It’s been a long few months, and we’re all likely sick of needing to be decked out in all manner of scarves, puffy coats, and waterproof boots just in order to leave the house, but you know what? Winter is about to be in the rearview mirror, meaning the time has come to stop dreading leaving the warmth of our homes and start getting excited for all things spring! That’s right, happy days are here again, so let the plan-making commence in earnest.
While everyone has their own favorite way of celebrating spring’s annual arrival in New York, a classic way of kicking off the season in style here in the city is by going on a walking tour. Keep reading for a few suggestions about which New York City walking tours to take if you want to celebrate spring right this year.
Marvel & DC Superheroes Tours
Anyone who has ever fallen head over heels for an action-filled superhero movie will go wild for the Marvel & DC Superheroes Tours operated by Top Dog Tours. This two-hour-long guided walking tour shows you a series of buildings that are famous in their own right—sites like Grand Central Station, the Chrysler Building, and the United Nations Building—while sharing fascinating insights into the roles such attractions have played over the years in various comic book publications and their assorted movie adaptations.
Brooklyn Bridge and DUMBO Walking Tour
The Brooklyn Bridge and DUMBO Walking Tour is a product of Inside Out Tours, and combines some of the best aspects of Lower Manhattan with a memorable foray into the lively borough of Brooklyn. This two-and-a-half-hour tour will show you historical landmarks like the Tweed Courthouse and the Manhattan Municipal Building, before taking you across the majestic Brooklyn Bridge, where you can soak in spectacular views of the New York skyline. The tour continues into Brooklyn’s artsy DUMBO neighborhood, before concluding in one of the city’s newest public parks, Brooklyn Bridge Park. This nearly 90-acre expanse of waterfront runs along the East River and is the perfect place to spend a spring afternoon.
Graffiti & Street Art Walking Tour in Brooklyn
The Graffiti & Street Art Walking Tour in Brooklyn by Brooklyn Unplugged Tours is a two-hour guided excursion that provides guests with access to some of New York City’s most vibrant murals and outstanding examples of contemporary street art. Along the way, you’ll learn about the history of this innovative creative pursuit, as well as the various techniques used by its practitioners, while also experiencing the very best sights and sounds of Brooklyn’s Bushwick neighborhood.
Rockefeller Center Tour
Sometimes the weather doesn’t cooperate, and your much-anticipated spring day in New York City can turn damp, cold, and downright unpleasant. Fortunately, even if that’s the case you can still scratch your spring walking tour itch by going on the Rockefeller Center Tour. This popular tour is loaded with insights about the art, architecture, and history of this remarkable complex, and can be paired with a trip to the Top of the Rock Observation Deck.
Yankee Stadium Classic Tour
For many New Yorkers, a significant spring rite of passage is the annual return of the baseball season. Flowers are blooming, temperatures are climbing, and the city’s beloved New York Yankees are returning to action. If you’re a baseball fan—or just want to experience a legendary New York attraction firsthand—there’s no better way to celebrate spring’s arrival than by going on a guided tour of Yankee Stadium. The Yankee Stadium Classic Tour takes you all through the iconic ballpark, making stops in the Yankees’ hallowed Monument Park, team museum, and even the dugout itself.
Central Park TV & Movie Sites Walking Tour
If you love television shows and movies, and you want to see New York City’s famous Central Park as you’ve never seen it before, then On Location Tours’ Central Park TV and Movie Sites Walking Tour is a can’t-miss experience. This popular tour takes you to approximately 40 different sites in Central Park where assorted movies and television shows were filmed. Productions highlighted include such classics as Breakfast at Tiffany’s, The Avengers, Elf, Home Alone 2, Enchanted, and Law & Order: SVU, just to name a few profiled during the tour.
Food on Foot Tours
Foodies will not want to pass up the chance to eat their way through New York City with one of Food on Foot Tours’ unique, food-centric guided walking tours. Depending on the type of cuisine you’re most interested in sampling or the neighborhoods you most want to explore, Food on Foot Tours has an experience that’s perfect for your tastes. Popular guided Food on Foot Tours include the Midtown Mix Food Tour, the Go West Food Tour, and the East Village Block Party Food Tour, while fascinating self-guided outings like Bagels & Bakeries and Brooklyn Park Slope Eats & Sweets are available, too.
Radio City Stage Door Tour
Weather still not cooperating? No worries, pop open the umbrella or throw on the poncho and make the quick dash across the street to inimitable Radio City Music Hall, where you can enjoy the all-access-granting Radio City Stage Door Tour. The next best thing to having a backstage pass, this 60-minute guided tour takes you behind the scenes of the venerable venue while even permitting you the chance to meet a Rockette in person.
Pride Walking Tour
The Pride Walking Tour is operated by Pride Tours NYC, an official partner of the non-profit organization that puts on the New York City Pride March every year. That classic event usually takes place each June, but you don’t have to wait until summer to enjoy celebrating the LGBTQ Pride Movement when you can go the Pride Walking Tour right now. This 75-minute guided walking tour takes participants to such historical landmarks as the Stonewall Inn, Christopher Park, Christopher Street, and more.