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Walk New York: a FREE Self-Guided Walking Tour of Manhattan

I think one of the best ways to experience New York is to walk around the city, so I decided to share my free self-guided walking tour route for Manhattan.

If you’ve followed me for a while, you may know I love big, vibrant cities. And that New York City is one of my favourite cities in the world .  And you also may know that I love to walk the streets of the cities I visit. I get out on foot as much as I can – it helps me get a real feel for the atmosphere and character of a city. It also helps me get to know it, to understand its layout and how the different areas and landmarks are connected. 

Why Manhattan?  Well, it is the borough I know best. I’ve been to New York City many times and always spent most of my time in Manhattan. I’ve been to a few places in Brooklyn and Queens, but I don’t know those boroughs as well – and I know the other boroughs even less. Plus, Manhattan has so many iconic landmarks packed into that one island! Thanks to the grid system, it’s pretty easy to navigate, with a lot to see and experience.

If you follow my free self-guided walking tour of Manhattan, rather than joining an organised tour, you won’t have to pay anything AND you get to do it on your own, at your pace. This is a bonus for those on a budget and for introverts like me who avoid group tours!

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. These are links to products or experiences I recommend and if you were to buy something after clicking on them, I might earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Any earnings go towards the upkeep of this blog, which I appreciate.

Table of Contents

About My Free Self-Guided Walking Tour of Manhattan

The walking tour route I am sharing here takes you from downtown Manhattan, through mid-town to Central Park and the Upper East Side, taking in many NYC icons along the way, including:

• Greenwich Village & Washington Square Park

Flatiron Building & Madison Square Park

• Empire State Buiding

New York Public Library

• Fifth Avenue Shopping
• Rockefeller Centre & Top Of The Rock
• Plaza Hotel & Pulitzer Fountain

Central Park

There are other routes that I like in Manhattan and other neighbourhoods which are great to explore – but I wanted to start with something that was doable in one day, and which covers several of the major landmarks in New York. I walked this route on a visit to New York with a friend who had never been to the city before – so I have literally road-tested it, haha.

The whole route I am recommending here is just short of 5 miles (8km) and would take approximately an hour and 45 minutes to walk non-stop according to GoogleMaps. However, it will take longer because you’ll be stopping to cross the street, take photos, grab refreshments and go into some of the attractions along the way. Using the photos I took when I walked this route as a reference, it took me around 7 hours to do this route. This included going to the Top of the Rock (but not the Empire State Building) – and I was pretty tired afterwards! That’s why I think you should allow most of the day for this.

When I walk around a new city, I don’t always take a fixed route. If possible, I like to know the general direction I’m headed but to have some freedom to walk down the streets that look most interesting to me.  Therefore, I’d encourage you to take some liberties with the route I recommend and to take detours if you feel like it.

This route does require you to be able to walk for extended distances – and I’ll share some walking tips at the end (as well as a map).

Self-Guided Walking Tour of Manhattan – Step By Step

Start in greenwich village.

Greenwich Village was the bohemian capital of New York in the 1950s and 60s, the epicentre of art, counter-culture and the LGBT community. These days, the quiet, leafy streets of Greenwich Village are amongst the most expensive places to live in the United States.

Start in your walk in St Luke in the Fields Garden , which is a small church garden on the corner of Hudson and Barrow streets, in the heart of the West Village. It’s a very pretty spot that remains somewhat off the beaten path in New York .

From here, head up Hudson Street then right onto Grove Street, where you might recognise the Friends building – the building that was used for the exterior shots of Monica & Rachel and Joey & Chandler’s apartment in the 1990s TV show. Carry on along Grove Street until you get to Christopher Park, which is home to the Stonewall Inn , the location of landmark riots against police persecution of gay or queer people. There is a monument in the park and some plaques outside the inn if you want to read about the uprising.

From here, head along Waverley Place to the next stop, Washington Square Park .

If you want to detour from the walking route, here are some other Greenwich Village highlights you could check out:

• Joe’s Pizza – a famous and reliably good spot for pizza by the slice
• Jefferson Market Library – this historic red brick building with a clocktower was once a courthouse and is now a branch of the New York Public Library
• Carrie Bradshaw’s apartment . The exterior of Carrie’s brownstone building was shot at 66 Perry Street (even though she is written as living in the Upper East Side). It’s also just a lovely leafy street to wander along!
• Angelika Theatre – a legendary arthouse cinema in the village

Alternative: Start in the East Village

The East Village is another historic neighbourhood in Manhattan – and you could also start your walking tour here, rather than in the West Village, if you prefer.

It was an upscale area of New York, built when the city expanded in the early 1800s. Then in the late 1800s, the East Village’s population swelled with immigrants, at one point being known as ‘Little Germany’.  In the 1950s and 60s, the area absorbed some of the beatnik creativity of neighbouring Greenwich Village. Allen Ginsberg, W. H. Auden, and Norman Mailer all moved to the area in 1951–1953. Like a lot of New York, the area became run down in the 1970s and 80s. Since the early 2000s it has been gentrified – but it does remain somewhat rougher around the edges than Greenwich Village (the West Village in particular).

At the heart of the East Village is Tomkins Square Park , which you can wander around.  But I definitely recommend starting your walking journey with a drink – of water or coffee. Try The Maiden Lane, which is on the corner of Tompkins Square Park at 10 th Street and Avenue B, or at B Cup, a couple of blocks north on 13 th Street.

From Tompkins Square Park, head west toward Washington Square Park .  The distance is approximately 0.8 miles, so it should take around 17-18 minutes. Along the way, you could check out Veselka , a favourite for Ukrainian cuisine; the attractive houses on Renwick Triangle , and (if you don’t mind a slightly indirect route) the pretty church garden of Grace Church .

Washington Square Park

Whether you start in the West Village, as I suggest, or the East Village, the next stop is Washington Square Park . This is one of the best-known of New York City’s parks and spending time in it is one of the many free things to do in NYC . It features two key landmarks: the ornate marble Washington Square Arch and a large fountain.

Take some time to rest and absorb the energy of the park. Its atmosphere is often vibrant, with street performers and people milling about. In the south-west corner, there are chess boards set up, if you fancy your chances in a match.

Just north of the park is the start of Fifth Avenue and the location of one of the most well-known addresses in Manhattan, the Art Deco skyscraper at One Fifth Avenue .

Union Square Park

From Washington Square Park, walk up University Place towards Union Square Park.  This route takes through the heart of the NYU campus. The distance is 0.4 miles and should take approximately 8-9 minutes. On the way, you’ll pass by a restaurant I like: the Gotham Bar & Grill. Just mentioning it in case you’re hungry for lunch at this point.

Union Square Park also has a chess scene, so you could watch some games here – or play if you fancy your chances! There’s also a statue of George Washington here, and a farmer’s market on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.

From Union Square Park, walk up Broadway to Madison Square Park .   The distance is 0.4 miles and should take approximately 8-9 minutes. On the way, if you’re peckish, there’s a great bakery called Levain Bakery a block or so off-course on 18th street. They do the most amazing thick and gooey cookies!

Madison Square Park is surrounded by gorgeous-looking skyscrapers from the early 20 th century, including the gold-topped New York Life Building and a clock tower, which was once the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company’s headquarters and is now a hotel.

However,  at the southwest corner of Madison Square Park is one of the first truly iconic buildings you will see on this walking tour of Manhattan: the Flatiron Building . The Flatiron Building is a 20-story steel-framed building that was built in 1902. Officially a New York City Landmark, it is well known and loved for its triangular shape with a narrow-angled corner facing north at the junction of Fifth Avenue and 23rd Street – it really is a marvel!

You’ve been walking a lot by this point, so you may want some refreshments and there’s a great option for that near the Flatiron building at Eataly , which has a great selection of different food counters and eateries in its complex.  My choice was an Italian gelato, which I took outside to eat in Madison Square Park.

Empire State Building

From Madison Square Park, you’ll see your next stop way before you reach it (although I’ve heard locals are rather annoyed by the emergence of a new skyscraper that obscures the view of the ESB from the south)!  Walk up Fifth Avenue towards the impressive and inimitable Empire State Building , which occupies an entire block between 33 rd and 34 th streets.   The distance is 0.5 miles and should take approximately 9-10 minutes. Along the way, there’s a popular rooftop bar nearby: 230 Fifth Rooftop Bar – in case you’re interested in getting an elevated view at this point.

Along the way, you can snap pictures of this Art Deco architectural masterpiece from various distances – the Empire State Building really does dominate Midtown! It was the tallest building in the world when it was built in 1931 and it held this record until the World Trade Centre towers went up in 1970. 

There are observation decks on the 86th and 102nd floors of the Empire State Building, which give amazing panoramic views of New York City and six states.  Taking the view from the top of the Empire State Building is on many people’s New York bucket list.

However, if you only have an appetite (or time, or budget) for one observation deck, I personally think the Top of the Rock is better. And don’t worry – that is also on this walking tour of Manhattan!

From the Empire State Building, carry on up Fifth Avenue for 7 blocks until you come to the New York Public Library on the left.  The distance is another 0.5 miles and should take approximately 9-10 minutes. Along the way, be aware that the Morgan Library & Museum is a block over on 37th Street.

By this point, Fifth Avenue is like a man-made canyon: the road is a deep chasm between towering skyscrapers. But the next stop is not a high rise.

The New York Public Library is an NYC institution and has been providing access to books and information for more than 125 years. Even if you’re not in the market for some literature, the building itself is worth a detour from your walk. The Beaux-Arts style building, guarded by two marble lions called Patience and Fortitude, was built in 1911 and is a National Historic Landmark. The whole building is wonderful but the Rose Reading room, with its grand arched windows, chandeliers and rows of lamp-lit tables, is really stunning.

And if you’re a movie fan, like me, you may remember scenes from the New York Public Library in NYC-set movies like Ghostbusters, The Day After Tomorrow and Sex & The City: The Movie.

Once you’ve had your fill of the library itself, do check out the park behind it: Bryant Park is a handsome park with lots of seats and views of the surrounding skyscrapers, including the Art Deco American Radiator Building – and the very top of the Empire State Building.

Rockefeller Centre & Top of the Rock

From the New York Public Library, carry on up Fifth Avenue for another 8 blocks until you come to the Rockefeller Centre.  The distance is another 0.5 miles and should take approximately 9-10 minutes. 

At 42nd Street, look right for a glimpse of the Chrysler Building , which is a couple of blocks east of Fifth Avenue. This is my favourite skyscraper in Manhattan – I just love the elegant Art Deco style and silver finish. If you want to take a detour to see it, there’s a good viewpoint on Lexington Avenue, and you could stop by Grand Central Station at the same time. You’ll also start to see lots more shopping opportunities as you go further north on Fifth Avenue.

