New York · TOURS

The 15 Best Guided Tours & Day Trips in New York

737 tours  ·  from $5 a head

Everything with a guide, a bus or a boat attached, in one list. The 15 below are the New York days worth booking ahead, priced and timed, with the rest of the catalog underneath.

Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Tour: All Options - The Ferry Crossing and Liberty Island
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Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Tour: All Options

1.Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Tour: All Options

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 13,571 reviews · 3 to 5 hours (approx.) · from $69Our pick

Start at Castle Clinton in Battery Park, then cross the harbor for a guided visit to Liberty Island. Choose a shorter Statue of Liberty outing or a longer trip that adds Ellis Island and its immigration museum. Guides have included Jack, Jay, Joseph, and Meri, though your guide will vary.

“Very helpful and had it Chris as our guide was a great experience for my family. Definitely I’ll recommend it.”

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New York in One Day Guided Sightseeing Tour - Rockefeller Center and Fifth Avenue: architecture from the curb
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New York in One Day Guided Sightseeing Tour

2.New York in One Day Guided Sightseeing Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 13,166 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $99

Cover Manhattan’s headline sights in six hours with a local guide, a climate-controlled bus, short walks, and the Staten Island Ferry. You’ll stop at Central Park, Rockefeller Center, Fifth Avenue, the 9/11 Memorial, and more. Lunch is on your own, and the ferry offers views of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island without a separate ticket.

“This tour was exceptionally good for first time in New York. It covered all the main places of interest and was very well organised. The guide was extremely knowledgable about everything and knew a lot of the history. I would recommend this tour.”

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Central Park Pedicab Guided Tours - Elm trees, Bethesda Terrace, and the park’s central showpiece
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Central Park Pedicab Guided Tours

3.Central Park Pedicab Guided Tours

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7,108 reviews · 1 to 3 hours (approx.) · from $38Best value

A private, English-language pedicab tour covers Central Park’s main sights at an easy pace, with options lasting about one to three hours. Your guide pedals while you stop for photos and stories at places such as Bethesda Terrace, Bow Bridge, Strawberry Fields, and the Alice in Wonderland statue. Guides including AJ, Sam, Peter, and Ricky have earned praise for their humor and personal attention.

“As first-time visitors to Central Park, this experience couldn’t have been better. Touring the park by pedicab was a fantastic way to see its beauty, and Ricky truly made the day special. He was incredibly friendly, full of fascinating facts, and clearly passionate about the park, which brought everything to life as we rode through. The tour was absolutely worth the money, and it’s an experience my daughter and I will cherish forever. Thank you, Ricky, for making our day so memorable!”

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New York City: Manhattan Helicopter Tour - Lower Manhattan, seen from above
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New York City: Manhattan Helicopter Tour

4.Manhattan Helicopter Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 7,076 reviews · 12 - 30 minutes · from $299

Take off from Downtown Manhattan Heliport with a professional pilot and prerecorded narration in a choice of languages, subject to availability. The route can include the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, Empire State Building and Central Park. Choose a 12 to 15, 18 to 20 or 30 minute flight. Window seats are not guaranteed.

“The views from the Helicopter was amazing.Our pilot was knowledgeable and professional. Definitely well worth it on are layover in New York.”

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Private Central Park Pedicab Tour - Strawberry Fields and the reservoir
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Private Central Park Pedicab Tour

5.Private Central Park Pedicab Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6,981 reviews · 1 to 3 hours (approx.) · from $38

Ride through Central Park in a private pedicab, with an English-speaking guide pointing out landmarks, movie locations, and park history. Stops can include Bethesda Terrace, Bow Bridge, Strawberry Fields, and Belvedere Castle. Choose a tour lasting about one to three hours; each pedicab seats up to three people, and blankets are provided in cold weather.

“Great experience and fast and easy way to see everything Central Park has to offer! MJ was an AMAZING guide and so knowledgeable!”

