Having only a limited number of days in New York to check items off our bucket list, we needed an…read moreexcellent guide with a plethora of knowledge and enough spare energy to keep us going. I fortunately found New York Historical Tours under the ownership and direction of Kevin Draper, CEO (Chief Experience Officer). My wife and I had used a private tour guide while in Scotland, and had a wonderful one on one experience ~ away from groups and tailored to fit our style of tourism. Kevin was incredibly knowledgable, affable, professional and customized our bucket list to 1) see the Statue of Liberty with pedestal access and the new museum, 2) get a brief but comprehensive history of Ellis Island without disembarking, 3) work our way to Katz's Delicatessen (we are big "When Harry Met Sally" fans) all the while getting a feel and history of the local neighborhoods, as well as learning how to use the Metro system to develop a nice level of familiarity and comfort in the East Side of Manhattan where we were staying. A standout feature on a tour with Kevin is his attention to detail in planning our time together. I call him the Master of Timing and Positioning. For example he suggested catching the first ferry to the Statue of LIberty. When we met him, he had already purchased our tickets. While on the ferry, he kept us comfortably shaded, then took us to key positions to get the best views of Lady Liberty while giving us an incredibly interesting history of the Statue. By the time we left the island, it was getting swamped with tourists and school groups. Superb timing indeed. On the way to the Metro, he pointed out the very interesting history of Battery Park and surrounding buildings and branch of the Smithsonian museum. We wound our way through Little Italy, Chinatown, Nolita and Jewish neighborhoods on the way to Katz's. Amazingly the line was short, but a madhouse inside. Kevin knew how to maneuver to the right cutter, get a table and we had a delicious lunch. As we left, the line had grown to over a block long with over an hour wait. Again the Master's timing was impeccable. He gave us more fascinating history of different areas as we headed back to the Metropolitan Museum where we ended our incredible tour. Our 6 hour private tour went by so quickly, and we were comfortably exhausted. As a historian, Kevin is a walking talking wealth of knowledge about New York, and has tremendous pride in this amazing city. We can enthusiastically recommend him for those seeking the best in personal tours of the Big Apple. In fact, we look forward to using his services on a return trip to New York which can't come soon enough.

We went on their China Town & Little Italy tour of down town Manhattan. Dan was just terrific!…read more His enthusiasm was contagious that made our Birthday celebration weekend. We now want to go on all the tours that they offer.

Great tour of Chinatown and Little Italy. Ryen is super nice, and the food was fabulous too! I…read moreenjoyed exploring these two vibrant neighborhoods with a local and would definitely recommend NYC Tours to anyone trying to narrow down which food tour is right for them.

Thank you Tom! Your knowledge of the history of both Little Italy and Chinatown gave the tour a…read morepersonal touch. Sharing your own personal memories and showing pictures really gave us an idea of the people and businesses of both places, in the past and present. Overall, this is a great tour to do with family or friends.

David Turk has it all- charm, knowledge, follow through, intelligence, gratiousness, and love of…read moreNYC. The restaurants he took us to were all unique and special and the restaurant staffs had an obvious affection for Dave. Take the food tour in Greenwich Village or any of the other tours Dave leads and you will not be disappointed.

Jake is top tier! I went on the Hell's Kitchen tour with my 11 year old niece and her final summary…read moreis, I won't eat again today so cancel dinner! Lol. I can't put words to this tour that would do it any justice. I knew nothing about Hell's Kitchen going in, when I looked online it said it was a great place for food so I said why not.. but omg it's so much more. Considering I'm here for Broadway week to catch some shows this artistic, creative, theatrical tour was the best way to kick it off!!! You can tell Jake is a theater kid through and through it shows in every part of his tour and it makes it so much better. Just do it! You won't be disappointed. This feels like a tour with a show

Best Central Park Tour hands down!!!! Mac is very knowledgeable about New York and Central…read morePark!!!!! He is kind and accommodating!!!!

