Isle Of New York Public Tours

Tour guiding is my career!

Here are my scheduled public walking tours. They’re all 2 – 3 hours except the annual inflation of Thanksgiving Parade balloons.
These are all available as private tours whenever you like. Some private tours are offered day or evening, because the lights of the city are not to be missed!
You may also be able to schedule certain tours to end exactly at sunset.

Secrets of Chinatown https://book.peek.com/s/7df85c2a-c06a-4fe5-9807-5980e35ac6e6/O4Wyj–7d032f8e-01c1-4794-9583-3db577906b6e?hc=eyJ0bHMiOjE2NjYxOTQ1NDMxNzQsInR5cGUiOiJzcF9wZXJmb3JtYW5jZSIsImx0IjoibW9iaWxlIiwidGwiOjI1MzUyLCJ1aWQiOjE2NjYxOTQ1NDMxNzQyOTU4LCJzcmMiOm51bGwsImFwaWsiOiI3ZGY4NWMyYS1jMDZhLTRmZTUtOTgwNy01OTgwZTM1YWM2ZTYiLCJkaCI6Ind3dy5pc2xlb2ZuZXd5b3JrdG91cnMuY29tIiwicGF0aCI6Ii9pbmRleCIsImJ0bnMiOjMsImJkY250IjowLCJidWNudCI6MywibHMiOiJzdGFydCIsIm0iOjEsImNmaCI6MCwidG9rZW4iOiIifQ==

Secrets of Fort Tryon Park https://book.peek.com/s/7df85c2a-c06a-4fe5-9807-5980e35ac6e6/Nxvkk–d0740af8-29e9-4216-a183-323608babb22?hc=eyJ0bHMiOjE2NjYxOTQ1Njg1NDAsInR5cGUiOiJzcF9wZXJmb3JtYW5jZSIsImx0IjoibW9iaWxlIiwidGwiOjgwNDExLCJ1aWQiOjE2NjYxOTQ1NDMxNzQyOTU4LCJzcmMiOm51bGwsImFwaWsiOiI3ZGY4NWMyYS1jMDZhLTRmZTUtOTgwNy01OTgwZTM1YWM2ZTYiLCJkaCI6Ind3dy5pc2xlb2ZuZXd5b3JrdG91cnMuY29tIiwicGF0aCI6Ii9pbmRleCIsImJ0bnMiOjMsImJkY250IjowLCJidWNudCI6MywibHMiOiJzdGFydCIsIm0iOjEsImNmaCI6MCwidG9rZW4iOiIifQ==

Wall Street & the Land Of The Blacks, a walking tour from Brooklyn to Manhattan that includes a ferry ride https://book.peek.com/s/7df85c2a-c06a-4fe5-9807-5980e35ac6e6/pxwXj–59283e6a-8a11-44ae-ae8c-98a75b995629?hc=eyJ0bHMiOjE2NjYxOTQ2NDg5NjQsInR5cGUiOiJzcF9wZXJmb3JtYW5jZSIsImx0IjoibW9iaWxlIiwidGwiOjMwNzY0MiwidWlkIjoxNjY2MTk0NTQzMTc0Mjk1OCwic3JjIjpudWxsLCJhcGlrIjoiN2RmODVjMmEtYzA2YS00ZmU1LTk4MDctNTk4MGUzNWFjNmU2IiwiZGgiOiJ3d3cuaXNsZW9mbmV3eW9ya3RvdXJzLmNvbSIsInBhdGgiOiIvaW5kZXgiLCJidG5zIjozLCJiZGNudCI6MCwiYnVjbnQiOjMsImxzIjoic3RhcnQiLCJtIjoxLCJjZmgiOjAsInRva2VuIjoiIn0=