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9/11 Memorial & Ground Zero Tour with Optional 9/11 Museum Ticket - The Oculus and a view of Freedom Tower
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9/11 Memorial, Ground Zero Tour with Optional 9/11 Museum Ticket

6.9/11 Memorial, Ground Zero Tour with Optional 9/11 Museum Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6,381 reviews · 2 to 4 hours (approx.) · from $39

Meet a small group outside the Oculus for a walking tour of Ground Zero, St. Paul’s Chapel, the FDNY memorial and the 9/11 Memorial pools. Your guide shares personal stories alongside the history. Add a museum ticket for an independent visit or a one-hour guided tour. Guides vary, with past tours led by Sean, Paul, Amy and James.

“It’s cold out dress warm. Be prepared to do a lot of walking. Take lots of pictures and take it all in”

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New York: Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing Tour by Open-top Bus - Downtown: memorials, harbor views, and neighborhood streets
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New York: Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing Tour by Open-top Bus

7.Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing Tour by Open-top Bus

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 5,863 reviews · 3 hours · from $44

Ride Big Bus Tours’ open-top double-decker through Manhattan’s downtown and uptown districts, with digital commentary in six languages and app-based bus tracking. The loops pass landmarks including the Empire State Building, Battery Park, and Museum Mile. Choose half-day or 24-, 48-, or 72-hour access, then hop off to explore at your own pace.

“Best way to get to see New York’s main attractions and not have to worry about driving and parking.”

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NYC: Manhattan Sightseeing Helicopter Tour - Wide windows and pilot narration
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NYC: Manhattan Sightseeing Helicopter Tour

8.Manhattan Sightseeing Helicopter Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 5,826 reviews · from $299

Take a 15- to 30-minute helicopter flight over New York with an English-speaking pilot who points out landmarks such as Central Park, the Statue of Liberty, and the Brooklyn Bridge. Large convex windows offer broad views, and the group is limited to six. Departure points vary, so check your selected option and any helipad fees before booking.

“It's great. The pilot was really nice with good explanations on what we were seeing. However if you go at the top of Top of the Rock, the Edge etc, the helicopter tour is not mandatory as the view is not that different. But all the organisation with the team was perfect.”

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All-Access 9/11: Ground Zero Tour, Memorial and Museum, One World Observatory - The museum: choose a guide or your own pace
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All-Access 9/11: Ground Zero Tour, Memorial and Museum, One World Observatory

9.All-Access 9/11: Ground Zero Tour, Memorial and Museum, One World Observatory

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4,886 reviews · 2 to 5 hours (approx.) · from $109

Walk Ground Zero with a local guide, pausing at the Oculus, FDNY Memorial Wall, Survivor Tree, and 9/11 Memorial pools. Then visit the museum, either on your own or with a VIP guide, and head up One World Observatory for city views. Guides such as Rob, a former media photographer present on 9/11, can add a personal perspective.

“Very good. Our tour guide was very friendly and extremely informative. The museum had so many artifacts and memories displayed along with actual footage of 9/11. The World Observatory was pretty awesome and had a great view of the city and Hudson River. This visit made for some great memories. I definitely recommend all three.”

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Big Bus NYC: Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Tour by Open-top Bus - Downtown: from Times Square to the World Trade Center
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Big Bus NYC: Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Tour by Open-top Bus

10.Big Bus NYC: Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Tour by Open-top Bus

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 4,762 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $44

Ride Big Bus’s open-top double-decker through Downtown Manhattan, or add Uptown, Brooklyn and self-guided walks with a longer pass. Recorded commentary covers the sights, while the app tracks buses. You can board at listed stops and hop off to explore, but plan for roughly hourly service and check routes before setting out.

“If they use your website or app, they will have to call you before they can access the tickets. I stood in the cold, waiting to call your people.”

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NYC Bus Tour of Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens: Art, Food & Sports - Harlem: the Apollo and its legacy
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NYC Bus Tour of Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens: Art, Food & Sports

11.NYC Bus Tour of Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens: Art, Food & Sports

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3,805 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $84

Ride from Midtown through Harlem, the Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn with a local guide, stopping at the Apollo Theater, Flushing Meadows, Bushwick murals and Brooklyn Bridge Park. You’ll pass Yankee Stadium and Queens waterfront homes, hear about Harlem’s Black history and Williamsburg’s Hasidic community, then finish near Chinatown and Little Italy. Guides vary, with names including Chris Lee, Solange and Jim.

