I went on one of Steve Brill's foraging tours as part of a company outing and can't stop telling everyone I know they need to go on one too! He really involved and engaged our large group. His jokes, drawings, and knowledge really made the tour entertaining, informative, and memorable! Not only did he share which plants were edible but different ways you could cook with them when you brought them home. I'm already looking to book another tour so I can bring my family! read more

I booked a tour on a whim, my husband and I had such a great time exploring sunken meadow with Steve, that we booked another tour for the next weekend. Steve is so funny, and also incredibly knowledgeable. We learned so much about a variety of different locally growing plants and edible vegetables. We were lucky to find a small bunch of wood ear mushrooms after the rain. I will definitely be foraging with Steve again in the near future. read more

Steve Brill Tour - Tours Near Me - New Rochelle, New York

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Wonderful tour to get to know the edible plants inside our local parks. Steve and his daughter Violet are very knowledgeable and engaging. Bring bags, water, lunch (or plan to eat at grand army plaza during the 30m break), notebook or other method to take notes, cash to pay for the tour (although they do accept venmo), and optional knives and shovel. This tour is so worth it! read more

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We absolutely loved it! Highly recommend!! We were at the September 2025 prospect park walk, and Steve showed us all sorts of things to forage which we later looked for ourselves and easily identified with his wonderful tips. Will be back seasonally and in different parks! Rebecca & Bianca read more

Totally enjoyed the early spring tour of Forest Park with Steve. We found everything I hoped to see in the park, and he shared some great recipes and snacks he makes with his finds. Would do again! read more

Steve Brill Tour - Tours Near Me - New Rochelle, New York

Steve's tours are a great way to explore the natural aspect of NYC new culinary ideas. We learned so much. His decades of experience shine throughout as he shows how to safely enjoy wild fruits, vegetables, nuts, spices, mushrooms and medicinals, growing even in familiar urban areas. All the while he reinforced the learning by making us laugh; presenting his original art of our findings; how to use wild foods with cooking techniques and his personally crafted recipes; even tying plant names into jazz tunes rendered on his "brillophone." Kids and adults were all engaged. I was hooked from my first tour, and I signed up for others. Friends joined and we had a fun afternoon of it. I even bought the Wildman's cookbook. The tours were a fun way to explore NYC (and other) parks that I hadn't been to before. read more

Steve Brill Tour - Mustard growing on the beach! - Tours Near Me - New Rochelle, New York

My colleges club joined Steve's tour in Fort Tryon park and we had an INCREDIBLE time! He is extremely knowledgeable about local botany and gave us detailed descriptions for identifying edible plants and how to prepare them. Steve is also one of the funniest people I have ever met. I highly recommend his tours to everyone, even those not interested in foraging will find something to love about this experience. read more

Steve Brill Tour - Tours Near Me - New Rochelle, New York

I've attended two Wildman Steve tours now and plan to attend many more once the winter season is over. Through a combination of dad jokes, anecdotes, history, and science facts, Wildman Steve is a fantastic teacher when it comes to learning about local plants and their uses. Since attending his tours, I've been able to ID with confidence on my own walks and if I have any uncertainty, Wildman Steve is just an e-mail away and is always happy to confirm a sighting. In addition, his tours are incredibly accessible through suggested donation and he's not one to turn anyone away. He's also a great cook and has shared recipes and samples of the things he's made on group walks. If you have even a passing interest in understanding the natural world you live by, then I highly recommend catching a tour-- be sure to ask him about the time he was arrested for eating a dandelion! read more

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I finally got to meet wildman, Steve Brill. The most fantastic foraging 4 hour tour was through Forest Park. He was amazingly informative and must add very comical throughout our journey. He pointed out various weeds I was aware of being edible and taught me about those weeds' tastes changing throughout the seasons. There were tons of other weeds I had no idea were edible growing in my own backyard. He also shared his dishes with us and gave out the recipes. Before going on tour, I thought, if I am bored, I will just go on my merry way! The tour flew by so quickly, and I never once lost my enthusiasm to be educated. I would highly recommend anyone interested in learning about healthy edible wild greens, roots, mushrooms...available for our consumption to join wildman Steve for one of his tours. Terry (tour at Forest Park-8/28/24) read more

I loved the tour. I wouldn't have believed so many plants that are so accessible are so edible. Many of them are invasive, so eating them helps the local environment. This tour changed how I view nature. I value it more. I consider it more abundant and nurturing, less threatening. I want to protect it more, which i consider a good feeling. read more