Secrets of Central Park https://book.peek.com/s/7df85c2a-c06a-4fe5-9807-5980e35ac6e6/pxwXj–59283e6a-8a11-44ae-ae8c-98a75b995629?hc=eyJ0bHMiOjE2NjYxOTQ2NDg5NjQsInR5cGUiOiJzcF9wZXJmb3JtYW5jZSIsImx0IjoibW9iaWxlIiwidGwiOjMwNzY0MiwidWlkIjoxNjY2MTk0NTQzMTc0Mjk1OCwic3JjIjpudWxsLCJhcGlrIjoiN2RmODVjMmEtYzA2YS00ZmU1LTk4MDctNTk4MGUzNWFjNmU2IiwiZGgiOiJ3d3cuaXNsZW9mbmV3eW9ya3RvdXJzLmNvbSIsInBhdGgiOiIvaW5kZXgiLCJidG5zIjozLCJiZGNudCI6MCwiYnVjbnQiOjMsImxzIjoic3RhcnQiLCJtIjoxLCJjZmgiOjAsInRva2VuIjoiIn0=

Hamilton and the Revolution in New York https://book.peek.com/s/7df85c2a-c06a-4fe5-9807-5980e35ac6e6/xp4D4–ad71316c-b1af-44aa-8112-8c99bbc755e3?hc=eyJ0bHMiOjE2NjYxOTUwODg3MDQsInR5cGUiOiJzcF9wZXJmb3JtYW5jZSIsImx0IjoibW9iaWxlIiwidGwiOjcwNDcxLCJ1aWQiOjE2NjYxOTQ1NDMxNzQyOTU4LCJzcmMiOm51bGwsImFwaWsiOiI3ZGY4NWMyYS1jMDZhLTRmZTUtOTgwNy01OTgwZTM1YWM2ZTYiLCJkaCI6Ind3dy5pc2xlb2ZuZXd5b3JrdG91cnMuY29tIiwicGF0aCI6Ii9pbmRleCIsImJ0bnMiOjMsImJkY250IjowLCJidWNudCI6MywibHMiOiJzdGFydCIsIm0iOjEsImNmaCI6MCwidG9rZW4iOiIifQ==

Wall Street and the Financial District https://book.peek.com/s/7df85c2a-c06a-4fe5-9807-5980e35ac6e6/JyAMw–036e4c8f-7f7a-4289-9b45-ffefcd5bb858?hc=eyJ0bHMiOjE2NjYxOTUxNTkxOTUsInR5cGUiOiJzcF9wZXJmb3JtYW5jZSIsImx0IjoibW9iaWxlIiwidGwiOjU4ODE4LCJ1aWQiOjE2NjYxOTQ1NDMxNzQyOTU4LCJzcmMiOm51bGwsImFwaWsiOiI3ZGY4NWMyYS1jMDZhLTRmZTUtOTgwNy01OTgwZTM1YWM2ZTYiLCJkaCI6Ind3dy5pc2xlb2ZuZXd5b3JrdG91cnMuY29tIiwicGF0aCI6Ii9pbmRleCIsImJ0bnMiOjMsImJkY250IjowLCJidWNudCI6MywibHMiOiJzdGFydCIsIm0iOjEsImNmaCI6MCwidG9rZW4iOiIifQ==

Mrs. Maisel’s Marvelous Greenwich Village https://book.peek.com/s/7df85c2a-c06a-4fe5-9807-5980e35ac6e6/aENkl–d437c873-62a2-4d96-a644-6d821a99a89a?hc=eyJ0bHMiOjE2NjYxOTUyMTgwMjksInR5cGUiOiJzcF9wZXJmb3JtYW5jZSIsImx0IjoibW9iaWxlIiwidGwiOjExNDA5OSwidWlkIjoxNjY2MTk0NTQzMTc0Mjk1OCwic3JjIjpudWxsLCJhcGlrIjoiN2RmODVjMmEtYzA2YS00ZmU1LTk4MDctNTk4MGUzNWFjNmU2IiwiZGgiOiJ3d3cuaXNsZW9mbmV3eW9ya3RvdXJzLmNvbSIsInBhdGgiOiIvaW5kZXgiLCJidG5zIjozLCJiZGNudCI6MCwiYnVjbnQiOjMsImxzIjoic3RhcnQiLCJtIjoxLCJjZmgiOjAsInRva2VuIjoiIn0=

