12 Bus Tours in New York City, Ranked by What You Get

1.NYC Bus Tour of Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens: Art, Food & Sports

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3,805 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $84Our pick

Spend six hours touring four New York City boroughs by bus, from Harlem’s Apollo Theater and Bronx murals to Flushing Meadows, Bushwick street art, Williamsburg, and Brooklyn Bridge Park. Guides such as Jim, Chris Lee, Solange, and Kevin lead the route, which ends near Chinatown and Little Italy. Expect short walks, photo stops, local food, and plenty of time on the bus.

“This was a pretty lousy tour It starts off going to the Apollo but you cannot go inside. The highlight was a one hour lunch in a dirty neighborhood with very few things to do and awful food choices. I would never ever recommend this tour. We finally got off the tour and took a cab back to our hotel.”

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2.New York Night Tour: Open Top Bus Tour by TopView®

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,783 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $59

See New York after dark from an open-top double-decker, leaving Times Square at 6 or 8 PM for Fifth Avenue, Greenwich Village, Chinatown, Little Italy, and Brooklyn. A live guide or audio system provides commentary, though equipment and service can vary. The 90-minute route ends back at 712 7th Avenue.

“Stay away from. Horrible experience. Purchased the 6:00 pm with English guide. Had to wait in line until 7:30 for the bus to show up and had no guide. I requested a partial refund as I did not get what I paid for and it was denied. This company shouldn’t even be allowed to operate if they are going to this way. I am not one to complain but this was just wrong in every way. So many people were complaining. This was on December 20th. They blamed the traffic which there was a lot but the other bus line that was before this one kept their buses running as…”

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3.From Manhattan: 4-Hour Dyker Heights Holiday Lights Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 2,426 reviews · 4 hours · from $63

Ride from Midtown Manhattan to Dyker Heights with an English-speaking guide, then walk for about an hour among extravagant Christmas displays, including Lucy Spata’s famous house. Finish with nighttime photos at Brooklyn Bridge Park and DUMBO before returning to Bryant Park. Guides such as Matt, Jorge, and Antonio add city history and practical tips along the way.

“We really enjoyed our tour to Dyker Heights/DUMBO! Mike and Tony were awesome. Both took great care in making sure we had a safe and fun trip. I was pleasantly surprised that not only did we get to see the beautiful lights in Dyker Heights, Mike was very informative on the history of all five boroughs. We learned so much! Thank you for an amazing tour- one of our trip highlights.”

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4.Half-Day Bus Tour of NYC Top Highlights

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,764 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $75

See a broad slice of Manhattan in four hours from a climate-controlled bus, with guides such as Tom, Garrett, Bryant, and Percy bringing local stories to the ride. You will stop at Rockefeller Center, Pier 17 for Brooklyn Bridge views, the 9/11 Memorial, and a Statue of Liberty photo spot. It is an efficient first look, not an in-depth walking tour.

“I was in New York with two family members for just one day. Wanted to get the most out of it as possible. Picked this tour because they went to the major sites. Some we just drove by but our tour guide was amazing. He is from New York and had so much information. Other places we stopped at and he gave us even more information. It was a great tour and tour guide was 10 out of 10.”

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5.Bus Tour from Manhattan

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 1,506 reviews · 5 hours · from $70

Spend five hours touring Manhattan by bus with an English, German, Italian, or Spanish guide. You’ll see Central Park West, Fifth Avenue, Little Italy, Chinatown, Wall Street, Battery Park, and the World Trade Center, with walking stops for photos. Guides including Erica, John, Stefan, and Uli are praised for lively stories and flexible advice.

“Erika, our guide, was amazing— knowledgeable, informative and full of interesting tips and tidbits to cater for our interests. We got to see key sights plus a couple of little known views of important sites. Highly recommended.”

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6.Dyker Heights Christmas Lights & Skyline View Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 1,192 reviews · 4 hours · from $69

Ride from Midtown to Dyker Heights with a live English or German guide, including Stefan, Glen, and other city-savvy hosts. Walk through the famous Christmas displays, pause at Battery Park City for sunset, then photograph the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan skyline from Brooklyn Bridge Park. The tour ends near Bryant Park Winter Village.

