Small Journeys can arrange walking tours of ethnic neighborhoods, as well as historical and cultural tours of the various New York City areas like Midtown, Central Park, Chelsea, SoHo, Greenwich Village, Lower Manhattan and more.
Walking tours are generally under 2-3 hours depending on the group and we recommend no more than 25 pax per guide since larger groups are difficult to move from sight to sight and for all participants to hear the guide.
Midtown Tours start near the Plaza Hotel where our guides will discuss the nature of this area rich with history and celebrity anecdotes.
Depending on the group’s interests, they can explore Central Park and continue through the “glass canyon” of office towers along Avenue of the Americas to the Times Square Broadway theatre district, touring Rockefeller Center, where sights include Radio City Music Hall, the decorative promenade and St. Patrick’s Cathedral. A stroll up Fifth Avenue will pass the famous shops like Tiffany’s and Gucci to Trump Tower.
Central Park walking tours can be arranged as a separate tour and may include the Carousel, the musical Delacorte Clock, Poets walk, the model yacht pond, Bethesda Fountain famous from numerous movies and television shows with views to midtown, Belvedere Castle, Strawberry Fields and the Imagine Mosaic near the gothic Dakota Apartments.
A visit to the Central Park Zoo or a ride on the famous Central Park Horse Carriages can be added at an additional cost.
Lower Manhattan offers a variety of historic and cultural sights with a focus on finance, American and New York City history and architecture. Tours offer a perspective of the old and the new and can include the Wall Street financial district, the Woolworth Building, Federal Hall, St. Paul’s Chapel, Trinity Church, the South Street Seaport and the 911 Memorial Our guide can describe the early maritime history of New York and its connection to the finance center. Depending on time, Battery Park and a view of the Statue of Liberty can also be included. Additional features may be added like Liberty and Ellis Island, 911 Museum, Staten Island Ferry as well as group meals in Chinatown or Little Italy.
42nd Street Architecture tour
The 42nd Street tour offers a broad cross section of American Architectural forms. From the Eastside, begin with the modernist UN and Ford Foundation Buildings. At Grand Central the group will stop and enjoy the Beaux Arts building and venture inside to see the fully restored terminal with its marble work and constellation ceiling. The street offers several of the best examples of Art Deco Architecture with the Chrylser Building, Chanin Building and McGraw Hill Building. An inside visit to view the murals in the Chrysler Building is subject to time and available access. Continuing west the tour concludes in Times Square where the post modern buildings of the New Times Square can be seen in the context of the varied theatres along the street (New Victory and New Amsterdam). Optional tours inside the New Amsterdam Theatre and Radio City Music Hall are available; advance reservations are required.
New Amsterdam Theatre tour includes a chance to walk on a Broadway stage, up close views of the Lion King masks and inside stories about this former home of the Ziegfield Follies.
An ethnic neighborhood tour also starting at City Hall, will take the group through the narrow and winding streets of Chinatown with its exciting sounds and smells past small shops full of unusual imported esoterica. The tour continues into Little Italy showing a small slice of the ethnic diversity in New York City. A multi-course Chinatown meal can be arranged or casual or fine dining options in Little Italy.
A Lower East Side tour describes the family life of Eastern European immigrants using the historical and architectural attractions in the neighborhood. Much of the area has been unchanged for decades offering an unusual opportunity for a glimpse into the past with the excitement of lively neighborhood. This small slice of early 20th Century New York is rapidly changing but our guides will bring to life the New York immigrant experience that are deeply rooted in New Yorkers.
The SoHo tour includes gallery visits, architectural highlights and an historical and cultural overview of this artistic New York neighborhood. The concentration of art galleries and artists’ lofts makes this an ideal location for an intimate walking tour. A wide range of retail shops offering antiques, fashion and eclectic items adds to the range of activities available.
A cultural icon of the arts for generations, a Greenwich Village walking tour offers visitors a unique opportunity to see New York City on an intimate scale. Small cozy winding streets and low rise buildings are a wonderful contrast to the rest of Manhattan and explain why the neighborhood is regarded as “the village”.
Historical references to the arts, music and literature come alive as our guide leads the walk through this quaint architecturally rich neighborhood filled with coffee houses and small shops. The vibrant and interesting population round out this unique New York area.
Chelsea and the High Line Tour including a walk along this spectacular elevated park along the Hudson River that meanders through and around the old low rise building and startling modern architecture that has altered this once quiet residential neighborhood. Numerous art galleries, museums and cutting edge fashion boutiques can be added to the program.
Our fully narrated Harlem coach tour shows the rich history and culture of this neighborhood. Visit the Apollo Theatre and other sights along the busy 125th Street center of commerce. The restored brownstone buildings on Strivers Row and the many large churches that anchor the community round out the tour. Other sights include Sugar Hill, the Morris Jumel Mansion and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. A visit to the Apollo Theatre can be added at additional cost which includes a chance to stand on the historic stage.
Other special interest tours are available including art, architecture, and shopping tours. Day and overnight trips can also be arranged and we would be happy to customize or create a tour based on your requests. We have been providing this service to groups for many years so you can be confident that with our experience your group will have a well planned and memorable tour.
Special group meals can be arranged for all budgets, before or after a tour as well as tickets for theatre or admissions to all New York City sights and attractions.