New York City Bus Tours

With so much to see and do in New York City, many visitors come to realize that they need a little help organizing their adventures, so as to maximize their Big Apple experience by exploring as much as possible in the time available to them. As a result, they opt for a guided tour, and one of the most popular types of guided tours in New York City, year after year, is the bus tour. As a visitor to New York City, you’ll encounter numerous bus tours in a range of styles at a variety of price points. Regardless of what you’re looking for in a bus tour, though, it’s probably out there.

It’s hard to beat a classic sightseeing tour, and New York City has plenty of those to offer you. The key first step to determining which of New York’s many sightseeing bus tours is right for you is deciding what parts of the city you want to see. Many sightseeing bus tours focus on Manhattan, and typically these bus tours of Manhattan cover Uptown or Downtown (though ambitious sightseers might be interested in a longer, more elaborate bus tour that combines both Uptown and Downtown outings into one excursion). Other sightseeing bus tours focus on Brooklyn, taking you past its many landmarks, attractions, and claims to fame.

Some New York City bus tours let you hop-on and hop-off at a number of destinations, and this is a great perk: it’s a way in which a guided bus tour can also function as a form of transportation, getting you hassle-free to the attractions you want to visit firsthand. New York City is likewise home to a remarkable assortment of guided bus tours that focus on a specific set of interests and themes. These include bus tours that take you on a deep dive through specific neighborhoods; bus tours that focus on food, letting you experience a slice of New York City’s many celebrated cuisines; bus tours that run only at night, showing you a whole different side of the city that is said to never sleep; and bus tours that carry you around town to all the different sites where famous New York-centric movies were filmed.

Here are some of New York’s most popular bus tour operators, plus a little additional background information on each one.

On Location Tours, New York

On Location Tours, New York

On Location Tours operates bus and walking tours that take guests to the New York City locations where popular TV shows and movies were filmed. Favorites include the Central Park TV and Movie Sites Walking Tour, the NYC TV & Movie Tour, and the When Harry Met Seinfeld Tour.
The Ride, NYC Bus Experience

The Ride, NYC Bus Experience

The Ride presents a unique take on the traditional city tour bus experience. The Ride takes guests past several of Midtown Manhattan’s most famous landmarks as two entertaining hosts point out prominent sights, sounds, and a host of theatrical surprises.
Big Bus Tours NYC

Big Bus Tours NYC

The largest open-top bus tour company in the world, Big Bus Tours runs a series of sightseeing tours that escort guests along an unforgettable New York City experience. Choose from their Uptown City Tour, Downtown City Tour, or do both with the popular Classic Ticket.
Gray Line City Sightseeing NYC Bus Tours

Gray Line City Sightseeing NYC Bus Tours

Gray Line City Sightseeing runs a number of well-regarded guided tours of New York City. Popular tours include the Best of Manhattan Tour, the Downtown Tour, and the Uptown Tour. Each one of these tours takes place on an open-top, double-decker bus, and you’ll have hop-on, hop-off privileges along the way.