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New York City Walking tours

Our most recommended New York City Walking tours

NYC: MoMA Before Hours Tour with Art Expert

1. NYC: MoMA Before Hours Tour with Art Expert

Experience the serenity of an exclusive before-opening-hours tour of The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City. Join your professional art historian guide on a relaxing stroll through the galleries. Connect on a deeper level with the works on display before it opens to the general public. Meet in the early morning at MoMA and benefit from 1 hour of exclusive access to the galleries via a private entrance. With your guide and a smaller group, take in the peace and tranquility to appreciate some of the works on display, including those that draw larger crowds of visitors. With a more intimate experience designed for art lovers, gain a deeper appreciation for some of the pieces on display. Learn some fascinating facts and anecdotes about the artists and their techniques. Afterward, explore the 6 floors of art galleries at your leisure. Discover an extensive range of modern and contemporary art, ranging from European painting and sculpture of the 1880s to contemporary film, design, and performance art. Admire famous works like Monet's Water Lilies, Van Gogh's The Starry Night, Picasso's Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, Matisse's Dance (I), and Warhol's Campbell's Soup Cans. See contemporary pieces by Elizabeth Murray, Cindy Sherman, Ai Weiwei, and many others. As part of this experience, you will also receive additional admission to MoMA PS1, the contemporary art center in Long Island City, Queens. Discover the exhibitions that champion contemporary art scene's latest innovative and experimental works.

New York City: Madison Square Garden Guided Arena Tour

2. New York City: Madison Square Garden Guided Arena Tour

This tour offers guests a first-hand glimpse into what has made Madison Square Garden the World’s Most Famous Arena. Your all-access pass gives you access to some of the most exclusive parts of the arena. Relive some of The Garden’s iconic moments with the Defining Moments exhibit and Garden 366 Retrospective. Get the VIP treatment in luxury suites and explore the famous arena bowl where some of the greatest moments in sports and entertainment history have taken place.  Plus, there’s always a surprise! Will you see the basketball court of the ice? A stage being built?

Wall Street Insider Tour

3. Wall Street Insider Tour

On this unique 75-minute guided tour of Wall Street you’ll see world-famous financial landmarks such as the New York Stock Exchange, Federal Reserve, and Wall Street. While walking along the streets of Lower Manhattan, your guide will tell you stories that only an insider would know about. You’ll be entertained, informed, and even shocked! Stops include the New York Stock Exchange, Federal Hall, House of Morgan, Trump Tower, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, Lehman Brothers, Federal Reserve, Charging Bull, Trinity Church, and more. You’ll learn about the 400 years of history that traces the original Dutch trading outpost to modern Wall Street, and see where billion-dollar deals are negotiated and where the fate of the economy is determined. This tour has been featured on television and in newspapers, including CNN, BBC, Reuters, and The New York Times. The Wall Street Insider Tour aims to demystify and personify Wall Street through personal interaction with an insider and hearing of their first-hand experiences.

New York City: Metropolitan Museum of Art 3-Hour Tour

4. New York City: Metropolitan Museum of Art 3-Hour Tour

Get a comprehensive introduction to New York’s Metropolitan Museum on a guided tour that traverses 5 continents and 5,000 years of art. Save time on your trip to NYC with skip-the-line access to the population attraction.  Travel back to Ancient Egypt at the Temple of Dendur and learn how it was brought to the museum with the support of Jackie Onassis. Find out about Egyptian burial traditions at Pernod’s Tomb and hear about the Rockefeller who perished collecting artifacts in New Guinea. See a fully intact Roman ruin from Pompeii, and marvel at paintings by Raphael, Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Picasso. Listen to tales form the strange lives of unusual artists along the way. Look at “Madame X” by John Singer Sargent, and discover why it caused such an outrage in Paris. You will also see one of the most recognizable paintings in the US at “Washington Crossing the Delaware” by German American artist Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze. Enjoy having a guide that is a historian who is passionate about the art on display, providing fascinating anecdotes instead of boring facts and figures. In addition, you’ll have access to the Met’s exclusive rooftop terrace when it's open (May to October).  Marvel at panoramic views over Central Park and beyond as your guide tells you about the surrounding city and points out where Jackie Onassis once lived, and which celebrities now have their homes on the park perimeter. Your pre-reserved ticket includes a museum donation, so you won’t have to wait in long access lines, or shell out for the suggested donation once inside