Excellent covid activity - be sure to bring sanitizer and wipes as you'll be tasting weeds along whatever route you take! We did the Central Park tour in mid-November and there was still a BOUNTY of edible foods to forage, who knew! Bring a bunch of bags and a notebook, you'll learn so much! read more

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Disclaimer: My tour was in Hempstead Lake State Park Eagle Ave, Rockville Centre, NY What a unique fun experience we had! Son & I decided to take this 3 hour tour after many years of not getting around to it. So glad we finally made it. I've been wanting to find out more about the natural foods around us since I already have a long family history of basic foraging, fishing & eeling. Growing up we gathered food & cooked them. So as a kid I thought everyone did this. WRONG! The childhood embarrassment of stating what you had to eat over the weekend being met with the look of horror on the other kids faces made me keep our family traditions to myself. Now enter the new age of Organic, Farm to Table, Nose to Tail eating & the fact that I'm older & just don't give a dayum what anyone thinks about me or what I do anymore. I share my stories of Pokeweed picking, Wild Onions, & such but I want to know more. This is where the Wildman & his amazing 13yr old daughter Violet come in. This tour provided a fun, sometimes hilarious moments while getting a plethora of knowledge on the many plants around us that are edible. They provided information, recipes & taste tests of some of the plants in recipes they brought from home. The garlic mustard pesto being mines & my sons favorite. I will definitely be taking several more tours at different times of year to see the different varieties of plants & what their uses may be. This may not be for everyone, but it was definitely perfect for me. A great way to spend a few hours on a beautiful day. Try it out. Check his website out. He does several tours in different places & has authored many books on this subject. Thanks Wildman & Violet for a fun informative day! 5-6-2018 read more

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Highly recommend Steve's foraging trips. It was highly informative and enjoyable plus Steve's personality and jokes are in a league of its own. He's knowledgeable and patient which is the key to teaching. I registered online, Showed up to the location and was surprised by how many others were there, about 15 ppl. Everyone wore face mask and observed the 6' distance. We walked and talked for 4 hrs, including a small lunch break. We got some mushrooms, berries, Poor man's pepper, the common spice bush and lots more to take away. Overall, I'm definitely going to do another one of these with him. Again, you will not regret this experience. read more

Steve Brill Tour - Showing us a poisonous mushroom. - Tours Near Me - New Rochelle, New York

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There are few tours that leave you feeling like you want to be a "regular". Ready to book another tour with Steve before this tour was even over because it incredible on every level. The information provided by Steve was extremely empowering, as I know feel I could walk into a park & forage healthy plants for food/medicine for my family. Steve is engaging, funny & an inspiration! The people on the tour were wonderful. All around the best $ you'll spend in a long time and if you're strapped financially he won't charge you. This man is gifted in his craft & has a beautiful heart. Bring your kids, dog or come solo (& make new friends). I also recommend getting his App (& his books look fab too). This man over-delivers on every front. Wow!! read more

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If you are interested in finding out more about the different plants growing in your backyard or in your park, I definitely recommend taking a tour with Wildman Steve. Bring your garden tools, some ziplock bag and pen for this super educational tour. My sister and I took the tour in Forest Park during the early spring stage when the plants were starting to grow. We will definitely book another tour! (Disclaimer: beware of dad jokes ) read more

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What a gem! We did a weekend tour of Prospect Park in September and it's amazing to see the wealth of edible plants in a place we've been hundreds of times. Steve is a wealth of knowledge and is spirited and very funny. He's incredibly helpful, even helping me identify plants via e-mail. A real mensch. Doing our second tour this weekend! read more

We booked our foraging tour a few weeks in advance. Communication with Steve was great, and he kept us informed of potential weather issues promptly. Thankfully, we avoided all rain by about 20min in our tour. The experience: The tour itself was packed with information about edible and medicinal plants in Central Park. From cattail to garlic mustard, Steve taught us how to identify and prepare many plants. Most are weeds or invasive, so there's little to no risk of "over harvesting" in the park. He complemented his explanations with his own drawings of the plants we were foraging at various stages of their lifecycle. Steve is also constantly peppering his tour with well rehearsed bits and jokes, which I loved and kept things light and playful. Some (very few) jokes can be somewhat racy or political but nothing you might not see in a movie or tv (I wouldn't hesitate bringing children). Overall this was a fantastic experience and I'll always be on the lookout for foragables out in the city. read more