At Rockefeller Centre , I highly recommend you go to the observation deck in the Rockefeller Tower. It is called Top of the Rock and is 70 stories high with stunning views of the city – it is one of the best observation decks in New York City .  Looking northwards, you can see Central Park and uptown – It is amazing to see the park from so high up and to see just how huge it is, and to see those ornate towered buildings that line it on both sides. 

However, in my opinion, the best view is south, towards midtown and lower Manhattan.  Standing proud in the middle of this view is the Empire State Building. It really is the cherry on the top of the views of Manhattan. You can’t admire the view of the Empire State Building from the top of the Empire State Building, so that’s why I said earlier the view from the Top of the Rock is the best one.

The Rockefeller Centre is also a good place to grab a bite to eat.  At street level, there’s a restaurant with an outdoor terrace right by the fountains.  It’s not cheap – but it is scenic and the salads are great. And Radio City Hall is just down the street, in case you want to check that out while you’re there.

By the way, if you like views of NYC, you might consider staying in one of the hotels with the best views of New York City .

The Plaza Hotel & The Pulitzer Fountain

From the Rockefeller Centre, carry on up Fifth Avenue for another 9 blocks until the buildings give way to Central Park.  On the corner of Fifth Avenue and 59th Street are the Pulitzer Fountain and the Plaza Hotel.  The distance is another 0.5 miles and should take approximately 9-10 minutes. 

On the way, just across from the Rockefeller Centre, on the right side of Fifth Avenue is the St Patrick’s Cathedral , its Neo-Gothic style contrasting with and dwarfed by the modern skyscrapers around it.

The shops become more high-end as you get closer to the park, including Saks Fifth Avenue opposite the Rockefeller Centre and the Tiffany & Co flagship store (made famous by the movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s, of course) at 57 th Street. And, just so you know, the Museum of Modern Art is on 53rd Street (but I don’t think you’ll have time to go in on this walking tour of New York).

The Plaza Hotel is another New York icon.  If I can continue my movie location theme, it features in The Way We Were and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. I can highly recommend the cocktails in the Champagne Bar , which is pretty good for people-spotting: I saw Princess Diana’s brother, the Earl of Spencer, there a few years ago.

The Pulitzer Fountain is opposite the hotel and was bequeathed by Joseph Pulitzer, who also established the journalism prizes. There are benches and trees around it, making it a nice spot to sit and rest, if you need it.

Once you get to Central Park, I say just have a good wander around – that’s what it is there for! Exploring Central Park is one of the best free things to do in New York . If you want to go as far as the Boathouse, the distance is approximately a mile, so will take 18-20 minutes if you walk non-stop – but of course, there is plenty to distract you in the park!

For example, you might come across talented skaters practising on the paths, or a free performance in the Naumberg Bandshell .  The Bethesda Fountain is a lovely spot, and it is lovely to watch the rowboats on the lake.

Loeb Boathouse has wonderful views over the lake. After completing this self-guided walking tour of Manhattan, you will have earned a rest and some refreshments!

If you still have some energy left, you could continue north and visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Guggenheim Museum , which is on the edge of Central Park. However, I should warn you that my friend and I did this and our feet felt pretty sore by that point!

When you’re ready for dinner, consider one of the unique restaurants in New York City . Or you could end the day with a cocktail in my favourite cocktail bar of all time, the Bemelmans Bar, in the Carlyle Hotel.

Map: Self-Guided Walking Tour Of Manhattan

Here’s a map of my free self-guided walking tour of Manhattan, with various attractions I have mentioned marked:

How To Use This Map : Click the tab in the top left-hand corner of the map to view the layers. If you click the icons on the map, you can get more information about each one.  If you click the star next to the map’s title, it will be added to your Google Maps account. To view it on your phone or computer, open Google Maps, click the menu, go to ‘Your Places’ or ‘Saved’, then click Maps and you will see this map in your list.

Tips For This Walking Tour Of Manhattan

This walking tour of Manhattan is fairly long, so it will pay to be prepared:

• Wear comfortable shoes!
• Bring water and something waterproof in case the weather changes (& check the forecast in advance)
• Respect traffic & use crossings
• Be aware the streets of New York can be dirty, cracked and uneven (it’s a gritty city, but I still love it!)

And if this is your first time in New York City, check out these NYC tips for first-time visitors .

When To Go To New York City?

I think the best time to do this walking tour of Manhattan is in the shoulder seasons: March to May and September to October.  I originally did this on the last day of April, and it was glorious!

Don’t be put off visiting New York when it is colder, though: there are lots of things to do in New York in winter and so many things to do in NYC at Christmas .

Where To Stay In New York City

Here are a few places I have stayed in New York recently (in 2024):

The best hotel I’ve stayed in in NYC is, perhaps unsurprisingly, a luxury 5-star hotel: The Wall Street Hotel . It was spacious, plush, very comfortable, and came with all the amenities you could hope for. It was a wonderful oasis of calm to retreat to at the end of a day spent exploring the city. Service was great and the food and cocktails from the lobby bar were also top-tier.

A good 4-star option is the Nolitan , which has a contemporary urban style blending steel, concrete and velvet textures. I had fairly big room, with a balcony and a nice bathroom. They have a restaurant on site, but I opted to eat out in the neighbourhood – there are several good choices nearby on the north end of Mulberry Street. 

For a budget hotel, I was really pleased with my stay at the 3-star Pod 39 , in Midtown. It’s hard to find good low-priced accommodation with private bathrooms in Manhattan, but I was impressed with the package here. My single room was clean and space-efficient (small, but not too small). There was free coffee in the bar downstairs in the mornings, and they gave me a discount card for the rooftop bar.

The Last Word

I hope you like this self-guided walking tour of Manhattan! If you follow this route, do let me know how you get on. If you need more inspiration for NYC, check out this list of movies set in New York City , romantic things to do in NYC and unique things to do in NYC .

I’ve also written a 4-Day New York itinerary , showing how to make the best of a few days in the city, and a list of things to do in New York at night .

And if you are interested in more NYC walking tours, I did another one for Lower Manhattan !

Enjoy your walk in New York!

If you like this article, I'd be delighted if you shared it!

About The Author

Martha Knight

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4 thoughts on “walk new york: a free self-guided walking tour of manhattan”.

Martha, I love this free walking tour of NYC. I have visited NY many years ago, I have always wanted to return. It is a city that one can visit many times and never get bored. Great post.

Thanks so much, Gilda! I completely agree – I’ve been to NYC several times now and I would happily return again 🙂

This is great! Any suggestions of a hotel for 2 people on a budget along that path? Just a place to sleep, actually. We will be walking the entire day!

Thanks! On the trip I did this walking route, I stayed in an AirBnB in the East Village. I’ts tricky to find any low-cost accommodation in Manhattan, tbh – even hostels charge a lot! But, depending on your dates, you might find a bargain on Booking.com (affiliate link): https://www.booking.com/searchresults.en.html?city=20088325&aid=2164994&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2&room1=A%2CA

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The 27 Best Walking Tours of NYC (Ranked & Sorted)!

Among the most popular ways to experience the Big Apple are guided walking tours, which offer something for everyone. Here I show you the best walking food tours , street art walking tours , the best  Hamilton Musical Walking Tour , Haunted Walking Tours and (of course) the best walking tours through neighborhoods like Soho, Chinatown, the Lower East Side or the Theatre District.

You'll love this:

• Things to Do in NYC
• 30+ New York City Neighborhood Guides

The choice is huge and unfortunately not every tour is really worth the money. All walking tours that made it to our best list are really really good! Many of them we have done ourselves (several times) – which ones we show you here in our personal recommendations .

New are Self Guided Walking Tours , where you can explore the city at your own pace and at any time of day, private walking tours  and last but not least, here is an overview of free walking tours .

Table of Contents

The Best Walking Tours of NYC

01 A Slice of Brooklyn Pizza Tour

The A Slice of Brooklyn Pizza Tour is a combination of sightseeing tour, bus and walking tour. It starts not far from Union Square Park in Manhattan: with your New York guide you drive to Brooklyn to get to know one of the most important neighborhoods like  Sunset Park, DUMBO, Bay Ridge and also Coney Island. 

On this sightseeing tour you will learn where movies like Goodfellas, Once Upon in America or Annie Hall were filmed and you will stop at two of the best pizzerias in Brooklyn. Because pizza and New York simply belong together!

02 Best of Brooklyn Walking Tour

Brooklyn is known for its good pizzas and great coffee. You can go on a journey of discovery through different countries like you can in hardly any other borough. There are many different cultures that have brought their recipes from home to the Big Apple. This Food on Foot tour offers the best of everything: from savory to sweet, from European variations to Mexico and Asia.

03 Brooklyn Bridge & DUMBO Walking Tour

Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and learn about the exciting and dramatic history of this world-famous New York City neighborhood, all while enjoying breathtaking views of the Manhattan skyline. On the other side of the Brooklyn Bridge you will discover DUMBO, a newly popular and up and coming part of Brooklyn. 

Meeting point is 52 Chambers Street in front of the Tweed Courthouse.

04 Chinatown and Little Italy Food Fest

Explore the flavors and traditions of  New York’s Chinatown and Little Italy during this exciting food tour. You’ll leave with a full stomach and lots of interesting information about the history and culture of these two neighborhoods.

05 Food on Foot Tours

This is one of the best ways to discover the culinary highlights of NYC! Taking you around the city to explore the best of the best in terms of food, this award winning tour is an excellent way to explore the taste of different areas of NYC.

06 Gangsters and Ghosts Tour in NYC

Immerse yourself in the rich history of New York City with an intriguing Gangsters and Ghosts walking tour. Join your guide for a unique journey into the city’s past, exploring its infamous crimes, notorious gangsters, clandestine deals, and haunted structures. Meander through a variety of downtown neighborhoods, including Little Italy, Chinatown, and the West Village, as you soak up chilling tales of spirits and mobsters. Experience downtown Manhattan’s history on this one-of-a-kind tour, gain insightful knowledge about local history from your guide, and explore several neighborhoods all in one fascinating journey.

07 Hamilton Musical Walking Tour

Did you know that Alexander Hamilton spent most of his life in New York? He is the main character in the musical “Hamilton”, which is one of the most successful shows on Broadway (it won 16 Tony Awards!). This Walking Tour will take you to the most important stages of his life and show you which spots have made an impact on the story. 

Highlights of the Walking Tour include many important historical sites such as Thomas Jefferson’s home, Kings College and Trinity Church. It’s the perfect tour for anyone looking to get in the mood for an evening on Broadway – and for all fans of the musical “Hamilton.”

08 High Line and Chelsea Small Group Tour

This is the most popular walking tour along the High Line, starting in the Meatpacking District at the Whitney Museum, running through Chelsea and ending at Hudson Yards. The High Line is my personal favorite park in NYC and always worth a visit. I find the High Line and Chelsea Small Group Tour really exciting because you get told the history and significance to New York. Your guide will tell you many secrets that the High Line, the Chelsea Market and the Meatpacking District has to offer.

