the Hudson River and contains a wide range of exhibits spread throughout four decks, including a space shuttle, spy plane, submarine, and a hands-on flight simulator. Take your museum visit to the next level by joining a guided tour . Several different options are available, including tours that cover the USS Intrepid in World War II, Intrepid 101 (that covers the basics, including the flight deck), Concorde: A Supersonic Story (an exploration of the fastest airplane to ever cross the Atlantic Ocean), and Space Shuttle Enterprise: Up Close and In Depth. Pier 86, 12th Avenue & 46th Street, from $15/adult in addition to museum ticket.

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Metropolis Tours

Walking tours in nyc, discover the stories of new york city, 9/11 ground zero walking tour, 5 neighborhoods walking tour, book tours with your sightseeing pass, at metropolis tours our mission is to share the energy, history, and excitement of the city with visitors from all over the world by bringing them into the story of the city..

New York City is made up of over 8 million people, over 300 square miles, and over 400 years of history. Each one of them has a story to tell.

Take a tour with us. Be a part of the story.

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Jonathan is a very good guid and if you are French you can easly understand him

We took part to the 9/11 memorial today and our guide Jonathan was absolutely the best: super engaging, well-prepaired and gave us a lot of unexpected ... Read more

Merci beaucoup Jonathan pour cette visite emouvante mais passionnante du grand zero. J ai parfois des difficultés à comprendre les visites en anglais ... Read more

Usually hesitant about walking tours but man, this one was great. Jonathan gave a depth to the 9/11 memorial that you just cant get on your own. Very ... Read more

Mein Freund und ich haben die 9/11 Walking Tour über den Sightseeing-Pass gebucht. Unser Guide war Jonathan und er hat wirklich interessante Side-Facts ... Read more

9/11 walking tour with Jonathan was great! For the first time we really enjoyed these kind of tours. He provided to us very intersting information, ... Read more

Jonathan was our guide. He was full of knowledge and make the walk fun. He provided pictures to see prior verses today.

An excellent tour and one of the highlights of our trip to New York. Jonatan was so friendly and informative. We learnt so much that we didn't already ... Read more

Had a great 9/11 tour today with Jonathan! He was very knowledgeable and was able to answer all the hard questions! He had a lot of respect for the ... Read more

I took the 9/11 Ground Zero Walking Tour with Jonathan as our Guide. It was a very informative, engaging and entertaining tour, Jonathan provide us a lot ... Read more

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The Best Walking Tours of New York City

New York City has tons of walking tour companies. There are free tours, food tours, neighborhood tours, expensive private walking tours. New York has a walking tour for everyone’s needs and interests!

Personally, I love walking tours. I think they’re a wonderful way to see a city, get your bearings, and learn about where you are from a local expert. After all, why visit a place if you don’t want to learn about it?

To help you decide what tours to take while you’re exploring the Big Apple, I decided to sample a big chunk of the city’s historical walking tour companies in order to find the best ones. While it took a toll on my feet (I definitely got my steps in!), I learned a lot about NYC history!

Here’s a review of the best walking tours in New York City:

Best Overall Tour

Take Walks specializes in behind the scenes access that other tours don’t offer. Their Met tour is hours of educational fun and their Statue of Liberty and Ellis Islandtour as well as their Disney tour take you behind the scenes and give you insider access you won’t get anywhere else.

They are my FAVORITE tour company in the city. Any of their tours will be great!

Best Free Tour

Free Tours by Foot

These free tours are offered throughout the city by licensed guides. The company really shines in its diverse catalog — there’s a tour for everyone. They add a bit of quirky history to each tour and, since there’s no set script, each tour differs based on your guide. (My SoHo tour guide waxed poetic on gentrification.) Just make sure to sign up in advance and be sure to tip your guide at the end!

In addition to these two awesome tour companies, New York has over a dozen other insightful, educational, and delicious tours in the city. Here are my top suggestions:  

1. Big Apple Greeter

Big Apple Greeter was founded in 1992 and connects visitors with local residents who show them around their neighborhood for a day. These aren’t professional guides, just locals showing you their favorite spots. I haven’t taken a tour with this company in many years, but the concept is still spot on and it’s something I highly recommend first-time visitors do.

After a pause due to COVID, Big Apple Greeter is back, but at the moment they ask you to fill out a visit request 4 weeks in advance. Currently, they are not accepting restorations within 10 days so make sure to book in advance! Meeting a greeter is free of charge and there is a no-tipping policy. However, please consider making a donation to help this service continue.

2. Explore the Real Brooklyn

Friend and fellow travel writer Dani Heinrich runs this off-the-beaten-path tour around Brooklyn. She’s a diehard Brooklynite and loves taking people around the city to show them there’s a lot more to NYC than just Manhattan. She has been leading these tours for over 4 years and will take you all over Brooklyn (so be prepared to walk). Tours last 4.5 hours.

Tours from $44 USD.

3. Central Park Conservancy Tour

Ever wanted to know about the flora and fauna of Central Park? Well, now you can. Several free tours highlight the various features of the park. Not only do you get to walk around the park on a beautiful day, but you learn about what you’re looking at too! There are tours that cover the main sights, family-friendly tours, tours that focus on statues and monuments, and more. The tours usually last 90 minutes. You can purchase tickets online in advance.

Tours from $25 USD.

4. The Village Alliance

The Village Alliance offers free self-guided walking tours of Greenwich Village. You can get the itineraries and maps on their website so you can learn about the history and social culture of the area. Tours cover everything from LGBTQ landmarks to the 1960s to important women in history. Their website also has tons of information on the bohemian art scene, food, and gentrification. Since tours are self-guided, they last as long as you want them to.

5. Big Onion Walking Tours

This is one of the biggest walking tour companies in New York. Using Ph.D. candidates as tour guides, this company runs about 50 tours on varying days each month. I took their Prohibition walking tour. I liked my guide, and she provided a lot of historical information, but much of it wasn’t directly related to Prohibition. While that was a personal bummer ( I’m a sucker for anything Jazz Age! ), I still really liked the tour and would recommend the company.

Tours from $30 USD ($20 for students and seniors).

6. Bowery Boys Walks

The Bowery Boys started off as a podcast back in 2007, focusing on the unique history of the Big Apple. Since then, they’ve branched out and created their own walking tours based on some of their most popular episodes and topics. They offer over a dozen distinct tours that cover specific areas around the city as well as different historical periods, such as their Gilded Age Mansions tour (which is super interesting!). Their tours last around two hours. Be sure to book in advance since there is limited space.

