Lots of great history and stories. The staff love and believe in their mission to restore the…read moremansion. The ghost hunting tour is a must do-very well planned and an unforgettable experience.

We went on a haunted tour this evening and it was definitely more authentic than we ever expected…read more Upon entering the main foyer, you immediately & instinctively know that it's history is very much alive in spirit. We had a few very weird occurrences happen throughout the night, most notably in the attic and basement, both of which gave off insanely heavy vibes. The staff is amazing as is the old mansion itself, which has been through a myriad of architectural changes throughout the decades. We will definitely be back for a day tour! I'm too chicken to go back for a night tour! Highly recommend!

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! :)

We had the best time on the Star Fish boat for my 30th Birthday! The crew was pleasant, and the…read moresunset cruise was absolutely perfect. Thank you!

This is the second year in a row we have taken a tour with Captain Tom. It is a wonderful…read moreexperience. You learn the history of this gorgeous place and see its real beauty. I took my son, his wife, and toddler aged grandchildren. The ride was lovely. I can't wait for next year--this is a new family tradition.

This walking tour was such a great way to familiarize ourselves with Old City. We met up with our…read moreguide at the corner of Arch and 3rd Street. John was our awesome guide that morning. He provided so many interesting facts and details throughout this historical tour. He even gave us tips on other things to see on our own. It was truly a great introduction to all the historical landmarks we would see during our stay in Philly. He had so many great recommendations. The pace of the tour was perfect. There is a cobblestone path and a slight incline to navigate from Elfreth's Alley to Christ Church. It was all super easy considering all the walking we did that day. The tour ends just behind Independence Hall. He walked those who were interested over to the Liberty Bell Center from there. I think the biggest surprise for all of us was that it wasn't super crowded in Old City that day. It was the Friday before Labor Day. I'd gladly return again in September. It was a beautiful day!

We went on the holly jolly founding footsteps tour. This was by far the best tour I have ever been…read moreon. It was an absolute blast if you like to party. We did this as a girls night now and can't wait until next year. We stopped at amazing places and tour guide and musician were great! Shoutout to Warren and John.

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.

Overall rating: 4.8…read more Full warning: this is a history tour of deaths more than ghosts. It's a great tour but I think if they revised the name to "haunted" or "spooky", it would be closer to the actual tour. Which is a history of massive deaths in the Brooklyn area. The tour goes from Williamsburg, to the Navy Yard to back up. You actually learn a lot about the Cobble Hill area. Tyler and Danny were great and so knowledgeable!! Not sure if this is a repeatable tour, but it definitely is worth it! Also come on the earlier side bc seats fill up quickly! I think I was only 1 of 3 locals. Everyone else were tourists. But they were nice. Highly recommend!

This tour was such a letdown from start to finish. The guide actually allowed two people to join…read morewho had not paid or shown tickets, which meant several of us had to sit three to a row on a trolley that was already crowded. It was uncomfortable and poorly managed. The guide herself (Gaya) seemed nervous and not very comfortable with public speaking. Her energy was low and it made the tour feel flat. The whole thing really needed more confidence and enthusiasm to make the stories come alive. As for the tour content, it was extremely underwhelming. We did not go to any real haunted sites or cemeteries. At one point the driver simply pulled over on the side of the highway and pointed out a cemetery in the distance. I could not believe that counted as part of the experience. Overall this felt like a waste of money and time. It was crowded, disorganized, and the storytelling lacked excitement. I would not recommend this tour to anyone expecting an engaging or authentic haunted experience.

This is such a great tour, and a fun way to learn about NYC. i am a local and always wondered what…read moretales and mayham lies beneath these buildings. The 2 hour walking tour of the hells kitchen area is a must book! I booked online directly with the website and paid about $35 per person. On a friday night at 8 pm, this was a great way to kick off halloween season with my friends. I had a few questions along the way, but owner Elise always answered my emails quickly. Meghan our tour guide was incredibly informed, animated and a sweetheart to spend the night with. she was engaging and really was into the stories and facts about this area of town. My suggestion? Meghan should have a microphone or something better to project her voice. she was great, but it was hard to hear at times due to the loudness of the city and her voice being on the lower side. I also think her candle lit lantern should be brighter or bigger. we had issues finding her, but to our surprise we were within a few feet from her. my favorite part of the tour and what made this unique were the candy that Meghan gave us in the beginning, and the sheet at the end with all of the facts and story names that we heard. i have been on so many tours and always have to rush taking notes or googling things as the tour happens that i end up loosing info or missing out on hearing items, but this printed out list of facts was a HUGE help.

Wow!! I was hoping for a fun night of spooky stories & was instead gobsmacked when treated to…read moresomething truly unique! The inimitable Meghan is the Beyoncé of tour guides! Actually, "tour guide" brings to mind those boring school trips we all inevitably experienced at some point during childhood. She instead gifted us with a lively, fascinating journey, which was equal parts TED Talk, one-woman-show, & incredible (as well as incredibly macabre!) NYC history lesson! The whole experience was as wildly entertaining & informative as it was inspiring, even to this jaded, native New Yorker. Highly recommended!!!

Both the historic and haunted tours are very interesting. Highly recommend! Sister tours are also…read moregreat! You'll find them on their website.

Mark is a knowledgeable and affable tour guide, with a passion for local history, and a skill for…read moreweaving local lore into the broader historical perspective. I look forward to taking more of his tours soon!

I had a great tour of Asbury Park and Ocean Grove with Emerson last week. Since I was the only one…read morewho had signed up that day (it was very hot, so most people were on the beach), I had a private tour which was awesome! Emerson has a lot of knowledge about history, music, art, architecture, and popular culture, as they relate to these beach communities. He answered all of my questions (I had a lot!), and he took his time on the tour to show me extra things I had expressed an interest in. I highly recommend this tour company!

Took Emerson's walking tour of Asbury Park last weekend with my husband. Though we of course had…read moreheard of Asbury Park and admired their musicians (Bruce Springsteen, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes), we had never been. So Emerson's introduction on our first morning was very worthwhile. Emerson shared with us the history, anecdotes, interesting buildings of the Asbury Park boardwalk area, nearby Ocean Grove and the downtown. Emerson has clearly done a lot of research, and we learned things we would have never picked up on our own. Therefore, I highly recommend the tour!