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Things to do in East Village, New York City

Our most recommended things to do in East Village, New York City

New York City: Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Tour

1. New York City: Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Tour

Admire New York City’s top sights and most popular neighborhoods from the top deck of an open-top Hop-On Hop-Off bus. See iconic landmarks like the Empire State Building, Times Square, and the Brooklyn Bridge. Enhance your experience with multi-attraction or sightseeing cruise combo tickets. Experience the diverse culture, beautiful parks, stunning architecture, and picturesque views both from the top of the open-air sightseeing bus and on foot when you choose to hop off to further explore. Hop off and back on at your leisure, creating your own customized itinerary around the city while on the Uptown and Downtown loops. Benefit from a live bus-tracking app tracking so that you will always know exactly when the next bus will arrive.  Enjoy new, state-of-the-art audio commentary that is informative, highly entertaining, and engaging for adults and children alike. Choose from 3 ticket options: 1. Classic Ticket includes unlimited boarding on Uptown and Downtown loops for 1 day 2. Classic Ticket plus a 90-minute Circle Line sightseeing cruise 3. Best of New York Package includes Classic ticket plus Empire State Building and Statue of Liberty skip-the-line tickets Top sights on the Downtown loop include: • The Flatiron District • Union Square • Greenwich Village• East Village • Chinatown• Little Italy• Wall St. and the Stock Exchange • SoHo  Top sights on the Uptown loop include: • Times Square • Upper East Side• Central Park• Museum Mile• Uptown Manhattan• MoMA • The Met• Columbus Circle

NYC: Circle Line Harbor Lights Cruise Skip-The-Box-Office

2. NYC: Circle Line Harbor Lights Cruise Skip-The-Box-Office

Experience New York at sunset on a cruise of the harbor, and take in all the sights and lights of Manhattan aboard a climate-controlled boat. Grab your friends, family, and coworkers - or even a random stranger - and embark on an unforgettable journey of the harbor with "Lady Liberty" keeping watch. With a drink in your hand, purchased from the fully stocked bar, feel the breeze on your face and be mesmerized by the shimmering skyline. Get endless photo opportunities to make you an Instagram star as you sail past legendary attractions such as the Statue of Liberty and get perfect views of the Freedom Tower - One World Trade Center, Empire State Building, Pier 54 (Titanic Pier), Battery Park, and more. See where millions of immigrants were processed when they arrived in America at Ellis Island, cruise past Governors Island, the South Street Seaport, and Brooklyn Bridge. Marvel at unrivaled views of the Manhattan Bridge, Williamsburg Bridge, and Chrysler Building, and discover the East Village, United Nations Building, and USS Intrepid Pier from a different perspective. 

NYC: Blue Man Group Tickets

3. NYC: Blue Man Group Tickets

See why Blue Man Group is world-famous for their wildly theatrical shows which combine music, comedy, and multimedia spectacles to produce a totally unique form of entertainment. Catch the Manhattan concert that's part of their current world tour. Experience the party atmosphere created at their live events that's become the trademark of the group. Feel the energy that's designed to blow away an international and multi-generational audience. Come and see the legendary performance that millions all over the world have already experienced, and discover what draws the crowds back for every tour.

New York City: A Day in Manhattan Cycling Tour

4. New York City: A Day in Manhattan Cycling Tour

Pedal off from beneath the Manhattan Bridge and follow the East River Esplanade towards Southport Seaport. Learn the history of the shipping industry before going to Battery Park to get stunning views of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Cycle the Hudson River Greenway to arrive at Riverside Park. Next, explore the Upper West Side and grab a bite to eat in the Time Warner Building or from one of the many street vendors during a 30-minute food stop. Cycle the 6-mile loop of Central Park to experience the attraction the best way possible, and take a quick ride through Midtown Manhattan towards Times Square and the Empire State Building. Stop at Rockefeller Plaza and St. Patrick's Cathedral along the way. Head into the West Village to visit Washington Square Park. Ride through the East Village and into SoHo before going through Little Italy and China Town. Reach the East Side of Manhattan and get beautiful views of Long Island before the tour ends!

East Village NYC Pizza Walking Tour

5. East Village NYC Pizza Walking Tour

Explore New York’s Lower East Side on a unique walking tour that combines a little history, some local color, and a lot of pizza! Once the proving ground for newly arrived immigrants, the Lower East Side housed a mix of Germans, Poles, Ukranians, and Italians - all from working class families just trying to make it their home. It was a neighborhood so cramped, the goal of all who lived there was to get out as quickly as possible. Fast forward a few decades and it has become one of the hottest neighborhoods in New York. More importantly, it has become one of the most pizza-dense neighborhoods on the planet! The streets are filled with classic slice shops, tiny Neapolitan eateries, and creative new angles on century-old techniques. As you walk - and your guide fills you up with pizza knowledge - stop at 3 pizzerias, each specializing in a different stage of the pie's development from a humble Neapolitan street food to a celebrated American staple. Spend time with the owners and pizzaioli (pizza makers) to learn some of the tricks of the trade. Beyond learning about ancient pizza toppings and dough stretching techniques, compare the baking patterns of 3 different pizza ovens. By the end of the tour you’ll have a deep understanding of pizza’s origin, as well as its evolution into a worldwide phenomenon.

