Walks with a local guide
The best New York City tours
Walks through SoHo and Chinatown, Gilded Age mansions, gangster history and the High Line. Here is how to pick one, what is free and what is worth paying for.
See our 8 picks
The best New York City tour for a first visit is a two-hour walk through SoHo, Little Italy and Chinatown. For history, add a Gilded Age walk on Fifth Avenue. For the evening, pick the gangsters-and-ghosts tour.
Most walks take 2 hours and cost from €25 to €36. All eight picks have free cancellation. GetYourGuide shows prices in your own currency.
Our 8 picks for New York City tours
Six guided walks, one long walk past 30 sights and one ticket for the Vessel. We list the rating and number of reviews for each, so you can judge the guide.
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from €25 per person Our top pick 2 hours 4.8 (822) reviews on GetYourGuide
SoHo, Little Italy and Chinatown walk
A 2-hour walk with a local guide through three neighborhoods. You see City Hall and look up at the Brooklyn Bridge. Food is not included, and the group is up to 15 people.
Best for A first walk in New York
Check availability: SoHo, Little Italy and Chinatown walk on GetYourGuide -
from €25 per person 2 hours 4.6 (591) reviews on GetYourGuide
SoHo, Little Italy and Chinatown, private option
The same three neighborhoods with another company, starting at Spring Street Park. The guide tells the story of the immigrants who lived here. You can book it as a private tour.
Best for Families or friends who want a private guide
Check availability: SoHo, Little Italy and Chinatown, private option on GetYourGuide -
from €36 per person 2 hours 4.8 (561) reviews on GetYourGuide
Gilded Age mansions tour
A 2-hour walk that goes inside 972 Fifth Avenue and the main halls of the Cooper Hewitt and the Met. Tickets to explore those museums further cost extra.
Best for History lovers
Check availability: Gilded Age mansions tour on GetYourGuide -
from €30 per person 2 hours 4.7 (350) reviews on GetYourGuide
Fifth Avenue Gilded Age walk
A 2-hour walk on Millionaire's Row with a local New Yorker. You go inside one Gilded Age mansion. Headsets help you hear the guide on busy streets.
Best for Shoppers who want the story behind Fifth Avenue
Check availability: Fifth Avenue Gilded Age walk on GetYourGuide -
from €26 per person 2 hours 4.7 (694) reviews on GetYourGuide
Gangsters and ghosts walk
A 2-hour walk with a historian through Little Italy, Five Points and Chinatown. You hear about the Mafia families and the ghost stories of old New York. It starts at 24 Mulberry St.
Best for An evening walk, and teens
Check availability: Gangsters and ghosts walk on GetYourGuide -
from €31 per person 2 hours 4.6 (289) reviews on GetYourGuide
Superheroes of NYC walk
A 2-hour walk to places from comic books and superhero films. It starts at the United Nations. The group is up to 25 people.
Best for Families with kids
Check availability: Superheroes of NYC walk on GetYourGuide -
from €52 per person 5 hours 4.4 (290) reviews on GetYourGuide
30+ sights in 5 hours
A long walk from Wall Street through Five Points, Chinatown and Little Italy, with many photo stops. The group is up to 10 people. Bring good shoes.
Best for Seeing a lot in one day
Check availability: 30+ sights in 5 hours on GetYourGuide -
from €14 per person Timed entry 4.3 (415) reviews on GetYourGuide
The Vessel ticket
A timed ticket for the Vessel, the climbing sculpture at Hudson Yards. A lift takes you to other floors if you need it. Booking fees and sales tax are included.
