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Best Tours & activities in New York (2026)

A guided tour is one of the best ways to understand New York, whether on foot, on a plate or on the water. Big Onion Walking Tours has been leading history walks since 1991 with guides who are historians, covering everything from immigrant life on the Lower East Side to Revolutionary New York. Free Tours by Foot New York offers a pay-what-you-wish option on most public walks, which suits travellers on a budget, and Foods of NY Tours combines generous tastings with neighbourhood stories in Greenwich Village, Chelsea and Chinatown.

On the water, Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises sails from Pier 83 on West 42nd Street, with options ranging from a full trip around Manhattan to short Statue of Liberty cruises, while Classic Harbor Line offers sunset sails and architecture cruises on a schooner and classic yachts from Chelsea Piers. Taking a tour early in your stay helps with orientation for the rest of the trip. Book ahead for weekends, sunset departures and holiday-season tours, check meeting points carefully, as they vary, and wear comfortable shoes for walking tours, which go ahead in most weather.

5 places · Updated November 12, 2026

Our top 3 tours & activities in New York

  1. Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises Sightseeing boat cruise, Hell's Kitchen / Midtown WestA long-running sightseeing cruise company sailing from Pier 83 on West 42nd Street and Pier 16 at South Street Seaport, with full-island, half-island, Statue of Liberty and evening cruises.
  2. Big Onion Walking Tours History walking tours, CitywideFounded in 1991, Big Onion runs history-focused walking tours led by historians and graduate students across around 20 New York neighbourhoods.
  3. Foods of NY Tours Food tour, Greenwich VillageA New York food tour company running tasting walks since 1999 through Greenwich Village, Chelsea Market and the High Line, Chinatown and beyond.