For me personally, this tour is one of the best walking tours in NYC ever, because you see a lot of the old and the new New York City. That’s what makes this district so interesting for me!

09 High Line Park and Greenwich Village Food Tour

This walking tour through Greenwich Village and Chelsea is one of the best food tours New York City has to offer! Because in this part of the city there are many wonderful little food spots that you must discover. 

In addition, you will learn many exciting anecdotes about the High Line, which connects the Hudson Yards with the Meatpacking District. This former elevated railway line was saved from demolition due to an initiative and is now one of the most popular sights in New York. All the more reason to book this awesome walking tour!

10 High Line, Chelsea & Meatpacking Tour

Go on a fun adventure in New York’s only park above street level- the Highline. Experience the Chelsea neighborhood from a whole new vantage point and find out more about the history of the famous Meatpacking District including how it developed into one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the world.

11 New York City Slavery and Underground Railroad Tour

Learn more about the dramatic history of slavery and its connection to the New York subway. Listen to the stories of those New Yorkers who risked their lives and property to help others escape. During this Walking Tour you will gollow the NYC Freedom Trail, and learn how a group of brave men and women forged the network that became the Underground Railroad. View the former city stations that were included on the Underground Railroad, and discover how New Yorkers risked their lives to help people escape slavery.

12 New York: Central Park Movie Sites Walking Tour

On the tour she passes countless locations of TV series and movies: feeds the pigeons like Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone 2, takes pictures in front of the Wollman Rink, as seen in Serendipity, and visits the Boathouse Café, where Harry and Sally have already sat. Also on the tour are locations from comedies such as Date Night – Gangster for a Night, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Gossip Girl, Ghostbusters and more.

13 NYC Lower East Side Food and Culture Small-Group Tour

This is a really unique walking tour in NYC that will introduce you to the wonderful Lower East Side. The Lower East Side Food and Culture Tour shows you the many lovely little delis, Jewish specialties, bakeries and everything that makes up the soul of the city. 

You’ll visit places that are an important part of the community, having operated in the same spot for generations. You’ll get a glimpse of authentic life and become part of the real New York. 

With nearly 300 positive reviews, it’s the most popular walking tour in New York of them all!

14 NYC Lower East Side Walking and Food Tour

The Lower East Side is still an absolute insider tip among the neighborhoods of New York City and a part of Lower Manhattan that I love to visit. There are countless authentic bars and delis, some of which have been family-owned for more than 100 years and are thus an important part of the community.  

The NYC Lower East Side Walking and Food Tour deals exactly with these small spots and stores and is therefore a TOP Thing to do for foodies!

15 NYC Private Walking Tour

If you are traveling as a family or small group and already know exactly what you want to see in New York City, then this private walking tour with Oli is a great option. Here you can let a New York guide show you the best parts of the city and sights from a local’s point of view. You can decide individually which attractions you want to see, because together with Oli you can build your perfect itinerary!

As a bonus, you can even be picked up directly from your hotel, so that the sightseeing program starts directly from your accommodation. And the best part? I personally know Oliver and can only recommend him to you: he loves New York and you will notice that 200% during your tour with him!

16 Radio City Music Hall Stage Door Tour

The Stage Door tour is great for everyone who is interested in theatre and the entertaining arts. Find out everything about the Rockettes and their history as well as a lot of behind the scenes information about the Radio City Music Hall.

17 Soho, Little Italy & Chinatown Walking Tour

Now known for their many excellent restaurants, shops and tourism, Manhattan’s SoHo, Little Italy and Chinatown neighborhoods offer the most varied stories of New York City. Take a 2-hour tour with a local guide and discover hidden gems and 19th century buildings.

18 Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island: 4-Hour Guided Tour

Enjoy a guided tour of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. You will have reserved access to the ferry to get to the statue and then you can explore these 2 major attractions with a 4 hour guided tour.

19 Statue of Liberty Pedestal, Ellis Island & Pre-Ferry Tour

A 30-minute English-language guided tour of Battery Park followed by a transfer to the Statue of Liberty with a German audio guide and guaranteed admission to the base of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

20 The Secrets of Grand Central Terminal

The Secrets of Grand Central Terminal Walking Tour not only shows you the most important parts of New York’s famous train station, but focuses on the secrets and special features that only a New York guide would know. Did you know that there is a hidden tennis court in Grand Central Terminal? Or that the painting of the ceiling is mirror-inverted? You will learn much more on this exciting walking tour in NYC!

My Recommendations

I’m a big fan of the

• the 4-Hour Guided Tour of Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
• Brooklyn Bridge & DUMBO Walking Tour as well as the
• High Line and Chelsea Small Group Tour , because you can do sightseeing and learn a lot of interesting things from a local guide at the same time.

And then I would like to recommend the

• NYC Slavery and Underground Railroad Walking Tour , the
• Lower East Side Food and Culture Tour and the
• Tours by Foot!

If you want to customize a walking tour to your own preference and schedule, I recommend this private walking tour with Oli, who I also know personally!

The 13 Best Walking Food Tours

Walking Food Tours bring together several things I like: you learn about the food culture and the neighborhoods of NYC through a local guide, and you get to eat delicious food!

Here you can find the best food walking tours of NYC :

NYC Lower East Side Food and Culture Small-Group Tour

Best of brooklyn walking tour, high line park and greenwich village food tour, chinatown and little italy food fest, flatiron food, architecture, and history tour.

The Flatiron Building is one of the most photographed buildings in the city. But there is much more to discover in the direct neighbourhood. Thanks to the organization “Flatiron 23rd Street Partnership” you will be guided through the district every Sunday by a free guide. Meeting point is the southwest corner of Madison Square Park.

NYC Lower East Side Walking and Food Tour

2-hour cupcake tour of greenwich village.

If you’re into sweets and desserts you should try the famous Cupcake Tour. Sample colorful cupcakes at boutique bake shops, and build your own custom cupcake during this 2-hour tour in Greenwich Village. New York clearly has the best cupcakes and this will be the chance to try the best of them.

Greenwich Village Pizza Walk

Pizza and New York simply belong together! Next to the famous Brooklyn Pizza Walking Tour, this tour through Greenwich Village and Little Italy is one of the most popular food tours in NYC. Included in the price are 3 slices of pizza from different stores and during the tour you will also learn a lot about these neighborhoods from a New York guide.

A Slice of Brooklyn Pizza Tour

New york west village food tour.

Go on one of the famous Food on Foot Tours. During the 3-hour tour, you will discover many great little restaurants and bakeries. A total of 6 of them are on your program on this walking tour, which is one of the most popular in the West Village. For foodies this tour is a must!

New York: Midtown Manhattan Street Food Walking Tour

Food trucks are very popular with New Yorkers: as a quick snack between meals or as a lunch. The Gourmet Snack Truck Tour takes you either through the Financial District or Midtown. From Korean short ribs to souvlaki, curry, falafel, hot dogs or brownies – you will be surprised!

Williamsburg Brooklyn Food Tasting and Walking Tour

The Williamsburg neighborhood has a lot of bars, restaurants, pubs and delis and for me is one of the most interesting neighborhoods in Brooklyn (one of our favorite BBQ spots called “Die Fette Sau” is located here). A visit to Williamsburg should definitely be on your itinerary because it’s a nice contrast to hectic Manhattan.

On the Williamsburg Brooklyn Food Tasting and Walking Tour, a New York guide will show you the most important corners of the neighborhood and where to get the most authentic and best food. 

The 3 Best Street Art Walking Tours

Street art is an expression of art that is very common and popular in New York. If you keep your eyes open while walking around the city, you will see a lot of them.

Especially Brooklyn with the Bushwick and Williamsburg neighborhoods are known for their variety of graffiti and street art. These street art walking tours will take you to the most important spots – and you will learn a lot about the artists and the context of the motifs.

Graffiti & Street Art Walking Tour

Brooklyn is famous for its bold and bright street art, but it’s not easy to know where to find these creative works. With this walking tour of the Bushwick neighborhood, take in the diversity and culture of the neighborhood’s urban street artists. Check out massive murals and intricate designs as you take to the streets to learn how Brooklyn’s best can turn anything with a surface into a stunning work of public art.

Sidewalks and Skyscrapers: Street Art Is This Way

This walking tour shows that there is also street art and graffiti worth seeing in Manhattan. You start your exploration in Soho , and then in two hours learn the stories behind the large and small works of art. Some of the graffiti is an impressive 20 meters high, so always have your cameras ready!

Private Graffiti & Street Art Walking Tour

The Bushwick district is probably the most famous part of New York when it comes to street art and graffiti. Here there are many colorful, very elaborately designed and creative murals. You will see the different techniques that the artists have to master and learn a lot about this own culture and art. 

For many artists, this is their main profession and their graffiti just look awesome! For this reason, take a look at this Start Art Walking Tour!

The Best Hamilton Walking Tour NYC

The musical Hamilton on Broadway has broken many records: it has won the most Tony Awards, the visitors are enthusiastic, the story is unique and until today it is not so easy to get tickets for this musical. The reason? It is always fully booked!

Alexander Hamilton was one of the founding fathers of the United States and spent most of his life in New York City. Reason enough to take a closer look at the Hamilton Walking Tours, where you will learn a lot about his life, his works but also a lot about the history of NYC, which is strongly associated with him.

Hamilton Musical Walking Tour

Alexander hamilton's haunts and hangouts tour.

This walking tour is the second tour that deals with the life of Alexander Hamilton. While the first one has a focus on historical sites, here you will learn more about the person himself. From his favorite pub to his grave, everything is included. Nevertheless, the New York Stock Exchange and Wall Street are not missing from the program!

The 4 Best Haunted Walking Tours

If you’re looking for Ghost Tours or Haunted Walking Tours, you definitely need to check out these tours (not only during Halloween in NYC !):

01 Gangsters and Ghosts Tour in NYC

02 Ghost Stories: A Mysterious, Macabre Interactive Tour at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Dive into a world of the spectral and spine-chilling with our Ghost Stories adventure, encompassing everything from the eerie to the unnerving, the morbid to the enigmatic, and the phantasmal to the monstrous. This immersive journey at the Metropolitan Museum presents a spine-tingling exploration of all things terrifying. Attendees will traverse through different eras and cultures to explore the myth of the Flying Dutchman, enigmatic funerary masks, captivating still life art, and striking sculptures. 

Knowledge about the works of art from Egypt, America, and Europe, among others, will be imparted, along with tales of supernatural occurrences within the museum itself. Throughout this experience, we’ll delve into how various cultures portray the daunting and the macabre, seeking to understand the essence of our fears and their origins.

When? Fridays: 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. and Saturdays: 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Important note: Upon your arrival, the guide will provide your tickets (avoiding the need to queue for purchase!), which remain valid for all the exhibitions in the museum after the conclusion of the tour.