Fantastic, fun and very informative tour full of awesome Dad Jokes and wacky stories. We took Steve's tour in Danbury CT, at the Terrywile Park. It is obvious that Steve Wildman Brill truly loves doing this and sharing his knowledge with everyone around him. My wife and I enjoyed the tour very much. We were able to forage quite a bit of bolete mushrooms and one giant hedgehog mushroom. If you're interested in different kinds of plants and mushrooms, this is the tour for you. read more

Steve Brill Tour - mushrooms that we were able to forage. Delicious! - Tours Near Me - New Rochelle, New York

I've been going on the Wildman's tours since I moved to New York 30 years ago and I still learn something new on each one I go on! He's a treasure trove of knowledge who is generous about sharing it. read more

Steve's Brill tour was a wonderful experience. He is a clear expert on foraging and all things nature, and his tour is an excellent introduction if you're interested in learning more about foraging. We did our tour in Forest Hills at Forest Park, and before we even entered the park, Steve taught us about a number of plants and their purposes on the sidewalk and entrance of the park. It's crazy to think about the purpose so many of the plants we pass by on a daily basis have, and Steve went into detail on a bunch of them. Through his tour, you'll learn both the medicinal and nutritional benefits of many of the plants native to Queens. You'll also get to hear a bunch of great stories and jokes as you make your way through the park. I'd love to take his tour again to learn even more, and I'd recommend it to anyone interested in learning about foraging. read more

Recommend for nature lovers and foodies. Went on the Central Park foraging tour and it was a great time! It's incredible how much there is to be found even in however little slice of nature we actually have in NYC. To think of all the things I missed all the other times I've walked around the park! Here's a partial list of all the yummy things we came across and/or tasted: Poor man's pepper (mustard) Quick weed Mushrooms growing in wood chips Yellow wood sorrel - tastes like lemonade Indian strawberry Common plantae - healing properties Wild purple shiso Cat's tail - cucumber taste Sheep sorrel American mandrake Wild peach tree Wild blackberry Garlic mustard Field garlic Sassafras - root beer Relaxing, fun, and educational. Definitely kid friendly too. I am planning to come back in a different season. (FYI I was concerned about pesticides going in but Steve said in CP it's applied on the lawn, in the Conservatory garden, and on playgrounds so kids don't trip over weeds supposedly - too costly to apply everywhere else. Judging by the live ants and bugs I saw near the plants looks like it is indeed the case.) read more

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I think that the "Wildman" did a fantastic job running this tour. I learned so much during the afternoon. Here are some pros- The "Wildman" knows his stuff. He was prepared to lead the tour. He had specific spots and plants picked out. He knew where they were and gave solid information about the plants. He was able to show us photos and drawings of the different plants and he even brought some of the food that he made from those plants. That was fantastic. The people that were on the tour with us were cool. The experience in general was lots of fun and made for an awesome day hiking around. Here are some cons- In the first couple of hours the pace was a little slow. I wish that we could have moved a little faster. We didn't get to everything that he would have liked us to. We met a little before noon and took like a half-hour to 45-minute lunch break at around 1:30. I thought that it was way to early to take a break and would have liked to have continued straight through but these "cons" didn't have too much of a negative impact on the day. Altogether I would totally recommend this tour and a day out with the "Wildman". It was a chill experience and left me prepared to explore and learn more. I set a goal of leading some of my students through the woods to impart some specific knowledge about specifc edible plants and I feel that I accomplished this. It was a fun and chill day out exploring and learning more about Forest Park. read more

Wildman Steve Brill knows his way around plants,-- and people! He is thorough and thoughtful in ensuring his tour groups are entertained, informed, and safe. Whether regaling you with his famous arrest in Central Park, or displaying his intricate drawings of plants, the Wildman's passion for nature is contagious. I've lost track of how many tours I've been on over the past several years and seasons, but I'm still learning new plants every tour! The tour is perfect for nature enthusiasts, curious explorers, couples, families with young children and really anyone who's looking for an adventure. Steve's conscientious and jovial nature guarantee you'll leave the tour with a smile on your face and maybe a few plants in your teeth... What to Bring: small bags or containers for the plants you forage comfortable walking shoes water bottle packed lunch long pants or high socks (cover the ankles) read more

