Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a seasoned local, you’re guaranteed to learn something new on these guided tours of New York City. Tour options range from sightseeing outings to the city’s famous attractions to leisurely dinner cruises on the Hudson River.
Price: Adults from $99; kids from $89
Duration: 6 hours
U.S. News independently paid to send Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, a travel writer based in New York City, on this tour to provide readers with an unbiased, first-hand perspective of what to expect. USA Guided Tours – Discover NY Bus Tour was selected by our team as an Editor’s Pick thanks to its popularity and favorable user reviews.
One of the best New York City bus tours, this excursion starts in Midtown and provides a comprehensive survey of well-known Manhattan landmarks, cultural institutions and tourist attractions, peppered with local knowledge. It’s an enjoyable way to see much of the city in half a day. The tour is perfect for first-time travelers to get their bearings, check off some photo-ops and see the range of activities that await during their time in New York: shows, parks, museums, live tapings, skyscraper tours, eateries and more.
A comfy bus seats about 30 passengers, ideal for quick group gatherings at stops. Tour activities include a walk through Central Park’s west side, a peek at the Empire State Building and a pause at the 9/11 memorial. Guides address ways to further enjoy each space for a return visit, plus pertinent history, standout events, cultural hot spots and more. A round-trip journey on the Staten Island ferry offers close views of the Statue of Liberty, and a real New York commuter experience.
For an additional fee, you can opt to take this tour in a glass-top bus. If you’re hoping to admire the city at night, consider the company’s evening bus tour.
Why we love it:
- A 45-minute stop by Zuccotti Park for lunch offers visitors the chance to eat at Gansevoort Liberty Market, outdoor food carts, Eataly and more.
- The drive up Broadway and down Fifth Avenue offers visitors a taste of several neighborhoods they may want to return to (think: West Village and Chinatown). Guides are happy to recommend how to return to these areas and share personal recommendations for shopping, dining and low-priced tickets.
- There’s never a boring moment – each block has a story about a synagogue, a celebrity, a changemaker or other notable figures in New York history. The comprehensive overview takes visitors from 1600s New Amsterdam to the most recent Tony Award contenders.
Price: From $105
Duration: 3 hours
Eat your way through Chinatown and Little Italy on this walking tour of New York City. As you explore iconic neighborhoods with an expert guide, you’ll stop for seven samples that may include Chinese dumplings, cannolis and homemade mozzarella, among other delicacies. Participants praise guides for their historical knowledge of the area and the amount of food served; many warn that you’ll want to arrive hungry to fully enjoy all of the tour’s offerings.
Tickets cover all food, and participants 21 and older have the option to add a glass of wine or beer at the seated tasting. If you’re still hungry, Ahoy NY Tours & Tasting also offers tours of Mulberry Street.
Price: Adults from $79; kids from $75
Duration: 5 hours
For an in-depth look at the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, sign up for this excursion with ExperienceFirst. The five-hour tour includes access to the grounds of Liberty and Ellis islands, the Immigration Museum and the Statue of Liberty Museum, as well as round-trip ferry tickets. What’s more, you’ll enjoy priority line access to board the ferry. Guides win praise from reviewers for their expertise and engaging delivery, as well as their ability to navigate the crowds.
Tours depart daily at 8:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. The 3.5-hour guided portion of the tour begins at Castle Clinton in Battery Park and ends at Ellis Island. From there, you can continue to explore on your own for as long as you wish or hop back on the ferry to return to Battery Park.
ExperienceFirst also conducts three-hour “express” Statue of Liberty tours, in addition to walking tours of various New York City neighborhoods, including Little Italy and Chinatown.
Price: Adults from $35; kids from $30
Duration: 1.5 hours
Go beyond the 9/11 Memorial with this powerful walking tour, led by New Yorkers with personal connections to 9/11. Tours begin at St. Paul’s Chapel, which served as an impromptu rescue center during the attacks, and then move to the 9/11 Memorial, a plaza at the former site of the twin towers. From there, your tour may also stop at the FDNY Memorial Wall, the “Survivor Tree” or the Oculus at the World Trade Center transit hub, depending on your tour guide. Tour-takers find the guides to be insightful, respectful and passionate.
Tours take place daily at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Packages that combine the 9/11 Ground Zero Tour with a visit to the 9/11 Museum or to the One World Observatory are also available.
Price: Adults from $41; kids from $36
Duration: 1 hour, 45 minutes
Theater fans can’t miss the chance to tag along on the Broadway’s Beginnings tour. During the half-mile walking tour, you’ll pass by the theaters at the southern end of the Broadway theater district, from 41st Street to 44th Street. Along the way, your expert guide will share tales of Broadway’s early years and detail how Broadway shows evolve from the first rehearsal to opening night. Plus, guides regale you with stories of the ghosts that reportedly haunt the district’s theaters. Reviewers rave about the guides’ passion for theater and the behind-the-scenes scoop they share.