“Stefan and Mr George were great! was after a unique tour and was not disappointed, got some great photos and stories from our guide. Definitely recommend”

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7.Sex and the City Hotspots Bus Tour (On Location Tours)

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 892 reviews · 3 hours - 210 minutes · from $81

Follow Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda across Manhattan with an actor guide such as Lou, Hannah, or Ryhan. Visit filming locations including Carrie's apartment, Scout, Buddakan, the Friar’s church, and Charlotte’s Rabbit store. The 210-minute bus tour includes a Magnolia Bakery cupcake, with drinks available to buy.

“ryhan was an amazing guide, made the tour even more special with her enthusiasm. got to see so much of the city and the cocktails were great!”

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8.Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens Sightseeing Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 555 reviews · 6 hours · from $84

Spend six hours crossing New York’s outer boroughs by sightseeing bus with an English-speaking guide. See the Apollo Theater, Yankee Stadium, Flushing Meadows, Bushwick murals, Williamsburg, DUMBO, Chinatown, and Little Italy. Guides such as Jim Quinn, Chris Lee, Tom, and Ray R bring local stories, while short walking stops and an empanada break keep the day moving.

“Great trip.Our tour guide Ray R was fantastic.He was friendly,funny and very informative.”

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9.From Manhattan: 5-Hour Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 451 reviews · 5 hours · from $75

Travel from Midtown through Harlem, the Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn with a live English or German guide. Stop at Yankee Stadium, the Bronx mural, Malba, Flushing Meadows, Williamsburg, Dumbo, and the Brooklyn Bridge before finishing in Little Italy. Guides such as Sanel and Jan are known for clear commentary and entertaining city stories.

“only negative was bus didn't have Wi-Fi and i was the only English speaking person on bus but the tour guide was happy to translate for me. the tour ends in Brooklyn where you walk the bridge. recomme”

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10.NYC at Night: 3-Hour Luxury Bus Tour of Top Highlights

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 448 reviews · 3 hours · from $42Best value

Ride through New York after dark with an English-speaking guide such as Jared, Bryant, or Garrett. You’ll pass Times Square, Rockefeller Center, Wall Street, and Hudson Yards, then stop at Grand Central and DUMBO for photos. The enclosed luxury bus keeps you comfortable while lively commentary fills in the city’s stories.

“Jared was very knowledgeable and entertaining! Great sense of humor. Moni was super nice , smiley and accommodating and Digna was an excellent driver through very narrow streets. we are do thankful we booked this trip! we saw so many sights and learned so much. we got excellent photographs that we'd never had gotten otherwise. we highly recommend it!”

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11.Gossip Girl Sites Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 443 reviews · 2 hours · from $319

Spend two hours touring more than 40 Gossip Girl filming locations by bus with an English-speaking local actress. Visit the Palace Hotel meeting point, stop at the Met Steps, pass Vera Wang and the Empire Hotel, and hear show facts, filming stories, and actor details along the way. Some tours also include macarons at Ladurée.

“The Gossip Girl Tour was amazing! We loved our tour guide Abby, who was extremely nice, engaging, funny and ready to take pictures for everyone at every location. We received a lot of interesting information and could also ask questions. The transport was very comfortable. The group size was perfect (around 10 people). Everyone got two delicious macaroons at Ladurée which are included in the tour price. Would definitely recommend!!”

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12.The Ride Interactive Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 346 reviews · from $79

The RIDE turns midtown Manhattan into a moving theater. From tiered stadium seats, you’ll watch street performers outside Grand Central, Bryant Park, and 42nd Street while English-speaking hosts such as Scott, Jackie, Jules, and Stuart provide comedy, trivia, and live interaction. Expect a clever, lively 65 to 75-minute show, not a traditional sightseeing bus tour.

“It was fun on the bus. Our guides were not only informative they were funny and got everyone involved. A really relaxing 75 minutes of fun travelling through the centre of New York. Very clever interactions with the people outside on the streets.”

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