A friend and I attended one of Steve's tours in Prospect Park over the weekend and it was a lot fun. Steve and his daughter Violet are a great team - funny, informative and full of interesting stories. I personally learned a lot from them, having had zero knowledge of wild edibles beforehand. Over four hours (including a break for lunch) we foraged mulberries, juneberries (my favorite!), Yellow Wood Sorrel, Lamb's Quarters, Young Hedge Mustard, Violet Leaves and Goutweed, coffee beans (from the Kentucky Coffee tree), Wild Cherries, Field Garlic, Burdock, Garlic Mustard, Black Birch (the twigs taste like wintergreen and have anti-inflammatory benefits), Elderberry Flowers, leaves from the spice bush (makes beautifully fragrant tea) and more. We also learned how to identify poison ivy - I'd never been able to identify until Steve taught us, and frankly, it is sheer luck that I hadn't encountered it before. Steve and his daughter served us up samples of plantain leave crisps, vegan burdock root "jerky", Stick Pudding, chocolate truffles, and pesto -- all made with wild edibles. Only slightly disappointing - there were no mushrooms. I was so impressed. My friend immediately suggested that we attend another tour with the Brills soon - and I'm looking forward to it! read more

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When on my first Wildman Steve Brill foraging tour yesterday. Such a great experience. It was eye opening as I learned a lot about all these different types of plants and other knowledge of nature. Wildman knows his stuff and he's got a fun sense of humor. Will definitely be on more tours this year! read more

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Steve does a great job. (a) keeping things light and funny (b) providing extensive knowledge about plants, including their history (c) the amount of content for the price. His tours are 4 hours long (d) providing perspective on the changing climate and its impact on plant life. I'd love more of this! Well done Steve. Thanks for the great tour. Looking forward to my 3rd tour in March. James Ulan read more

I had the privilege of participating in Steve's acclaimed educational and foraging adventure on Saturday July 18th. I hesitate to use the word "tour" as the experience is multifaceted and its influence transcends the four hours he and his daughter Violet selflessly dedicate with a sense of caring, wholesome entertainment, anything but self-aggrandizing expertise and unique generosity of spirit. Steve and Violet are exceptionally kind and authentic human beings who embody the notion of nature connectedness. I was overwhelmingly honored and delighted to finally attend as I was planning to join a tour for nearly a decade. My role of caregiver in taking care of my elderly parents always made it difficult to register but this time I committed- even with the sultry 90 degree weather. Upon arriving at the North Central Park entrance on 105th Street and 5th Avenue, I immediately related as I felt the strong Brill family ties that inspired children and adults of all ages including one child who was celebrating her birthday. I applaud parents who teach children that experiences are the best gifts given their permanency. I do not exaggerate when I say this experience can be life-changing. Hindsight is a valuable vantage point and I learned how much this tour meant to me one week after it took place. Although I was experimenting with a no-oil plant based diet, I fully embraced it after Wildman Steve allowed us to sample nutrition powerhouse vegetables such as purslane. Even though no nutritional concept was ever imposed given the non-judgmental stance of our guides, I found myself more prepared to take the leap to become 110% plant based. Violet is also passionate about foraging and her knowledge and poise belies her chronological age. Upon returning home, I began to ask myself "what would Steve do?" with some of the food products I brought with me. I found myself relaxed as I improvised a heart of palm salad with some lemony sorrel and some lavender flowers I used as whole tea. To be sure, I will be attending future events as it is important to support individuals who are decent global citizens trying to make our world a better place. Actually, I stand corrected. As Rick stated in the film Casablanca, "We all try. You succeed." With eternal gratitude. read more

Super fun. Cant wait to go on every available tour! Steve is great at explaining and has a lot to share. read more

Steve Brill Tour - Great finds - Tours Near Me - New Rochelle, New York

Steve Brill is a long time dedicated naturalist and wild foods / foraging educator. His tours are highly informative with a hands on learning experience. Steve himself is an accomplished gourmet vegan connoisseur chef who has authored recipe books of his original delicacy creations. Two book titles are: Wild Vegetarian Cookbook and The Wild Vegan Cookbook. Steve makes himself accessible to you for any questions you may have in a relaxed and friendly manner. He shares his sense of humor and his great enthusiasm for what he does. His tours are attended by singles, couples, families and children of all ages. A fun learning and hiking experience! You can be a repeat attender as he brings you to diverse habitats through the areas of Manhattan, Queens, Bronx and Brooklyn... spanning various seasons! read more

Our foraging tour in Indwood Park with Steve was incredible and a true eye opener. Not only Steve has an amazing knowledge about the plants surrounding us but he is also a true educator who knows how to communicate his love for nature with a great sense of humor. My husband and I will definitely reuse what we have learned with him and go back to the woods to add NYC's delicious plants in our meals for now on. read more