Tours are generally available Sunday, Wednesday and Friday at 11 a.m. A maximum of 15 participants are allowed on each tour. Can’t get enough of Broadway? The company offers a variety of other themed tours, including one that focuses on “Hamilton: An American Musical” and another one all about the Shubert brothers (best known for their theater empire in the 1900s).
Price: From $75
Duration: 3.5 hours
New York City offers something for just about everyone, including fans of a certain television show starring four fashionable women. On Location Tours’ “Sex and the City” Hotspots Tour takes travelers via bus to more than 40 locations where Sarah Jessica Parker and her costars were filmed wining, dining and shopping. Travelers visit famed neighborhoods, such as midtown Manhattan, Greenwich Village, SoHo and the Meatpacking District, stopping for photo-ops along the way. Tourgoers rave about the experienced and amusing guides and say you don’t have to be a fan to enjoy the tour.
The adults-only (18 and older) outings are generally offered Thursday through Sunday at 2 p.m., but the tour runs daily during the summer months. Availability may be more limited in the winter.
The company also offers a variety of other TV- and movie-themed tours by bus, including those that visit locations featured in “Gossip Girl.” If you’d rather walk, consider the company’s Central Park TV & Movie Sites Walking Tour.
Price: Prices vary
Duration: 2 hours
A great way to take in the glistening New York City skyline is from the water. The Harbor Lights Sunset Cruise allows you to do just that, admiring some of the city’s most recognizable landmarks, including the Empire State Building and the High Line. Cruisers relish the expansive views, photo-ops and engaging commentary, and describe the tour as relaxing.
The tours, which depart nightly at 7 p.m. from Pier 83, feature narration by guides. Prices vary based on time and date of cruise. Cruisers also have the option of purchasing premier seating. Circle Line offers daytime cruises, as well as specialized cruises to the Statue of Liberty.
Price: From $39
Duration: 2 hours
Hear all about the ghosts that purportedly haunt Greenwich Village on this evening stroll. Among the sites you’ll pass by are the Anne Charlotte Lynch House, where Edgar Allan Poe debuted some of his most famous works, the Hangman’s Elm, a more than 300-year-old tree in Washington Square Park that is believed to be the site of many hangings during the American Revolution, and the Jefferson Market Library, a former courthouse.
Travelers recommend this tour if you’re a fan of the paranormal and are interested in the history of Greenwich Village. Reviewers give kudos to the guides, who they describe as friendly and captivating.
Tours operate nightly at 8 p.m. and are offered in English and Spanish. Note that Top Dog Tours says this experience is not suitable for kids younger than 12.
Price: From $49
Duration: 2 hours
Led by Bike Rent NYC, the Central Park Bike Tour covers roughly 5 miles of Central Park in two hours, and stops along the way include the Bethesda Fountain, Strawberry Fields and the Reservoir. Reviewers generally praise the guides’ knowledge of and enthusiasm for the park, and they note that the tours are not paricularly strenuous.
Tours are available multiple times daily, with the first departing at 9 a.m. Tickets cover the use of bicycles as well as helmets, which are mandatory for riders 14 and younger. Bikers can purchase insurance for an additional fee.
Price: Adults from $38; kids from $32
Duration: 1.5 hours
Explore the crypts beneath the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral and enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour with Tommy’s New York. On the tour, participants will learn the history of the catacombs, which date back to 1815, and the histories of the people buried here, including bishops, priests and families. Unlike the catacombs in Paris and Rome, there are no visible bones. Tourgoers will also walk through the cathedral and see its Erben pipe organ. Reviewers applaud guides for their engaging and educational delivery and vast knowledge of New York history.
Tours are available Thursday through Monday at multiple times between 10:30 a.m. and 4:15 p.m.
Price: Adults from $42; kids from $39
Duration: 75 minutes
The Wall Street Experience’s Wall Street Insider Tour traverses some of the oldest streets of New York City. The walking tour goes past (but not inside) the New York Stock Exchange, which is closed to the public, and the Federal Reserve. As you meander the streets of lower Manhattan, guides – many of whom are traders, investment bankers and stockbrokers – discuss the Financial District’s history, architecture and related trivia. Travelers describe guides as funny and extremely well-versed in both finance and New York history.
Outings start at Broad Street, just around the corner from Wall Street, at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The company also offers tours that focus on the 2008 financial crisis.
Price: From $259
Duration: 12 to 15 minutes
Soar above the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, Chelsea Piers, Times Square and more on this top-rated helicopter flight. As you marvel at the sights below, your pilot will point out landmarks and answer any questions. Previous passengers describe the flight as magical and an amazing way to see NYC. Reviewers also praise the staff for their friendliness and professionalism.
