Make the most of your shore excursion in New York and discover the 'Big Apple' with your own New York private tour guide.

It's certain you'll want to visit the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, Times Square, the Empire State Building - the list is endless. But using the services of a local, personal tour guide is the best way to see the hidden parts of New York - those places that only locals know about.

Choose from the New York City shore excursions offered by ToursByLocals, but feel free to suggest alternative places and activities. Your private tour can be customized by your personal guide to include exactly what you want to see and do in New York City.

New-York-City

Greenwich Village, Meatpacking and High Line NYC Tour

Greenwich Village has been the artistic center of New York for a century, which is reason enough to visit. It's also one of the most architecturally intact 19th century districts you can find here. It is off the grid, with winding streets that ignore the street plan of Manhattan. Tree lined blocks abound with shops, restaurants and small parks. The history here is filled with noteworthy figures and movements that have, literally, shaped the country.

The northern edge of "The Village", the meatpacking district, has transformed itself as an entirely different place of fashion and food, where the latest trends adorn shop windows and where high end restaurants occupy century old storefronts.

We end the tour ascending the above ground High Line, arguably the most significant new park in the city since Central Park. It is a miraculous transformation of landscaping and design which has entirely transformed 25 blocks of the the far west side of Manhattan , and is simply a 'must see' when visiting New York.

Experience one of the liveliest and most picturesque parts of the city on this express tour

On this walking tour, we'll visit New York's most iconic sites in a single day.

In the morning, we tour highlights of Central Park, Fifth Avenue, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Rockefeller Center, the NY Public Library, the Chrysler Building and majestic Grand Central Terminal.

After a break for lunch, we continue to Lower Manhattan for views of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, the Wall Street Bull, Wall Street, the World Trade Center and the September 11 Memorial.

Your tour is fully customized, so alternate sites can include: the Brooklyn Bridge, Greenwich Village, Chinatown and Little Italy, SoHo, the High Line, Harlem, or the Lower East Side.

My NYC expertise allows me to maximize our time, so we'll explore more sites than tourists typically see in a day. And you'll have a richer experience, hearing a local perspective and the fascinating stories behind the famed sites.

This private walking tour is a superb introduction to New York City and ideal for those looking to explore NYC more deeply.

Explore the Highlights of NYC on this full day tour.

Quintessential New York City Tour

The Real New York New York Customized Full-Day Tour

Thanks to New York's vastness and diversity, a tour's agenda can be as individual as a client's tastes and interests.

When planning, I ask clients about their particular tour goals—such as learning the layout of the city, or exploring a specific neighborhood—and interests, such as history, architecture, or pop culture.

I also enjoy exposing visitors to places that are less known, but peculiarly New York—hidden gems.

We can travel by foot, and possibly by subway, taxi, and/or boat.

When I was a teacher, I'd observe and assess a student before and during a lesson so I knew it was the right fit for them. That's how I approach my tours—continually focused on ensuring yours is the best tour for you.

DUMBO, Brooklyn, view of the Manhattan Bridge

Explore the City with a Native New Yorker

The Best of New York City Full Day Walking Tour

This is the perfect tour for those with limited time in New York City!

I know the City from North to South; East to West like few others having worked on tour busses up and down the length of Manhattan, led walking tours and designed itineraries for everyone from families to corporate groups.

I will show you the best of New York; taking you from Central Park all the way south to Battery Park for a view from the shore of the Statue of Liberty. Along the way, I will be sure that you see Times Square, the Empire State Building, Greenwich Village, Wall Street, the Statue of Liberty and more.

As I show you the City, I will share with you where my family and friends shop, eat and find entertainment. We live here. We know the top experiences.

Dream day in NYC!