Tours from $40 USD.

7. Honorable Mention: Get Your Guide

Get Your Guide is a massive online platform for finding all kinds of fun activities, including walking tours, bike tours, and food tours. Whenever I’m in a new city, I check their app to see what new activities I can find. There is really something for every interest and budget, and booking is a breeze. I can’t recommend them enough!

Some suggested tours worth checking out are:

• Chinatown & Little Italy Food Tour
• MoMA Before Hours Guided Tour
• Speakeasy & Prohibition History Tour

Devour Tours is my go-to food tour company as they always have amazing itineraries and use expert local guides. In NYC, they currently have two epic tours on offer. Their Ultimate Greenwich Village tour lasts three hours and includes a filling 9 stops at a handful of family-run eateries around this iconic bohemian neighborhood.

Their Dumplings, Delis, & History tour explores the Lower East Side, including a visit to the oldest and most famous deli in the city!

Other suggested food tour companies to check out are:

• Scott’s Pizza Tours
• Foods of NY
• Famous Fat Dave’s Five Borough Eating Tour
• Beyond the Plate

No matter what company you tour with on this list, you’ll learn a lot, have fun, and discover parts of NYC with these walking tours you wouldn’t have found otherwise. Nothing can replace an insider’s tour of a city! Try a couple over the course of your visit. (Again, my favorite is Take Walks but any company on this list will be phenomenal!)

Get the In-Depth Budget Guide to New York City!

For more in-depth tips on NYC, check out my 100+ page guidebook written for budget travelers like you! It cuts out the fluff found in other guides and gets straight to the practical information you need to travel in the city that never sleeps. You’ll find suggested itineraries, budgets, ways to save money, on- and off-the-beaten-path things to see and do, non-touristy restaurants, markets, bars, safety tips, and much more! Click here to learn more and get your copy today.

Book Your Trip to New York City: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Use Skyscanner to find a cheap flight. They are my favorite search engine because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the biggest inventory and best deals. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels.

If you’re looking for more places to stay, here my complete list of favorite hostels the city.

Additionally, if you’re wondering what part of town to stay in, here’s my neighborhood guide to NYC!

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

• Safety Wing (best for everyone)
• Insure My Trip (for those over 70)
• Medjet (for additional evacuation coverage)

Looking for the Best Companies to Save Money With? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use to save money when I’m on the road. They will save you money when you travel too.

Want More Information on New York City? Be sure to visit our robust destination guide on New York City for even more planning tips!

Got a comment on this article? Join the conversation on Facebook , Instagram , or Twitter and share your thoughts!

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above may be affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you make a purchase. I recommend only products and companies I use and the income goes to keeping the site community supported and ad free.

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Experience the true details and life of this favorite Founding Father

The Gilded Age: The Plaza to the Met

Opulent homes and interesting stories of New York's elite

The Village: Epic Food & History Too

A great neighborhood with great food

Synagogues of the Lower East Side

Explore the evolution of the Lower East Side through the fate of its s...

American Museum of Natural History

See the best exhibits at this large and daunting fabulous museum

The High Line

The High Line: Unusal Streets, Stories and Star-chitects

The Village: Sites, Stories & Synagogues

The Rich Jewish History of Greenwich Village and NYC

Born on the Lower East Side Walking Tour

Hear the stories and secrets of this transformative neighborhood

Discover the History of New York City

Our tours are designed to give you an immersive experience of the city's rich history. The city will come alive with stories and sites reminding us of days gone by. See NYC with a local historian and licensed NYC tour guide

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SCHEDULED PUBLIC WALKING TOURS NYC - 2024

Just show up and discover treasures in every nyc neighborhood on any one of these guided walking tours. bring a friend and share the fun of a sightseeing-storytelling adventure..

» Gift certificates available for public or private tours

• Joyce Gold leads all public walking tours.
• Tour duration is noted next to each tour listing
• No reservations are needed
• Fee is still $25 per person; $20 for seniors 62+

» Fall 2023 Public Tour Schedule available for viewing and pdf download

Private tours are always available.

Our Scheduled Public Tours usually run rain or shine. However, if very bad weather is predicted, phone 212-242-5762 after 12 noon the day before the tour to see if the tour is on.

Check the status of your subway, see web.mta.info/weekender for changes and closed stations.

March 24   SUNDAY   1 to 3 PM

The gilded age — grandiose yearnings from untaxed earnings.

MEET: E. 78th St. & Madison Ave., southwest corner at 38 E. 78th St.

Rivalry between "old money" & "new money" filled the gossip pages of the Gilded Age newspapers. Old money dated from Dutch & British colonial times; new money flowed from the industrialization beginning with the Civil War.   The HBO series "The Gilded Age" presents a "new money" family - the Russells - and their disruptive attacks on "old money" Society. Joining this tour you will learn whom the Russells portray.   Between 78th Street and 86th Street, Fifth Avenue still has a concentration of formidable Gilded Age mansions. The industrial age moguls who built these city chateaux were vying to outdo one another & flaunting their wealth & worthiness for all to see. Women of the new-monied class competed for social standing with clothing, parties, and aristocratic connections.   Highlights of the tour: • Vanderbilts, Astors, and Guggenheims • "Poor little rich girl" • Architectural masterpieces by C.P.H.Gilbert, Stanford White and Richard Morris Hunt • "Dollar princesses" • The Age of Shoddy • H.M.S. Titanic  

March 30   SATURDAY   1 to 3 PM

Immigrant, radical, notorious women of washington square.

MEET: Washington Sq. Arch, Fifth Ave. 1 block south of 8th St.

In few other places on earth have so many notable women lived and achieved. For the last 150 years, it has seen an unparalleled variety of women – working class, gentry, radical, literary, academic, theatrical, convict, and immigrant – remarkable women who left their imprints on the Washington Sq. neighborhood – and beyond.   Highlights of the tour — literary, art, and theatre iconoclasts: • The salon of Mable Dodge, a center of WW I-era activism • The tragedy of the Triangle fire and its role in the labor movement • The Suffrage Movement see the write up on this tour in the New York Times  

April 7   SUNDAY   1 to 3 PM

The bowery — irving berlin, skid row, and the elegant bowery hotel.

MEET: The hotel at 50 Bowery, just south of Canal St.

