The 18 best tours and walks to explore NYC in 2024

The quintessential city tour of all tours, hop-on hop-off's get some major props for ease, accessibility, and price. Map-reading and subway-taking not your strong suit? No worries — even the most directionally-challenged traveler can enjoy Big Bus Tours, condensing a sightseeing fest including thirty landmarks into one trip. Be sure to watch out for famous points of interest as you go with the aid of a live tour guide (and go-to know-it-all about New York attractions). And if something catches your eye? Just hop off wherever you fancy — simple. Choose from routes running in downtown, uptown, Harlem, and Brooklyn and get from Wall Street’s Charging Bull statue to the green meadows of Central Park with ease. Basically, it's an easy option for seeing as much or as little as you want of the city in one day – and not stress out about maps or super expensive Uber fairs.

Come hungry: This food tour is really what NYC dreams are made of. You'll start this feasting adventure with a mammoth pastrami and rye at Katz's Delicatessen, then head to a Dominican breakfast counter to sample a classic local speciality. After that, your guide will get you to taste your way through a legendary local market, legacy cheese shop, Chinatown, historic bodegas, a 19th century Jewish family pickle recipe, and finally (if you've got the room) an artisan donut shop where the flavors promise to delight you. It’s also not all about the food: Your guide will explain how a diverse spread of cultures and people have shaped, this neighborhood and the food it eats as you walk.

What Sex and the City fan hasn’t daydreamed about switching lives with Carrie, Samantha, Miranda, or Charlotte for the day? The over-the-top outfits, glamorous parties, and outrageous dates might be too good to be true, but at least the scenery is true to life. You'll hop around to 40 iconic locations, including Carrie’s brownstone, some of the girls’ favorite bars (including the one owned by Steve and Aiden), and an X-rated store featured on the show during this epic bus tour. There might even be time to stop for a Cosmo.

You’ll cover much more of Central Park’s 843 acres of meadows, woods, and ponds on a bike than you ever could on foot. Meet up with the guide from Central Park Tours Inc. to pick out your wheels for the day, then set off from the south end of the park. You’ll spy iconic landmarks, plus a few lesser-known gems. And since the tour is always capped at just eight people, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to ask questions along the way and maybe even make a new friend or two. Oh, and you know, we could think of worse ways to stay fit and save the planet. 

As far as skylines go, Manhattan's is a hard one to beat. There's the Statue of Liberty leading the way from Ellis Island, Brooklyn Bridge showing off its architectural beauty, and the Empire State standing tall – all of which make for a stunning view from the water. Sail around New York harbor on the Circle Line cruise, which heads up the Hudson, as well as rounding the Brooklyn bay areas. You'll also hear the history and stories behind all of the sights, so fill up on the facts and don't hesitate to ask a question or two. 

Remember the lives lost during the tragedy that was 9/11 by visiting the site where the World Trade Center once stood. Now known as Ground Zero, your guide will share facts, figures, and real-life stories with you – making for a trip that is insightful, informative, and moving all at once. Starting at Broadway 203 E, you'll stop at the Fireman’s Memorial, twin reflecting pools, One World Observatory, and St Paul’s Chapel. For a little more, you can choose to book a tour that includes ticket access to the 9/11 Museum. 

With 843 acres of meadows, woods, and streams, Central Park offers a gorgeous green backdrop for filmmakers. So perhaps it’s no surprise that countless movies have been set here, from When Harry Met Sally to Ghostbusters. Movie buffs will recognize the skating rink featured in Serendipity, the people-watching scene from Annie Hall, and the path that Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, and Jules Munshin biked along in On the Town. This two-hour walking tour takes you to 40 film locations within the park, though hundreds more exist.

Fresh air, ocean waves, unlimited prosecco, and a massive brunch spread of bagels, lox, cream cheese, quiche, fresh fruit, and more—it’s fair to say that this midday cruise on a roaring twenties-style yacht really does have it all. Sit back and relax as the crew guides the restored 1929 sailboat out into the harbor.  Sip champagne and mimosas, gaze at the skyline, and, if you’re lucky – the captain will even let you take a turn at the helm.