03 Ghost Tour of Greenwich Village NYC

Greenwich Village is for me one of the most beautiful neighborhoods of New York and has a lot to offer. But it also has a haunted side in stories, which will be shown to you on this walking tour. This ghost tour through Greenwich Village is full of spooky tales of lost children, phantoms and celebrity ghosts – and not only at Halloween a popular tour. 

Along the way, you’ll learn many interesting anecdotes as you stroll through Washington Square Park, West 10th Street and the campus of New York University. The Greenwich Village Ghost Tour is a real highlight!

04 East Village Haunted Manhattan Walking Tour

On this haunted walking tour you’ll explore one of the oldest neighborhoods in Manhattan: the East Village (and Alphabet City). And at night! There are 13 haunted locations on the list – from historic pubs to the Public Theater to a subway stop known for its “ghost train”.

05 Ghosts of Greenwich Village: 2-Hour Private Walking Tour

Do you like stories about ghosts? Then this private haunted tour of Greenwich Village in the evening is a great option! In two hours, you’ll hear lots of haunted stories about people who have suddenly disappeared or are haunted around Washington Square Park and New York University. And of course: also a lot about this beautiful neighborhood of NYC!

06 Alexander Hamilton's Haunts and Hangouts Tour

07 West Village Ghost Pub Crawl

The West Village Ghost Pub Crawl presents an exciting journey through the haunted corners of the bohemian West Village. Meander through charming, tree-lined streets with 19th-century brownstones, engaging in a thrilling ghost hunt throughout the neighborhood. Your guide will lead you through a series of haunted landmarks including a piano bar, a famous speakeasy, a popular inn, and a historic carriage house, each harboring its own spectral inhabitants. Embark on this spirited expedition to uncover the ghostly mysteries hidden in one of New York’s spookiest neighborhoods.

My Tip: Here you find my comparison of the best ghost tours in NYC !

The Best Private Walking Tour

Nyc private walking tour, manhattan neighborhood private customized walking tour.

You already have an idea of which neighborhoods and sights of New York you want to see? Then this walking tour is perfect for you, because you can create your individual route with your New York guide. 

Each of the many neighborhoods has its own charm and character, which is what makes New York so charming and interesting. Therefore, the right mix can show you the best picture of the city. Combine Times Square and Broadway with Greenwich Village and Soho, or schedule Greenwich Village or Chelsea with the High Line. The beauty of this private tour is that you set the schedule. If you particularly like a place, you can just stay longer!

With over 350 positive reviews, this private walking tour of NYC is one of the best!

The Best Self Guided Walking Tour

Nyc grand central terminal self-guided walking tour.

With its majestic cieling, a series of roman-inspired walk ways, and 18-metre high arched windows, the Beaux Arts style terminal is one of the busiest and most beautiful stations in the world. A comprehensive restoration in 1998 restored this jewel to its former splendour for thousands of passangers to enjoy daily.

Free Walking Tours

Central park conservancy.

Free Central Park tours are offered by the Central Park Conservancy. Here you will learn all kinds of interesting facts about the history of Central Park, its highlights and most important corners. The meeting point depends on the tour.

Grand Central Partnership

If you want to know what makes the Grand Central Terminal so special, the 90-minute free walking tour from the Grand Central Partnership is something you should definitely consider. With a historian as your guide, you’ll learn lots of exciting things about the beautiful building every Friday from 12.30 p.m.

Friends of the High Line Walking Tours

The High Line Park takes you along the old tracks of the elevated railway to the Meatpacking District. Thanks to the initiative “Friends of the High Line” the park exists at all, because originally the construction was supposed to be torn down. And the best thing? They offer free tours!

Things To Do

New York Neighborhood Guides

I'm a true New York fan! Not only have I visited the city over 25 times but also have I spent several months here at a time. On my blog I show you the best and most beautiful spots of the city, so that you have a really good time! You can also find lots of insider tips in our New York travel guide . Also check out my hotel finder for New York !

Hole dir deine wöchentliche Dosis New York mit meinem Loving New York-Newsletter! Er ist vollgestopft mit den neuesten Artikeln, Videos, Erfahrungsberichten und allem, was gerade Interessantes und Wissenswertes im Big Apple passiert.

Ich selbst war über 25x in meiner Lieblingsstadt und möchte dir mit meinen Emails dabei helfen, eine sensationelle Zeit vor Ort zu haben.

Und als BONUS bekommst meine ✔️ "24 Tipps für deine New York-Reise" ✔️ die U-Bahn-Karte und ✔️ die offizielle NYC-Karte zugeschickt. Ganz KOSTENLOS!

Start of your trip: We will remind you with current events when you are in NYC!

15 Best Walking Tours in New York City

Home | Travel | North America | United States | New York | NYC | 15 Best Walking Tours in New York City

Taking a walking tour of New York City is one of the best ways to experience the unique neighborhoods, attractions, and landmarks in the Big Apple. It can be something fun to do with friends or as a couple, or even on your own if you want to meet new people while exploring the city.

As one of the top things to do in New York City , you can bet that there are all kinds of walking tours of NYC . There are themed walks in NYC for art lovers, music aficionados, foodies, history buffs, and movie fans, and that’s just the beginning! So, no matter what you’re into, I’m sure you can find a walking tour that interests you. Plus, it’ll be a fun way to get some exercise and perhaps see a different side of the city.

To sum up, these are the 15 best walking tours in New York City:

• Free walking tour in New York
• 9/11 Memorial & Ground Zero Walking Tour
• SoHo, Little Italy & Chinatown Walking Tour
• Wall Street Insider Tour
• Central Park Walking Tour
• Brooklyn Bridge & DUMBO Walking Tour
• High Line & Chelsea Walking Tour
• Brooklyn Street Art Tour
• Grand Central Terminal Walking Tour
• NYC Superheroes Walking Tour
• Christmas Tour Through Manhattan
• Harlem Gospel Tour
• Greenwich Village Walking Tour
• Slavery & Underground Railroad Walking Tour
• St. Patrick’s Cathedral Catacombs Tour

While this guide focuses on NYC walking tours , we have another article on the best tours in New York City , so it’s worth reading that, too.

1. Free walking tour in New York city

If it’s your first time in the city and you want a general overview of the highlights, this free walking tour is a good place to start.

While it’s more of a general summary of the most popular attractions, this tour does a nice job of introducing you to some interesting city sites. So, if you want to do some sightseeing and discover a distinct part of NYC you’d like to explore, this free Manhattan walking tour will do the trick.

1. Free walking tour in New York City

During the two and a half hours, you’ll walk past iconic landmarks like the World Trade Center and the 9/11 Memorial & Museum . You’ll also walk through the Financial District, home to Wall Street , the New York Stock Exchange, and the Charging Bull statue.

To finish up, your guide will take you to Battery Park , where you can get great views of the Statue of Liberty .

• Duration : 2.5 hours
• Number of participants : 6
• Highlights : Wall Street, World Trade Center, Battery Park

We have another article with more options on free walking tours in NYC.

2. 9/11 Memorial & Ground Zero walking tour

Among all the walking tours in Manhattan , this half-day tour of Ground Zero and the 9/11 Memorial is one of the best, which is why I recommend it even if you are only visiting NYC for 2 days . While the events of September 11, 2001, were devastating, that day is an important part of the history of New York, and the entire country.

To start your tour, you’ll meet at St. Paul’s Chapel , a church near Ground Zero that served as a rescue shelter after the 9/11 attacks. Your tour guide will be someone who was personally affected by that fateful day, so you’ll hear touching stories and gain insights from someone who witnessed the on-the-ground situation.

Next, you’ll visit the Firefighter’s 9/11 Memorial Wall and enter the poignant 9/11 Memorial at Ground Zero, where you can see the reflecting pools and the Survivor’s Tree .

If you choose the upgraded option, you’ll get a skip-the-line ticket to the 9/11 Museum , one of the best museums in NYC with photographs, audio recordings, and artifacts from the 9/11 attacks and the 1993 bombing. You’ll also gain access to the One World Observatory , where you can see all of Manhattan from 1,250 feet above the city.

• Price : $39+
• Duration : 1.5 – 5 hours
• Number of participants : 10
• Highlights : St. Paul’s Chapel, Ground Zero, 9/11 Memorial, option to upgrade to 9/11 Museum and One World Observatory

3. SoHo, Little Italy & Chinatown walking tour

Another one of the best walking tours in New York City is this tour through three of NYC’s most distinct neighborhoods . Over the course of two hours, you’ll get to see the bohemian streets of SoHo , the delicious eateries of Little Italy , and the lively atmosphere of Chinatown .

First, you’ll do a short walking tour of SoHo , an artistic neighborhood that’s known for its impressive cast-iron buildings. See the Cast Iron District, the E.V. Haughwout Building, and an old police station housed in a Beaux-Arts style structure from 1909. You’ll also walk past the Ravenite Club, the main setting in the story of the American gangster, John Gotti.

Then, you’ll head to Little Italy , making your way down Mulberry Street and learning about some of the most popular eateries in the area. You’ll stop in front of Alleva Dairy, an over 100-year-old cheesemaker, Umbertos Clam House, and the Italian American Museum.

You’ll also see some landmarks you’ll only find in NYC, including the National Shrine Church of San Gennaro and the last known opium den in New York, at the edge of Chinatown.

As you continue your walking tour into Chinatown, NYC , you’ll pass by dim sum and noodle houses, fish markets, and fresh produce stalls. Enjoy the aromas, sights, and sounds of this cultural neighborhood, then end at Columbus Park.

• Duration : 2 hours
• Highlights : SoHo’s Cast Iron District, Little Italy’s Mulberry Street, Chinatown

4. Wall Street Insider Tour, a walking tour through NYC’s financial district

If you want to learn more about NYC’s Financial District, then this walking tour of Wall Street is for you. You’ll get a closer look at this famous area of New York and learn the history of how it went from a Dutch trading post to an international financial mecca.

The tour goes to the bustling New York Stock Exchange and the historic Federal Reserve , which houses the world’s largest monetary gold reserve in its vaults. Get a picture with the Charging Bull statue, then head to Trinity Church , a historic Episcopal temple, and the final resting place for Alexander Hamilton.

As you continue this walking tour through NYC’s Financial District , you’ll pass Trump Tower and famed global banks like Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, and Lehman Brothers. You’ll also visit the Morgan House , an imposing brownstone building with 45 rooms and 12 bathrooms. Built in the 1850s, the home is still a magnificent display of wealth in the city.

• Duration : 75 minutes – 1.5 hours
• Highlights : NYSE, Federal Reserve, Morgan House, Trump Tower, Trinity Church

5. Central Park, a guided walking tour in NYC’s most famous park

Central Park is one of the best parks in NYC , but it’s huge, so it can be a bit overwhelming for first-time visitors. If that’s you, consider this 2-hour walking tour , which will introduce you to the main highlights of the park.

Spend a couple of hours visiting some of the most popular attractions in Central Park , like Belvedere Castle , the Central Park Carousel , the Naumburg Bandshell, and Wollman Rink . You’ll also see the beautiful public art and sculptures throughout the park, such as Alice in Wonderland , Balto the sled dog, the Delacorte Clock, the Dancing Goat, and the Egyptian Obelisk.

