So you want to experience everything New York City has to offer (which is a lot)—but where to start? There are so many restaurants, historic landmarks, shops, and attractions to see that it can make even native New Yorkers’ heads spin! It might be best to leave the itinerary to the hands of tour guides and just enjoy the ride. Take a look at our list of popular walking, boat, and bus tours of the Big Apple.
Bateaux New York: Sightsee in style on the Bateaux New York’s Luxury Sightseeing Lunch Cruise. On the glass-enclosed, European-style ship, you’ll take in incredible views and learn about notable NYC sights like the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, and One World Trade Center while enjoying a three-course lunch and live music from an onboard pianist. bateauxnewyork.com
Circle Line Cruises: Operating out of Pier 83, Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises offers five different boat tours around Manhattan and major New York attractions, ranging from 30 minutes to 2.5 hours long. You can join a group of 1-14 passengers, or more than 15 for a reduced price. They are also available for private charter. circleline42.com 
Free Tours by Foot: This top-rated walking tour covers all of Manhattan, parts of Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx for a whole day of city fun. What sets it apart from others is its name-your-own-price system, which lets you decide how much the tour is really worth afterwards. They also offer food, bike, bus, and ghost tours. freetoursbyfoot.com
New York Water Taxi: The New York Water Taxi tours the Statue of Liberty day and night, and caters to seasonal events like the Fourth of July fireworks. If that’s not enough, their All-Day Access Pass lets you hop on and hop off the boat at stops whenever you want throughout the day. VIP tours, custom groups, and private charters are available. nywatertaxi.com
OnBoard New York Tours: Don’t want to walk or get on the water? Board this hop-on-hop-off shuttle bus tour and see the city roadside! With limited group sizes on smaller shuttles, OnBoard’s four different tours offer interactive, detailed tours of New York’s sights. You can book private tours as well. onboardnewyorktours.com
Real New York Tours: While they do offer group walking tours, Real New York Tours’ private tours are what attract most visitors, as they allow greater personal attention and flexibility than with a bigger group. They offer six-, four- and two-hour tour options throughout different areas in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens, and provide you with a roster of tour guides so you can select the guide that best fits your personality and needs. realnewyorktours.com
The Ride: This 75-minute tour circles Midtown Manhattan in state-of-the-art buses with stadium-style seating, panoramic views, floor-to-ceiling windows, surround sound and 40 plasma TV screens. The 75-minute tour is not your typical sightseeing experience—it’s led by two professional comedic hosts, and features street performances, trivia, and karaoke. experiencetheride.com
To read our 2015 Attractions Guide, click here.