September 11 Heroes & Memorials https://book.peek.com/s/7df85c2a-c06a-4fe5-9807-5980e35ac6e6/qzrXD–55a773d8-4882-4c5e-a4ec-556d8d777ac4?hc=eyJ0bHMiOjE2NjYxOTUzMzIxNDIsInR5cGUiOiJzcF9wZXJmb3JtYW5jZSIsImx0IjoibW9iaWxlIiwidGwiOjUyNTcwNiwidWlkIjoxNjY2MTk0NTQzMTc0Mjk1OCwic3JjIjpudWxsLCJhcGlrIjoiN2RmODVjMmEtYzA2YS00ZmU1LTk4MDctNTk4MGUzNWFjNmU2IiwiZGgiOiJ3d3cuaXNsZW9mbmV3eW9ya3RvdXJzLmNvbSIsInBhdGgiOiIvaW5kZXgiLCJidG5zIjozLCJiZGNudCI6MCwiYnVjbnQiOjMsImxzIjoic3RhcnQiLCJtIjoxLCJjZmgiOjAsInRva2VuIjoiIn0=

British Tour of Lower Manhattan https://book.peek.com/s/7df85c2a-c06a-4fe5-9807-5980e35ac6e6/jPB7Z–21e3fac4-8d43-4df6-bc45-a66f09f312f0?hc=eyJ0bHMiOjE2NjYxOTU4NTc4NjEsInR5cGUiOiJzcF9wZXJmb3JtYW5jZSIsImx0IjoibW9iaWxlIiwidGwiOjY2Mzg0LCJ1aWQiOjE2NjYxOTQ1NDMxNzQyOTU4LCJzcmMiOm51bGwsImFwaWsiOiI3ZGY4NWMyYS1jMDZhLTRmZTUtOTgwNy01OTgwZTM1YWM2ZTYiLCJkaCI6Ind3dy5pc2xlb2ZuZXd5b3JrdG91cnMuY29tIiwicGF0aCI6Ii9pbmRleCIsImJ0bnMiOjMsImJkY250IjowLCJidWNudCI6MywibHMiOiJzdGFydCIsIm0iOjEsImNmaCI6MCwidG9rZW4iOiIifQ==

The Best of Midtown: Grand Central, Saint Patrick’s, Rockefeller Center and Times Square https://book.peek.com/s/7df85c2a-c06a-4fe5-9807-5980e35ac6e6/RWLk2–392757a2-e75e-4df1-bee4-bd3bb39f5a36?hc=eyJ0bHMiOjE2NjYxOTU5MjQyNjUsInR5cGUiOiJzcF9wZXJmb3JtYW5jZSIsImx0IjoibW9iaWxlIiwidGwiOjYwNzkyLCJ1aWQiOjE2NjYxOTQ1NDMxNzQyOTU4LCJzcmMiOm51bGwsImFwaWsiOiI3ZGY4NWMyYS1jMDZhLTRmZTUtOTgwNy01OTgwZTM1YWM2ZTYiLCJkaCI6Ind3dy5pc2xlb2ZuZXd5b3JrdG91cnMuY29tIiwicGF0aCI6Ii9pbmRleCIsImJ0bnMiOjMsImJkY250IjowLCJidWNudCI6MywibHMiOiJzdGFydCIsIm0iOjEsImNmaCI6MCwidG9rZW4iOiIifQ==