New York City Walking Tour

New York City Your Way - 5 Hour Customized Tour

You have come all this way. You have undergone security procedures as invasive as a medical exam. After the trip here, after all that work, why would you want to conform to someone else's agenda? I love working with guests to our fair city on what will be an unforgettable experience of some of my favorite things about this town that I have always called home (for more years than I care to admit). This tour is incredibly flexible and together we can personalize a tour of New York that covers what you want to see and do. Meaning YOUR AGENDA.

Do you want to walk the Brooklyn Bridge? Do you want to find the best cheesecake in the world? Do you want to see Humphrey Bogart's childhood home? Do you want to see were John Lennon lived? Do you want to try one of the best restaurants in Chinatown? Do you want to shop? You tell me, we work it out together. As the song says "what street, compares with Mott Street, in July". Only Mott Street in May can compare.

Discover NYC the way YOU want to on this tour with me.

When visiting New York, I'm sure you expect to see all the iconic New York landmarks like the Brooklyn Bridge, Times Square, the Empire State Building, etc. We will walk around the city and travel by subway to see the famous places and so much more. Along with the best-known sites, there are hidden gems of architecture, lesser-known places, and spots the locals enjoy.

It's a big city, and it's really tricky to see New York in the space of one day. If your time in NYC is limited, or you want to get an overview of the city before exploring it further, this is a tour for you.

A big part of our adventure will be the story of the city, its buildings, and its famous and infamous inhabitants.

See the iconic landmarks, find hidden gems and get to know the whole story...

Whole day in New York City Tour

Foodie New York Jewish Lower East Side Walking Tour

If you love the footsteps of history and tasting foodie classics, this is the tour for you!

A tour through the Lower East Side explores the story of immigrant life following the arrival at Ellis Island for Eastern European Jews. One of the most famous neighborhoods on earth, the Jewish Lower East Side hosted remarkable political, social, artistic, economic, and culinary movements that would help to define the modern American experience.

Come learn about the origins of the bagel, pastrami, kosher pickles, socialist movements, iconic department stores, and Hollywood film studios by visiting the Yiddish Forward Building, Eldridge St Synagogue, the Gershwin brothers' childhood home, a historic Loew's Movie Theater, Kossar's Bialys, The Pickle Guys, and a high school that minted many of the U. S. 's biggest movie stars.

Sometimes, we meet iconic characters from Lower East Side history along the way. Lillian Wald took a wholistic approach to addressing the needs of the impoverished in the Lower East Side.

Nurse Lillian Wald was an iconic character of the Lower East Side! Her Henry Street Settlement educated the poor, provided medical care, entertained cultural events, and played host to the founding meeting of the NAACP!

Stopping across from the high school to the stars! Tony Curtis, Estelle Getty, Walter Mathau, Jerry Stiller, Keenon Ivory Waynes and Luis Guzman all studied here in their youths before heading to Hollywood.

Come learn the history and foods of the great Age of Jewish Immigration with me on this New York food tour!

Private New York Sightseeing Tour by Vehicle

The first thing we will do with our time together is create a custom itinerary, based on your likes and interests. A tour with a 6-, 9- and 11-year old is very different than a tour for two senior citizens. Some guests want to focus on New York's iconic tourist sights, others prefer off-the-beaten-path places. Most guests prefer a blend of both worlds, which I am happy to accomodate. Regardless of your selections, as we move from location to location throughout the city, I will connect the dots with accounts from history, news, movies, popular culture and, of course, my own experiences!

I do not take time for lunch out of your tour time. I am well experienced with lunch and well qualified to make recommendations, again, based on your preferences.

I will also, throughout our tour as I get to know you better, make recommendations for the remainder of your stay, including places to visit, eat, shop, experience, etc. This is why it may be best to take this "overview" tour, as early in your visit as possible.

Explore and see the NYC sites with me on this tour with private transportation!

Explore Central Park with a guide on a 2. 5-hour walking tour that covers all the highlights. You'll also learn how the landscape architects Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux created this urban masterpiece.

As a local New Yorker, this is among my absolute favorite places in the city, one that I explore regularly. I have wandered every path, and read countless books on its history, art, and future to ensure that you get the most personalized experience possible.

