Top Dog Tours operates a variety of guided walking tours that run throughout New York City. Their fun, informative outings can be divided into three primary areas of focus: tours of New York’s “Must See” attractions, “Food and Culture” tours that explore specific neighborhoods, and seasonal or subject-specific “Specialty” tours. Numbered among their most popular offerings are a Tastes of the Lower East Side tour, a Marvel & DC Superheroes of New York tour, a Media tour, a Greenwich Village at Night tour, and the spooky Ghosts of Greenwich Village tour.
Top Dog Tours History
Top Dog Tours currently runs tours in New York City and Toronto. Their guided walking tours of New York City are designed to cater to small groups, and can last anywhere between two and five hours, depending on the subject of the tour in question. Typically, a Top Dog tour will see guests walking one to two miles in total. Children under the age of five years old may always come along free of charge. Each Top Dog tour will commence proceedings close to a subway station, but they never end at the same place they started.
What’s do you see on a Top Dog Tour
A popular Top Dog excursion is the Tastes of the Lower East Side tour. This guided walking tour is one-half history lesson, one-half tasting menu. That’s because this 2.5-hour tour not only teaches you about the rich history of this vibrant neighborhood where so many different cultures collided during the immigration boom of the early twentieth century, it provides you the opportunity to sample these diverse cuisines at many of the Lower East Side’s most iconic food destinations. Along the way you’ll encounter attractions like Essex Market, Katz’s Deli, the Museum at Eldridge Street, the Pickle Guys, and more.
Another popular Top Dog product is the Marvel & DC Superheroes of New York tour. Clocking in at two hours, this guided walking tour takes you around New York City to numerous attractions that have been prominently featured in various superhero movies. As you walk around famous sites like the United Nations Building, the Chrysler Building, Grand Central Station, and more, you’ll learn all about the history of these locations and the roles they’ve played in assorted comic books and their movie adaptations.
Top Dog’s Media Tour is a great option for those visitors to New York interested in learning more about the prominent role the city plays in America’s news and television culture. Lasting two hours, the Media Tour will take you around Midtown Manhattan to such landmarks as Radio City Music Hall, the Ed Sullivan Theater, Rockefeller Center, and the Hearst Building, just to name a few.
There are two exciting tours available for guests seeking to explore Greenwich Village. The Greenwich Village at Night tour is your gateway to some of New York City’s most famous bars and clubs—establishments like the Stonewall Inn, Cafe Wha?, and Blue Note Jazz Club—as well as attractions such as Washington Square Park, St. Mark’s Place, and New York University. The Ghosts of Greenwich Village tour covers much of the same territory, but emphasizes the spookier aspects of this historic neighborhood.
Tips for Visiting with Top Dog Tours
- Top Dog Tours New York City is included on several money saving tourist passes including the New York Pass, Go NY All-Inclusive Pass and NY Explorer Pass.
- Top Dog Tours operate rain or shine, so unless the weather outside has been deemed to be unsafe, your tour will take place as scheduled regardless of the conditions.
- One key thing to note as you prepare for your Tastes of the Lower East Side walking tour: the cost of food is not included in the price of your ticket. Top Dog recommends having $20 to $30 on hand to cover the expense of any food you might want to try along the way.
- The Tastes of the Lower East Side walking tour departs from the Museum at Eldridge Street, which itself is not far from the Museum of Chinese in America, the New Museum, and the Tenement Museum. You could have a terrific time—involving very little in the way of transit—seeing one or all of these attractions on the same day.
- Given the nature of its subject material, the Ghosts of Greenwich Village tour is not recommended for children under the age of 12 years old.
- If you need to change your Top Dog reservation, you must do so at least two days ahead of time in order to qualify for free cancellation.