From gaudy district of vaudeville, minstrel shows and operettas, to raucous saloons, bare-knuckle boxing, and Skid Row, the still-changing Bowery has seen it all.   Rural to the 1800s, the street evolved into a flashy entertainment district for the working class. During the Civil War the Bowery was a center of New York's theatrical life. Here vaudeville began and minstrel shows became popular. H.M.S. Pinafore and the stage version of Uncle Tom's Cabin debuted on the Bowery. By the 1870s raucous saloons combined socializing and bare-knuckled boxing for entertainment. Though the street's fortunes declined, its venues at the turn of the last century were the early training grounds for such greats as Irving Berlin, Eddie Cantor, and George M. Cohan.   The 1892 The Bowery song with its humorous view of a tourist's being ripped off popularized the street as a disreputable place. The Depression of the 1930s cemented its reputation as Skid Row for people who had lost all hope. With the late CBGB home of Underground Rock, and more recently the luxury Bowery Hotel and the New Museum, the Bowery's identity is changing again.  

April 14   SUNDAY   1 to 3 PM

The intimate west village with its spectacular hudson river park.

MEET: Leroy St. & 7th Ave. South, southwest corner. Subway: #1 to Houston St., walk 2 blocks north on 7th Ave. South. 

The West Village is a 19th century preserve with its concealed-yet-open garden, complex web of streets, and a house 9½ feet wide. Classic 19th century 3-story townhouses set the stage. This is a community neighborhood of quirky angled streets with literary hang-outs, European-style coffeehouses, and Off-Broadway theatres – the quintessential American Bohemia. Its sites inspired Edgar Allan Poe's “The Raven”, and O. Henry's “The Last Leaf.”   But one block west of its border, the neighborhood changes abruptly. Gone are the run-down remains of waterfront commerce – transient hotels, cheap bars, and old factories. Now new tall glass-covered buildings rise up with condominiums that look out over a spectacular, transformed waterfront. Today the shoreline is alive again, this time with grassy playing fields, quiet lawns, children's playgrounds, and 800' long restored piers.  

April 20   SATURDAY   1 to 3 PM

Fifth avenue gold coast.

MEET: E. 70 St. on west side of Fifth Ave.

The creation of Central Park in the 1870s destined Fifth Avenue — the park’s eastern border — to become one of New York’s most elegant addresses. Great historic mansions, including those of Henry Clay Frick and James B. Duke, began to line the avenue. Much of the wealth that created this Gold Coast was earned rather than inherited.   Highlights include: • The American Dream and its dark side • American tycoons with aristocratic yearnings • Grandiose homes and what happened to them • Landmarked district 1 mile long  

April 28   SUNDAY   1 to 3:30 PM

Harlem history walk — medley of architecture, sugar hill achievers, and schomberg’s dream.

MEET: City College, 138th St. & Amsterdam Ave. Subway: #1 train to 137th St. station; walk to 138th St., then 1 block up the 138th St. hill.

In the 1880s, the new elevated railroad converted Harlem from a rural district into tracts of beautiful homes for wealthy New Yorkers. By the 1920s, downtown development and the new subway changed the neighborhood into one of the nation's most famous African-American communities.   Highlights of the tour include: • Artistic and literary Harlem Renaissance • Alexander Hamilton's last home • Strivers Row, Sugar Hill, and Hamilton Heights • Abyssinian Baptist Church • One of world's greatest collections dedicated to the study of black culture  

No public tour weekend of May 4-5.

May 8   WEDNESDAY  11 AM to 1 PM

Gangs of new york and the bloody five points.

MEET: The Bowery & Bayard St. (1 block south of Canal St.) northwest corner at Bank of America at 50 Bayard St.

Just east of today's City Hall and Municipal Building, this was once a foul-smelling, disease-ridden district. Brought to life in the movie "Gangs of New York", it was a place of violence, gang wars, poverty, and corruption. The district evokes such places of notoriety as Paradise Square, Cow Bay, Bottle Alley, and such gangs as the Roach Guards, Plug Uglies, Shirt Tails, and Dead Rabbits.   Highlights include: • Five Points visitors – Davy Crockett, Charles Dickens, and Abraham Lincoln • A Five Points success story – Al Smith – Tammany Hall protégé, state governor, presidential candidate • The oldest Jewish graveyard in North America • The Roman Catholic church with Anglican, Cuban, Irish, Italian, Chinese, and Buddhist history  

May 11   SATURDAY  1 to 3 PM

Nomad – jailbirds & geniuses, notoriety & innocence, museum of sex & the power of positive thinking.

MEET: 30 E. 29th St. between Madison Ave. and Park Ave.

NoMad has long been a district of unexpected contrasts. In the area north of Madison Square, homes of moneyed New Yorkers were next to a safe house of the Underground Railroad. A snooty church was just around the corner from the Gay ‘90s scene of frequent assignations and colorful goings on.   Today NoMad still features whole blocks of Classical Revival architecture including a Beaux-Arts masterpiece. The dense vegetation of beautiful Madison Square Park shields quiet space for art installations, children’s play, and a popular outdoor eatery.   Highlights include • Winston Churchill’s Iroquois ancestor • The Southerner who became a hero of the Yankee cause • Where Madonna got her start • Tin Pan Alley—and its place in the theatrical neighborhood • The Murder of the Century • The announcement at dawn, “You are now the President of the United States”  

May 15   WEDNESDAY   11 AM to 1 PM

May 19   SUNDAY   1 to 3 PM

The forty years manhattan was dutch – so little time, so much clout.

MEET: Trinity Church, Broadway & Wall St.

Beginning in 1624, the Dutch West India Company transformed an edge of Manhattan wilderness into the colonial city of New Amsterdam. They controlled Manhattan for only 40 years, until 1664, when the British took over. And yet the Dutch influence set the character of New York for the next 400 years, particularly in its money orientation, and tolerance for ethnic and religious diversity.   By 1644 the roughly 500 inhabitants of New Amsterdam included a wide variety of Europeans, Blacks both enslaved and free, and native Lenapes. Over 18 languages were heard on the streets. There were Dutch Reform adherents, Catholics, Quakers, and Anglicans. The first Jewish settlers in North America came to these streets in 1654.   Highlights include – • New York’s first cash crop • Bronze relief map of the New Amsterdam colony • Dutch street patterns and street names that exist today • Governors Willem Kieft and Peter Stuyvesant • Jews and Quakers limit Stuyvesant’s power  

May 23   THURSDAY   11 AM to 1 PM

Turtle bay and beekman place — power and its limits.

MEET: E. 52nd St. & First Ave., northeast corner.

