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.

TEP deserves more than 5 stars for the amazing start to finish service we experienced on our 7 day…read moreadventure to Peru to hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. From the time we signed up, to the time we boarded the plane to return home, TEP took care of every detail. We commented amongst ourselves that we felt like kids on vacation with our parents, as we didn't have to worry about any of the details - just show up and follow Neptali (our guide). From airport pickup in Cusco in luxury Mercedes vans where we were promptly served Coca tea to help with the altitude acclimation, to group dinners at amazing Peruvian restaurants, to historical tours and education on the history of the Inca - everything was covered and taken care of for us. And that was all before the amazing trek along the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu! Of course the trek itself was the highlight of the trip, and although it was extremely challenging for us, TEP's unbelievable attention to detail did not fail us on the trail. With nearly a 2:1 porter to trekker ration, our every need was met on the trail. We dined like kings every meal, and were consistently amazed with the quality (and nutritional appropriateness) of the food our chef and sous chef were able to put out with minimal kitchen conveniences. The thing I felt was most special about TEP's approach to this trip was the focus on gaining a cultural and historical appreciation for what we were experiencing. Every step along the way, we learned about the native people of Peru, the Inca civilization, the many ruins we came across, the vegetation we saw and how it was and is used, and the history of modern Peru. It was the trip of a lifetime, and have the help of The Explorer's Passage made it so much more enjoyable, and so much more memorable. The value of what they provide is amazing for the cost....rather, for the investment. I highly recommend them!

What a fabulous tour! I did the "Washington in NYC" tour in June 2017 and it was such a wonderful…read moreexperience! So much fascinating historical information that I can't wait to share with all my friends now; such a great group of fellow explorers; and all so perfectly run - well planned, perfectly on time, with a great variety of sights and insights for all types of travelers. I recommend this tour highly - and will be on the lookout for future adventures from The Explorer's Passage! :)

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.

Three generations of family took this delightful tour--from 11 years to 75 years. The kids love…read moreBroadway (looking at you, Hamilton) and the grandparents love history--the parents love for both of the other pairs to be happy. The walking wasn't too difficult for either end of the age spectrum--in fact we did lots of sitting in the shade, too. Bruce is a priceless New Yorker and completely fascinated us with a thorough and profound knowledge of revolutionary Manhattan. I think he absolutely under-charges for his tours. Very highly recommended! Yes, I did post this review on other platforms. Who is going to write different reviews every time?

I love true-blue, real New Yorkers. They are some of the most wonderful people I have ever met in…read moreall of my years living there. Real New Yorkers are those who call the city their home, make her their home, and love her with all of their heart. Bruce is as New York in kindness of heart, deep thinking of mind, and generosity of spirit as they come. This is important to say because this tour is not only about Hamilton (and the monstrous success that is Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical) or Washington. This is a tour about New York and the influence these men had on molding her into who she has become. Almost analogous to Nora Ephron having NYC as a character in her films but just not corny (this coming from me who has watched You've Got Mail at least 25 times!). We took this tour in Sept 2017 and met in front of the US Customs House (today it's the home of the National Museum of the American Indian). This building is right opposite Bowling Green station. Bruce's website gives a nice overview of what you will see/discuss so I recommend reading the description so you have a general idea in your mind and then let the tour immerse you in history through his wonderful storytelling. I especially liked that Bruce walked us through a high-level chronological order of events. My personal favorite moments: -seeing a "3D" map of the city I would never have seen on my own -learning more about Eliza Schuyler Hamilton and her role in history and in Hamilton's life (the Smithsonian even published an article on her saying she is deserving of a musical of her own!) http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/why-elizabeth-hamilton-deserving-musical-her-own-180958214/ -Washington as a leader and his learnings from the Battle of Brooklyn/Battle of Long Island -Mother Nature's influence on helping the Patriots -the relationship between Hamilton and Burr. This tour is one of my favorites of all the ones I have taken in countless cities. Thank you Bruce for such a wonderful and knowledge-filled September 2017 day!

