Central Park is a linchpin of New York City, past and present. Taking a stroll or a carriage ride is always a popular way to see New York, or you can rent a bike that comes with its own tour. Central Park Bike Tours is located just a block south of the park and offers bikes to suit any rider; you can choose from sporty, cruise or tandem rides. The group tours transport you to all the must-see spots in the park, such as Strawberry Fields, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir, the Shakespeare Garden, Belvedere Castle and The Mall.
You will find so much art in New York that you can spend your entire stay wandering in and out of galleries. For a comprehensive tour of a number of galleries, New York Gallery Tours gives you insider information on what's on and what's good in the city's galleries for about $20 to $25, as of January 2011. One of their tours lets you sample six of the best opening nights, while another brings you to some of the hottest exhibitions in Chelsea. New York Gallery Tours also helps to promote the New York art scene by offering private buyer's tours to help even the most rookie collector find something within their price range.
With more than 5 million visitors, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of the most popular places to visit in New York City. The MET, as it's colloquially known, offers a number of ways to tour the exhibitions. Sit in on a gallery talk to hear curators, artists and historians speak about a specific installation, join a guided tour for a broader look at the exhibitions or pick up a headset for an audio tour of the collections. Aside from the usual entrance fee, some special exhibitions and tours have exclusive pricing.
The United Nations building is unusual in that even though it's on North American soil, it's considered international territory. Tour the United Nations with a guided or audio tour, conducted in all six of the official United Nations' languages, as well as American Sign Language. All tours as of January 2011 include a special greeting from UN Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, a walk through the General Assembly Hall, and a look at the history of the United Nations through a series of media artifacts. Take note that children under 5 are not permitted at the United Nations, for security reasons.
Join a group tour around New York's Chinatown area. The tours are run by the Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) who strive to make the history of Chinese in America accessible through art and media exhibitions, festivals, workshops and online. Get involved by taking a walking tour through Chinatown. You will learn about Chinese immigration, settlement and growth in the area and sit down for an authentic Chinese meal. Starting in January each year, special tours take place in preparation for the Lunar New Year.
