Top Things To Do In New York

Tailoring each tour to your wishes by locals who love their city

Tourists posing in front of the Charging Bull in New York City

Top things to do in New York

From exploring cool neighborhoods to eating with the locals to seeing iconic sites, these are some of our favorite experiences

When in Osaka
make sure to try
“kushikatsu”!

See the city like
you would with a friend who lives there

See all

When in Osaka
make sure to try
“kushikatsu”!

See the city like
you would with a friend who lives there

Wondering what to do in New York?

In a city that’s simultaneously an artistic capital, an architectural gem, a shopping hub, and a foodie’s nirvana, you could spend weeks exploring and still not scratch the surface. The list of things to do in New York City is as varied as it is thrilling, with hundreds of world-famous attractions and exciting activities awaiting its visitors. Aimless wandering is always rewarded by hidden delights around every corner. This diverse city’s neighborhoods are microcosms in themselves, with each offering a different perspective on the city, from African American soul food joints in colorful Brooklyn to the winding cobblestone lanes of Greenwich Village.

Meet some of our New York local hosts

Like the people who travel with us, they have different backgrounds and interests – but they’re all so passionate about the place they call home, they choose to spend their free time sharing it with the like-minded travelers matched to them.

We’ve handpicked them and we’ll match you to your perfect one!

Tourist taking in the beautiful view of the skyline of New York City

More than the must-sees

From the Met, the MoMA, and the Guggenheim to a food scene that celebrates the world, there are thousands of reasons the Big Apple brings so many travelers to its tightly-packed streets. The incredible places to see and things to do in New York City aren’t just the most iconic attractions in the city; they’re some of the most iconic in the world. But many of the memorable things to do in New York City aren’t the must-sees – they’re the hole-in-the-wall hidden gems loved by locals. A private tour with a native New Yorker is the perfect way to discover the soul of the city for yourself.

Tourists walking the streets of Dumbo at night in New York

New York at night

New York is known as the city that never sleeps for a reason: when the sun sets, the fun is just beginning. NYC at night is a dizzying kaleidoscope of luminous skyscrapers, late-night venues, and legendary art world icons. Things to do in New York City after dark range from the humblest of activities to the highest culture – it all depends on your mood. Whether you trawl the streets for famous food trucks, see performances of ballet or burlesque, or attend a lavish production at Lincoln Center, the long list of things to do in New York City at night might make you miss out on a few hours of sleep.

Tourists enjoying a portion of famous fries at an eatery in New York

A world-famous food city

Maybe you want to hop between authentic pizzerias in Brooklyn, or sample budget bites at Chelsea Market in Manhattan? Or perhaps you want to taste the best of New York-style cuisine – the pizza, bagels, and cheesecake that the city adopted and made better. Eating at the city’s restaurants, markets, cafés, food trucks, and delis are right near the top of the list of things to do in New York City. The food scene is a multi-cultural melting pot representative of all 200-plus nationalities that call the city home, and crossing between continents is as easy as cutting through Central Park.

New York travel tips and inspiration from our Travel Magazine

Find essential city info, travel tips and the best things to do in New York and around the world recommended by our local hosts

Latest reviews from our guests

Dean was a WONDERFUL guide for our family of 3 visiting the City. Was very attentive from the beginning of our day together to get a sense of our interests, outlining a possible itinerary based on our needs and was outstanding in giving a fabulous blend of history, personal experiences and even obscure information about famous sites. He was a perfect blend of easy going nature, offering interesting information and had a wide range of knowledge. Would HIGHLY recommend!

May 2022

Noreen S
We did a 4 hour walking tour with Ross. He did a great job of providing insight and history of the city. Very flexible in making modifications to the tour. Highly recommend Ross and this tour.

August 2021

Jeff B
My husband and I did a private tour with Michael Pellagatti as our guide. This was the first time my husband had been to NYC and he wanted to see the sights but from a local perspective. This was Michael’s first tour back after the pandemic and he said he was a but rusty but we didn’t find that at all. Michael did a great tour hitting the highlights and showing us a lot of areas and things we would never have seen in a larger tour or group. The company did a great job prior to the tour providing a questionnaire on what we wanted to see and how to Tailor the tour to us. Michael reached out days before the tour so we could adjust and set things up just how we wanted. Michaels knowledge of the city and history was great and we learned so much. Highly recommend Michael and the experience.

August 2021

Jodi M
Maurita was our guide and I have to say she was amazing. My son(17) and I were blown away by all the history we learned and we thought we knew a good bit…she was so kind and helped me plan out the rest of my stay so we could see as much as possible in our time. I highly recommend doing this private tour as soon as you get to the city because it helps you get acclimated and know what you want to see and how best to see it. Maurita was really good at showing us great was to save money too-which is always nice in a city as expensive as NYC. I’m 100% sure the tour paid for itself just from her helpful advice and ideas. I truly can’t say enough great things about her and the format of the tour itself. K&J

July 2021

Kristie M