Great Walks 2012: TV, movie and book-inspired strolls around NYC

Tours of New York abound, but these bespoke, pop-culture-themed itineraries will help you discover a new side of NYC. Edited by Sarah Bruning

Illustration: Noma Barr

These great walks explore New York through the lens of our favorite music, TV shows, movies, books and events. Channel Zosia Mamet and the cast of Girls while wandering the West Village, and embark on a journey of kinky discovery a la Fifty Shades of Grey’s nouveau nymphet Anastasia. Or if you’re as psyched for the Olympics as we are, use Manhattan’s West Side as your personal training center, then reward yourself with a cold craft beer.

Punk-rock walk
Punk bands and history come alive on this East Village walking tour.
Superhero walk
Fans of Marvel’s Spider-Man and DC Comics’ Batman can peep sights from their hero’s movie canon.
Game of Thrones walk
Imagine you’re in Game of Thrones’ Westeros as you tour NYC’s Chinatown and Lower East Side.
Fifty Shades of Grey walk
E.L. James’s Fifty Shades trilogy sparked curiosity in kinky sex, but we’ll school you on the real side of BDSM.
Girls walk
HBO’s hit series Girls reminds us why we love NYC, from the High Line to dive bars.
Olympics walk
The London 2012 Olympic Games won’t be the only things revving up your adrenaline after this sporty walk.
Dance walk
So You Think You Can Dance and Bunheads addicts embrace the summer dance craze.
New Girl walk
Zooey Deschanel and her adorkable New Girl character, Jess, would approve of this Fort Greene walking tour.
Suits walk
Stylish men like Suits’ lead lawyer Harvey Specter know how to enjoy New York to the fullest.
Indie nightlife
Indie bars and live-music venues thrive in the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Greenpoint and Williamsburg.
Street survey: What’s the craziest thing you’ve seen walking around NYC?