Best for A short stop at Hudson Yards
Check availability: The Vessel ticket on GetYourGuide
New York City tours compared
| Tour | From | Duration | Who it suits | Why we picked it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SoHo, Little Italy and Chinatown walk | €25 per person | 2 hours | A first walk in New York | The best-rated neighborhood walk here: 4.8 from 822 reviews. |
| SoHo, Little Italy and Chinatown, private option | €25 per person | 2 hours | Families or friends who want a private guide | The same area with a private option: 4.6 from 591 reviews. |
| Gilded Age mansions tour | €36 per person | 2 hours | History lovers | You step inside the mansions, not only past them: 4.8 from 561 reviews. |
| Fifth Avenue Gilded Age walk | €30 per person | 2 hours | Shoppers who want the story behind Fifth Avenue | Headsets for every guest, and 4.7 from 350 reviews. |
| Gangsters and ghosts walk | €26 per person | 2 hours | An evening walk, and teens | Real crime history told by a historian: 4.7 from 694 reviews. |
| Superheroes of NYC walk | €31 per person | 2 hours | Families with kids | The one walk built for kids and comic fans: 4.6 from 289 reviews. |
| 30+ sights in 5 hours | €52 per person | 5 hours | Seeing a lot in one day | The most sights in one walk, in a small group: 4.4 from 290 reviews. |
| The Vessel ticket | €14 per person | Timed entry | A short stop at Hudson Yards | The cheapest pick, close to the end of the High Line: 4.3 from 415 reviews. |
SoHo, Little Italy and Chinatown walk
€25 per person2 hours 4.8 (822)
Details
- Who it suits
- A first walk in New York
- Why we picked it
- The best-rated neighborhood walk here: 4.8 from 822 reviews.
SoHo, Little Italy and Chinatown, private option
€25 per person2 hours 4.6 (591)
Details
- Who it suits
- Families or friends who want a private guide
- Why we picked it
- The same area with a private option: 4.6 from 591 reviews.
€36 per person2 hours 4.8 (561)
Details
- Who it suits
- History lovers
- Why we picked it
- You step inside the mansions, not only past them: 4.8 from 561 reviews.
€30 per person2 hours 4.7 (350)
Details
- Who it suits
- Shoppers who want the story behind Fifth Avenue
- Why we picked it
- Headsets for every guest, and 4.7 from 350 reviews.
€26 per person2 hours 4.7 (694)
Details
- Who it suits
- An evening walk, and teens
- Why we picked it
- Real crime history told by a historian: 4.7 from 694 reviews.
€31 per person2 hours 4.6 (289)
Details
- Who it suits
- Families with kids
- Why we picked it
- The one walk built for kids and comic fans: 4.6 from 289 reviews.
€52 per person5 hours 4.4 (290)
Details
- Who it suits
- Seeing a lot in one day
- Why we picked it
- The most sights in one walk, in a small group: 4.4 from 290 reviews.
€14 per personTimed entry 4.3 (415)
Details
- Who it suits
- A short stop at Hudson Yards
- Why we picked it
- The cheapest pick, close to the end of the High Line: 4.3 from 415 reviews.
- Group size is stated for 3 tours only: SoHo, Little Italy and Chinatown walk, up to 15; Superheroes of NYC walk, up to 25; 30+ sights in 5 hours, up to 10.
- None of the 8 includes hotel pickup: you meet on site.
- All 8 offer free cancellation.
- Group options: SoHo, Little Italy and Chinatown, private option; Gilded Age mansions tour, small-group option available; Gangsters and ghosts walk, private option.
- Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 24 October 2026. Prices are "from" prices in euros and can change; the booking page shows the live price.
Which New York City tour fits you: the quick picks
Pick your tour by theme. Each row below shows what the tour covers and who it suits. All eight are on GetYourGuide with free cancellation.
| Theme | Tour | What it covers | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neighborhood walk | SoHo, Little Italy and Chinatown walk | 3 neighborhoods, City Hall, a view of the Brooklyn Bridge | A first walk |
| Neighborhood walk | Same area, private option | Immigrant history in the same 3 areas | Private groups |
| History | Gilded Age mansions | Inside 972 Fifth Ave and two museum halls | History lovers |
| History | Fifth Avenue Gilded Age walk | Millionaire's Row and one mansion inside | Shoppers |
| Night | Gangsters and ghosts | Mafia sites and ghost stories downtown | Evenings, teens |
| Theme | Superheroes of NYC | Comic book and film places | Families with kids |
| See a lot | 30+ sights in 5 hours | Wall Street to Little Italy | One busy day |
| Landmark ticket | The Vessel | Timed entry at Hudson Yards | A short stop |
More tours by area and theme
- Brooklyn Bridge, DUMBO and Brooklyn tours
- Central Park tours, bike rentals and pedicab rides
- New York food tours: pizza, Chinatown, Greenwich Village
- Grand Central Terminal tours
- Harlem gospel tours and Sunday church services
- Hop-on hop-off and bus tours in New York
- Times Square: what to do and what to book
- What to eat in New York: the classic foods and where to try them
- How to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge
- Coney Island: a day at the beach and boardwalk
- Shopping in New York: Fifth Avenue, SoHo and the outlets
SoHo, Little Italy and Chinatown on foot
A walk through SoHo, Little Italy and Chinatown is the best first tour in New York City. The three areas sit side by side in Lower Manhattan. Two of our picks cover all three in 2 hours.
