Excellent! Our tour guide was wonderful, has a passion for the topic and is very knowledgeable…read moreabout the history of the neighborhood. Clearly has done her research, brings out visual aides to contribute to the tour, and is known and liked by the community - as evidenced by everyone greeting her on the street. Especially appreciated the history and important buildings of Harlem Renaissance.

I cannot recommend this tour highly enough, both for tourists and residents of New York. I've lived…read morein Brooklyn for almost 10 years and have always been fascinated by the Hasidic Jewish community. Frieda grew up in this environment, and so can speak from personal experience about traditions as well as their day to day life. Whilst you can of course walk around South Williamsburg without a guide, you will be extremely limited in what you can learn or see, without someone to provide expertise and show you the best bakeries! I still have so much to learn and would definitely consider doing this tour again. I'd also be interested to learn about the other Hasidic communities in Borough Park and Crown Heights. I was definitely mindful to be respectful of people around me and so didn't want to take unsolicited photos or stare, however it was definitely our tour group that was the novelty, and people in the community were generally happy to see and interact with us. We also took the tour over a Jewish Holiday, so everyone was dressed in their best clothes and Shtreimels. There were also makeshift Sukkahs everywhere. It was great to see, but definitely worth revisiting when it's not a holiday to get a different perspective. I'll be recommending a tour with Frieda to all of my future guests who want to learn more about Hasidic Brooklyn.

Wow this tour was FASCINATING! Frieda had everything organized and planned so well. She gave us…read morethese bluetooth ear pieces for the tour so that she could be speaking at a normal voice while walking the 10-15 people tour group down the sidewalk and not be shouting. She was very knowledgeable of the history, customs and current state of the Hasidic community in Brooklyn. Tour was about 2.5-3 hours in total. She frequently brought us to parks/benches to get off our feet which was thoughtful. Very encouraging of questions. If you're at all interested in learning first hand about the day to day life of the Hasidic community this has to be the best way to do it. The baked goods she got for us along the way were good as well, but I would eat lunch beforehand because its not super filling.

Our family had such a special experience on this tour. Traveling as a group of four--grandmother,…read moremother, two daughters, and a granddaughter--we immediately connected with our guide, who made us feel as though we were part of her family. That shared perspective made the entire day feel more personal and thoughtful. She had a natural way of bringing the history of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island to life, weaving in meaningful stories while keeping everyone engaged--from the youngest to the oldest in our group. You could tell she genuinely understood how to connect with families, making sure everyone felt included and comfortable throughout the tour. What stood out most was her warmth and patience. She checked in often, made sure we stayed together, and answered every question with care and enthusiasm. It didn't feel like a scripted tour--it felt like being shown around by someone who truly cared about our experience. This was more than just a tour for us--it was a memorable family moment. We're so grateful we had her as our guide and would highly recommend her to any family visiting.

A group of us went on the 3 hour high line tour which also highlighted Little Island, the Chelsea…read moreneighborhood, and the Vessel. The sights were fabulous but made even more so because of our guide, Debbie M. She was informative and friendly and a true New Yorker! She and the tour are each highly recommended.

CharacTours did an amazing job bring Ellis Island to life! Through five characters, actor Lee Cohen…read moreand educator Jon Goldstein taught a group of 30 American and Israeli high-school students. The two made the tour interactive and experiential, helping students to imagine what it may have been like to immigrate to America. Even more, the dynamic duo kept the attention of these teens by bringing historical figures to life. Students enjoyed asking each character questions and learning through role-play. This was education at its finest! Both Lee's characters and Jon's lessons were memorable and entertaining, so much so that I can still speak about what I learned. Thank you so much, CharacTours, for bringing such an important piece of our narrative to life! -Rabbi Alli Cohen

Nothing quite like this exists! What a brilliant, funny and memorable exploration of history! The…read moretour guides interact with and build community among the participants- no two presentations will ever be the same. I not only gave my full attention for the whole time, and didn't mind walking and standing, but I feel inspired by the moral lessons that are resonant today-which is what education should do. Everything felt well researched, intentionally designed, and beautifully interpreted. I can imagine all ages, all expressions of Jewishly curious, and especially the socially aware, would appreciate CharacTours.

Alex was a wonderful tour guide and a great asset in assisting me in planning my employers week in…read moreNew York for him and his teenage girls. She curated a tour specifically around the wants and interests of the group. She was flexible and happily changed course when the need arose. We also used her consulting services to buildout the rest of the trip with amazing restaurant recommendations, site seeing, and fun activities. I definitely recommend Alex and her services if you're looking for a fun interactive tour or need some great local recommendations. Thank you, Alex!

If you are looking to explore new places, the latest in art, theatre , music and more.... Please…read moreconsider Women of Culture... Alexandra Harper, WOC founder, curates insightful, fun events around art, music, theatre and more. check out www.womenofculture.org

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!

I brought my high school class on the reproductive freedom walking tour with guide Cindy Cooper…read more The tour was excellent and we all learned so much. Cindy brought us to little know spots and connected the historical fight for reproductive freedom to the efforts being undertaken to preserve reproductive rights today. She also brought in an actor to engage the group with dramatic reading of letters, newspaper articles and journal entries, which my class loved. I would highly recommend this tour to those interested in the history of New York, the origins of the reproductive justice movement, or simply to anyone curious about lesser know figures who don't always make the headlines.

If you want to see buildings that were the sites of significant moments in the fight for birth…read morecontrol, the reproductive justice movement (and the movements to suppress them), you will see that on this tour. You will also be educated on the issues in the past, the issues in the present and the issues of the future (and how they all intersect and controversies that exist to this day) with the great insight of Cindy Cooper -- just the right of speaking in an interactive but succinct way. I highly recommend it.

One of the highlights of an amazing trip. Jeremy worked really hard to create a tour that was…read moreinteresting and personal. My best friend surprised me with this when I came for a visit a few weeks ago, and it was one of the best things I've ever done in my many trips to the city. Jeremy had a great foundation of knowledge about things in the city I would have otherwise missed (again). He was able to seamlessly talk about architecture, history, the Draft Riots, the Underground Railroad and street art with equal measures of knowledge and passion. Jeremy is a great host; he is clearly very kind, knowledgeable and able to answer questions on a wide range of topics (which is great because I have a wide range of interests when it comes to the city). I would highly recommend this to anyone (including locals!) who want a more unique experience in NYC.

Fantastic and amazing tour of lower manhattan. Jeremy is knowledgeable and very friendly.read more