Walk over the Bow Bridge, which crosses The Lake , check out the Bethesda Fountain , and see locals and tourists lounging in the Sheep Meadow and Great Lawn .

During this guided Central Park walking tour , your guide will point out famous movie locations, like the Ghostbusters apartment building and other sites that have been featured in Home Alone , The Great Gatsby , and other films. Also, it’s only 2 hours so it can easily fit on a 3 day NYC itinerary .

• Price : $27
• Number of participants : 15
• Highlights : Central Park landmarks, monuments, fountains

6. Brooklyn Bridge & DUMBO, a scenic New York City walking tour

Brooklyn is one of the best places to do a New York City walking tour , and the one I recommend is this one . You’ll get an up-close and personal look at one of NYC’s biggest attractions, the Brooklyn Bridge . See the views from the bridge and peer down at the East River and Brooklyn Bridge Park , a great waterfront park to visit with family.

Then, continue your tour by visiting DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass), one of the best neighborhoods in Brooklyn with an artsy vibe. Stroll down the cobblestone streets, taking in the historic architecture, galleries, and trendy boutiques.

As you’ll learn on this Brooklyn walking tour , this neighborhood is known for its bookstores, shops, and cafes. Some sites to keep an eye out for include the Klompching and AIR galleries, as well as the DUMBO Archway , a famous landmark that has appeared in several films.

Stop for a snack at Grimaldi’s Pizzeria or Ample Hills Creamery before continuing the tour through the famous Brooklyn Flea market , one of the most famous flea markets in NYC .

• Price : $35+
• Highlights : Brooklyn Bridge, DUMBO neighborhood, Brooklyn Bridge Park

7. High Line & Chelsea Walking Tour, a fun NYC walking tour

The Meatpacking District is another hotspot for artists and bohemians, so if that resonates with you, then you’ll love this walking tour of Chelsea, NYC .

You’ll start with a guided walk along the High Line , an awesome attraction, and the only elevated park in the city. It stretches for over a mile and goes past landmarks like Chelsea Market and The Vessel , one of the coolest observation decks in NYC . Enjoy the High Line’s green spaces while taking in views of the Hudson River.

After your High Line walking tour , your group will continue exploring the Chelsea neighborhood. Listen as your guide tells you how the Meatpacking District evolved from a collection of slaughterhouses and warehouses to one of NYC’s trendiest neighborhoods. Among the Art Deco buildings, artists’ lofts, and galleries, you’ll also see Chelsea Market . This food hall and shopping mall is the perfect place to pick up a snack or some souvenirs, or to simply take in the sight of New Yorkers bustling through the stalls.

• Highlights : Chelsea Market, High Line, Meatpacking District

8. Brooklyn Street Art Tour, the most aesthetic walking tour in New York City

Another great art walk in NYC is this tour through Brooklyn’s most creative areas. Brooklyn is a haven for artists and those with a vibrant imagination, so if you want to delve deeper into NYC’s art scene, this is a great way to do it. I took this tour during our 7-day long NYC trip .

This Brooklyn walking tour begins at Meserole Street, a hub for international and local artists. Explore the vibrant city blocks filled with graffiti art, murals, galleries, and tattoo shops. Along the way, your guide will point out different art techniques and the history of public art in Brooklyn.

Then, make your way to the Bushwick Collective , an incredible showcase of contemporary street art. It’s like an open-air museum where you can admire the colorful graffiti art and murals that give Brooklyn such a lively personality. You may even meet an artist working on their latest piece!

• Price : $20+
• Highlights : Brooklyn street art, Bushwick Collective

9. Grand Central Terminal Walking Tour, an historic walking tour in NYC

If you’re looking for a historic walking tour in NYC , you’ll like this tour through Grand Central Terminal . As one of the city’s most iconic landmarks, Grand Central Terminal attracts millions of people each year, many of them commuting to and from work. This walking tour can give you a new perspective of this famous rail and subway station.

First, you’ll start this Manhattan walking tour with a New York-style bagel, which will make you feel just like a local. Then, follow your guide through the terminal and find some hidden gems that you might have otherwise missed.

Your guide will point out the Zodiac Ceiling in the Main Concourse, which is painted like a beautiful celestial skyscape. Then, head to the Whispering Gallery on the lower floor, where you can stand under the acoustic arch and whisper secret stories to others on the opposite end.

Another hidden treasure at Grand Central Terminal is the Kissing Gallery , also known as the Biltmore Room. This room in the lower concourse was built under the Biltmore Hotel and was intended for long-distance commuters who would kiss their loved ones goodbye.

During the tour, you’ll also visit Grand Central Market and other Art Deco elements in the concourses. At the end of the tour, head outside and gaze up at the Terminal’s elaborate façade featuring an Art Deco clock, the Glory of Commerce sculpture, and two cast-iron eagles who keep watch over the city.

• Price : $40+
• Duration : 1.5 hours
• Highlights : Grand Central Terminal’s historical architecture and lesser-known areas

10. NYC Superheroes Walking Tour, a NYC walking tour to do with kids

One of the most enjoyable NYC walking tours that you can do as a family is this Superheroes of New York tour . It’s led by an energetic tour guide who will take you to some famous places in the city’s superhero history. So, if you’re looking for things to do in NYC with kids , this is a great choice.

You’ll see the site where Christopher Reeve took his first flight as Superman, as well as landmarks that have appeared in The Avengers movies and comic books, like the United Nations Headquarters. Your guide will also point out filming locations that have appeared in popular TV shows like Gotham and Daredevil .

Diehard comic book fans will love hearing about the origins of Kryptonite and gaining new insights into the comic book industry and how it has changed over the years. You can even see the Green Goblin’s NY apartment and go into the Daily Planet news building featured in Superman .

Finally, your guide will take you to the bars and cafes where the most revered comic book artists and writers used to congregate, making this tour fun for both kids and adults.

• Highlights : NYC film and TV locations, Chrysler Building, Grand Central Terminal

11. Christmas Tour Through Manhattan, a magical NYC walking tour

If you’re visiting New York City at Christmastime , then you must do this holiday lights tour . It’s one of the best ways to see the magic atmosphere of NYC during the holidays and, along with all the beautiful light displays, you’ll visit some of the city’s most popular Christmas attractions.

This Manhattan walking tour begins with a stroll along Fifth Avenue,  one of the most famous streets in New York City , to see the lovely storefronts and window displays. The luxury shops here have a tradition of decorating the windows with elaborate, themed displays, so there is always something new to see.

Then, make a stop at the Rockefeller Center , home to the city’s most magnificent Christmas tree. Watch couples and families skating at the ice rink, and admire the exterior of the nearby Radio City Music Hall , where the Rockettes perform their Christmas Spectacular .

Your holiday walk through Manhattan continues with a visit to St. Patrick’s Cathedral , which is lavishly decorated for the season. Finally, your tour will end at Bryant Park, which hosts its annual Winter Village , complete with activities, concessions, and a Christmas market. Perhaps you’ll find a few gifts for your loved ones!

• Price : $25+
• Highlights : Rockefeller Center, Radio City Music Hall, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Fifth Avenue storefronts

12. Harlem Gospel Tour, a lively walking tour in New York City

This Harlem gospel tour is one of the most unique walking tours in NYC , and an incredible spiritual experience, if that’s something you’re looking for. During this one-of-a-kind tour, you’ll join a local church family and attend a Sunday gospel service at one of Harlem’s beautiful churches.

Attending Sunday service is a strong Harlem tradition, and there are dozens of houses of worship throughout the neighborhood. If you take this tour, you’ll learn more about Harlem ’s history and strong Christian presence and see some important homes where significant figures in the Harlem Renaissance once resided.

During the one-hour worship service, you’ll share a cultural and spiritual experience with a local congregation, who will welcome you with warmth and open arms. You’ll also see Harlem residents dressed in their Sunday best, as the church fashion here is quite elaborate. For sure, it’s one NYC walking tour that you won’t find anywhere else.

• Highlights : One-hour worship service with gospel music, historic homes from the Harlem Renaissance

13. Greenwich Village Walking Tour, another top NYC walking tour

A walking tour in Greenwich Village is a wonderful way to experience the essence of the Big Apple. This neighborhood is a hub for alternative culture in NYC, and this two-hour tour grants you exclusive access to some of the most significant places that defined the Beat Generation of New York in the 1950s.

You’ll also learn about Greenwich Village’s LGBTQ+ history and visit the Stonewall Inn , the infamous site of the 1969 Stonewall riots. Some other highlights of the tour include New York University, Washington Square Park , the Friends apartment , and the oldest off-Broadway theater in NYC, Cherry Lane Theater .

As you walk through NYC ’s most progressive neighborhood, you’ll visit the old meeting spots for some of rock music’s elite, including Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix. Check out the parks and coffee shops where Edgar Allan Poe and Jackson Pollack used to hang out and experience the café scene that’s still going strong in Greenwich Village.

In fact, this part of New York is known for its amazing food scene, so if you’re into gastronomy, consider doing this cupcake bakeries tour . You’ll get to taste some of the most delicious treats, so it’s one of the best food tours in NYC .

• Highlights : NYU, Washington Square Park, Cherry Lane Theater, Friends apartment, Stonewall Inn

14. Slavery & Underground Railroad Walking Tour, a historical walking tour in NYC

Another historical walking tour in NYC that I recommend is this slavery and Underground Railroad tour . Over the course of 2.5 hours, you’ll dive into the world of the refugee slaves who helped to establish the Freedom Trail in New York.

You’ll also gain new insights into the history of NYC and how slaves built the city. As you walk through Lower Manhattan , your guide will point out significant places that played a key role in the development of the city and the Black community.

Among the sites you’ll see and learn about are Wall Street , Trinity Church , and Fraunces Tavern , which was part of the New York Freedom Trail. Your guide will point out other locations from the Underground Railroad and answer any questions you may have about the lives of enslaved people and those who won their freedom.

One of the most emotional parts of the tour is visiting the African Burial Ground National Memorial and Museum . This is the final resting site for over 400 Africans, who were buried there during the late 1600s and early 1700s. At the time, it was the largest colonial-era cemetery for Africans, most of them enslaved.

• Highlights : Fraunces Tavern, Trinity Church, African Burial Ground National Memorial & Museum

15. St. Patrick’s Cathedral Catacombs Tour, an eerie New York City walking tour

Finally, this catacombs tour at old St. Patrick’s Cathedral is one of the best Manhattan walking tours to do at night. This is your chance to get a behind-the-scenes look at the oldest cathedral in New York and see parts of the church that are usually closed to the public.

You’ll explore the St. Patrick’s Cathedral Catacombs and see the burial grounds and cemeteries where several famous figures were laid to rest. These labyrinthine vaults and tombs mostly house the remains of lawyers, politicians, bankers, and bishops, but there are a few Civil War-era generals here, too. The catacombs are also the final resting place for Bishop John Connolly, New York’s first resident bishop.