With me as your guide, you will not risk getting lost in the park, and missing out on the most iconic spots that you have seen in countless films and television spots. My route ensures an iconic experience!

See the contrast of natural beauty-- lawns, meadows, lakes, and more-- contrasting with the city of skyscrapers around it. And as we walk along, you will forget that the city is there.

Discover why Central Park has been called "one of the greatest works of art in America! "

Explore the most famous urban park in America on this orientation tour with me!

Central Park NYC Walking Tour

The Metropolitan Museum of Art Highlights Tour

A MET tour is something you don't want to miss: from Ancient Egypt to Modern America in just 2 hours!

A cleverly planned itinerary covers 5, 000 years and five continents - from a colossal Egyptian temple to ancient Roman frescoes, paintings by Van Gogh and Monet, magnificent Tiffany windows, and more. A great answer for those with limited time or traveling with children.

The museum was created by a group of citizens whose mission was to open up a world of art to all Americans. Over its almost 150 year history the museum has collected works from across the globe, by world-famous artists such as Raphael, Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Picasso and Vermeer.

Join me on a fun journey through the many worlds of the MET, for a museum experience quite unlike any other.

Please note the MET is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Young Woman with a Water Pitcher by Johannes Vermeer

Wheat Field with Cypresses by Vincent Van Gogh

You cannot miss The MET! Discover over 5,000 years of art from around the world!

The World Trade Center was an idea born at the 1939 Worlds Fair, and brought to life by David and Nelson Rockefeller in the 1950s; but it is a very personal experience for me. My father's first office - in 1946 - was one block from where the Trade Center would be built 25 years later, and was my sales territory in the 1980s. Although I had been to every floor (except the basement) of each building (and there were 7 original buildings), and I knew many who worked there, I feel fortunate that no one I knew perished there.

But when we visit the Memorial I can tell you very personal stories of many of those who were there that day; the old saying about six degrees of separation is very true here for me.

We shall discuss the architecture and the design of the original Trade Center as well as the new one; and we shall cross over to the landfill, provided by the excavation for the original World Trade Center, that we know today as Brookfield Place in Battery Park City.

Inside the Oculus at the World Trade Center

Number 1 World Trade Center - through the "wings" of the Oculus

Visiting the Memorial Pools at the World Trade Center

Explore The World Trade Center neighborhood on this express walking tour.

New York 9/11 Memorial Tour

Explore New York City as a true New Yorker does: on foot! Embrace this unique opportunity to explore NYC with me, a lifelong resident who is eager to share its gems with you!

Join me on this curated tour as we traverse the vibrant neighborhoods of New York, each with its own distinct personality. Together, we'll encounter iconic landmarks, relish in local delicacies, and enjoy some of NYC's world-class attractions.

Highlights include walking through the spectacular Central Park, encountering stunning views on the High Line, visiting Chelsea Market, being charmed by the streets of Greenwich Village (a must-see for "Friends" fans), grabbing a bite at one of many iconic eateries in downtown, and ending your day at the historic 9/11 Memorial, One World Trade Center and the Oculus, the most beautiful subway station in the world.

When the day concludes, you'll walk away feeling like a New Yorker with a deep appreciation for the city that never sleeps. I look forward to having you join me on this journey!

Brooklyn tours

Explore with 293 tours and 42 guides.

Rob M.

$ 295 (USD)

Jeff D.

$ 650 (USD)

Richard B.

$ 675 (USD)

Remo M.

$ 585 (USD)

Gary D.

$ 415 (USD)

Iren G.

$ 680 (USD)

Jonathan G.

$ 350 (USD)

Ronald P.

$ 1,099 (USD)

Jeremy W.

$ 350 (USD)

Francesco A.

$ 295 (USD)

Bill G.

$ 150 (USD)

David T.

$ 400 (USD)

Meet your local guides in Brooklyn

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