Boasting some of the most jaw-droppingly spectacular views in the city, the Brooklyn Bridge is a beacon for snap-happy tourists. But don't let your only experience of this stunning structure and its incredible views be through the viewfinder of your camera. Put the gadgets down and take a bike ride across the bridge to really soak up the scenery. This 'Bike and Roll' tour takes about three hours, running at a leisurely pace with plenty of time for photo stops. Make sure you make the most of your guide, who is sure to have bags of knowledge about the bridge's history and architectural details. 

Sugar Hill got its name during the Harlem Renaissance, as “life was sweet” for the wealthy African Americans who lived in the district. Thurgood Marshall, Langston Hughes, and Duke Ellington all spent time in the row houses here. Peep the stunning Queen Anne–style architecture and immerse yourself in the vibrant community on this walking tour of the area.

Few visitors know anything about Roosevelt Island, a secluded residential community that feels worlds apart from the rest of the city. Once used for insane asylums and hospitals, Roosevelt Island is now home to a thriving population of about 14,000 residents. But, if you have the stomach for it, revisit the island's troubled past on the 'Island of Lost Souls: Madness and Medicine' tour. Pass eerie sites, like the neo-Gothic ruins of the smallpox hospital, the first pathological and bacteriological research lab, and the NYC Lunatic Asylum which opened in 1841. After you learn about the island’s history, board the aerial tram for a sky-high trip over the East River into Manhattan.

Despite Manhattan's abundance of white-clothed, Michelin-starred dining rooms, some are now touting Brooklyn as the epicenter of food culture in NYC. Either way, it's impossible to deny that Brooklyn's dining scene is incredible, from pierogis in Greenpoint's Polish stronghold to tacos and pupusas in Sunset Park and trendy farm-to-table newcomers in Williamsburg. To provide a thorough understanding of the borough's eats, this half-day tour will take you through all those neighborhoods, as well as Dumbo, the waterfront neighborhood where you'll enjoy sweets from the renowned Jacques Torres chocolate factory.

Perfect for the sightseer who knows exactly what they want, this Circle Line express tour goes right to the Statue of Liberty – no pit stops this time. Listen to an expert guide point out some lower Manhattan landmarks before pausing for photos right next to Lady Liberty. And since this cruise only takes an hour, it’s easy to fit into even the busiest itinerary.

What started life as an unremarkable elevated railway is now famous across the world and one of New York's most photogenic landmarks. The High Line is a public park, rotating art gallery and perennial tourist attraction stretched, as the name suggests, high over the bustling city streets below. Take a two-hour walking tour and explore the full span of this green oasis, making sure to take in the architecture and unique history of Chelsea and the Meatpacking District while you do it. Make sure you save some time to shop in Chelsea Market afterward – and don't forget to snap a pic of the lush greenery. 

You’d never know it from the looks of Washington Square Park, but Greenwich Village has a sinister past. At the northwest corner of the park is the Hangman’s Elm, one of the oldest trees in the city and the site of at least one public execution. Master of horror Edgar Allan Poe once lived in the neighborhood, and rumor has it that artist John La Farge still haunts the nearby Church of the Ascension. Delve into the neighborhood’s gruesome past on this two-hour ghost tour, and discover all of its haunting secrets. Just be sure to wear comfortable shoes!

Technically speaking, this tour takes you outside the five boroughs, but The Sopranos is such an iconic New York show that we couldn’t leave it out. After you board the bus in Midtown, you’ll go through the Lincoln Tunnel – the site of the show’s unforgettable opening sequence – on your way to the New Jersey suburbs. There, you’ll check out the Bada Bing! strip club, Big Pussy’s auto body shop, and the restaurant featured in the final scene of the series.

There's much more to art in New York than just the paintings, photography, and sculptures exhibited in its many prestigious museums. Graffiti started life in the Big Apple and NYC remains at the very forefront of the street art world to this day. Discover some of the city's very best outdoor artworks and murals across Brooklyn. You won’t find these artists hanging in any gallery. Yet.

There's only one thing more spectacular than New York's skyscrapers glimmering in the sun – the famous skyline dramatically lit up against the night sky. This twilight boat cruise whisks you across New York Harbor as the sun goes down. A climate controlled boat will be your base as you sail past (and under) the Brooklyn, Manhattan and Williamsburg Bridges.  The 105-minute trip is a great way to get awe-inspiring views of the city and a much-needed moment of calm out on the water.