East Village Rock n' Roll Walking Tour

6. East Village Rock n' Roll Walking Tour

Explore the East Village and learn about rock culture on a 2-hour guided walking tour. What a great neighborhood and one that you may not have explored on your own. The tour takes you through the East Village, Alphabet City and the Bowery. The East Village rock 'n' roll tour explores the music scene from the 60's through to the present. It is a historical tour that will leave you asking 'why didn't I do this tour sooner'. Rock, Punk and Glam are the three genres of music that helped form the history of rock culture and you will explore them all. New York City's East Village helped introduce new music, rock 'n' roll fashion and a way of life to the world. Now you can check out the sites and stories of The Ramones, New York Dolls, CBGB's, Andy Warhol, The Velvet Underground, The Fillmore East, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Iggy Pop and more. Find out where they played, lived, shopped and shot album covers, plus soak up the rich musical history of this Lower East Side neighborhood. Although many of these landmarks have changed, the memories continue to inspire up and coming New York City bands. You will explore the neighborhood's rock history, focusing on sites and artists including: • Fillmore East • Ramones • CBGB's • New York Dolls • Iggy • Album covers and more • A great walk through the historic East Village

Greenwich Village Tour

7. Greenwich Village Tour

Begin your 2-hour tour at the corner of 6th Avenue and Waverly Place, and learn about the history of Greenwich Village. Head to the Edgar Allan Poe house and the Washington Square Hotel. Explore Washington Square Park, a former potter's field, and learn how this area became the destination for musicians and protesters. Visit the Brown Building, site of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire in 1911, an event that led to the American labor movement. Head up McDougal Street, and see Cafe Wha, Cafe Reggio, and the Comedy Cellar. Learn where the best pizza in NYC is sold. Stroll down Christopher Street and visit the Stonewall Inn, where a riot in 1969 began America's Gay Rights Movement.

Secrets of New York Walking Tour

8. Secrets of New York Walking Tour

Stroll past the iconic sites, to off the beaten path hidden gems by foot and by subway the way real New Yorkers do every day. You will be led past some of New York’s famous sites: the NY Stock Exchange, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the 9/11 memorial. Explore some of New York’s oldest neighborhoods: the financial district (including wall street), East Village, Little Italy, Chinatown and Midtown Manhattan. Revel in the rooftop views of New York’s famous landmarks. See world famous works of art. Stroll through a miniature rain forest inside an office building. Learn where the largest concentration of gold in the world is hidden. Visit a hidden tennis court inside a subway terminal. There’s more but it’s a secret. This tour is the perfect tour for people who like to walk, be outdoors, and want to a ‘local’s look’ of the city.

Everything New York City: Customizable Luxury SUV Tour

9. Everything New York City: Customizable Luxury SUV Tour

Everybody finds something unique to like about New York City, so book a private tour guide to avoid the cookie-cutter sightseeing tours. The Everything New York City Tour is fully customizable to your desires. You will travel by luxury SUV, with space for up to 5 of your friends or family. Before the chauffeured 4-hour tour, All New York Fun Tours will take the time to consult your interests. After the consultation, every sight, every turn, and every stop will be custom tailored to you and/or your group's interests. Whether you want to see Brooklyn, Manhattan, The Bronx, Queens, or Staten Island, you will have fun and learn about what interests you most. You have the option to get out and see anything you want in the areas that interest you, or simply sit back and soak up the sights. Some areas and sights of interest to consider include: • High line park • Grand Central Terminal • Central Park • Rockefeller Center • Chelsea Market • Greenwich Village • SoHo Chinatown Little Italy • East Village • Times Square • World Trade Center • Wall Street • Statue of Liberty • Battery Park • Museum Mile • Harlem and more • Brooklyn Bridge • Williamsburg • Brooklyn Heights • Bedford Stuyvesant • Prospect Park • Coney Island • Dumbo  • Queensboro Bridge • Long Island City • Flushing • Astoria • Mets Stadium Citifield • Flushing Meadows Park • Arthur Ash Stadium • Queens Museum of Art • Yankee Stadium And more ---------- Your tour will include more or less depending on your personal interests. Additional hours can also be purchased to lengthen your private, customizable tour.

NYC: Luxury, Multi-Course Food Tour in East Village

10. NYC: Luxury, Multi-Course Food Tour in East Village

Known as New York's Bohemian hub, the East Village is not only a cultural hotspot, but a foodie's dream destination. On this food experience, discover the best dishes in the East Village with a complete, multi-course progressive meal and optional beverage pairings. Hear the stories of local chefs and restaurateurs as you imbibe in fried sweet potato pierogis, an off menu house-made basque chorizo hot dog, classic NY-style cheesecake, and more. An intimate, luxury experience for travelers and locals alike. Explore one of New York City’s hottest and most diverse restaurant scenes. This progressive meal visits multiple restaurants – two appetizers, one entree, and one dessert, with a sprinkling of culinary history and stories in between. This New York City East Village Food Tour focuses on quality over quantity. But we promise, you won’t leave hungry! The goal is to have you sample the highest quality ingredients – small plates with huge flavor. How It Works Meeting Point: Start location varies but is always within a 3-block walk from Tompkins Square Park in the East Village. 1st Restaurant: Enjoy Appetizer #1 (plus optional beverage pairing) 2nd Restaurant: Enjoy Appetizer #2 (plus optional beverage pairing) 3rd Restaurant: Entrée (plus optional beverage pairing) 4th Restaurant: Dessert Neighborhood stops, stories, and landmarks are sprinkled throughout the experience!

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What people are saying about East Village, New York City

Overall rating

4.2 / 5

based on 2,761 reviews

Bobby Pinn was very knowledgeable and had first-hand accounts of the scene. A lot of ground was covered, both musically (late 60s to the 90s) and physically - wear comfy walking shoes. We will definitely check out the other tours.

Great narration. The boat was comfortable inside and out. Views were great from all over. Staff was friendly. we felt safe. The speed was good. No problems experienced at all.

Our tour guide was excellent and It was a very enjoyable tour … 10 out of 10

Great guide, sights were beautiful. Excellent experience for me and my sons.

Was very enjoyable. Not the your usual tourist trap.