Where the concierge points people first
- Big Onion Walking Tours — Neighborhood history walks led by guides with a history background, strong on the Lower East Side and immigrant New York. For people who want to know why a street looks the way it does. (40.6628, -73.9803)
- Free Tours by Foot — Pay-what-you-like walking tours across many neighborhoods. The guide's income is the tip, so the incentive to be good is built in; budget for paying something fair at the end. (40.7188, -73.9859)
- On Location Tours — Film and TV location tours by bus and on foot, covering the city as it appears on screen. The right choice for a fan, and a fairly pointless one for anybody else. (40.7755, -73.9483)
- Harlem Spirituals Inc — Harlem tours with a long focus on gospel music and Sunday services. Dress for church if a service is included, and remember you are a guest at worship, not at a show. (40.7582, -73.9889)
The rest of the tour operators in New York — every one we hold
- All Boro Tours (40.7575, -73.9152)
- Arts & Crafts Tours (40.7881, -73.9807)
- Brooklyn Giro Bike Tours (40.7041, -73.9817)
- Central Park Attractions (40.7671, -73.9813)
- Central Park Experience Sightseeing (40.7670, -73.9787)
- Central Park Sightseeing (40.7632, -73.9769)
- City Tales Sightseeing and Private Tours (40.7038, -74.0117)
- Cruise Planners (40.7746, -73.9066)
- Custom & Private New York Tours (40.7930, -73.9638)
- Family in New York Sightseeing Tours (40.7446, -73.9876)
- Go Ny Tours (40.7532, -73.9808)
- Harlem Local (40.8014, -73.9483)
- Hodler Capital Group (40.7065, -74.0091)
- InterExchange (40.7050, -74.0072)
- Liberty Carriage Tours (40.7667, -73.9797)
- My NY Tours (40.7458, -73.9865)
- Navigare Yacht Charter LLC (40.7573, -73.9047)
- New York City Photo Safari (40.7443, -73.9988)
- New York Fun Tours (40.7313, -74.0024)
- New York Helicopter Charter Tours (40.7016, -74.0092)
- New York New York Tours (40.7709, -73.9808)
- New york Statue of liberty tour (40.7034, -74.0136)
- New York Walking Tours (40.7262, -74.0020)
- NY Iconic Tours (40.7560, -73.9872)
- NYC GoGreen Tours (40.8107, -73.9451)
- NYC Park Tours (40.7649, -73.9771)
- OnCruises.com (40.7357, -73.9896)
- PhotoTrek Tours (40.7577, -73.9920)
- Revolutionary Tours NYC (40.7774, -73.9868)
- SmallBusToursNYC (40.7522, -73.9839)
- Tasteful Croatian Journeys (40.7566, -73.9465)
- Tommy's New York (40.7088, -74.0111)
- Uncle Sam's New York (40.7078, -74.0076)
- US Travel Shop (40.7607, -73.9874)
- USA Guided Tours (40.7615, -73.9832)
- Virikson Cruises (40.7453, -73.9844)
- Woodbury Bus (40.7571, -73.9825)
Anyone can call themselves a guide here
New York stopped requiring sightseeing guides to hold a city license in 2019, so there is no official badge to look for. That makes the operator's own reputation the only filter: look at who the guides are, how big the groups get and whether the tour covers what you care about. Walking tours vary enormously in size, from a handful of people to a crowd behind a raised umbrella, so ask ahead for the typical group size if it matters to you.
Questions people ask
What are the best tour operators in New York?
Big Onion Walking Tours for history, Free Tours by Foot for pay-what-you-like walks, On Location Tours for film fans and Harlem Spirituals Inc for gospel.
Do New York tour guides need a license?
No. The city dropped its sightseeing guide license in 2019, so it is worth checking an operator's guides and reviews yourself.
How many tour operators are there in New York?
Num's directory maps 43 sightseeing tour operators in New York.
Ask Num which tour in New York fits your group
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