More than 50 million people visit New York City each year to take in the sights and enjoy everything the Big Apple has to offer but planning one of these trips can be really difficult because there is so much to see and do. That is why tours are so popular. On a tour, you can check a dozen or more of NYC’s most impressive sights off your itinerary in just a few hours. Bike and walking tours are available, but most visitors choose to see the sights through the windows of a tourist bus or from the deck of a luxury boat.
Private water tours are great because you won’t have to worry about NYC’s notorious traffic, and you and your party will have the boat all to yourselves. Prices start at just $475, and you can pick from daytime, sunset or nighttime cruises. If you want to explore NYC on a more modest budget, there are dozens of bus tour companies that would be happy to show you the sights. In this article, we will take a look at some of the best bus tours in NYC. We will let you know what they offer, what visitors have said about them and how much they cost.
City Bus Tours in NYC
NYC’s most popular bus tours operate during the day and stay within Manhattan. Some tour buses venture out to Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx, but you might want to give these tours a miss unless there is something you really want to see or you don’t mind sitting in traffic on one of New York’s extremely busy bridges. On a city tour, you will get to see how huge and diverse NYC is. From the concrete and glass monoliths of the financial district to the small-town charm of Chinatown and Little Italy, these tours will give you the opportunity to see it all.
Night Bus Tours in NYC
New York is known as the city that never sleeps, and you will find out why people say this if you take a night bus tour in the Big Apple. The bridges are far quieter at night, so you should consider a night bus tour in NYC that takes in Brooklyn or Queens. If you do, you will get to see the Manhattan skyline in all of its illuminated glory. Other NYC sights that really pop at night include Times Square, Broadway and the Rockefeller Center.
How Long Are NYC Bus Tours?
Some of the tours on this list will be over in under two hours, but others last for almost an entire day. You will get to see more on a longer tour, but you will also spend more time on a bus. That may not be a problem if you share the bus with friendly people, but it could be a nightmare if you find yourself in a loud or obnoxious group. There are also hop-on, hop-off tours with regular stops that allow you to enjoy the city at your own pace and change your traveling companions.
The Best NYC Bus Tours in 2023
After poring over websites, price lists and customer reviews, we have narrowed down the dozens of tour bus operators in NYC to a list of 15 that we think offer the best experiences and the most bang for the buck. Some of these tours stick to New York’s most popular visitor attractions, while others visit cultural landmarks or TV and movie filming locations. Here are our choices, in no particular order.
1. Big Bus Tours
Big Bus Tours offers five hop-on, hop-off routes in NYC that each has about six stops. The company has a great website that features an app you can download to plan your tour, and their reviews are pretty good. Audio recordings are offered in 11 languages, and there is a night tour if you want to see the city lights. One, two and three-day tour packages are available.
Big Bus Tours
723 7th Ave,
New York, NY 10019
No phone number is listed, but live chat is available.
Prices start at $60
Google reviewers give Big Bus Tours 3.7 stars
2. A Slice of Brooklyn Bus Tours
This family-owned business has been giving New York visitors a taste of some of Brooklyn’s most authentic food since 2005. The Brooklyn Pizza tour stops at world-famous pizzerias like L&B Spumoni Gardens and Grimaldi’s, and the Taste of Brooklyn tour visits locations where scenes were shot for “Saturday Night Fever,” “Goodfellas,” “The Godfather,” and “Dog Day Afternoon.” If you enjoy a tipple, you might like the brewery and distillery tour. Google reviews are great, and a Slice of Brooklyn has been voted the best bus tour in Brooklyn by TripAdvisor visitors.
A Slice of Brooklyn Bus Tours
2036 61st Street,
Brooklyn, NY 11204
(212) 913-9917
The price is $95
Google reviewers give a Slice of Brooklyn Bus Tours 4.8 stars
3. On Location Tours
If you are visiting NYC to see where your favorite TV shows or movies were filmed, On Location Tours has got you covered. This popular tour company offers more than a dozen packages that visit filming locations you may have seen in “The Sopranos,” “Sex and the City,” “Gossip Girl,” “Seinfeld” and “Law & Order.” Each tour lasts between three and four hours and visits multiple locations. On Location Tours is known for having friendly and knowledgeable drivers, and the company has excellent reviews.