In the far East 40’s and 50’s, Turtle Bay and Beekman Place owe some of their caché to their geography. Perched on a high hill over the East River, the property afforded great views and healthful breezes. James Beekman built his country house at the top of the slope in 1763. By 1776, the British took over the house and used it as their headquarters until the end of the Revolutionary War. Nathan Hale was condemned to die here and was hanged nearby.   In the 1850’s, the coming of the grid plan of numbered streets and avenues upset the bucolic setting. The picturesque cove called Turtle Bay was filled in and the area’s brownstones were converted to tenements for the working class. But in the 1920’s creative people saw residential possibilities near the river, and soon impressive new homes started to appear.   In addition to creative and artistic people – like Bogart and Garbo - some residents of Turtle Bay were at the pinnacle of industry and government. The publisher of Time Magazine and Life Magazine Henry Luce, mogul and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller, Jr., and U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger wielded much power and influence. Did it get them what they wanted? When did it not?   Highlights include: • River House • Panhellenic, a hotel built for sorority alumnae • Amster Yard • Turtle Bay Gardens  

May 25   SATURDAY   1 to 3 PM

Far west 70s — the ansonia, the apthorp and the arconia.

MEET: 160 W. 71st St. just east of Broadway.

The far West 70s of the Upper West Side long exhibited a pull between opposing identities. • It sported imposing mansions, many of which were later converted into rooming houses. • It offered beautiful Hudson River vistas, which vied with saloons, coal yards, and smoke from steam railroads along the river. • A statue of Eleanor Roosevelt graces Riverside Park 1 ½ miles from where her alcoholic father died. • The center of America’s drug addiction in the 1970’s bumped up against apartments of America’s cultural icons. • Developers changed street names to raise the neighborhood image, but impressive real estate was rejected for being on the “wrong side of Central Park”.   Highlights include a statue built to inspire young Italian-Americans, residences by some of New York’s most illustrious architects, and a neighborhood that has taken hold of its identity to be a much sought-after residential enclave.  

Protect Your Trip »

The 11 Best New York City Walking Tours

Stroll around the Big Apple with a local by your side on these top tours.

Courtesy of Rock Junket

Explore New York City's musical past with a tour from Rock Junket.

Note: Some tour providers on this list have ceased operations through the end of March 2020 due to COVID-19. Check with your tour operator about availability before you book if you’d like to tour during this time.

Tourists journey from all over the world to experience New York City 's top-notch cuisine, vibrant live music and theater scene, distinctive skyline and fascinating history. To see the Big Apple like a New Yorker, you'll want to hoof it through the city on your own two feet. And with a local leading the way, you're sure to learn more than you would going solo. Considering expert insight and tourist opinion, U.S. News determined that the following are the best walks in the city.

Rock Junket – East Village Rock n' Punk Tour

Revel in New York's famous rock music scene during Rock Junket's walk through the East Village. The two-hour excursion visits venues where music greats like the Ramones, Blondie and the New York Dolls once performed. Among the tour highlights is a stop at CBGB, which closed its doors in 2006. Guides recount neighborhood history with special attention paid to lauded artists who once lived and worked there. Audiophiles find this a thoroughly enjoyable way to learn about the area and its colorful history and describe the guides as insightful. Tours take place Monday through Saturday at 1 p.m. and cost around $45 per person. Rock Junket leads a number of other music-oriented tours, including a Greenwich Village tour.

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TopDog Tours – Marvel & DC Superheroes of New York

If you're a fan of superhero comic books and the movies based on them, this might be your ideal tour. The approximately two-hour walk visits sites that have appeared in comics and films, such as the United Nations building, the Chrysler Building and Grand Central Terminal , as well as locations where some comic book creators worked. Enthusiastic guides share insights regarding both the real New York and the city's portrayal in comics, which tour-takers appreciate. TopDog Tours offers this outing every day starting at 3:30 p.m. Tickets cost about $35 per adult and $26 for children 12 and younger. The company offers other specialty tours, including the Ghosts of Greenwich Village tour.

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Manhattan Walking Tour – High Line Park and Greenwich Village Food Tour

On this 3 1/2-hour combo tour, you'll explore Greenwich Village and the High Line while enjoying food and drinks at five different restaurants. Along the 2-mile stroll, your guide will share information about the High Line's creation, and offer tips about where to find the best independent bookstores and underground jazz clubs in Greenwich Village. Reviewers love the intimate feel of the tour, which is capped at eight participants, and say the food portions are generous (you'll want to come hungry). Travelers also applaud the friendly guides, who share plenty of historical and architectural tidbits. Tours depart daily at 11 a.m. Tickets start at $124 for all ages. If you'd like to explore more, consider booking the company's combo tour of Chinatown.

Free Tours by Foot – Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn Heights and DUMBO Tour

For a quick overview of Brooklyn, take this three-hour tour with Free Tours by Foot. The experience begins with a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge that includes both photo stops and educational interludes along the way. You'll then reach Brooklyn Heights, a much sought-after residential area once home to numerous famous authors. It then proceeds to Dumbo (as in Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass), a former industrial area transformed into an artists' haven. The tour ends at the Fulton Ferry Landing. From there, you can catch the East River Ferry back to Manhattan. Guides consistently win praise for their knowledge and candor. Though tours operate on a pay-what-you-wish basis, reservations are required. Tours commence at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Free Tours by Foot offers a number of other excursions around the city, including street art tours and food-themed outings.

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9/11 Ground Zero Tour

Each of the 9/11 Ground Zero Tour's guides have a personal connection to Sept. 11, which helps them to provide the passionate, informative tours visitors rave about. The 90-minute walking tours begin at St. Paul's Chapel, which served as an impromptu rescue center during the attacks, and then moves to the 9/11 Memorial. Guides may also stop at different locales related to the events, as each guide gives a slightly different tour based on their personal experiences. Tours take place at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. daily. Tickets cost approximately $35 for adults and $30 for children 6 to 12. Tours that combine the 9/11 Ground Zero Tour with a visit to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum , to the observatory atop One World Trade Center or both are also available.

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Take a walk through the iconic Central Park, and learn a bit about its history, during a tour with the Central Park Conservancy.

Central Park Conservancy – Iconic Views of Central Park Tour

Bethesda Terrace, the Bow Bridge, Cherry Hill, the Lake and Sheep Meadow are among the Central Park sights visited on this 90-minute, 1.3-mile walk. Along with the park's iconic landmarks, the tour also highlights the park's history, as well as insider secrets. Participants find the guides friendly and well-informed. Tours leave from the Columbus Circle Information Kiosk select days at 11 a.m. Tickets start at $15 for the general public. The conservancy also offers several other seasonal tours and walks devoted to specific areas of the park.