New York City: Best of the Metropolitan Museum Guided Tour

5. New York City: Best of the Metropolitan Museum Guided Tour

Avoid wandering aimlessly around the extensive collections of Metropolitan Museum in New York with this guided tour. Discover the museum's hottest attractions with a carefully-planned itinerary that starts in Ancient Egypt. View perfectly preserved Ancient Egyptian tombs, and tiny dioramas that show what life was like in the times of Tutankhamun. Learn about their burial rituals in the Egyptian mummies area, and see the Met’s mascot “William.”  Continue to the Temple of Dendur, and discover a temple of Ancient Egypt smack in the middle of Central Park. Hear gossip about this and other exhibits, such as how Jackie O procured the Temple of Dendur for the Met. Be enthralled by tales about the armor of Britain’s infamous King Henry VIII and how some think the Antioch Chalice may be the Holy Grail. Admire ancient Greek statues and Roman frescoes, before moving to the exotic exhibits from Papua New Guinea. Marvel at beautifully carved Bisj poles collected by a Rockefeller, at the cost of his life. Head to the 2nd floor to soak in some of Claude Monet’s dreamlike “Water Lillies.” Be energized by the expressive works of Vincent Van Gogh and inspired by a bronze of Rodin’s “Thinker.”

Ground Zero 9/11 Memorial Tour & Optional 9/11 Museum Ticket

6. Ground Zero 9/11 Memorial Tour & Optional 9/11 Museum Ticket

In remembrance of 9/11, this walking tour guides you through the former site of the World Trade Center. The tour is guided by New Yorkers who have a personal connection to 9/11. On this tour, you will explore Ground Zero and the 9/11 Memorial, where you can pay your respects to those who lost their lives in the World Trade Center. Visit St. Paul’s Chapel, a makeshift rescue center and tribute to the victims of one of history's darkest days. Hear the stories of the emergency services at the Firefighter’s 9/11 Memorial, and see the Engine and Ladder Company 10/10, the fire station of Ground Zero. If you select the 9/11 Museum entry option, your tour will include timed entry tickets to minimize waiting times. The entry time will be scheduled for the end of your tour, but the entry time may vary depending on the day's availability.  Please note that this is not a guided visit. Visitors can explore the exhibitions at their own pace and take time to honor the memory of those who perished. The 9/11 Museum contains artifacts from the events of 9/11 and you can also listen to recordings from people who were there on that day.

New York City: Catacombs by Candlelight

7. New York City: Catacombs by Candlelight

For over 200 years, the catacombs of the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral have served as the final resting place for the faithful departed. This historic place has witnessed the many struggles and accomplishments of prominent New York Catholics. Gain exclusive access to off-limits areas, including two walled cemeteries. Experience the only active Catholic Catacombs in New York City.   See where bishops rest alongside prominent New York Catholics, such as the Delmonico Family and the first resident Bishop of New York, Bishop John Connolly. This labyrinth of vaults belongs largely to bankers, lawyers, captains of industry, merchants, political candidates, and even to a Civil War-era general Thomas Eckert.

Harlem: Sunday Gospel Service with Locals

8. Harlem: Sunday Gospel Service with Locals

Discover an iconic scene often captured in film and photographs, beautifully dressed women with impressive hats in Harlem heading to church for Sunday worship. Go beyond the pictures and see how worship and church family form an integral part of life and a source of weekly spiritual sustenance. Sunday Gospel in Harlem invites you to be a part of this custom by respectfully joining a local church family for an hour of worship. This is a non-traditional worship service which includes singing and praise dance. Learn neighborhood history and importance of houses of worship. Visit a local church and participate in gospel worship with parishioners. Enjoy a sense of community and camaraderie. See former residences of some of Harlem's notable residents associated with the Harlem Renaissance.

