See New York like a local

See New York like a local

Guided walks, skyline tickets, borough drives and one-of-a-kind experiences, all led by local New Yorkers

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4.9/5

average from 85,000+ five-star reviews

Guides who live here

Born-and-raised New Yorkers, historians and performers who know the stories the guidebooks leave out.

Small groups or private

Groups small enough to ask questions, or a guide all to yourselves on our private tours.

Free cancellation

Plans change. Cancel up to 24 hours before most tours for a full refund.

New York City tours with a local at your side

New York rewards people who know where to look. The Statue of Liberty crossed the Atlantic in 214 crates and was reassembled on an island in the harbor. Grand Central's ceiling shows the zodiac backwards. Beneath the Financial District's glass towers, the streets still follow the crooked lanes of a 17th-century Dutch trading post. None of that is on a sign, but all of it is on our tours.

New York Experience is the New York-only home of ExperienceFirst, a tour company founded in this city in 2009. Our guides lead walking tours from Ground Zero to Chinatown, take you up to the best observation decks and museums, drive you through the outer boroughs, and host premium experiences you won't find anywhere else, from a pizza-making dinner to Wall Street with a real trader. Whether you have one afternoon or a whole week, we'll help you spend it well.

Four ways to see New York

Wall Street tour guide with small group
A small group on our Wall Street walk

Manhattan is barely two miles wide, and almost every block of it has a story. Our walking tours move at a New Yorker's pace, brisk between stops and unhurried when something deserves a closer look, and they're built around a neighborhood's character rather than a checklist.

Stand at the 9/11 Memorial with a guide who remembers the day, trace the money from the Charging Bull to the New York Stock Exchange, or eat your way from SoHo's cast-iron streets to Chinatown's dumpling counters.

Browse all walking tours

Popular walks

  • 9/11 Ground Zero Insider Tour
  • Wall Street Insider Tour
  • SoHo, Little Italy and Chinatown
  • NYC in a Day
Top of the Rock
Looking toward Central Park from Top of the Rock

Some of New York's best moments happen seventy floors up or behind a museum's front steps. We pair entry to the city's headline sights with a guide who makes sense of them, or simply sell you the ticket so you can go at your own pace.

Take the ferry to Liberty and Ellis Islands, tour the Met's greatest hits in a couple of hours, or watch the grid light up from Top of the Rock or One World Observatory.

See attractions and tickets

Don't miss

  • Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
  • Metropolitan Museum of Art Highlights
  • Top of the Rock
  • One World Observatory
Heading out to the outer boroughs

New York is five boroughs, and most visitors only see one. Our driving tours cover the ground you can't on foot: Brooklyn's brownstones and waterfront, the Bronx where hip-hop was born, and Queens, one of the most diverse places on Earth.

In December, our bus heads to Dyker Heights, where Brooklyn homeowners compete to out-sparkle each other. Prefer your own ride? Book a private luxury car and set the route with your guide.

Explore driving tours

Popular drives

  • Brooklyn, Bronx and Queens bus tour
  • Dyker Heights Christmas Lights
  • Manhattan by private luxury car
Busking in Manhattan on a music experience

For a trip you'll talk about for years, our premium experiences go well beyond sightseeing. They're private or very small, often hands-on, and hosted by people who do this for a living: traders, docents, musicians and Broadway performers.

Toss dough at a pizza-making workshop, learn a routine from a Broadway dancer, hit the streets with a working musician, or explore the Met in depth with an expert guide.

Discover premium experiences

Guest favorites

  • Pizza-Making Workshop and Dinner
  • Wall Street With a Trader
  • The Met in Depth
  • Dance Like a Broadway Star

What our guests say

Ray was one of the best tour guides we have ever had in any city. He made the tour incredibly personal and relatable, sharing his experience as a native New Yorker working in Manhattan that day. It was really interesting, and very moving, to hear someone's experience first hand.

— Lan

Anthony was an awesome guide. He took good care of us, and his love for his home city is very apparent. My three generations of family thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Finding the manifest of the ship my father came over on in 1937 was very meaningful.

— Jeff

I had the pleasure of taking a tour at the Metropolitan Museum of Art with Chris Lee as my guide, and it was an unforgettable experience! Chris brought every exhibit to life with his enthusiasm, professionalism, and a great sense of humor.

— Tina

We had an amazing time touring the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. We opted in on the express tour and James did not let us down. He was kind and considerate, knowledgeable, and not to mention full of witty jokes along the way. Definitely made the tour worth the price.

— Jasmyne

I learned a lot from our friendly and very knowledgeable guide, Clair. There are lots of stunning views of Manhattan along the way, and the food was yummy. Wonderful tour!

— Charlene

The best tour I've ever been on! I've been to the city multiple times and yet everything felt new. Jorge also took the time to share his in-depth knowledge of different cultures and communities. The tour itself felt like it was trying to be ethical by supporting small businesses. I would do it again!

— Khaliah

2009Founded in New York City
85k+Five-star reviews
4.9Average rating
10+Cities across the U.S. and Europe
Ice Skating Rink at Rockefeller Plaza in New York City
Ice skating at Rockefeller Center

Christmas in New York

From late November, the city puts on the best show of the year. The Rockefeller Center tree goes up, skaters circle the rinks, department stores unveil their windows on Fifth Avenue, and holiday markets fill Bryant Park, Union Square and Columbus Circle.

Out in Brooklyn, the homes of Dyker Heights glow with some of the most over-the-top light displays in the country. Our guide to the season covers the tours, traditions and insider timing that make a December trip unforgettable.

Plan your holiday trip

What to expect on a New York Experience tour

Every tour is designed by our team in New York, the city where ExperienceFirst began.

  • A route that makes sense

    Itineraries planned to make the most of your time, with room for photos and questions.

  • A storyteller, not a script

    Guides who bring the city's history to life with humor, personal memories and the occasional surprise.

  • Tips for the rest of your trip

    Where to eat nearby, which subway line to take next, and what's worth your time tomorrow.

  • Help when you need it

    A friendly customer team, ready to help by phone or email before and after your tour.

NYC tour guide talking to guest
Central Park with lake in foreground and skyline in background
Central Park and the Midtown skyline

Latest New York travel guides

Planning a trip? Our local writers and guides share where to eat, what to skip, and how to make the most of every neighborhood, season and budget. Think free things to do, the best views in the city, and day-by-day itineraries for first-timers.

Read our New York travel guides

Run by ExperienceFirst, born in New York

New York Experience is operated by ExperienceFirst, a tour company founded in New York City in 2009. More than fifteen years and 85,000 five-star reviews later, we lead tours in over ten cities across the U.S. and Europe, but New York is still home, and still where our guides find new stories every week.

About us

85k+

five-star reviews

Since 2009

leading tours in New York

Curated itineraries

designed by local experts

10+ cities

across the U.S. and Europe