The High Line
Photograph: Shutterstock
Photograph: Shutterstock

The 19 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

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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 

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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.

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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. 

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  • Things to do
  • Walks and tours
This fascinating 90-minute tour introduces you to all the secrets of the 200-year-old Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral. Enter areas off-limits to the public, including the Henry Erban Organ, the cemeteries, and top it all off with an exclusive walk-through of the Catacombs themselves. Even better, you will experience the whole tour by candlelight (romantic, if you ignore the dead bodies part). This unique and historic site serves as the final resting place for many prominent New Yorkers, including the Delmonico Family, General Thomas Eckert (a confidant of Abraham Lincoln), Honest John Kelly of Tammany Hall and the first resident Bishop of New York, Bishop John Connolly. 

6. 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. 

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7. 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. 

8. 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.

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9. 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.

10. 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. 

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11. 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.

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.

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13. 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.

14. 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.

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15. 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. 

16. 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!

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17. 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.

18. 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.

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19. 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

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  • Art
The best art walks in NYC
The best art walks in NYC

Check out our complete list of the very best NYC art walks to get your fill of New York’s bustling gallery scene

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