This was an amazing experience. It was so much fun and I learned so much! Steve is a veritable encyclopedia of knowledge: botany, geology, history, and cooking. He is fascinating, entertaining, and full of corny dad jokes. You get to sample all sorts of foraged foods and he also passes around samples of foods he's made from foraged ingredients ; he's an excellent baker who makes delicious cookies and treats without using refined sugar or flour. One of the best features of the tour is his daughter, Violet, who co/leads the tour and is almost as knowledgeable as Steve. The father-daughter interaction is absolutely adorable. They seem to love setting each other up for jokes. Violet has so much passion and energy, and she has an incredible amount of knowledge herself. You get to see the woods so differently after this tour. I can't imagine a better spent 4 hours for $20! read more

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Just wow. Steve Brill rocks for all ages. Went on a tour and it was amazing. Just wow. Steve Brill rocks for all ages. Went on a tour and it was amazing read more

Steve Brill Tour - Steve - Tours Near Me - New Rochelle, New York

Steve is one of the most passionate, educated, and funny(!) authorities on foraging. If you're in NYC, doing one of Steve's tours is a no-brainer. Spend a great day in the park AND learn how to survive without going to CTown! My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our tour as well as the plants and fungus we brought home (especially the black walnuts!) Thanks, Steve! read more

Excellent foraging tour in Belmont State Park . Violet (his daughter) his number 1 is a delightful co- host . Both make the walk fun, educational and entertaining... Highly recommend them especially for children whom they both keep kids involved and focused. read more

Steve Brill Tour - Feild garlic - Tours Near Me - New Rochelle, New York

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I took my friend on a foraging tour in Prospect park after doing some research on foraging in NYC, that's how I ran into a article about Steve. I looked him up and booked a tour. Steve and Violet were extremely knowledgeable about the greenery in the park and would point out all type of species of plant life accompanied by wholesome jokes. Their banter made you forget about the 95 degree weather. This tour comes highly recommended and I learned many new things! Steve also does tours throughout the parks in the city so every tour is different. I would defiantly be returning for another tour once fall comes. read more

Steve Brill Tour - Tours Near Me - New Rochelle, New York

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Brilliant and delightful tour packed with information, humor and homemade musical sounds by the amazing wild man and his delightful daughter Violet. While earthing in Central Park, a stampede of eager participants passed by exploring nature's offerings. Tour was in session and immediately I became curious and had to forego my day's plan and direction and joined in the excitement of foraging in our own local market place, Central Park. It was a wonderful and vibrant day and can't see my future without experiencing more knowledge and useful wisdom that was imparted by the two! The two are so complimentary in relaying colorful, useful and pertinent, stories. Your interest has no choice but to be piqued . The tour is terrific and so joyfully packed with fact. It was quite a delight to participate in this wonderful learning trek through the northern part of the Park teaching me everything I never knew about the attributes, history, pros and cons of natures treasures and trouble makers. I will never take anything for granted again! read more

A father-daughter duo lead this educational tour peppered with reliably corny dad jokes and a handful of surprise routines. Both were experts and his teenage daughter was so enthusiastic! My mom and I had a really nice time and are so excited to begin foraging and will definitely go again. Pro tip: wear long pants and bring produce bags if you want to take anything home with you. read more

Steve Brill Tour - Tours Near Me - New Rochelle, New York

My husband and I greatly enjoyed our foraging tour in central park with Steve Brill. Steve was very knowledgeable and had a bunch of funny stories to keep things lively and engaging. We will definitely do another tour soon! read more

The tour was so much fun and I learned a bunch! Steve is great and full of puns and dad jokes-- it made for a very enjoyable experience and I will definitely be going again. read more

If you're interested in learning about foraging and wild edibles, look no further than a tour with Wildman Steve Brill and his daughter Violet. I found the tour to be very stimulating and educational. It's also nice to be around a duo so down to earth. If you're looking for a boring nature tour, this isn't for you. Steve and Violet keep you entertained through the entire tour with jokes, and interested facts. Steve's shared photos of his artwork throughout the tour, and we had the opportunity to taste Steve's homemade wild edible recipes. Steve and Violet answered everyone's questions and were warm and gracious hosts. We picked Hedgemustard Burdock root, Redbud, Violets, Garlic mustard, Chickweed, Field garlic, Gout weed, Kentucky coffee beans, common plantain, Shepherd's purse and pineapple weed. Since coming home we've made a "wildman" cocktail,' garnished with wild edibles. Our walk home, we spotted some of these wild plants growing on the sidewalks of Brooklyn. We can't wait to go on another tour with Steve and Violet. Two passionate individuals sharing their knowledge for an affordable price, $20 for about 3 hours. Thanks! read more

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