St. Patrick’s Cathedral is also a stunning building, so this is a great NYC architecture walking tour with a creepy vibe. Moreover, this church has the only publicly-accessible catacombs in New York City, so this is one of the best ghost tours to do in NYC if you’re into the macabre.

• Price : $37+
• Highlights : St. Patrick’s Basilica catacombs and cemeteries

Now you have 15 awesome walking tours in New York City that you can check out! Of course, if you have any questions or you’d like to recommend an NYC walking tour , leave me a comment below. I’ll be delighted to respond back to you. Until then, have a great trip!

Ascen Aynat

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Breaking news, youtube stars are making bank — just by walking around nyc.

Lots of New Yorkers fell in love with taking long walks during the pandemic. Now, some of them have made it their jobs.

Kenneth Chin quit his career as an accountant in January to focus on walking around neighborhoods — Times Square one night, Jackson Heights the next day, then Williamsburg — and livestreaming what he sees on YouTube.

“New York City really is a city that’s full of life and endless things to do; there’s always new opportunities, new things opening up,” said Chin, 33, whose ActionKid channel has 266,000 subscribers and more than 84.8 million views.

“People are realizing that, ‘Wow, I can actually really showcase my city in a way that I enjoy it and show it to my audience,’ ” he added.

Livestream walking tours of New York City have become incredibly popular since the start of the pandemic, as people around the world have been eager to see something beyond their own backyards. Viewers tuned in for the curiosity factor of an empty city, then kept coming back as the hustle and bustle returned.

Chin, who started livestreaming his walks in 2019, has gained 149,000 subscribers and averaged around 4 million views per month since March 2020. He’s made almost 3,000 videos and some — walks around Fifth Avenue, Times Square and Downtown Brooklyn — have notched up a million or more views.

He said a single livestream can pull in a hundred dollars or more just from viewer donations. Filming around a mostly empty Times Square this past New Year’s Eve, Chin earned $2,000 after taxes from donations and advertisements.

Sifat Razwan, 23, a student at Queens College who runs the NYC Walking Show , can make between $400 and $1,000 or more for videos that rack up 100,000 views. Although Razwan, who has more than 43,000 subscribers, does not pursue livestreaming full time, he acknowledges that “whatever I’m making is quite enough for me.”

He typically sticks to tourist spots like Central Park, Roosevelt Island and Coney Island.

“I think people really like my enthusiasm, how I talk, how I share my experiences,” Razwan told The Post.

In addition to hitting the expected spots of Little Italy and Brooklyn Bridge, Chin often takes viewers to less touristy neighborhoods, like East New York and the Hole, a Queens neighborhood that is some 30 feet below sea level and suffers from dire flooding.

Commenters sometimes call him out for describing an area as “sketchy.” One posted about Chin’s “NYC Most Dangerous Neighborhoods?: Walking Brownsville & East New York, Brooklyn via Sutter Avenue” video: “ppl from the hood are just ordinary ppl trying to make it day by day with the little they have.”

Dramatic weather conditions bring in lots of viewers for Chin and Ariel Viera, whose Urbanist channel has more than 43,000 subscribers.

“I think people just want to feel close to the city, despite them being thousands of miles away, [so] when a large snowstorm happens it’s like a major event to them,” said Viera, who appears on camera as he samples food in Astoria’s Little Brazil or rides an East River ferry. He also interacts with commenters while he’s walking around and streaming.

“I tell people stories about the history, we chat about the architecture, we speculate about what this building used to be,” said Viera, who is in his 30s and does this full time. “On a tour, I’m researching anywhere from three to 10 hours or more if I’m deeply interested in the subject.”

Karla Murray, 52, a photographer who runs the James and Karla channel with her husband, said they also draw viewers from as far as Australia and Germany.

“Some say that they don’t think they’ll ever be able to come to New York,” Murray said. “A woman who’s on dialysis everyday, she can’t possibly travel, but she watches it because she just loves New York and she loves these small little independent stores in the places where she’s from, and she sees it as an extension of what’s happening in her own country or town.”

The streamers are hopeful the trend will outlive pandemic boredom.

“When [viewers] say to us, ‘Oh, this is so nice, I feel like I’m eating the meal with you, or walking in Central Park with you’ … we love that, because that’s what we’re trying to achieve through these walks,” Murray said. “We’re trying to bring a little piece of New York to them, wherever they are.”

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Matador Original Series

Mapped: the optimal walking tour of nyc.

RANDY OLSON is at it again. He has previously designed the ultimate US road trip , the best cross-Canada journey , and, the optimal road trip to see all the US national parks and, this time, Olson created an itinerary for an efficient walking tour that would allow visitors to hit all of the most popular attractions in NYC without missing any or wasting time getting lost!

Map: Randy Olson

The walking tour designed focuses on Manhattan and is 14-mile long. Below is a list of all the popular spots that Olson’s tour covers:

• American Museum of Natural History
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art
• The Frick Collection
• Central Park
• The Museum of Modern Art (MOMA)
• St. Patrick’s Cathedral
• Rockefeller Center
• Radio City Music Hall
• Theater District
• Times Square
• Bryant Park
• New York Public Library
• Chrysler Building
• Grand Central Terminal
• The Morgan Library & Museum
• Empire State Building Observation Deck
• Madison Square Garden, Pennsylvania Plaza
• The High Line
• Chelsea Market
• Ground Zero Museum Workshop
• Greenwich Village
• Washington Square Park
• SoHo, New York
• Tenement Museum, Orchard Street
• St. Paul’s Chapel, Broadway
• The National September 11 Memorial & Museum
• Statue of Liberty

If you are headed to NYC and need some more information about the city, check out Matador Network’s trip-planning resources to make your trip as fun-filled as possible:

• The 6 biggest mistakes tourists make when visiting New York City (and what to do instead)
• 10 of the best Airbnbs in New York City
• The best spots for taking pictures in New York City
• 10 totally free things to do in New York City
• A quick travel guide to neighborhoods in New York City

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New York Walking Tours

See our Calendar Below for All Tours, as well as Things to Do & Travel Tips

Featured tours.

Chinatown and Little Italy Food tour

Chinatown and little italy food tour highlights.

• Mei Lai Wah - This dim sum bakery has been THE go to spot for baked buns since the late 1960’s.
• Doyers St - Known as “Murder Alley” in 1900, this now quaint street is famous for its murals and restaurants.
• Church of the Transfiguration —Completed in 1801, this little church has been a center of worship for the immigrant groups in the neighborhood for over 200 years.
• Supreme Restaurant - Small, laidback Shanghainese restaurant known for its signature soup dumplings.
• Mott St Fish Market —This informal market consists of shops selling fresh-caught fish, seafood, and a colorful array of fruits and vegetables. It is a popular destination for Chinatown locals and in-the-know foodies everywhere!
• Di Paulo’s Fine Foods - This importer of fine Italian meats and cheeses has been family-owned and operated since 1925.
• Cafe Roma - A Little Italy institution owned and operated by the same family since 1891.
• Nolita Pizza —A relative newcomer, this little gem of a pizzeria has swiftly captured the hearts and taste buds of locals and tourists alike, earning rave reviews on Google and becoming a popular spot for Instagram-worthy moments.
• Caffe Palermo - Since 1973, Caffé Palermo has provided residents and travelers with delicate pastries. Home of “the Cannoli King” for 51 years!

• Ghosts of Greenwich Village

Ghosts of Greenwich Village Highlights

• The Hanging Elm : Discover the macabre history behind The Hanging Elm, where the spirits of the unfortunate still linger, sharing their stories from beyond.
• Triangle Shirtwaist Factory : Understand the tragic events that unfolded at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, where the echoes of the past still resonate with sorrow and pain.
• Mark Twain's House of Death : Walk in the footsteps of literary legend Mark Twain and visit his haunted home, where his spectral presence fuels the imagination and sends shivers down your spine.
• Emma Lazarus' House : Explore the former residence of Emma Lazarus, the poet whose spirit is said to still roam the halls, inspiring and haunting visitors alike.
• Hidden Cemetery at Congregation Shearith Isreal : Uncover the secrets of the Hidden Cemetery, where the past meets the present in a hauntingly beautiful intersection of history and mystery.
• Jefferson Market Library: Wave to the friendly woman who smiles and then fades away at this former courthouse and site of an old jail.
• Cherry Lane Theatre : Experience the eerie allure of the Cherry Lane Theatre, where ghostly inhabitants are said to perform for an audience of the afterlife.
• House of Mayor Jimmy Walker: where the former mayor's ghost is rumored to be still living out his flamboyant life.

Midtown Manhattan: Times Square & Skyscrapers

Midtown manhattan: times square & skyscrapers highlights.

• Times Square:  Start your adventure at the vibrant crossroads of the world. Times Square's bright lights and towering billboards are a sight to behold, making it one of the most photographed spots in the city.
• Bryant Park : Take a leisurely stroll through Bryant Park, an urban oasis nestled amidst skyscrapers. Enjoy the lush green space and perhaps catch a glimpse of local artists and performers.
• New York Public Library : Next, we stop outside the New York Public Library, an architectural marvel and a treasure trove of knowledge. Meet Lord Leo and Lady Luxor, the two lions who guard the famous stairs.
• Fifth Avenue:  See the famous avenue renowned for its upscale shops, historic landmarks, and iconic sights. A shopping paradise and a cultural landmark all rolled into one.
• Chrysler Building : Marvel at the art deco elegance of the Chrysler Building, one of New York's most recognizable skyscrapers. Its distinctive spire makes it a quintessential part of the city's skyline.
• MetLife Building : Formerly known as the Pan Am Building, the MetLife Building is another towering structure that epitomizes the architectural grandeur of New York City.
• Grand Central Terminal : Step inside the majestic Grand Central Terminal, where the celestial ceiling and opulent architecture will leave you in awe. It's not just a transportation hub but a historic landmark teeming with stories of the past.
• Park Avenue : Travel along the iconic Park Avenue, lined with luxurious apartments and renowned corporate headquarters. This avenue is synonymous with affluence and style.
• St. Patrick's Cathedral : Visit the magnificent St. Patrick's Cathedral, a stunning example of neo-Gothic architecture. Its serene ambiance and intricate details make it a must-see landmark.
• Rockefeller Center : Conclude your tour at Rockefeller Center, a hub of entertainment and culture. Whether it's ice skating in winter or enjoying the panoramic city views from the Top of the Rock, there's something for everyone.

Brooklyn Bridge to DUMBO (With East River Ferry Tickets)

Brooklyn bridge to dumbo (with east river ferry tickets) highlights.

Walk Across the Brooklyn Bridge:

The highlight of your adventure will be a breathtaking stroll across the historic Brooklyn Bridge. Enjoy panoramic views of Manhattan and Brooklyn, capturing stunning photos along the way.