A Hudson Valley wine tour to celebrate a friend's landmark birthday was perfect! Hudson Valley…read moreBucket list did an outstanding job coordinating the day from transport and an itinerary of beautiful wineries to a magazine photo worthy picnic lunch orchestrated by an on-site host. Our group of 12 were treated like special guests everywhere we went and we were wowed by the friendly, welcoming reception at each stop and the delicious wines we were able to taste. HVBL made planning this event easy and the day memorable

We used Hudson Valley Bucket List for my bachelorette weekend and they were absolutely amazing…read more Caitlin was our guide for the day and she was incredible. We were taken to 3 different vineyards who all took great care of us. I've been on a ton of wine tours and this was by far the very best I've been on. The lunch was delicious and beautifully set up ahead of time before we got to the 2nd vineyard. It was a beautiful day. Thank you Hudson Valley Bucket List!

Joe made my trip! I had an excellent experience…read more My father was born and raised in the Bronx, but this is my first time in NYC. I am very interested in my father's upbringing, and wanted to see his neighborhood, as well as important personal landmarks. Several people- including other local tour guides, told me this neighborhood was too dangerous and I should do something else with my time. Joe met me at my hotel, and we took the subway together to the old neighborhood. Not only did Joe make me feel safe, he was friendly, knowledgeable, and prepared. He brought pictures of special landmarks, like my father's apartment building (which no longer exists) and my father's favorite candy shop, which has been a bodega for decades. He was also able to tell me a great deal about the history of the neighborhood. I strongly recommend Joe to anyone looking for a tour guide.

Joe is awesome! If you are thinking about a tour of Harlem or any tour that Joe offers, do it. We…read morebooked the Harlem tour at 10pm the night before. He met us at our hotel promptly the next afternoon, took us on the subway and chatted with us the whole time. Joe is very personable. We arrived in Harlem in 15 -20 mins later and began our tour the minute we exited the station. We were stopped a few times, because Joe is well-known in Harlem, being a native. Folks love him, and we understand why. He is a genuinely nice guy who loves his city and is proud of his and its culture. Joe's knowledge of the city and it's history made for an informative experience. If we had more time in NYC, we certainly would have booked him again for another tour in a different part of the city. Do yourself a favor and book a tour with Joe!

Everyone that gets to see this Letter C in the middle of nowhere always wonder what is it doing…read morethere, what does it represents, or was it some old school graffiti. Theirs actually a lot of history on this letter C. C Rock aka Columbia Rock is by Blue Building behind the rocks. One of my favorite actors took a role in the movie Basketball Diaries in 1995. Leonardo DiCaprio, Jumped of the Rocks all the way from the top!

This afternoon my husband and I decided to take a tour of what Harlem had to offer and therefore…read moredecided to take a tour with Taste Harlem Food and cultural tour. We started our tour at Sylvia's Restaurant and our first meal consisted of Chicken and waffles. Our tour guide educated us on the creation of the meal and how it became staple item in soul food restaurants. Overall our tour guide,Jacqueline, was amazing. She was very knowledgeable of the community and took us to multiple restaurants and eateries that offered many different types of cuisines. I highly recommend that if you ever visit NYC or even live in the city... that you sign up for this tour. I will recommend it to my friends and family.

Jackie is such a gracious tour guide at Taste of Harlem. You get fed history and great food…read more Oxtails, Chicken & Waffles Short ribs Candies yams Red beans Yellow rice Mac & cheese Corn bread Collard Greens Flan Black eyes Peas And more..... Book your tour now. It's so worth it!!!

Had the pleasure of a FANTASTIC tour of lower Manhattan with Renee. She was extremely knowledgeable…read moreabout the Financial District and NYC and could not have been any more helpful. I recommend Free Tours by Foot and especially tours with Renee. Thank you so much Renee!

I am so glad I found this tour company! We did the Brooklyn bridge/DUMBO walking tour with Onel -…read morehe was phenomenal! This tour was one of the highlights of our trip to NYC. I can't wait for my next trip to take another walking tour with this tour company. Onel is knowledgeable, personable, engaging, humorous, thoughtful and kept us on time! He knew exactly where to stop for photo ops and gave us plenty of time for them - I appreciated the scheduled bathroom break at clean bathrooms and the stop for drinks/snacks at the most perfect grocery store that I wish was in my neighborhood. The tour ended at lunchtime in the perfect location with several food options as well as close to both the ferry and trains for the return commute to Manhattan. I highly recommend this walking tour with Onel as your guide - you won't regret it!