New York City Tours FREE ...

There are dozens of New York City Tours FREE! I see the New York City Bus tours all the time, and the people look like they are having fun. But did you know how many New York City Tours are offered free?

I've put together a list of FREE New York City Tours. You don't hear of them from far away or find them easily on the internet because, like all good things in NYC, they are not advertised and no one profits from them. They are usually run by volunteers, donations and non-profit organizations, that don't spend their money on advertising.

Wouldn't it be nice to see NYC guided by a volunteer, who is so passionate about what he does that he volunteers to do so?

Big Apple Free Greeter Tour

Big Apple Greeter is a non-profit organization that matches visitors with friendly and enthusiastic New Yorkers who are happy to share the city they love. A wonderful experience for families, friends and individuals traveling solo, Greeters help travelers feel welcome and get more from their stay in the Big Apple. Big Apple Greeter’s services are offered FREE, and there is a NO TIPPING POLICY. Pick an area you want to see and have a local show you around for Free!

Central Park Free Walking Tours

Free walking tours of Central Park – they have over 10 different choices and they run all the time. From Waterways and Vistas to Amble Through the Ramble. You can also download and print three self-guided tours. Central Park is always free, but with so many options, you get to pick the things best for you and your family. With 843 acres of park to see, a little guidance may not be a bad thing.

Wall Street Free Walking Tour

Sponsored by the Downtown Alliance, the free 90-minute guided walking tour, weaves together history, events, architecture and people of Downtown – the birthplace of New York, the financial capital of the world, and the hottest new neighborhood in the city. Stops include the U.S. Custom House, Trinity Church, Wall Street, the New York Stock Exchange and other architectural and cultural sites. See the Downtown Alliance web site.

Thursday and Saturday at 12:00pm

Walking Tours of Film and Television Locations

While not guided, these are printable and Podcast downloadable walking tours of Downtown NYC (the Financial District), created by the The Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting to highlight the history of film and television locations in New York City. The tours are narrated by some of the City’s most notable figures in entertainment and famous Hollywood Celebrities. Each tour is about an hour and they are designed to link together, so they can be enjoyed separately or in sequence.

Highlights include famous film spots for Ghostbusters, The Godfather, Saturday Night Live, Law & Order, Kramer vs. Kramer, Sophie's Choice, Annie Hall, Mo Better Blues, City Hall, Spin City, Wall Street, Desperately Seeking Susan, Working Girl, Men in Black and Twelve Angry Men. So wind your way around lower Manhattan and visit the Ghostbusters firehouse or stop for a Cosmopolitan at Odeon, inventors of the the cocktail made famous by the women of Sex and the City.

Even if you don't download the Podcast, you can print their tours with detailed descriptions and numbered sights off their web site.

You can easily add this to your free walking tour of Wall Street and cover Ground Zero, Century 21 shopping, see Lady Liberty (take the free Staten Island Ferry for up close view).

Lower East Side Free Walking Tour

The "LES" is one of the coolest neighborhoods in Manhattan - with a million little restaurants, shops with upcoming designers and a ton of interesting NYC history, going back to all of our grandparents and great-grandparents when they first settled here. Plus, it is bargain central!

Because the LES is downtown, the streets zig zag and it might be hard to navigate. But it is totally worth it! Take the free weekly 2 hour guided tour, sponsored by the Lower East Side Business Improvement District. If you can't make the live tour, download their FREE PodTour and guided walking map for and do it yourself!

Sundays at 11 a.m. (April - December)

Greenwich Village Free Walking Tour

Sponsored by the Village Alliance, discover the Village with their free walking tours (these are rare, so make sure to check the dates). The tour weaves together the highlights of history with delicious inside stories. The free walking tours of St. Marks Place & 8th Street are led by Arthur Marks, Greenwich Village's premier raconteur & favorite tour guide.

Tours depart from the northwest corner of 2nd Avenue & St Marks Place at 11:30 AM. Subway - R or W to 8th Street Station or the 6 to Astor Place & walk 1-2 blocks east to 2nd Avenue.

Union Square: Crossroads of New york

Union Square Partnership and Big Onion Walking Tours teamed together to bring you a free 90-minute walking tour. You’ll hear how Union Square got its name, see where the legendary Tiffany & Co. once stood, and learn how to read the clock (yes, it’s a clock!) on “The Metronome” sculpture and so much more! The tour explores the social and political history of the Union Square neighborhood through discussions of the people, history, architecture, and forces that have shaped this community.

Every Saturday at 2pm. Meet in front of the George Washington Statue in Union Square Park's South Plaza. Reservations are not required for individuals, but are required for groups. For more information about Union Square: Crossroads of New York walking tour, please call (212) 517-1826.

New York Public Library Free Tour

Docent-led tours are an excellent way to see highlights of The New York Public Library main building on Fifth Avenue at 42nd St . The Library offers tours of the building as well as exhibitions. Remember, when I told you on my fun facts page the Lions guarding the Library are named Patience and Fortitude? Find out why, along with tons of other interesting facts about New York...for free.

Grand Central Station and surrounding buildings

Join The Grand Tour Powered by NYC.com and learn the secrets of the Whispering Gallery in Grand Central Terminal; gaze upon the hubcaps and the roadsters on the side of the Chrysler Building; discover the favorite Midtown Manhattan hangout of Mercury, Hercules, and Minerva; learn why Pershing Square isn’t really square; circle the globe in a matter of seconds, like Superman; or visit the original Lincoln Memorial by Daniel Chester French. Experience familiar landmarks like Grand Central Terminal (which I listed as a top attraction) , the Chrysler Building, and the News Building.

Also check out free tours of Times Square

Not Free, but other excellent walking tours

Walking Tour of World Trade Center Site

Take a Walking Tour and Hear a Personal Story. Daily walking tours are conducted along the World Trade Center site and are led by people whose lives were profoundly changed by September 11th. Each tour is unique and connects those who want to hear stories with those who want to share them.

Tribute Center Walking Tour Guides are drawn from the September 11th community, (survivors, lower Manhattan residents, recovery workers, volunteers who assisted in recovery and family members). All tours make five stops while traveling around the site.

Most of the tour takes place indoors, traveling along the windows of the World Financial Center, looking out onto Ground Zero. Tours begin at 120 Liberty Street and last approximately 1 hour and fifteen minutes. $10 per person, children under 12 free, however, the tour may not be appropriate for them. Check out the Ground Zero Museum Workshop for kid-friendly tours.

Coming soon:

http://www.nycwalk.com/

http://mas.org/tours/

United Nations Tour

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