From the owner: Mactor is an educated, trustworthy, and licensed pedi-cab tour guide in Central Park. Born in…read moreHarlem, Mactor loves using his History degree to teach and his pedi-cab to learn during a New York's Central Park tour with you!

Beth Goffe of Select Tours NYC is an outstanding tour guide. We explored Central Park with Beth…read moreand her knowledge of the park and NYC as a whole is beyond impressive. She is so passionate about Central Park and this certainly shines through in her tours. She is able to point out details and provide insight that we never would have gleaned by touring Central Park independently. I am so glad we toured the park with Beth and cannot wait to book another tour soon!!

From the owner: I offer a diverse selection of fun, high-quality walking tours throughout Central Park and other…read moreareas of the city. My tours are appropriate for both small- and mid-sized groups (under 15 attendees) as well as larger groups.

Great value! Tour and food are excellent! Matt Wade has a lot of passion for food and history and…read morecombines them both in an exciting and adventurous tour.

From the owner: NYC is more than meets the eye, and the best of this city is what exists in the not so obvious…read moreplaces. Immerse yourself in the culture of a neighborhood and learn what values those residents hold dear. What do they eat? Where did these neighborhoods come from? My team and I are going to help you find out. Your guide will offer access to a delicious variety of cuisine options as well as local knowledge and access that extends beyond what can be found in a Google search. And more than anything, this tour will be driven by our customary passion and enthusiasm.

Walked by since the church is on 5th Ave, didn't go in but its a very pretty church outside.read more

I am so glad I was able to experience a mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral. I feel like it is a church…read moreunlike any other in America. When you walk in to it, it feels like you are in some European church built in the Middle Ages. it is absolutely stunning both from a religious and an architectural standpoint. The mass itself was wonderful. However, I do wish the priest spoke a little louder and with some more conviction/power in his voice. He was, unfortunately, the only downside to the whole time we were there. I hope the other priests at this church give better homilies that are more fitting for such an inspirational space. Even if you are not Catholic or religious in any way, I would highly recommend visiting St. Patrick's. You could easily spend hours going through and taking in all of the intricate carvings, the huge vaulted ceilings, the beautiful stained glass. There really isn't a single area of this church that feels like they cut corners or dropped the ball. It's just a fantastic thing from the foundation to the top of the steeple.

DO NOT BOOK THIS TOUR. We were never picked up! I confirmed…read morebefore I left home. Once in New York I called the number on the voucher at least 7 times it was answered by a service. Each time a different person saying they were sorry and will send an URGENT message to the Vendor (Checkered Cab Tour) I am out hundreds of dollars and never received an email or phone call. DO NOT BOOK THIS TOUR!!

From the owner: Step back in time and take a tour in a vintage NYC Taxi!…read more Offering some of the best private tours in New York. Manhattan Highlights Tour Brooklyn Pizza Tour NYC Brewery Tour NYC Night Tour NYC Food Tour Brooklyn Movie Locations Tour and more!!

Six of us took this tour and it was one of the highlights of the trip for everyone. Our guide was…read morefunny, warm, and knew an enormous amount about the city. The mix of real history and his own stories kept all of us entertained the whole way through, and I say that as someone who has lived here a long time and has heard a lot of New York trivia. He was great with people. He asked us questions, remembered the answers, and made a point of talking with everyone as we moved between stops. The weather was a question mark that morning and he had already sorted out how to handle it, so it never became our problem. Everything leading up to the day was organized and clearly communicated too. Worth every penny. We'd do it again.

My wife and granddaughter recently visited New York and booked several sightseeing tours through…read moreReal New York Tours. We wanted a knowledgeable, top-notch guide to help us experience the city, and they exceeded our expectations. From the planning process to the tours themselves, everything was handled professionally and efficiently. Our guide was outstanding--knowledgeable, personable, and passionate about New York. They customized the experience, shared fascinating insights, and made every stop enjoyable. Our experience with Real New York Tours was exceptional. They delivered first-class service in every way, and I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a memorable and well-organized New York City sightseeing experience.