Broadway Up Close Walking Tours – Broadway's Beginnings

Get the behind-the-scenes scoop on New York's renowned theater district with the Broadway's Beginnings tour. The nearly two-hour, half-mile walk visits several venues in the southern end of the district, starting with the Nederlander Theatre. All of the guides are professional stage managers or actors, and they share their personal experiences as well as Broadway history and legends. Tour-takers report learning a great deal about Broadway shows from the engaging guides. Tickets cost around $40 for adults and about $35 for anyone younger than 13. Tours occur every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at 11 a.m. Groups are limited to 15 participants. Broadway Up Close offers several other themed walking tours, including one all about the ghosts that purportedly haunt the district's theaters.

Tommy's New York – Catacombs by Candlelight Tour

Set beneath the Basilica of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral (which is a different institution than St. Patrick's Cathedral ) is a series of catacombs that hold the crypts of past New York City residents and religious dignitaries, dating back to the early 19th century. Tommy's New York has an exclusive arrangement with the basilica to show the winding catacombs to visitors. Travelers generally find these excursions and their guides both informative and highly entertaining. They also enjoy seeing the catacombs. Tickets for the 90-minute candlelit tour start at $37 for adults and $30 for children younger than 12. Tours depart Friday through Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Note: Tours may be canceled or postponed due to church activities.

Urban Adventures – Hamilton Tour

With renewed interest in Alexander Hamilton, no doubt due in part to the wildly popular musical based on his life, tourists may want to check out his old stomping grounds. The Hamilton Tour starts where the first secretary of the treasury's journey ended: the cemetery at Trinity Church, where Hamilton is buried. The trip through the financial district also encompasses the New York Stock Exchange and Federal Hall. It concludes at Fraunces Tavern, where Hamilton (and rival Aaron Burr) once ate and where tour participants may opt for a post-walk drink or snack. Guides are regarded as adept and talented storytellers. Tickets for the two-hour outings, which are offered daily at 3 p.m., cost about $40 per person; there is no charge for children 5 and younger. Urban Adventures offers numerous other New York City tours with a variety of themes, including a food tour of the Lower East Side and a Brooklyn history tour.

Inside Out Tours – NYC Slavery & The Underground Railroad Walking Tour

This 2 1/2-hour tour explores slavery in colonial New York as well as the efforts of enslaved Africans to escape. During the tour, you'll visit the sites of the city's first slave market and view a former station on the Underground Railroad. The approximately 1 1/2-mile walk also stops at a memorial dedicated to enslaved people, a burial ground and a related archaeological site. Travelers regularly extol guides for their informative and thoughtful storytelling. Tours are offered at 1 p.m. on Saturday throughout the year. Tickets cost approximately $35 for adults with discounts for children, students and seniors. The company also leads tours highlighting the city's art, architecture, gospel and food.

ExperienceFirst – SoHo, Little Italy, Chinatown Tour

Three adjacent, but very distinctive Manhattan neighborhoods together form the perfect route for a fascinating two-hour walk. Starting at the corner of Spring Street and 6th Avenue, ExperienceFirst's tour navigates the blocks of SoHo, where high-end shops and upscale apartments came to occupy buildings that formerly housed factories and slaughterhouses. It then proceeds to Little Italy and Chinatown, where immigrants' eventful histories continue to shape the neighborhood. Guides narrate the colorful, sometimes tumultuous backstories of the three areas. Participates consistently call the guides both entertaining and well-informed. Tours commence at noon daily. Tickets start at around $35, with reduced rates for children ages 4 to 12. ExperienceFirst also offers this tour in Spanish, in addition to tours that explore other parts of town like the High Line and Chelsea, as well as Wall Street.

You may also be interested in:

• Best New York City Tours
• Best New York City Food Tours
• Best Statue of Liberty Tours
• Best New York City Boat Tours
• Best New York City Bus Tours

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NYC Walking Tours

Searching available tours for . . .

Showing Tours for -

Historic & Social Justice

Business & finance.

• Clock 2.5 Hours

NYC Slavery & the Underground Railroad Walking Tour

Visit the site of the city’s first slave market and learn about the origins of slavery in colonial New York.

• Clock 2 Hours

How Money Was Made: Wall Street Walking Tour

Discover the financial and political roots of Wall Street, from the birth of the American financial system under the Dutch and British to the rise of American financial and political power.

• Clock 4 Hours

Secrets of the Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island Guided Walking Tour

Enjoy gorgeous and panoramic views of the Statue of Liberty and New York Harbor.

Brooklyn Bridge & DUMBO Neighborhood Tour

Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and learn the amazing and dramatic story of this famous landmark while enjoying gorgeous views of the Manhattan skyline.

Gospel & Jazz

• Clock 3.5 Hours

Harlem Gospel Experience Walking Tour

Explore Harlem’s rich history and learn how gospel music, a sacred art form developed in African American churches, influenced American culture and the music of the United States.

• Available in Dec only

NY Holiday Markets & Christmas Lights Walking Tour

Enjoy the vibrant atmosphere of Christmas in New York as you visit the city’s most extravagant holiday market destinations and view the amazing Christmas lights!

Why Take a New York City Tour with Inside Out Tours?

We are a sightseeing company with a social mission: to show our customers the amazing diversity of NYC and its people.

Established by New York natives, Inside Out Tours is an award-winning tour company that offers the most comprehensive hidden-history tours of NYC available, covering all five boroughs. Developed by a former adjunct assistant professor of NYC history, our tours are well-researched and insightful. Our licensed New York City tour guides are educators, musicians, academics, and culinary experts. Recommended in the New York Times and many other media outlets, our tours provide a deeper view into the diverse neighborhoods, people, and events that have made New York City into one of the greatest cities in the world.

Watch CBS News

Best Historic Walking Tours In NYC

August 25, 2016 / 9:05 AM EDT / CBS New York

More: Best Historical Sites In NY | Historic Military Sites In NYC

New York Historical Tours New York, NY www.newyorkhistoricaltours.com

New York Historical Tours run about two hours in length and the groups are kept small in order to help everyone experience New York City fully. Participants can choose from a variety of different experiences, ranging from tours of specific neighborhoods, the High Line, Central Park, and experiences surrounding different periods of history.