On Location Tours
435 E 85th St,
New York, NY 10028
(212) 683-2027
Prices start at $36
Google reviewers give On Location Tours 4.6 stars
4. Hush Hip Hop Tours
New York is the birthplace of hip-hop, and many of the genre’s most iconic songs were recorded in the city. Hush Hip Hop Tours offers three packages that visit hip-hop landmarks in Harlem, Brooklyn and the Bronx, including the Apollo Theater and the Graffiti Wall of Fame, and you will hear the unvarnished truth about what went on in these places from celebrity guides. Hush Hip Hop Tours has been covered by the hip-hop press and MTV, and the company has great reviews.
Hush Hip Hop Tours
1220 Fifth Avenue,
New York, NY 10029
(212) 714-3527
Prices start at $79.99
Google reviewers give Hush Hip Hop Tours 4.8 stars
5. The RIDE
The RIDE offers a unique experience focusing on performance art rather than sightseeing. If you take this tour, you will spend about 75 minutes on a luxury bus that costs more than $1 million as it drives around Manhattan. The luxury bus visits Broadway, Times Square and the Chrysler building, and there are street performers dotted around the route to keep you entertained. While the bus and street entertainers may be the star attractions, most reviewers seem more impressed by the two hosts.
The RIDE
259 W 42nd St,
New York, NY 10036
(212) 221-0853
The price is $79
Google reviewers give The RIDE 4.2 stars
6. TopView Double Decker Bus Tours in NYC
This hop-on, hop-off tour operator has carved out a niche in an extremely competitive market by offering very attractive prices. There are several packages available, including night tours, and you can also buy 24 or 72-hour passes. TopView NYC runs open-top double-decker buses, which is great when the weather is good. Most of the tours on offer stay in Manhattan, but there is one bus that travels to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Most of the people who take a TopView NYC tour would recommend the experience to others. When you’re done, you’ll see why it’s one of the best hop-on-hop-off New York bus tours.
TopView NYC
2 E 42nd St,
New York, NY 10017
(212) 664-0300
Prices start at $39
Google reviewers give Big Bus Tours 4.3 stars
7. Scott’s Pizza Tours
This company is best known for its New York walking tours, but a tour on a yellow school bus driven by the founder is available for those who would rather take it easy. The bus visits famous pizza restaurants in Manhattan and at least one other borough, and two pizza journals are included in the price. This may not be the most luxurious bus tour on this list, but its reviews are perfect.
Scott’s Pizza Tours
32 Spring St,
New York, NY 10012
(347) 868-7701
The price is $79
Google reviewers give Scott’s Pizza Tours 5 stars
8. Harlem Spirituals
Harlem Spirituals was the first New York company to offer jazz and gospel bus tours. These tours cater to visitors who want to see the real NYC, so don’t expect to visit many tourist attractions. Instead, sit back and relax as multilingual guides help you to explore some of the most important jazz and gospel landmarks in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx. You will even get to hear great music at many of the stops. This is not everybody’s cup of tea, which may explain why the reviews are mixed.
Harlem Spirituals
690 8th Ave #2,
New York, NY 10036
(212) 391-0900
Prices start at $80.
Google reviewers give Harlem Spirituals 3.9 stars
9. USA Guided Tours
USA Guided Tours offers private van and SUV tours as well as traditional bus tours, so this firm may be a good choice for you if you want to enjoy the city in private. The bus tour lasts a full six hours, but there are plenty of stops where you can get out and stretch your legs. These stops include Times Square, Central Park, the Rockefeller Center and the 9/11 Memorial. USA Guided Tours has decent reviews, and its guides are known for being friendly and knowledgeable.
USA Guided Tours
770 7th Ave,
New York, NY 10019
(917) 708-2155
Price start at $59
Google reviewers give USA Guided Tours 4.6 stars
10. The Tour
This is another tour company that makes its bus the focal point of its marketing campaign. The bus in question is custom-built, features floor-to-ceiling windows and cost $1.5 million. It will take you through 10 of Manhattan’s most important neighborhoods, but you won’t be able to get on and off as there are no stops. The tour lasts about 90 minutes, which many reviewers felt was not long enough.
