City Guide

Tours of the Town  E-mail
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Wednesday, 27 September 2006 09:50

Walking Tours

Bus/ Boat/ Helicopter Tours

Theme Tours
New York is tour-town, folks! Whether you're here for a day, a week, or years, there's always more to see in the Big Apple. Check out our links below to find the perfect urban excursion by foot, boat, bus, helicopter and even horse-drawn carriage.

 

Walking Tours & Private Tours  
ImageFree Tours By Foot - New York Tours
(646) 450-6831
www.nycbyfoot.com

Let NYC by Foot guide you through Midtown Manhattan. This FREE two hour tour will take you from the pulsating beats of Times Square and Grand Central Terminal to the majesty and tranquility of St. Patrick's Cathedral.  We also have more than just the Midtown Manhattan Tour, we have tours of Lower Manhattan, Greenwich Village, Central Park, SoHo, Little Italy, Chinatown and an All-in-One 6 hour tour.

Big Onion Walking Tours
(212) 439-1090
www.bigonion.com

Since 1991, Big Onion Walking Tours has led innovative and exciting tours through New York's ethnic neighborhoods and historic districts. Big Onion can provide student and adult group tours as well as lectures on numerous topics. Many of the company's walking tours are adaptable to bus tours. Big Onion tours are wonderful for fundraisers, schools, alumni associations, corporate events, orientation for newcomers, visiting clients, relatives, and families. Tours include excursions into Harlem, the Lower East Side, Central Park, and Chinatown.

Joyce Gold Historic Tours
(212) 242-5762
www.nyctours.com

Enjoy a leisurely walk through time and space in the company of a professional whose research into New York City history has unearthed a treasure of fascinating stories, both serious and frivolous, about Manhattan and its people. Public and private tours are available all year round, including, "Fifth Avenue Gold Coast," "Harlem - Keystone of African America," and "Hell Ain't Hot - This Here's Hell's Kitchen."

Michelle Nevius Walking Tours
( 877) 572-9719
www.walknyc.com

Michelle Nevius is a licensed sightseeing guide specializing in private tours all around town. Tours include "The Best of Lower Manhattan," "Exploring Morningside Heights," and "Immigration and the Lower East Side.

Art Gallery Walking Tours
(212) 946-1548
www.nygallerytours.com/

New York City is the world's center for contemporary art, and home to some of the finest galleries anywhere. New York Gallery Tours' director visits 100 gallery exhibits each month and selects the 10 most fascinating and provocative ones for you to visit, in Chelsea and beyond. You'll see the very newest in painting, sculpture, electronic media and photography. At each stop on the walking tour, a guide explains the artwork and leads the group in lively discussion. Exhibits change frequently, so the tour is different every month.

A Friend In New York
(201) 656-7282
www.friendny.com/

A Friend in New York is a personalized tour guide service. After considering information you contribute via questionnaire, their highly trained escorts will create a memorable visit for you to a New York you never knew existed. Your trip will be entertaining and informative, and will give you feeling that you have been squired around town by a new Friend in New York. The staff will create an original, customized tour for you, according to your interests; they can plan events geared to all ages, from children's activitiy-oriented tours to excursions for mature audiences or a special day for grandparents and grandchildren, all while sharing the unique flavor of the New York Scene.

Big Apple Greeters
(212) 645-0988
www.bigapplegreeter.org

Big Apple Greeters is a non-profit organization whose mission is to enhance New York City's worldwide image and to enrich the New York experience by connecting business and leisure travelers with knowledgeable, enthusiastic volunteers. Whether you're visiting New York for the first time or the 100th time, Big Apple Greeter can help you get more out of your stay. They'll show you how the big city truly has small-town charm. Because the company wants visitors to get to know a native New Yorker, the Big Apple Greeter service is not a large group tour; their clients are individuals, 2-6 friends traveling together, and families.

Boat/ Bus/ Helicopter Tours

 

ImageCircle Line
(212) 563-3200
www.circleline.com

Whether you are exploring New York for the first time, rediscovering your hometown, or seeking a mini-vacation, a Circle Line cruise is a relaxing and fun way to see the world's most famous skyline. There are numerous cruises to choose from. Beverages, wine, beer, cocktails and food are available on board.

Gray Line
(212) 397-2620
www.graylinenewyork.com/

Climb into one of the famous double-decker buses that criss-cross New York. Tours visit the city's most famous neighborhods. Among the options: the downtown loop, Manhattan comprehensive, Holiday Lights, and Wheels and Water, a combination boat and bus package.

Circle Line Cruises
Pier 83, West 42nd Street, NYC
General Info: 212-563-3200
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www.circleline.com

Sightseeing cruises are available year-round from Pier 83 at 42nd Street on the Hudson River. Locals and tourists alike rave about these cruises. On the two-hour semi-circle cruise, you will enjoy spectacular vistas of the New York skyline and a close-up view of the Statue of Liberty. You'll cruise down the Hudson, around the Battery, up the East River, and under the Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Williamsburg Bridges to the United Nations and back. Call or check out the website for schedules and info on special events. Tickets are $10 for children, $20 for adults.

Liberty Helicopter Tours
(212) 967-6464
www.libertyhelicopters.com/

Soar above the New York skyline and experience the awe-inspiring Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, the Empire State Building, and many other famous landmarks in a way that's unimaginable from the ground. Each ride lasts from 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the itinerary. Individual and group packages are available.

New York Waterway
(800) 533-3779
www.nywaterway.com

In the early 1800s, ferries were the only way to get to and around Manhattan. As bridges and tunnels were built, ferry transportation faded. In 1986, Arthur E. Imperatore and his family rejuvenated the NY Harbor with the launch of the first NY Waterway boat. Since then, the company has carried more than 40 million passengers. NY Waterway has the largest ferry and excursion fleet in the harbor, but it's still a family business with all the personal attention to service and amenities that it had when it was just "Arthur's Ferry." Some people say a NY Waterway Ferry Ride or Sightseeing Cruise is the friendliest experience they have in New York. We say, "welcome aboard!"

Manhattan Carriage Company
(212) 664-1149
www.ajnfineart.com/mcc.html

The Manhattan Carriage Company offers horse and carriage rides around New York City. Guided tours are available through scenic Central Park for groups or a romantic ride for two. Carriages are available for engagements and special occasions; pick-ups and drop-offs available in certain areas.

Liberty Helicopter Tours
(212) 213-2002
www.paddlewheelqueen.com

The Paddlewheel Queen is a Coast Guard certified charter boat based in Manhattan, docked right near East 23rd Street off the FDR Drive. The courteous staff can help you plan and create any event, and the vessel's roomy interior and exterior decks can accommodate 50 to 400 guests. Your gala affair on this spacious cruise boat will be an unforgettable experience. Reasonable rates!

World Yacht
(212) 630-8100
www.worldyacht.com/

World Yacht offers premiere dinner cruises and private parties. A World Yacht dinner cruise is a three-hour voyage to enchantment. It features the "Best of New York" menu -- superb cuisine created specially by eight of the city's most celebrated chefs and prepared fresh onboard by World Yacht's executive chef -- plus a live dance band and an ever-changing panorama of spectacular views. No other restaurant can match World Yacht's unique combination of food, ambience, and service. It's the perfect place for an intimate dinner or a fabulous party.

 
Theme Tours

Harlem Spirituals
(212) 391-0900
www.harlemspirituals.com/

This company shows off the diversity and cultural richness of New York, with tours that explore Harlem landmarks, jazz, gospel, and so on. There's even a civil-rights themed "Manhattan Heritage" tour. Individual, group, and special events packages available.