Free New York Tours By Foot 112 Suffolk St. New York, NY 10002 (646) 450- 6831 www.freetoursbyfoot.com

The name "Free New York Tours" might be a little misleading. The tours are provided with no upfront costs and you can pay whatever price you feel appropriate, but note that the freelance and licensed tour guide usually expect some form of payment. It offers 30 different New York City tours. We suggest the "Lower Manhattan" tour for those looking for a more traditional historical experience.

Real New York Tours 40 Monroe St. Suite FD6 New York, NY 10002 (917) 572- 7017 www.realnewyorktours.com

Run by Luke and Amber Miller, Real New York Tours strives to have its guests experience New York off the beaten path. According to its website, it has even been voted #2 out of the top 10 Best Tours in the County by Trip Advisor. The group tours can be a little pricey, ranging from $45 - $80, but run for several hours and explore many areas of Manhattan and Brooklyn. The private tours are six hours in length and have fun themes, like their "Christmas in New York" experience.

Sandeman's New York New York, NY 10004 (347) 853-5713 www.sandemansnewyork.com Sandeman's New York tours are provided completely free of charge. Its tour guides work on a tip basis with no pressure to pay. These free tours start every day at 11 a.m. at the Museum of the American Indian. From there, a guide will lead you on a two-hour historical tour of New York City. Sights on the tour include Wall Street, Broadway and Frauces Tavern. Private tours can be done on foot or by bike.

More: Best Under The Radar Museums In NYC

Manhattan Walking Tour New York, NY 10028 (914) 564-0461 www.manhattanwalkingtour.com

The Manhattan Walking Tours is small and tailored to each person on the tour. It promises that each tour will have no more than eight people and a personalized experience. The roughly 75-minute tours are specifically geared towards history are priced at about $50. Historic sites include Grand Central and downtown Manhattan.

Related:  5 Historical Facts You Didn't Know About New York City

Tracy lives in the downstate area of New York. Some might call her an avid graduation affectionate (MA, Fordham University & MLS, SUNY Buffalo). She'd say she's just waiting for the right degree to come along with a promise and a ring someday. Her work can be found on Examiner.com .

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17 Best Walking Tours In NYC For A Day Of Sightseeing

Sure, bus tours are cool, but nothing beats touring NYC on foot!

Whether you’re commuting to work, meeting with friends, or exercising, it’s no secret that New Yorkers see much of the city by foot. However, walking the same paths day after day may keep you from seeing some of the most unique parts of the city, and what fun is that? Though typically taken by tourists, walking tours in NYC can be one of the best ways to bust out of your usual routine and expose yourself to something new! Whether you’re looking for new hidden gems in your neighborhood, wanting to learn more about the city, or explore somewhere you’ve never been, we’ve got some guided tours that’ll do the trick.

1. Catacombs by Candlelight Tour

Are you brave enough to explore the catacombs of Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral by candlelight? In this walking tour, you can get an up close and personal look at the sealed off catacombs that are 200 years old and closed to the public. You’ll be able to walk through the chilling crypts by candlelight, all while learning about how the church served as a notable final resting place for many famous New Yorkers.

🕯️ Get your tickets to the Catacombs by Candlelight Tour here!

2. Inside Out Tours

This black woman-owned NYC tour operator offers some of the best walking tours in NYC, focused on hidden history, architecture, team-building, diversity and inclusion-themed experiences. This organization takes great pride in this outlook, and it reflects in their diverse subjects of tours! They too have both public and private tours available, and they truly dig deep into topics that made NYC what it is today. Check out just some of them below!

• Brooklyn Bridge & DUMBO Neighborhood Walking Tour, buy tickets here
• NYC Slavery & the Underground Railroad Walking Tour, buy tickets here
• Secrets of the Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island Walking Tour, buy tickets here

3. Viator Tours

You’ve probably heard of Viator, and that’s because they service different experiences across the world’s most famous cities. Here in NYC it’s no different and their range of of unique walking tour experiences are some you can not find anywhere else! Check out our favorites below and remember to keep them in mind if you travel to other cities!

• Cupcake Walking Tour in New York City, buy tickets here
• Gangsters and Ghosts Tour in NYC, buy tickets here
• New York City Ghost Hunt: Greenwich Ghost Hunt, buy tickets here
• Greenwich Village Small-Group Haunted Ghost Tour in NYC, buy tickets here

4. Chinatown Official Historic District Tour

In partnership with the Chinatown Little Italy Historic District and Two Bridges Neighborhood Council, this walking tour allows guests to explore one of the most exciting neighborhoods in downtown Manhattan! The 90 minute walking tour will lead you down Chinatown landmarks, like Doyers Street, Confucius Plaza, a Taoist Temple, and more. Don’t forget to try some of the neighborhood’s restaurants too while you’re there!

Learn more about this tour here !

5. Haunted Manhattan Walking Tours

Take a journey on a tour “where horror and history meet.” Haunted Manhattan Tours offers 4 different options, separated by neighborhood (East Village, West Village, Greenwich Village, Five Points). Have a drink with a troubled bartender in the East Village, or get to know the spooky souls of Manhattan artists in the West Village; each tour is riddled with crime scenes, ghosts past, and historical tales that will have you feeling spooked out.

Learn more about these tours here .

6. Broadway Up Close Tours

Get ready for a behind the scenes look at Broadway like you never have before! Broadway Up Close offers tours of different NYC Broadway theaters that you normally wouldn’t get access to. We’re talking everything from the Hudson Theatre to the Gershwin Theatre. They have three tours separated by street sections (41st-44th St, 44th-46th St, and 47-54th St), as well as variety tours too like a Haunted Broadway tour as well as a tour all about the play Hamilton .

Learn more these tours here .

7. New York Historical Tours

Our first walking tour recommendation is New York Historical Tours, whose unrivaled bundle of knowledge and fun is a great way to spend a day around NYC. With 15 signature tours covering every major district of the city, there’s sure to be one to enlighten and inspire you. Our favorite tours they offer include the Historic Lower Manhattan and Financial District Tour , the Downtown, Tribeca and SoHo Tour , the Alexander Hamilton and the Founding Fathers tour , The Gilded Age tour or The Jazz Age tour !

Learn more about the tours here .

8. Little Italy Official Historic District Tour

Want to be transported back in time? At this 90-minute Little Italy Official Historic District Tour, you’ll uncover the rich heritage of the iconic neighborhood through a tour of Petrosino Park, Mulberry Play Street, the Old Police Headquarters Building, and beyond. The walking tour is filled with tales of triumph, struggle, and cultural contributions that shaped Little Italy into its present-day community. Be sure to save room to sample the authentic flavors that the neighborhood has to offer!

