9 NYC Tours: Sightseeing, Pizza and More!

For New Yorkers, NYC tours and tourists are usually one thing – in the way. And although it may be hard to hold back expletives when they walk too slow or stop mid-stride in the middle of the sidewalk to take pictures with their selfie sticks, we can take a cue or two from our visitor friends.

Tourists take advantage of what we sometimes take for granted. Blissfully unjaded by the daily hustle of life in the big city, they revel in the energy and take time to explore culture and history, stopping to gawk at its sheer massiveness along the way.

Whether you are from New York City or live close enough to visit all the time, don’t be too proud to take on the tourist mentality. Because no matter how much you’ve already seen or think you know, there is always something new to discover and learn (while still avoiding Time Square like the plague). Now is as good a time as ever to go on one of the many NYC tours available.

Circle Line Tours

Pier 83, West 42nd Street and 12th Avenue
212-563-3200

Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises are an icon in their own right. Cruising for over 70 years, their leisurely tours (typically 1 to 2½ hours) feature picture-perfect views of Manhattan, with experienced guides that point out the most famous sights and locations and provide fun facts and trivia along the way. Cruises operate year-round and have enclosed viewing areas to accommodate guests in any kind of weather. During the warmer months, thrill seekers can hop aboard “The Beast” – a speedboat that takes a high-speed tour through New York Harbor.

Double Decker Bus Tours

Multiple locations
212-445-0848

See all the sights from the top of a Double Decker Bus. Experience the Bronx, Brooklyn, uptown or downtown Manhattan, or all of the above. With the ability to hop on and hop off as you go, you can travel the city at your own pace and pick up a bus from anywhere, anytime, with tours up to 72 hours. Options and packages include guided walking tours and drop-offs at other sightseeing locations such as cruises, helicopters and skyscraper observation decks.

Liberty Helicopter Tours

Downtown Manhattan Heliport 6 East River Piers
212-967-6464 or 1-800-542-9933

View the New York City skyline like you never have before – from above! Choose from several tour options that will have you flying over the Hudson River, past the Statue of Liberty and by other famous landmarks.

Central Park Bike Tour 

203 W 58th St. (7^th Avenue)

A bike ride in Central Park is one of the best things to do in NYC. Pedal through the top sights and attractions such as the Onassis Reservoir, Shakespeare Garden and Strawberry Fields on a two-hour leisure bike tour or art and architecture tour. Tours are run by Bikerent.nyc, which in addition to bike rentals in Central Park, offer rentals at Brooklyn Bridge and Broadway locations for self-guided tours and city exploration.

A Slice of Brooklyn Bus Tours

212-913-9917

Learn where to find the best pizza in Brooklyn from true “Brooklynites” on A Slice of Brooklyn Bus Tours. Pass through famous neighborhoods and familiar movie locations while on your way to enjoying some of the best pizza around. Stops include Grimaldi’s under the Brooklyn Bridge and L&B Spumoni Gardens in Bensonhurst. In December, the Christmas Lights Tour of the extravagant light displays in Dyker Heights is not to be missed. All NYC tours conveniently depart from Manhattan. AAA members save 15% on A Slice of Brooklyn Bus Tours when booking online.

Museum Hack 

1-800-210-9676

“Museum tours for people who don’t like museums,” is how Museum Hack defines their service. Specializing in private, small group tours, Museum Hack tour guides take a non-traditional approach to museums, highlighting fun facts and quirky tidbits to make your museum visit anything but boring. Experience the Met or the Museum of Natural History in a new light!

Grand Central Terminal Tour 

89 East 42nd Street
212-340-2583

Grand Central Terminal is the largest train station in the world by number of tracks, but it is much more than a commuter portal. Over 100 years old, it holds a lot of history and many secrets, not to mention some of the most remarkable examples of architecture and design. Do you know about the unmarked “Whispering Gallery,” where due to the unique acoustics, one person can whisper something into the corner and another person across the way can hear them as if they were right next to them? Learn this and more on a Grand Tour, a 75 minute walking tour led by an expert. “Local” and “express” audio tours are also available; obtain headsets at specially marked “GCT Tour” windows in the main concourse or downloaded straight to your phone.

On Location Tours

212-913-9780

New York is the most filmed city in the world. Get transported to your favorite movie and television scenes on a guided bus tour of famed locales. Drink cosmos and shop in Greenwich Village on the “Sex and the City” Hotspots Tour, take pictures in front of famous backdrops on the Turner Classic Movie Film Tour or enjoy a date night like your favorite on-screen couple on the Romantic Movie Moments Tour. If you’re into celebrity gossip, the TMZ Celebrity Tour NYC showcases over 50 of the stars’ favorite hangouts. Check out what a tour is like here.

AAA members save over 20 percent on On Location Tours in New York City when booking in advance online.

The Radio City Stage Door Tour

1260 Avenue of the Americas (6th Ave and 50th Street)
212-247-04777

Go behind the scenes of one of the most famous theaters in the world. On this guided tour, you will get the inside scoop on the design, the history, and the secrets of the stage. Plus, meet a Rockette!

Gain a new appreciation for the city on one or several of these NYC tours. If not a formal tour, take a self-guided adventure. Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, visit the Statue of Liberty or climb to the top of the Empire State Building. You may be surprised at how fun being a tourist can be!

What are your favorite NYC tours? Share them with us in the comments below!