Pre-Thanksgiving Parade Balloon Inflation Day, a once-a-year event 11/23 https://book.peek.com/s/7df85c2a-c06a-4fe5-9807-5980e35ac6e6/k4a7X–fb2b8f87-7d19-4365-a326-25c00d34f041?hc=eyJ0bHMiOjE2NjYxOTU5ODUwNzIsInR5cGUiOiJzcF9wZXJmb3JtYW5jZSIsImx0IjoibW9iaWxlIiwidGwiOjEzNTI1MiwidWlkIjoxNjY2MTk0NTQzMTc0Mjk1OCwic3JjIjpudWxsLCJhcGlrIjoiN2RmODVjMmEtYzA2YS00ZmU1LTk4MDctNTk4MGUzNWFjNmU2IiwiZGgiOiJ3d3cuaXNsZW9mbmV3eW9ya3RvdXJzLmNvbSIsInBhdGgiOiIvaW5kZXgiLCJidG5zIjozLCJiZGNudCI6MCwiYnVjbnQiOjMsImxzIjoic3RhcnQiLCJtIjoxLCJjZmgiOjAsInRva2VuIjoiIn0=

Secrets of Chinatown, a personal tour from my Chinese in-laws (fine shopping, Asian groceries, history, Five Points, street food, Jewish-Irish-Danish-Dutch-Italian influences)
https://book.peek.com/s/7df85c2a-c06a-4fe5-9807-5980e35ac6e6/O4Wyj–7d032f8e-01c1-4794-9583-3db577906b6e?hc=eyJ0bHMiOjE2NjYxOTYxMjAzNDQsInR5cGUiOiJzcF9wZXJmb3JtYW5jZSIsImx0IjoibW9iaWxlIiwidGwiOjk4NDcxMiwidWlkIjoxNjY2MTk0NTQzMTc0Mjk1OCwic3JjIjpudWxsLCJhcGlrIjoiN2RmODVjMmEtYzA2YS00ZmU1LTk4MDctNTk4MGUzNWFjNmU2IiwiZGgiOiJ3d3cuaXNsZW9mbmV3eW9ya3RvdXJzLmNvbSIsInBhdGgiOiIvaW5kZXgiLCJidG5zIjozLCJiZGNudCI6MCwiYnVjbnQiOjMsImxzIjoic3RhcnQiLCJtIjoxLCJjZmgiOjAsInRva2VuIjoiIn0=

Secrets of Central Park https://book.peek.com/s/7df85c2a-c06a-4fe5-9807-5980e35ac6e6/03pW4–a8403bd2-40cc-4d88-b1df-9468898b67b3?hc=eyJ0bHMiOjE2NjYxOTcxMDUwNzMsInR5cGUiOiJzcF9wZXJmb3JtYW5jZSIsImx0IjoibW9iaWxlIiwidGwiOjQxMjQ1LCJ1aWQiOjE2NjYxOTQ1NDMxNzQyOTU4LCJzcmMiOm51bGwsImFwaWsiOiI3ZGY4NWMyYS1jMDZhLTRmZTUtOTgwNy01OTgwZTM1YWM2ZTYiLCJkaCI6Ind3dy5pc2xlb2ZuZXd5b3JrdG91cnMuY29tIiwicGF0aCI6Ii9pbmRleCIsImJ0bnMiOjMsImJkY250IjowLCJidWNudCI6MywibHMiOiJzdGFydCIsIm0iOjEsImNmaCI6MCwidG9rZW4iOiIifQ==

Do Your Tours In Clusters!

Manhattan is 13 miles or 21 km long and around 2 miles/3km across. Places are clustered, sort of.

MIDTOWN includes the Public Library main branch, Grand Central, Empire State Building, Macy’s, Bryant Park, Times Square, Rockefeller Center and St. Patrick’s.

CENTRAL PARK is north of Midtown.

THE FINANCIAL DISTRICT is close to the Statue Of Liberty and Staten Island ferries, National September 11 Memorial, Wall Street, South Street Seaport, the Brooklyn Bridge, and it’s fairly close to Chinatown.

My company does walking tours that may go through up to 3 districts in a tour:

SoHo, Little Italy and Chinatown.

Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn Heights, and DUMBO.

Brooklyn Heights, ferry boat to Wall Street, and African Burial Ground.

Grand Central, Saint Patrick’s, Rockefeller Center, and Times Square.