9. Free Tours by Foot

For some casual, and costless fun, check out Free Tours by Foot whose 5 featured tours all run under a pay-as-you-wish system. To start your journey with them, you could try the SoHo, Little Italy, and Chinatown Tour , or their Brooklyn Bridge, Heights and DUMBO Tour . A few other of our favorites are the Harlem Tour and the Lower Manhattan Tour , and the Lower East Side Food Tour . Since these tours are free, they’re the perfect way to have a fun day at a low cost. They also have bike and audio tours too if you’re interested in that.

Learn more about Free Tours by Foot here .

10. NYC Gangsters & Ghosts Tour

This 2 hour and 1.2 mile walking tour takes you through the gangsters and ghosts of NYC’s past! Walk through the most famous neighborhoods of Downtown Manhattan (The Five Points, Chinatown, Little Italy and The West Village) and learn about the shady partying, speakeasy saloons, secret underground tunnels used by bootleggers throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. The haunted locations and old crime scenes will leave you feeling chilled, as a historian guides you through the city, telling old stories along the way.

11. Like a Local Tours

Get ready to literally feel “like a local” with Like a Local Tours! With the help of their guides, they connect locals and tourists alike to discover NYC through food, fashion, art, history and immersive experiences. They offer both public and private tours, and even social impact tours that offer tourists a chance to make a difference in the NYC community while they’re on it. Be sure to check out our favorite ones below, and keep an eye on their calendar for even more:

• Flatiron Food, History, & Architecture Tour, buy tickets here

12. On Location Tours

Ready to feel like you’re on a movie set? On Location Tours in NYC specializes in entertainment, film, and TV-based walking tours that will take you around the most seen places of NYC on the big screen! If you don’t feel like the main character after one of these tours, we don’t know what will! Check out our favorite below and their website for even more:

• Central Park TV & Movie Sites Walking Tour, buy tickets here

13. Bowery Official Historic District Tour

Originally a Native American footpath and Dutch farm road, Bowery is NYC’s oldest street. At the Bowery Official Historic District Tour, you can uncover the site of the first free Black homesteads, gang wars, Lincoln’s famous anti-slavery speech at Cooper Union, and more. Steeped in history, the area was also home to NYC’s first entertainment district, Beat literature, improvisational jazz, and iconic artists such as Marc Rothko and Maya Lin.

14. Real New York Tours

For real people, real stories, and the real New York you know and love, Real New York Tours shows the city as it is. The founders of the company, Luke and Amber, are NYC locals that show you how the city should be admired. Their tour styles vary in location and size, so you’ll have to inquire online to see what’s available. For example, they have a classic Midtown tour or even a three-hour Downtown tour that will take you through a foot and subway trek through the Big Apple. We love the charisma these two bring to their guided tours!

For more details on tours, visit here .

15. Foods of NY Tours

If you’re looking for a walking tour in NYC that’s actually less walking, and more eating, Foods of NY Tours has a flavor for you! With seven mouth-watering tours in New York’s most historic neighborhoods, you’ll mingle with fellow New Yorkers over warm meals and even warmer conversations. The tour styles here combine food, history, culture, and storytelling to create an experience that will feed your mind just as much as your stomach! Some of our favorites include the Heart and Soul of Greenwich Village tour, the Flavors of Chinatown tour and the Secrets of Little Italy tour !

Learn more about Foods of NY Tours here .

16. Manhattan Walking Tour

If you’re looking for a casual, personable experience that feels like a friend is showing you around, Manhattan Walking Tours will happily be your guide. The tours here are kept small, with only eight people max per group! Manhattan Walking Tours gives you the chance to make friends, find new scrumptious foods, and just savor a day on your streets. With tours ranging from tasty eateries to architectural discovery, there’s a tour everyone can enjoy. Plus, we love the fact that they offer combo tours into a two, four, or even full six-hour package deal.

Find more information on tours here .

17. True Tales of NYC Walking Tours

The True Tales of NYC Walking Tours have a sweetly irresistible range of tours just for you. Most of their tours are around the East Village area, like their delicious East Village Food and East Village Dessert Tours . But they do have some good historical tours too! The True Tales of the East Village tour and the True Tales of Greenwich Village tour are both history-focused walking tours that will tell the tales of artists, oddballs, and provocateurs in those neighborhoods since the 1950s!

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New Tour Alert! SWEETS AND SCREAMS: A SUGARY SWEET GHOST WALK OF GREENWICH VILLAGE

Historic Downtown Walking Tour

Experience the City’s Rich History

From Colonial to Contemporary

Small Group Sizes!

Explore New York City by experiencing a journey of historical jewels that can't be missed

A New York City walking tour that compactly retraces a city’s evolution, Lower Manhattan is a treasured destination that provides a concentrated timeline along historical roads less traveled. Discover the key role of New York Harbor , where Lenape Villages converged with a fledgling Dutch colonials outpost. Retrace the strategic maneuverings of a conquering British Empire alongside the covert activities of the Revolutionary War. Relive the endeavors at governance of a new nation. And imagine a fledgling municipality’s grand visions of foundational urban planning, engineering innovations and financial restructurings,, as waves of new immigrants would expand cultural boundaries and heritage landscapes.

Lower Manhattan teems with perspectives brought to life by its many characters and lives revealed as you meander through ancient paths that acknowledge their presence. For discerning travelers on the hunt for long sought insights on the forces driving the evolution of this metropolis, the tour is an essential item on the list of things to do in NYC. No other historical neighborhood can lay claim to so much impact or influence in the world over a relatively brief time-period in global events. You come away with the past present in ways that enchant, intrigue, enlighten, magnetize. Through the myths and legends of the city’s origins , the secrets of the United States’ foundational directions, the hidden legends behind street names and places, the forgotten stories buried with unearthed archeological sites, and — in true NYC evolutionary fashion — the phenomenon of how the Charging Bull has become the most iconic structure redefining the neighborhood’s prestige.

Experience where the whole city and nation began

Learn about the city’s origin as a Dutch fur-trading outpost and colonial stronghold

Visit key historical locations like Wall Street, Stone Street Historic District, Trinity Church, Federal Hall, Hamilton's gravesite

Discover how Lower Manhattan has transformed since 9/11

Click the Tabs to Find Out More

Trip details.

$50, but best value is the combo with our Chinatown or Greenwich Village food tours for a $25 discount

Tours require a minimum of 2 guests to open, and then single travelers can join. If you are a single traveler, and are having trouble booking, please email or call.

Departure time

Meeting point.

