New York
Recommended Tours

add to Travel Bag (NEW)

Tour One: Museum Mile from the Guggenheim to the Frick Collection This tour covers many of the famous museums on the city's Upper East Side, near Central Park.

Guggenheim Museum - The Guggenheim is located at 5th Ave and 88th St. Take the number 4, 5 or 6 train to 86th St. Upon exiting the train, walk west on 86th St to Central Park. Turn right, walking north, parallel to the park and the Museum will be on the right.

Designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright, this mammoth spiral structure inspires as much debate as the art it houses. The museum permanently displays works by Chagall, Picasso, Kandinsky, Klee, Van Gogh and many others. The Guggenheim also mounts temporary shows.

Upon leaving the Guggenheim, cross 5th Ave and turn left. Walk south, parallel to Central Park for several blocks. As you walk, you will see some of New York's most posh apartment buildings facing the park along 5th Ave.

Metropolitan Museum of Art - Built in 1870, the vast Metropolitan Museum of Art houses numerous collections that rank among the finest in the world. Tours and talks are available. Popular exhibits include the Egyptian Collection and the Temple of Dendur, European Paintings and the Medieval Art Room.

Whitney Museum of American Art - Exit the Met and cross Fifth Avenue. Turn left on 82nd Street and walk to Madison Avenue. Cross Madison Avenue and turn right. Walk south on Madison until you reach 75th Street. The
Whitney Museum of American Art is located at 75th and Madison. There is a small permanent exhibit, but the focus is on temporary shows.

Frick Collection - Exit the Whitney and cross Madison Avenue. Turn right on 74th St and walk west towards 5th Ave. Turn left on 5th. The Frick Collection is located on at 70th Street.

The Frick Collection building impresses as much as its art collection. Once the private mansion of steel magnate Henry Clay Frick, it reminds New Yorkers of the city's opulent past. Its collection includes masterworks by Rembrandt, Vermeer and El Greco.

Tour Two: The East Village, Veniero's Pasticceria & Caffé to Tompkins Square Park Plus Eclectic Shopping and Dining Offerings In Between

This tour weaves itself through the East Village, south from Veniero's on 11th Street and 1st Avenue to Tompkins Square Park.

Veniero's Pasticceria & Caffé - On 11th St and 1st Ave is Veniero's, established in 1894. An array of sweet treats is offered, from strawberry millefoglie to chocolate covered cannoli.

Cinema Classics - A bit west, on the same side of the street, is Cinema Classics. This small complex contains a cool cafe, an underground video store and a movie theater that screens old and new classics.

11th Street Shops

As you move westward, eclectic shops pepper 11th St. Standouts include the fashionable Min-K and upscale, bargain rich Tokyo Joe.

Urban Outfitters - Looping left and southward onto 2nd Avenue lies trendy Urban Outfitters, supplying contemporary, club-kid flavored clothing, goofy books and shiny new kitsch to the world.

The Theater for a New City - Founded in 1970, The Theater for a New City is a sprawling complex that appears perpetually under construction. It presents 30 to 40 plays a year by new artists and playwrights, with tickets at bargain prices.

Enter 9th St westward and see shop after shop, most of which do not open before 2p. Check out witchcraft, candles, incense, books, music and magic at Enchantments Inc. Or, if beautiful handicrafts are more your speed, stop by Clayworks Pottery.

St. Marks Place - Walk southward two blocks to 7th St and turn left (eastward). This street is exploding with alternative clothing shops. Then, head northward to the carnival atmosphere of St. Marks Place and turn eastward. If you are hungry, stop by the always fun Yaffa Café. At the end of this lively street is the respite of Tompkins Square Park.

Tour Three: The Downtown Park to Park to Park Tour, from Tompkins Square to Washington Square

Tompkins Square Park - Accessible by the L Train at 14th St and 1st Ave, Tompkins Square Park begins where St. Marks Place ends. Here is a vital place that is bound by 10th St to the north, 7th St to the south, Ave B to the east and Ave A to the west.

This urbane park embodies its East Village neighborhood, a vigorous mix of peoples within the larger melting pot of New York City. It is predominantly a place where the neighborhood's tenants relax. There are playgrounds, a dog run, and even grass to hang out on.

Washington Square - Head westward on 8th St, taking in the numerous shops and tiny restaurants at your leisure. Walk all the way to 5th Ave, turn southward and there's the Washington Square Arch designed by Stanford White.

To the north, Washington Square Park is bound by Waverly Place, southward by West 4th St, eastward by University Place and westward by MacDougal St. It is accessible by the A, B, C, D, E, F and V trains at the West 4th St and 6th Ave station; by the N and the R trains at the 8th St and Broadway station and by the 4, 5 and 6 trains at the Astor Place station. Surrounded by New York University buildings, it is heavily populated with students.

The land for Washington Square Park was purchased by New York City in 1827 and the neighborhood rapidly grew. A row of historic houses survives on the park's north side. During summertime everybody hangs out on the inner steps of the park's fountain. Numerous street performers also use the park as their headquarters.

Other Tours

If you're looking for a tour of New York City that is a little bit off the beaten path, take a peak at the Little Bookroom guidebooks Historic New York Tours. These beautifully detailed books provides travelers with the necessary information to discover some of the not so often talked about establishments in the city that give visitors an inside look into the Big Apple.

If you're looking for an affordable way to hit all of New York City's hotspots, try http://www.explorerpass.com/newyorkcity/