Explore DUMBO:

Discover the charming district of DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass). Once a manufacturing and industrial district, economic change sapped the area of its economic strength, leaving large and vacant factory lofts as attractive destinations for artists starving for large and affordable living space.

Manhattan Bridge View:

Marvel at the unparalleled views of the Manhattan Bridge. This scenic spot is a perfect backdrop for your travel photos.

TimeOut Market:

Walk through TimeOut Market, a bustling modern food hall in a historic warehouse.

Jane’s Carousel:

Take a moment to enjoy Jane’s Carousel, a beautifully restored carousel offering a touch of nostalgia and fun.

East River Ferry:

For an added adventure, take a ferry excursion on the East River Ferry to return to Manhattan. End your tour with a picturesque ferry ride from Brooklyn to Manhattan's Pier 11 / Wall Street (though you can choose to stay in Brooklyn if you want!) 

Soul of Harlem Stroll

Soul of harlem stroll highlights.

• Abyssinian Baptist Church
• Apollo Theater
• Sites related to Malcolm X
• Headquarters of William J. Clinton Foundation
• Schomberg Center
• Sylvia's Soul-food Restaurant
• Strivers Row
• and much more!

Lower Manhattan: Wall Street, Hamilton & 9/11 Memorial

Lower manhattan: wall street, hamilton & 9/11 memorial highlights.

The Charging Bull : Start your adventure with a visit to the famous Charging Bull, a symbol of financial optimism and prosperity. Snap a photo and feel the energy of Wall Street.

Federal Hall : Step back in time at Federal Hall, where George Washington took the oath of office as the first President of the United States. Learn about its historical significance and its role in shaping American democracy.

Wall Street & The New York Stock Exchange : Walk down the legendary Wall Street and stand in front of the New York Stock Exchange, the world's largest stock exchange. Experience the pulse of global finance and hear stories of market triumphs and crashes.

Trinity Church: Marvel at the Gothic Revival architecture of Trinity Church, one of the city's oldest and most historic churches. Discover its rich history and its connection to early American life.

Zuccotti Park (Occupy Wall Street site) : Uncover the recent history of Zuccotti Park, the birthplace of the Occupy Wall Street movement. Understand its impact on modern financial protests and social movements.

St. Paul's Chapel : Visit St. Paul's Chapel, a site of solace and remembrance. Learn about its role during the aftermath of 9/11 and its significance as the oldest surviving church building in Manhattan.

World Trade Center & 9/11 Memorial : Pay your respects at the World Trade Center site and the 9/11 Memorial. Reflect on the events of September 11, 2001, and honor the lives lost.

Fraunces Tavern : Visit a landmark steeped in Revolutionary War history. Discover its role as a meeting place for the Sons of Liberty and glimpse colonial New York.

The Oculus: Hear about the unique architecture of this new addition to Lower Manhattan before you end your tour at this transportation hub and shopping mall

Welcome to Tours by Foot, offering small-group New York walking tours, including food tours.

Our tours are led by experienced and real New Yorkers who are the most highly rated in the city. Don't take our word for it, check our review section to see what actual tour guests think about the service we provide.

• Guided Walking Tours
• Free Self Guided Tours (written and researched by our team of professional guides)
• Audio Tours (written, researched, AND recorded by the same guides!)

BOOK WITH CONFIDENCE! Full refunds issued with at least 24 hours notice before start of the tour. Rescheduling possible with less notice, subject to availability.

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A 32-min condensed video version of our Central Park Tour

WALKING TOURS

This is a city of neighborhoods and we focus on tours designed to show you what the Big Apple is made of.

Walking tours are our specialty, and we offer a number of daily and weekly, guided, walks of NYC.

You can browse our tours by clicking the links below, scrolling through our public tours calendar, or going to our booking page to see what we have available.

Some tours focus on single neighborhoods, and some combine parts of several.

Food and night tours are detailed in their respective sections, but you can find them on the calendar below.

We also offer dozens of  self-guided tours as well as audio tours .

We have over 6000 reviews with a 5 out of 5 stars rating. Read the reviews for yourself.

Daily (and Almost Daily) Scheduled Tours

• SoHo, Little Italy, and Chinatown
• Across the Brooklyn Bridge & DUMBO
• 3 Hour Downtown Manhattan (Financial District, Soho, Little Italy & Chinatown)
• Bushwick Graffiti and Street Art
• Central Park tours
• Greenwich Village Tours
• 6 Hour Downtown Combined 
• Midtown Manhattan
• Lower Manhattan

NOTE: For the holiday season, we run special daily tours

• Midtown Manhattan Holiday Lights Tour
• Dyker Heights Brooklyn Lights Tour
• NYC Christmas Movie Tours

Weekly Tours (Tours that run 1 - 3 times a week)

• Central Park
• Grand Central Terminal
• Graffiti and Street Art Tours
• Manhattan Street Art and Pop Culture
• Williamsburg Street Art
• Rockefeller Center
• Alternative New York
• Meatpacking District, Little Island and High Line
• NYC Shopping Experience
• World Trade Center 
• Midtown Manhattan Night
• Greenwich Village Food Tour
• Lower East Side Food Tour
• Chinatown and Little Italy Food
• East Village Food

Our New York tours are also great for meeting fellow travelers and making new friends.

Our guests come from all over the world, which means that the questions asked by our tour guides reflect many different perspectives and contribute to more enriching experiences for our guests.

We offer over 30 different NYC tours .

OTHER TOURS

There are other ways to explore New York City! Read our guides to the various bus, bike, and boat tours.

• NYC Boat Tours Compared
• How Much Is a Helicopter Ride in NYC?
• Which NYC Dinner Cruise to Choose?
• Which NYC Bike Tour is Best?

Be sure to consider one of our pay-what-you-wish New York City food tours .

With competitors charging anywhere from $45-$65 for their food tours, a food tour experience is often out of reach for most travelers.

There is so much good food at affordable prices; there's no need to be forced to pay so much money.

Our two most popular and regularly scheduled guided tour options are:

We also offer weekly food tours of the East Village ,  Manhattan's Chinatown , and Williamsburg Brooklyn , as well as free self-guided food tours so that you can experience the flavors of the city at your own pace.

Since we do not offer any of our food tours on a daily basis, we have also included the food tour schedules of other companies that we trust.

AUDIO AND SELF-GUIDED TOURS

If you can’t fit any of our tours into your schedule, check out  our anytime audio tours , where you will find several of our most popular tours narrated by Tours by Foot tour guides.

These audio tours go deeper than our self-guided maps and allow you to enjoy our guided tours whenever they fit your schedule.  We are constantly adding new audio tours to our collection.

Listen to a sample of our Lower Manhattan Tour (an archaeological site of old New Amsterdam)

Available Tours:

• 9/11 Memorial and World Trade Center
• Greenwich Village
• Times Square
• Food Tour of Greenwich Village
• Little Italy and Nolita
• The Brooklyn Bridge (in both English and Spanish versions)
• The High Line

New York doesn't have to be expensive if you know how to avoid paying too much.

We know a thing or two about saving money from our pay-what-you-like guided walking tours, audio tours, and free self-guided tours.

If you are even considering visiting two of NYC's top attractions, say the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty, you must read our post reviewing the top tourist attraction passes .

Below are some of the most popular articles:

• Save money on attractions and tours with a tourist attraction discount pass .
• Learn how to use the NYC Subway and which MetroCard to buy .
• Find highly rated but inexpensive hotels and other accommodation options.
• List of museums and galleries that offer free admission.
• Tips on discount shopping .
• Don't pay full price for tickets to Broadway shows .
• Find the best cheap eats .

Check out our post titled " Travel Guide for NYC on a Budget " for all of our helpful articles.

Reviews From Our Guests

We don't like to toot our own horn too much, but if you're wondering just how much travelers and locals enjoy our free walking tours, you need look no further than our New York City Travel Tips group on Facebook.

As you can see, Gina shares her experience with us and some pictures from the tour. This is really helpful for getting a sense of what to expect when you join us!

Gina notes something quite important: we usually don't have a limit on how much you should tip. Any tips are welcome.

If you're curious about our food tours, Yvonne offers several pictures that give you a pretty good idea of the kinds of food you can expect to enjoy.

Our audio tours are also quite popular, and Kelly notes that the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island tour was particularly useful.

If you can't manage to join us for a fully guided tour, these audio guides are an excellent alternative that can allow you to explore at your own pace.

Please read our New York City Travel Tips group on Facebook for even more opinions and advice about our tours.

And much, much more

North america, united kingdom & ireland, middle east & india, asia & oceania.

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The 18 best tours and walks to explore NYC in 2024

Take one of these amazing NYC tours and let an expert show you the city like you've never seen it before

With so many must-see attractions in NYC , a visit to the city can be overwhelming. The best NYC tours — whether by land, sea or air — can help you make the most of your visit. Even locals will enjoy these tours and maybe learn something new (or discover a few secret NYC destinations) by taking an off-the-beaten-path tour . Choose your own adventure: walking tours, boat tours, bike tours and helicopter tours are all great ways to see the city, and the expert guides will leave you with a satisfying taste of the city. Looking for something more specific? There are food tours, movie tours, art tours, architecture tours and more. Whatever part of NYC you want to explore, there’s a tour for you, and you’ll have fun while learning everything you need to know about the Big Apple.

Want to traverse a little more in 2024? 

Get curious with   the best non-touristy things to do in NYC  

Frolic through NYC's most beautiful  parks

Discover   the city's best lesser-known attractions

Eat through  the best food tours in NYC  

This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, click  here .

Been there, done that? Think again, my friend.

Best NYC tours

1.  big bus new york hop-on hop-off tour.

The quintessential city tour of all tours, hop-on hop-off's get some major props for ease, accessibility, and price. Map-reading and subway-taking not your strong suit? No worries — even the most directionally-challenged traveler can enjoy Big Bus Tours, condensing a sightseeing fest including thirty landmarks into one trip. Be sure to watch out for famous points of interest as you go with the aid of a live tour guide (and go-to know-it-all about New York attractions). And if something catches your eye? Just hop off wherever you fancy — simple. Choose from routes running in downtown, uptown, Harlem, and Brooklyn and get from Wall Street’s Charging Bull statue to the green meadows of Central Park with ease. Basically, it's an easy option for seeing as much or as little as you want of the city in one day – and not stress out about maps or super expensive Uber fairs.

2.  Lower East Side Food and History Walking Tour

Come hungry: This food tour is really what NYC dreams are made of. You'll start this feasting adventure with a mammoth pastrami and rye at Katz's  Delicatessen, then head to a Dominican breakfast counter to sample a classic local speciality. After that, your guide will get you to taste your way through a legendary local market, legacy cheese shop, Chinatown, historic bodegas, a 19th century Jewish family pickle recipe, and finally (if you've got the room) an artisan donut shop where the flavors promise to delight you. It’s also not all about the food: Your guide will explain how a diverse spread of cultures and people have shaped, this neighborhood and the food it eats as you walk.