The first starts at Warren St and Broadway and takes up to 15 people. The listing says you can taste dumplings in Chinatown and cannoli in Little Italy, but food is not included. The second starts at Spring Street Park and has a private option.
Want to look around on your own first? Our neighborhood guide covers Little Italy and the streets around it.
Want to walk it on your own? Read our guide to Little Italy NYC and the other neighborhoods.
The High Line and the Vessel
The High Line is free. It is a park on an old raised rail line on the West Side of Manhattan. The park says it runs 1.45 miles, from Gansevoort Street to 34th Street.
It opens at 7 AM every day. From April 1 to November 30 it closes at 10 PM. From December 1 to March 31 it closes at 8 PM.
Dogs are not allowed, except service dogs, and neither are bikes. There are elevators at Gansevoort, 14th, 23rd and 30th Street.
The Vessel stands near the north end, at Hudson Yards. It needs a timed ticket, from €14. For a view from higher up, the SUMMIT One Vanderbilt sky deck is in Midtown, by Grand Central.
History and theme tours: Gilded Age, gangsters and ghosts, superheroes
The best history tour is the Gilded Age mansions walk, because you go inside. You enter 972 Fifth Avenue and the main halls of the Cooper Hewitt and the Met. It costs from €36.
The Fifth Avenue Gilded Age walk is cheaper, from €30. You go inside one mansion and see the oldest building on Millionaire's Row. Headsets are included.
The gangsters and ghosts walk covers Five Points and the Mafia families. The superheroes walk visits places from comic books and films. Both take 2 hours.
Night, private and pedicab tours
For a night out, the gangsters and ghosts walk is our pick. It has a private group option. The listing says it is not suitable for people with mobility problems.
For a private walk, book the SoHo, Little Italy and Chinatown tour with the private option. The Gilded Age mansions tour also has a private or shared choice.
Pedicab tours run in Central Park. Our Central Park guide in the list above compares them.
How pedicab prices work
The city does not set pedicab fares. Its consumer guide says the price must be posted per minute. It also says there is no extra charge per person for up to 3 riders, and no tip is required.
Free tours and tipping in New York
Yes, you can take a free tour in New York. Big Apple Greeter is a non-profit that pairs you with a volunteer New Yorker for 2 to 4 hours. The High Line also runs free tours led by guides on some days.
Free foot tours: what to expect
A Big Apple Greeter visit is for up to 6 people, children included. The Greeters may not take tips. You must confirm your visit again once you arrive in the city.
Paid tours are different. On most of our picks, tips are not included, so bring some cash for the guide.
How to choose: length, group size and who it suits
Most walks take 2 hours. The 30+ sights walk takes 5 hours. Choose by how long you can walk and how many people you want around you.
Group size is stated on only some tours. The SoHo walk is up to 15 people, the superheroes walk up to 25 and the 30+ sights walk up to 10. Where a listing gives no number, our table says "Not stated".
To judge the guide, look at the rating and the number of reviews on each card. Every one of our picks is rated 4.3 or higher.
Still choosing a base? Our guide on where to stay in New York City compares the areas. For trains between the tours, see getting around New York City.
Neighborhood basics: SoHo and the five boroughs
SoHo is known for its cast-iron buildings and its shops. One tour listing calls it the historic Cast Iron district. Little Italy and Chinatown are right next to it.
New York City has five boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island. All eight of our picks are in Manhattan: the neighborhood walks stay downtown, and the Gilded Age walks are on Fifth Avenue.
Booking tips for New York City tours
Check the meeting point
Each walk starts at a different corner. Read the address on your ticket and give yourself time to find it.
Bring cash for tips
Most listings say tips are not included. A free Big Apple Greeter visit is the exception: Greeters may not take tips.
Read what it covers
A listing that mentions dumplings or cannoli may not include the food. Check the "includes" list before you book.
Wear good shoes
Every walk here is on foot. Two listings say they do not suit people with mobility problems.
New York City tours: questions and answers
Is the High Line free?
Why is SoHo famous, and is it worth a visit?
Are there free walking tours in New York City?
How long is a walking tour, and how big are the groups?
More New York City tours, live
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Written by the Things to Do in NYC editorial team.