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New York CityWalking 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?

NYC: The Secrets of Grand Central Terminal

3. NYC: The Secrets of Grand Central Terminal

On this exciting small-group walking tour, you will uncover the treasures hidden within this historic transportation hub: see the world’s largest Tiffany clock, peek into the off-limits glass walkways, discover the massive design flaw in the main atrium, locate a multi-million dollar jewel hidden in plain sight, and so much more. Learn about the history of the station during the booming age of the railroad, as a rundown embarrassment, and finally experience it as a renovated wonder at the center of the city. Whether you pass through it every day on your morning commute or stroll through the Beaux-Arts beauty for the first time, you are sure to leave having learned, seen, or experienced something new and extraordinary on this behind-the-scenes walking tour.

NYC: Best of the Metropolitan Museum Guided Tour

4. NYC: 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.”

NYC: Grand Central Terminal Walking Tour with Special Access

5. NYC: Grand Central Terminal Walking Tour with Special Access

Meet in Grand Central Terminal’s modern-day heart: the lively main concourse. Marvel at the famous clock perched atop the information booth – and learn the eye-watering amount it’s rumored to be worth — as your guide regales you with the story of Cornelius Vanderbilt, the mastermind behind the Grand Central Depot (as it was originally called). Head into Vanderbilt Hall, a living testament to Grand Central’s rags-to-riches transformation in the 1980s, then pop outside to see the largest Tiffany clock in the world. Time travel back to the Roaring 20s in a speakeasy-style bar that, a century ago, was the private office of one of New York’s most prominent railroad tycoons. In the Whispering Gallery, learn how secrets travel across the busy interchange to be perfectly heard on the other side and get a peek at one of the largest lost-and-found departments in the world. Peruse handcrafted jewelry in the Graybar Passage before stepping into a former movie theater, where travel-weary youngsters could enjoy some entertainment back in Grand Central’s heyday. Last but not least, weave through the colorful Grand Central Market, boasting over 160 seafood varieties and 400 types of cheeses, before making your way back to the main concourse.

Wall Street Insider Tour

6. 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.

NYC: Brooklyn Bridge and Dumbo Guided Walking Tour

7. NYC: Brooklyn Bridge and Dumbo Guided Walking Tour

Join a guided walking tour in New York City and discover the Brooklyn Bridge and the popular Dumbo neighborhood. Start in Manhattan and cross the East River, enjoying fantastic views of the city skyline as you walk. Meet your guide in Manhattan and set out towards Brooklyn on foot. As you walk, learn about the Brooklyn Bridge and hear stories about the tenacious people who built it. Listen to tales of bad luck and accidents, momentous achievements, and even hear about a parade of elephants. Take in panoramic views of Manhattan and Brooklyn as you walk across the bridge and make sure to have your camera handy to capture the moment. Your walking tour comes to an end in Brooklyn's hip Dumbo neighborhood. Spend some time here and discover how this once-quiet waterfront area has been renewed, creating the popular neighborhood known as Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass, or Dumbo for short. Take your time as you wander along cobblestone streets where former industrial properties have been transformed into hip storefronts and modern residential spaces. 

NYC: Chinatown and Little Italy Food Tour

8. NYC: Chinatown and Little Italy Food Tour

Spend your lunchtime or dinnertime learning the history and lore of two of New York's most historic districts: Little Italy and Chinatown. Sample their foods and flavors, wander their streets, and learn all about their history and heritage. The food included is more than enough for lunch. Start in Chinatown with Hong Kong style sponge cakes to go, where your local historian tour guide will lead your intimate-sized group through Chinatown’s winding streets and Columbus Park. Enjoy history and fun facts, and visit a hidden dumpling spot, with views of the One World Trade building. Then, be led down the famous Mulberry St. to Little Italy’s romantic corners. Hear stories of NYC mafia crime and pizza lore as you eat your slice of pizza and enjoy cannolis and music at a 130-year-old bakery. Appreciate a tour that visits favorite family-owned shops and that supports NYC locations that are off-the-beaten-path. Taste the history of food establishments that have been in business for over 100 years. Leave NYC with a newfound appreciation of these two neighborhoods, newly discovered secrets of New York City, and more tips and suggestions for things to do in The Big Apple.

NYC: Extended Tour of the Metropolitan Museum of Art

9. NYC: Extended Tour of the Metropolitan Museum of Art

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

Brooklyn: Bushwick Street Art Walking Tour

10. Brooklyn: Bushwick Street Art Walking Tour

Explore the largest outdoor street art gallery in New York City on a guided tour of the famous Bushwick Collective. Learn the history of Joe Ficalora, famed curator and founder of the collective. Learn how he transformed the neighborhood through dealing with loss and a yearning for beautification. Get an insight from a real graffiti artist and hear stories behind the walls of art. Marvel at works by street artists such as Blek le Rat and hear how he provided inspiration for Banksy. Take a look at works by modern-day graffiti portrait master Danielle Mastrion and her lady counterpart Lexi Bella. See art by Fumero, Giz, Dasic and many others. Move from old masters to modern-day legends in an ever-changing Brooklyn neighborhood, before it has gone for good.

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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!