“Salonge and Long were great. The tour was informative, fun and exciting! You'll have fun and see great sights!!”

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SoHo, Little Italy, and Chinatown Walking Tour in New York - SoHo: Cast-Iron Details and Cobblestone Streets
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SoHo, Little Italy, and Chinatown Walking Tour in New York

12.SoHo, Little Italy, and Chinatown Walking Tour in New York

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3,153 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $39

Explore SoHo, Little Italy, and Chinatown on foot with an English-speaking local guide. Expect cast-iron architecture, stories of immigration and organized crime, and a close look at Chinatown’s streets. The tour covers about 2 to 3 miles, costs $39 per person, and ends at Columbus Park.

“There is plenty of walking and looking on this experience. Our guide did give lots of information at stopping points but due to the area and route a lot of time was spent moving with no information. Mainly looking at building and talking about food. Not as much history of area.”

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From New York City: Washington and Philadelphia 1-Day Tour - Washington’s monuments, from Iwo Jima to Lincoln
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From New York City: Washington and Philadelphia 1-Day Tour

13.Washington and Philadelphia 1-Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,877 reviews · from $104

Leave Times Square at 5:00 AM for a guided coach trip to Washington, DC, and Philadelphia. Expect stops at the Lincoln Memorial, Iwo Jima Memorial, Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, and the Rocky Steps, with photo stops outside the White House and Capitol. Guides speak English and Spanish; Jay, Carlos, and Diego have led recent trips.

“I really loved the trip, Jay was perfect and very attentive, pleasant and super friendly. And also very empathetic to the delays that may occur, at the stops for bathroom and snack. I highly recommend this tour, it’s really worth it!!! If you have others, I’ll definitely come back :)”

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NYC Highlights Tour: Bronx, Brooklyn, Harlem, Queens & Coney - The Bronx: Yankee Stadium and a tribute to Big Pun
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NYC Highlights Tour: Bronx, Brooklyn, Harlem, Queens & Coney

14.NYC Highlights Tour: Bronx, Brooklyn, Harlem, Queens & Coney

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,846 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $46

Spend about seven hours crossing New York’s outer boroughs by shared coach, from Harlem’s Apollo Theater to a Bronx mural, Flushing Meadows, DUMBO and, if you choose, Coney Island. Guides such as Jorge bring local history and humor to the ride. Expect brief stops, photo time and a broad city overview, not a deep visit to each neighborhood.

“Fantastic tour!! Definitely recommend!! If I’m ever back in NYC with a different group of friends, I’ll recommend we go and I would join again. Jorge was a fantastic tour guide!! I couldn’t imagine having a job like this where you have to share the same information every day – but he doesn’t let it show. He treated our tour with enthusiasm, humor, and care. And he knows his stuff - we learned so much on the tour, with fun jokes along the way! You make five stops along the way (we opted out of Coney Island since it was winter time). Jorge make sure you know where you will…”

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New York City: Full-Day Washington DC City Highlights Tour - Arlington: a solemn start to the capital visit
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New York City: Full-Day Washington DC City Highlights Tour

15.Full-Day Washington DC City Highlights Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,791 reviews · 14 hours · from $149

Travel from Manhattan to Washington, D.C. by air-conditioned bus or van with a live guide. See Arlington National Cemetery and JFK’s gravesite, the White House and Capitol Hill, the Lincoln, Korean War and Vietnam memorials, and the Air and Space Museum. It’s a fast-paced way to meet the capital’s main sights in one long day.

“Yukiko is very friendly and thoughtful. she is super knowledgeable around the area. 10/10 love the tour! Definitely will do trip with her again!”

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New in Tours

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★ 5.01 Hour Private Guided TourFrom $506 reviews
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★ 5.0The Hamptons SeaBob and Water Toy Excursion3 reviews
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★ 5.0Private Luxury Wine Tours of Long Island Pindar WineryFrom $1805 reviews
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