Upon your reservation, you will receive a confirmation with maps and best mode of transportation to get to your meeting point

Finish Point

Bowling Green

Availability

Seven days a week, rain or shine

Approximately 90 minutes

All tours are semi-private with 8 people or less

It is a walking tour, but the pace is slow and comfortable

Private Tour Option

All of our tours are available as private tours . Enjoy the same great tour with just your friends and family, and one of our guides. Get in touch to plan your tour today!

What You’ll Do and See

See where it all began on this fascinating tour that takes you past some of New York’s most important business and government institutions . This area is the birthplace of NYC , and your guide will share their immense knowledge of how it emerged from a Dutch fur-trading outpost and colonial stronghold, to a land of towering skyscrapers and glittering lights. We’ll show you the last remaining gas lamp lights and e xplore how stocks were originally traded . You will amble down Wall Street, explore the Stone Street Historic District (New York City’s oldest neighborhood), see the famed Trinity Church, Federal Hall, visit Hamilton’s gravesite and experience how 9-11 transformed these sacred grounds. Every step of this walking tour is like turning the page of an American history textbook . Let the next chapter be one YOU write!

This tour makes a great Half Day Double Combo with our  Greenwich Village Food Tour (opens in a new tab) , or an awesome Full Day Triple Combo with the  Greenwich Village Food Tour and High Line Walking Tour (opens in a new tab)

Check Out What Our Guests Are Saying

Happy client.

My wife and I have done a lot of guided tours, in a lot of different places round the world. I don’t think we have ever had a better one – and we’ve had some pretty good ones!

I really love this tour and the guides! Been to every single one! Full of knowledge when it comes to history and food.

This tour was great. Really informative and really laid back. You see a local side to NYC you would never normally see.

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Central park walking tour, hell’s kitchen food tour, greenwich village food tour.

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Advertisement

Trump’s trial is the latest chapter in the rich history of Lower Manhattan’s courts.

A cluster of downtown buildings has served as the borough’s “epicenter of criminal justice in New York since the 1830s,” said a lawyer who has led walking tours of Manhattan courthouses.

By Matthew Mpoke Bigg

• April 26, 2024

For a decade, Robert Pigott, a lawyer, has led walking tours of the courthouses of Manhattan, guiding visitors around landmarks where the city’s rich legal history has played out. Now the trial of Donald J. Trump has added a chapter to the story he gets to tell.

Mr. Pigott’s tours, which he runs in his spare time, revolve around a cluster of downtown buildings that are the borough’s judicial hub. For now, 100 Centre Street — the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse, where the former president’s case is being heard — is the focus.

But just down the street on Foley Square sits Manhattan’s most elegant courthouse building, New York’s Supreme Court, with its sweeping flight of 32 stone steps leading up to a series of imposing Corinthian columns. Other court buildings are dotted around nearby.

“The eyes of the nation and the world are trained on criminal court cases in New York County, whether it’s organized crime, Wall Street cases or federal cases,” Mr. Pigott said.

Mr. Trump’s trial is remarkable because it is the first time that a former American president has been criminally prosecuted. The defendant’s status as this year’s presumptive Republican presidential nominee adds a contemporary political dimension.

For Mr. Pigott, 64, who has written a book about the history of the city’s courthouses, the real significance is what it says about the status of a few blocks of Manhattan as a nexus. He pointed out that Mr. Trump’s civil fraud case and defamation case also both played out this year in courthouses within spitting distance of the criminal trial.

“Now, when I arrive at the expanse of Foley Square midway through the walk, I can point to something truly remarkable — three different courthouses where the same former U.S. president has been on trial,” he said.

Mr. Trump’s trial shows how politics, celebrity and the location of the court itself can reinforce one another to make a big story bigger. New York’s status as a media hub increases the spotlight during high-profile cases and the high-profile cases held over the decades have, in turn, made the city’s courts an attractive setting for fictional courtroom dramas.

In these buildings, a jury convicted Anna Sorokin for grand larceny in 2019 for posing as a German heiress to swindle wealthy New Yorkers — a case that almost by definition blurred fact and fiction. Naturally, the tale has since been turned into a series on Netflix.

The cluster is also where a group of Black and Latino teenagers, then known as the Central Park Five, were wrongly convicted in 1990 of raping a jogger — a case also rendered as a Netflix series — and where Mark David Chapman pleaded guilty in 1981 to murdering the musician John Lennon.

The New York Supreme Court building, a trial-level court, often serves as a symbol of the court complex. It featured prominently in the television show “Law and Order" and the 1957 courtroom film classic “12 Angry Men,” to cite just two examples.

Mr. Pigott, however, is drawn to the history of the legal system before the 20th century and how it evolved through its buildings. The first stop on the tours he runs is a sidewalk nearby with glass blocks embedded in it, through which it is possible to see the excavations of a courthouse built by the Dutch in the colonial era.

The authorities in New York built a judicial infrastructure in this part of Lower Manhattan starting mainly in the 19th century, when the area experienced significant gang violence, he said.

“This one-block radius has been the epicenter of criminal justice in New York since the 1830s,” said Mr. Pigott.

For all the drama associated with the Trump trial, the streets outside the criminal courthouse have generally been calm this week. Reporters and members of the public have lined up for entry to the courthouse. And on Thursday morning, Collect Pond Park across the street, which has been designated for protests, was empty. Its only occupants were some police officers and a few pigeons.

Matthew Mpoke Bigg is a London-based reporter on the Live team at The Times, which covers breaking and developing news. More about Matthew Mpoke Bigg

The Flourishing World of Central Park

This verdant tourist destination is a pleasure ground for locals, too..

36 Hours in Central Park:  With its endless trails, hidden nooks, museums and nearby night spots, the park is a hub for both thriving activities and where one can find  a more tranquil, timeless Manhattan .

Flaco’s Kingdom : Before his demise earlier in February , the Eurasian eagle-owl’s escape from the Central Park Zoo  and subsequent life on the loose  captured the public’s attention and hearts .

Shakespeare Hits the Road: To many people, Central Park in the summer equals Shakespeare in the Park. But this year, because of renovations at the theater traditionally hosting the productions, the show will step outside  the confines of the park.

Regreening in the Park: A construction project next to the North Woods, involves remaking a part of the park  that serves as a backyard for nearby blocks in East Harlem, where green spaces are sorely missing.

A Reporter’s Design: Ever wondered who designed one of Central Park? Read about the life of Frederick Law Olmsted , who helped create one of New York’s shining jewels.