The Tour
216-200 W 45th St,
New York, NY 10036
(212) 221 0853
Prices start at $79
Google reviewers give The Tour 3.6 stars
11. City Sightseeing
City Sightseeing offers open-top tours of New York that take in all of the most popular tourist attractions. You can take as much time as you like as the price you pay allows you to ride the company’s buses all day. City Sightseeing tour guides speak English and Spanish but check the prices offered by Big Bus Tours before you pay, as they operate some City Sightseeing tours. That could explain why the two companies have very similar reviews.
City Sightseeing
455 12th Ave,
New York, NY 10018
(212) 445-7599
Prices start at $39
Google reviewers give City Sightseeing 3.8 stars
12. City Sights
City Sights is another tour bus company that offers a 24-hour hop-on, hop-off pass. That pass will set you back $75, but it could be worth the money if you want to spend the day sightseeing in Manhattan, as the stops include most of the major landmarks. This is a great choice if you want to visit some of New York’s many museums, and you can also choose a guided tour that lasts nine hours and stops at the Statue of Liberty. City Sights reviews are decent, but not great.
City Sights
150 West 46th Street,
New York, NY 10036
(212) 445-7599
Prices start at $45
Google reviewers give City Sights 3.7 stars
13. Open Tours
If you want to see New York’s most famous buildings, the Open Tours Architecture Discovery tour could be just what you are looking for. You could also take a traditional tour to see sights, including Herald Square, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Meatpacking District and the New World Trade Center. This is a bus that picks you up, and you can get on at either the Jolly Madison Hotel or the Sheraton Hotel. Most people seem to be happy with Open Tours because its reviews are pretty good.
Open Tours
22 E 38th St,
New York, NY 10016
(212) 222-9433
Prices start at $79
Google reviewers give Open Tours 4 stars
14. Golden Bus Tours
If you feel like getting out of New York and feel like spending some time in a more natural environment, Niagara Falls could be the perfect destination. Many companies offer bus tours to Niagara Falls from NYC, but few are as respected as Golden Bus Tours. The Niagara Falls package spans two days, and the stops include Watkins Glen State Park and the Corning Museum of Glass, in addition to the spectacular waterfalls that attract visitors from around the world. The trip sounds incredible, but the company’s reviews are only fair.
Golden Bus Tours
909 Silber RD # 59,
Houston, TX 77024
(917)-725-2038
The price is $148
Google reviewers give Golden Bus Tours 3.9 stars
15. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority
The MTA may not be a tour bus company, but it does run more than 300 bus routes in NYC. The MTA also operates 24 hours a day, so you won’t have to worry about missing the last bus. You won’t find any tour guides or complimentary refreshments on an MTA bus, but you will be able to get to just about any part of the Big Apple for just $2.50. The MTA is used by almost half a million New Yorkers each day, so it provides visitors with a taste of what life is like in the Big Apple.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority
2 Broadway,
New York, NY 10004
(212) 878-7000
The price is $2.50
Google reviewers give the MTA 2.3 stars
What Is the Best Way to Tour New York City?
Tour bus companies in NYC offer so many options because not all of the city’s visitors are looking for the same experience. If you are traveling with a family and want to keep things simple, a guided tour that hits all of the major attractions but does not make stops would probably suit your needs. If you are a little more adventurous and want to do some exploring on your own, a bus operator that offers hop-on, hop-off trips would likely be more appealing. However, no bus experience can provide the feeling that will come over you the first time you see New York from the water.
Avoid Traffic on a Boat
All of the tour bus companies we have mentioned operate buses on streets they share with millions of cars, trucks, cyclists and pedestrians, which means their passengers spend a lot of time stuck in traffic. If you want to enjoy the Big Apple in a less stressful environment, you should consider circling Manhattan or taking in the city lights from the deck of a New York Harbor Tours boat. Only private charters are available at the moment, but prices start at just $475. To find out more, you can call us at (718) 230-0136 or use our online form.