New York City: Mafia Tour and Food Tastings with Local Guide

9. New York City: Mafia Tour and Food Tastings with Local Guide

Get the insider's perspective on the infamous Mafia crime families of New York City on this walking tour with two sit-down tastings included, through the vibrant and fascinating gangland area of New York’s East Village and Little Italy. The stories of the violent and elusive underworld of the Mafia have captivated each of us – with a whole genre of movies and novels dedicated to New York’s gangsters. On this tour, you immerse yourself in that world, become familiar with the characters, their history, the places, and the unbelievable real-life events thanks to the insider information shared with our small team of expert guides, by a retired Detective and former associate of the Mafia. On this tour, you will learn about the Mafia’s origins in the early twentieth century, from their inception of factional wars with one another. That bloody power struggle ended in 1931 when ‘Lucky’ Luciano and fellow Mafia bosses formed the ‘Commission’ of the five New York crime families. ‘Cosa Nostra’ was born, in a discreet back room – where you will eat your first course and begin your journey through New York’s gangland. Learn about the most notorious gangsters and their crimes at the very places where they lived, worked, parties were murdered, or arrested. Hitmen like Umberto Valenti ‘the Ghost’ Crazy Joe Gallo, Vinny the Chin, and John Gotti, known as the ‘Teflon Don’ for his long evasion of the police. Hear about the highest-ranking Mafia turncoat: Sammy “The Bull” Gravano, Gotti’s under-boss, whose confession finally landed Gotti in jail. If you’re into criminal history, the Mafia, or gangsters, then this larger-than-life tour will more than deliver. You’ll hear about the spying, the escapes, the hitmen, drug running, double-crossing, criminality and all the drama of this most sinister yet riveting world of gangsters, while also indulging in delicious Italian food at some of Little Italy’s best joints.

New York City: Private Tour with a Local Guide

10. New York City: Private Tour with a Local Guide

Explore the city with a local guide on this walking tour. Share in your guide's passion for the city and get insider tips and tricks that will help you make the most of your visit. Customize your tour to include the sights that interest you most. Choose from 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-, 6-, 7- and 8-hour tour options. Meet your guide directly outside your accommodation in the city center of NYC and begin your walking adventure. Customize your tour to include seeing the city's top sights like Central Park, Times Square, or Grand Central Station, or expand your tour to include lesser known destinations. Get familiar with the neighborhood, find out about the best places to eat and shop. Learn about the easiest ways to get around and the top things to see and do from an authentic local. Feel more comfortable navigating the city and become more confident that you have all the information you need to make the most of your stay.

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What people are saying about New York City

Overall rating

4.6 / 5

based on 6,653 reviews

My experience at the before hours program at MoMa this past Sunday (3/5/23) was a very special time spent at the museum. The fact that there were not many other visitors in the museum at the same time was a huge benefit that afforded participants to view and appreciate the artwork and stories told by the guide. I will say that our particular guide, while highly knowledgeable, was wearing a mask and was too soft spoken to really hear. Perhaps a microphone would be a useful addition for the audience. Also, while he was highly knowledgeable, he was not very engaging/enthusiastic with the group. Overall a five star experience and a great asset for visitors to MoMa. Thank you!

Es una maravilla de palacio y unos jardines muy bien cuidado.

Amazing experience! Our guide, Audrey (sorry if I misspelled your name) was extremely knowledgeable, friendly, witty, a great storyteller and I think was having fun herself doing the tour :) I love tours which give you insight beyond what your eyes can see and this one definitely fulfils that! Would even do it again :) Greetings, Jakub

Very nice Guide with lots of insides of street food. The food was very tasty. Don't eat before that tour. Would recommend this tour to everyone visiting New York. Thanks for that exceptional experience.

Keith knew a lot!!!! I love the history from Harlem being a top place to live to gentrification and back to rebuilding..

Very nice, all very well organised. Our guide was excellent!