3.  Sex and the City Hotspots Tour

What Sex and the City fan hasn’t daydreamed about switching lives with Carrie, Samantha, Miranda, or Charlotte for the day? The over-the-top outfits, glamorous parties, and outrageous dates might be too good to be true, but at least the scenery is true to life. You'll hop around to 40 iconic locations, including  Carrie’s brownstone , some of the girls’ favorite bars (including the one owned by Steve and Aiden), and an X-rated store featured on the show during this epic bus tour. There might even be time to stop for a Cosmo.

4.  Small Group Central Park Bike Tour

You’ll cover much more of Central Park’s 843 acres of meadows, woods, and ponds on a bike than you ever could on foot. Meet up with the guide from Central Park Tours Inc. to pick out your wheels for the day, then set off from the south end of the park. You’ll spy iconic landmarks, plus a few lesser-known gems. And since the tour is always capped at just eight people, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to ask questions along the way and maybe even make a new friend or two. Oh, and you know, we could think of worse ways to stay fit and save the planet. 

5.  Circle Line: New York Landmarks Cruise

As far as skylines go, Manhattan's is a hard one to beat. There's the Statue of Liberty leading the way from Ellis Island, Brooklyn Bridge showing off its architectural beauty, and the Empire State standing tall – all of which make for a stunning view from the water. Sail around New York harbor on the Circle Line cruise, which heads up the Hudson, as well as rounding the Brooklyn bay areas. You'll also hear the history and stories behind all of the sights, so fill up on the facts and don't hesitate to ask a question or two. 

6.  9/11 Memorial and Ground Zero Walking Tour

Remember the lives lost during the tragedy that was 9/11 by visiting the site where the World Trade Center once stood. Now known as Ground Zero, your guide will share facts, figures, and real-life stories with you – making for a trip that is insightful, informative, and moving all at once. Starting at Broadway 203 E, you'll stop at the  Fireman’s Memorial,  twin reflecting pools, One World Observatory, and  St Paul’s Chapel. For a little more, you can choose to book a tour that includes ticket access to the 9/11 Museum. 

7.  Central Park TV and Movie Sites Tour

With 843 acres of meadows, woods, and streams, Central Park offers a gorgeous green backdrop for filmmakers. So perhaps it’s no surprise that countless movies have been set here, from When Harry Met Sally to Ghostbusters . Movie buffs will recognize the skating rink featured in Serendipity , the people-watching scene from Annie Hall, and the path that Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, and Jules Munshin biked along in On the Town . This two-hour walking tour takes you to 40 film locations within the park, though hundreds more exist.

8.  Champagne Brunch Sail

Fresh air, ocean waves, unlimited prosecco, and a massive brunch spread of bagels, lox, cream cheese, quiche, fresh fruit, and more—it’s fair to say that this midday cruise on a roaring twenties-style yacht really does have it all. Sit back and relax as the crew guides the restored 1929 sailboat out into the harbor.  Sip champagne and mimosas, gaze at the skyline, and, if you’re lucky – the captain will even let you take a turn at the helm.

9.  Brooklyn Bridge Bike Tour

Boasting some of the most jaw-droppingly spectacular views in the city, the Brooklyn Bridge is a beacon for snap-happy tourists. But don't let your only experience of this stunning structure and its incredible views be through the viewfinder of your camera. Put the gadgets down and take a bike ride across the bridge to really soak up the scenery. This 'Bike and Roll' tour takes about three hours, running at a  leisurely pace with  plenty of time for photo stops. Make sure you make the most of your guide, who is sure to have bags of knowledge about the bridge's history and architectural details. 

10.  Sugar Hill and Washington Heights Tour

Sugar Hill got its name during the Harlem Renaissance, as “life was sweet” for the wealthy African Americans who lived in the district. Thurgood Marshall, Langston Hughes, and Duke Ellington all spent time in the row houses here. Peep the stunning Queen Anne–style architecture and immerse yourself in the vibrant community on this walking tour of the area.

11.  Roosevelt Island Tour

Few visitors know anything about Roosevelt Island, a secluded residential community that feels worlds apart from the rest of the city. Once used for insane asylums and hospitals, Roosevelt Island is now home to a thriving population of about 14,000 residents. But, if you have the stomach for it, revisit the island's troubled past on the 'Island of Lost Souls: Madness and Medicine' tour. Pass eerie sites, like the neo-Gothic ruins of the smallpox hospital, the first pathological and bacteriological research lab, and the NYC Lunatic Asylum which opened in 1841. After you learn about the island’s history, board the aerial tram for a sky-high trip over the East River into Manhattan.

12.  Best of Brooklyn Half-Day Food and Culture Bus Tour

Despite Manhattan's abundance of white-clothed, Michelin-starred dining rooms, some are now touting Brooklyn as the epicenter of food culture in NYC. Either way, it's impossible to deny that Brooklyn's dining scene is incredible, from pierogis in Greenpoint's Polish stronghold to tacos and pupusas in Sunset Park and trendy farm-to-table newcomers in Williamsburg. To provide a thorough understanding of the borough's eats, this half-day tour will take you through all those neighborhoods, as well as Dumbo, the waterfront neighborhood where you'll enjoy sweets from the renowned Jacques Torres chocolate factory.

13.  Statue of Liberty Express Cruise

Perfect for the sightseer who knows exactly what they want, this Circle Line express tour goes right to the Statue of Liberty – no pit stops this time. Listen to an expert guide point out some lower Manhattan landmarks before pausing for photos right next to Lady Liberty. And since this cruise only takes an hour, it’s easy to fit into even the busiest itinerary.

14.  High Line, Chelsea & Meatpacking District Walking Tour

What started life as an unremarkable elevated railway is now famous across the world and one of New York's most photogenic landmarks. The High Line is a public park, rotating art gallery and perennial tourist attraction stretched, as the name suggests, high over the bustling city streets below. Take a two-hour walking tour and explore the full span of this green oasis, making sure to take in the architecture and unique history of Chelsea and the Meatpacking District while you do it. Make sure you save some time to shop in Chelsea Market afterward – and don't forget to snap a pic of the lush greenery. 

15.  Ghost Tour of Greenwich Village

You’d never know it from the looks of Washington Square Park, but Greenwich Village has a sinister past. At the northwest corner of the park is the Hangman’s Elm, one of the oldest trees in the city and the site of at least one public execution. Master of horror Edgar Allan Poe once lived in the neighborhood, and rumor has it that artist John La Farge still haunts the nearby Church of the Ascension. Delve into the neighborhood’s gruesome past on this two-hour ghost tour, and discover all of its haunting secrets. Just be sure to wear comfortable shoes!

16.  The Sopranos Filming Locations Tour

Technically speaking, this tour takes you outside the five boroughs, but The Sopranos is such an iconic New York show that we couldn’t leave it out. After you board the bus in Midtown, you’ll go through the Lincoln Tunnel – the site of the show’s unforgettable opening sequence – on your way to the New Jersey suburbs. There, you’ll check out the Bada Bing! strip club, Big Pussy’s auto body shop, and the restaurant featured in the final scene of the series.

17.  Brooklyn Graffiti and Street Art Walking Tour

There's much more to art in New York than just the paintings, photography, and sculptures exhibited in its many prestigious museums. Graffiti started life in the Big Apple and NYC remains at the very forefront of the street art world to this day. Discover some of the city's very best outdoor artworks and murals across Brooklyn. You won’t find these artists hanging in any gallery. Yet.

18.  Circle Line Harbor Lights Cruise

There's only one thing more spectacular than New York's skyscrapers glimmering in the sun – the famous skyline dramatically lit up against the night sky. This twilight boat cruise whisks you across New York Harbor as the sun goes down. A climate controlled boat will be your base as you sail past (and under) the Brooklyn, Manhattan and Williamsburg Bridges.  The 105-minute trip is a great way to get awe-inspiring views of the city and a much-needed moment of calm out on the water.

More NYC tours and walks

The best statue of liberty tours.

• Things to do
• Walks and tours

Get up close and personal to Lady Liberty herself on one of these six Statue of Liberty tours

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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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About epic walking tours, epic walking tours new york.

Epic Walking Tours provides walking tours in Greenwich Village, New York, to educate, entertain, and inspire the public. Many of the country’s most remarkable heroes and innovators lived, worked, and advocated here. People have come to the Village for centuries to realize their dreams and give voice to causes that matter to them, which is still the case today. These New York City walking tours invite the public to walk in their footsteps and learn their stories.

Epic Walking Tours offers two Greenwich Village NYC tours

Greenwich Village Historic Walking Tour (2 hours)

Greenwich Village Variety Walking Tour (2 hours)

Greenwich village historic walking tour, greenwich village variety walking tour, book your tour now.

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Meet Your Walking Tour Guide

My name is Andrew, and I will be your tour guide. Born and raised in New York, I was always fascinated by the city’s history and inspired by the trailblazers who took a stand for issues that mattered to them. Their courage, creativity, and persistence inspired my volunteer and nonprofit work with prison inmates, people of color, children, women, immigrants, the houseless, and animals. It also led me to become a writer, researcher, and historian. I created these tours to share incredible stories about people and events, hoping they inspire you, too.

I have a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a master’s and doctorate in Educational Leadership. I am a registered and licensed New York City tour guide with a star rating from the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs for ranking in the top tier of tour guides for my knowledge of New York City’s history.  

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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.

Reviews 119 Reviews .YjJiOWUNzQLNYXRpYypbWFnZXMvYTUZGQOWYxZjcYjdkYjNhOTYMEyYjFkZTFiNjEucGn { } .YjJiOWUNzQLNYXRpYypbWFnZXMvYTUZGQOWYxZjcYjdkYjNhOTYMEyYjFkZTFiNjEucGn:after{ ; ; } }

We were in NYC for only 3 days so had to choose wisely! The 9/11 walking tour was perfect, at just the right pace and full of detail we wouldn't otherwise ... Read more

Super organized “5-neighborhood” tour led by Johnatan. We all felt very welcomed and discovered a lot of interesting insights about 9/11 memorial. He is ... Read more

What a wonderful tour!! Jonathan was so knowledgeable and gave lots of great information! The pace was great and he answered all our questions. We would ... Read more

There are so many beautiful details to the 911 Memorial that Jonathon shared on our tour. For instance, the white rose placed on the victims birthday, the ... Read more

Great 9/11 tour with Nathan.

Jonathan was a fantastic guide. Very knowledgeable and friendly.

Excellent guide,very friendly....understood everythink he said, 100% recommend Jonathan

Many thanks to Jonathan for today tour. The tour exceeded our expectations and thanks to Jonathan we were able to known unknown facts related with this ... Read more

Interesting and thought provoking tour Jonathan our guide was extremely informative and knowledgeable A not to be missed tour

Jonathan was so good and so kind with the guide tour

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