Brooklyn Heights, ferry to Manhattan, Murray Hill, and end at customer’s choice of Grand Central or Empire State Building.

http://www.isleofnewyorktours.com or write Tourguidestan@yahoo.com

NYC movie scenes in walking tours

Does this look familiar? Lyra Belaqua, played by Dakota Blue Richards, ran down this Manhattan block in the film The Golden Compass. The block of identical wooden houses is on my Washington Heights tour.

Same block in the movie!

This block is on my Brooklyn Bridge  & Brooklyn Heights tour. Why the studio decided to use the blue Brooklyn house as the Washington, DC home of Kay Graham, played by Meryl Streep as the former owner of The Washington Post in the film The Post, is beyond me.

Riffing off Mystery Science Theatre 3000, I call these posters ‘moviesign.’  Printed by the Mayor’s Office of Film and Television, they warn car owners to stay away on certain days so that movie or tv trucks can park there. It’s a great way to learn what movie or TV show is filmed where and when. This one was for the 4th season of the TV show Power, in 2017.  Watch my @tourguidestan Twitter for #moviesign mentions.

Movie directors love to use icons as backdrops.Washington Arch is a New York City icon. Consider every ‘famous city’ movie you’ve ever seen. Are some scenes within sight of a famous icon in that city? You bet.  Because moviegoers will remember their own experience in that spot. That’s a big selling point, so directors use the icons. Washington Square arch has been used for many films. Here is a link to a short YouTube video of mine. In 20 seconds it shows you the exact locations near the arch where scenes in four films were made: https://youtu.be/8BHhRgjVeeI

McSorley’s Old Ale House was used in an episode of The Marvelous Mrs Maisel. It’s one of my favorite bars in town, for many reasons, one being
MCSORLEY’S DOESN’T BLAST LOUD MUSIC.
I take customers here when we ‘do’ the East Village, and at the end of Mrs Maisel’s Marvelous Greenwich Village. https://youtu.be/zJQtj48uKT4

At the poet’s walk, or the literary walk, in Central Park, film Scenes have been shot here since at least 1979, when Meryl Streep stood by the statue of Robert Burns and Dustin Hoffman took up the opposite spot by Walter Scott. Kramer vs. Kramer.

But that’s only the earliest Literary Walk film scene I can think of. How about some more?

Enchanted

Autumn In New York

Home Alone II: Lost In New York

Icons, baby. It’s all about the icons! And New York holds sooo many icons that it’s the perfect city to shoot in. That’s why as many as 400 movies and TV shows are shot in New York annually. Take some of my tours and stand exactly where the stars stood. Go to http://www.isleofnewyorktours.com or write the email address in this video: https://youtu.be/SKTNhcJRjwQ

We Will Keep Teaching About 9/11

In 2001, September 11 was considered the great tragedy of the modern world. And so it remained right up until 2020.
The 9/11 story has to remain a part of our curriculum, although it pales in comparison to the hundreds of thousands of deaths in the US, and the millions worldwide, this year.

There’s a significant difference. The deaths of Covid destroyed families and ways of life, but not physical things.  September 11 destroyed the neighbourhood around the twin towers. It engendered the invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq. The upscaling of the US military. Years of anti-Iraq propaganda which led to general anti-Muslim hysteria and bigotry.

American kids assume that the hero worship and veneration of the military that they’ve grown up with are normal. They actually are outgrowths of the buildup of popular military support in the run-up to a war that went on for years.

Towns and cities nationwide have had generations of statues and memorials for military heroes. It was not until 2020 that the heroism of healthcare workers has been recognized and applauded to at least the same degree. It’s time they, as well, are venerated with statues.

Just a few blocks away from the National September 11 Memorial is Fraunces Tavern. It was there that General Washington held a farewell dinner after the Revolution as the military was disbanded. America therefore has gone from a nation that got rid of its military after war, to one that keeps a strong military.

Kids need to have this historical context to make sense of their lives up until this point. And to go forward, soon taking their places as adults in United States culture, and changing the culture by voting at each election.

So yes, New York City tourguides will keep bringing middle- and high-school students to the memorial, and giving them all this necessary background.