New York Bus Tours: The 15 Best Routes

1.Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing Tour by Open-top Bus

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 5,863 reviews · 3 hours · from $44Our pick

Use Big Bus New York to get your bearings without driving or navigating subway transfers. Ride the Downtown and Uptown loops, listen to commentary in six languages, and hop off near the Empire State Building, Museum Mile, Battery Park, Wall Street, and the 9/11 Memorial. The app tracks buses in real time, while 48- and 72-hour tickets add digital walking tours.

“Good way to see the sights whilst having an audio commentary about what you are looking at”

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2.Big Bus NYC: Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Tour by Open-top Bus

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 4,762 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $44

See Manhattan from an open-top double-decker bus, with Downtown and Uptown loops linking Times Square, Central Park, the Empire State Building, SoHo, Wall Street, and the World Trade Center. Choose 24, 48, or 72 hours, listen to recorded commentary, and hop off to explore. The 72-hour ticket adds Brooklyn tours and self-guided walks.

“Great way to see the city!! You could definitely use a second day to see everything at all the stops. Staff is great and buses come fairly quickly”

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3.NYC Bus Tour of Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens: Art, Food & Sports

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3,805 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $84Top rated

Spend about six hours crossing four New York City boroughs by bus, with stops at the Apollo Theater, Flushing Meadows, Bushwick murals, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Chinatown, and Little Italy. Guides such as Chris, Jim, Kevin, and Solange bring local stories, while the route adds street art, baseball, food, and skyline views beyond Manhattan.

“We loved it, we had a great time and awesome experience with Tom Phinny -our tour guide he was very knowledgeable and respectful.”

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4.From NYC: Guided Day Trip to Washington DC by Van or Bus

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 3,418 reviews · 15 hours · from $104

Travel from Manhattan to Washington DC by air-conditioned bus or van with an English- or Spanish-speaking guide. Visit Arlington Cemetery, the Iwo Jima Memorial, Lincoln, Vietnam, Korean War, the White House, Capitol, and National Mall, with 90 minutes for lunch, photos, or a museum.

“Amazing experience with knowledgeable guide and drivers. An ontime experience”

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5.New York Night Tour: Open Top Bus Tour by TopView®

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,783 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $59

Board at 712 7th Ave for a 90-minute evening ride through Times Square, Fifth Avenue, Greenwich Village, Chinatown, Little Italy, and across the Brooklyn Bridge. You get skyline views, a live guide or audio commentary, and a fast first look at New York after dark. Bring headphones, arrive early, and dress warmly.

“To see unobstructed views of NYC at night is AMAZING!!! Highly recommend. There’s a Starbucks right beside the lineup area to get hot chocolate for the chilly ride. Do it! You won’t regret it!!!!”

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6.From Manhattan: 4-Hour Dyker Heights Holiday Lights Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 2,426 reviews · 4 hours · from $63

Ride from Manhattan to Dyker Heights with an English-speaking guide, then walk about an hour among the famous decorated homes, including Lucy Spata’s house. Continue to Brooklyn Bridge Park for skyline photos before returning to Bryant Park. Guides such as Matt, Jorge, Antonio, and Mike are known for lively city commentary.

“Our guide, Jorge was exceptional! He was very knowledgeable and friendly! He made sure we got to and from the destination safely. Our bus driver, Timmy was great too. Overall, the experience was rewarding, worth every cent! They were punctual and friendly, I definitely recommend!”

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7.Half-Day Bus Tour of NYC Top Highlights

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,764 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $75

In four hours, a guide such as Tom, Garrett, Bryant, or Percy takes you from Central Park and Fifth Avenue through SoHo, Chinatown, Wall Street, and Hudson Yards. You ride a climate-controlled bus, hear local history, and get photo stops at Rockefeller Center, Pier 17, the 9/11 Memorial, and a Statue of Liberty viewpoint.

“We had a wonderful time on this tour. All three of the staff were amazing. Tom, our tour guide was phenomenal. He was so knowledgeable, funny, kind and helpful. We were able to learn more about the city and see some of the top sights while staying warm on an extremely cold day. I’d highly recommend booking this tour if you want to see more of the city without figuring it out on your own. There’s no time to purchase food so if you’re someone who gets a little hungry, I’d suggest bring a snack to eat at one of the stops.”

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8.New York City: Bus Tour from Manhattan

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 1,506 reviews · 5 hours · from $70

Spend five hours touring Manhattan by comfortable bus or minibus with a live guide in English, German, Spanish, or Italian. You’ll see Central Park West, Fifth Avenue, the Empire State Building, Little Italy, Chinatown, Wall Street, Battery Park, and the World Trade Center, with short stops for photos and walks.

“This was a great tour as it hit on all key sites! Our Guide was great - knowledgeable and patient.”

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9.Sex and the City Hotspots Bus Tour NYC

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,284 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $81

Follow more than 40 *Sex and the City* filming locations across Manhattan on a 3.5-hour coach tour. You’ll see Carrie’s West Village brownstone, Buddakan, the Meatpacking District, and Onieal’s, the bar used as Scout. Guides such as Lou, Lara, Hannah, and Amanda add show facts, city stories, and plenty of personality. A cocktail costs extra.

“Such a cute and fun tour! As a long time super fan of SATC, this was perfect and definitely worth it.”

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10.NYC: Dyker Heights Christmas Lights & Skyline View Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 1,192 reviews · 4 hours · from $69

Ride from Midtown to Dyker Heights with a live English or German guide, then walk among Brooklyn’s extravagant Christmas displays. The four-hour tour includes a sunset stop in Battery Park City, a Brooklyn Bridge Park skyline view, and a finish near Bryant Park Winter Village. Guides such as Stefan and Glen are known for lively city stories.

“We loved the tour, really nice way to see another part of NYC. Beautiful houses and decorations, lots of fun! We would do this tour again.”

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11.From Manhattan: Dyker Heights Lights & Skyline Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 1,005 reviews · 4 hours · from $55

Ride from Midtown to Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights with a local guide, then walk among extravagant Christmas displays glowing with tens of thousands of lights. Guides such as Daniel, Steve, and Alan add neighborhood stories and New York facts. A final Brooklyn Bridge Park stop gives you skyline photos before returning to Times Square.

“Our tour guide Alan was quite knowledgeable and was very patient with handling our group. Our driver did a great job of getting us there and back safely. Whatever the charge it was worth it not to deal with the traffic. We learned many things about the neighborhoods. The Christmas decor is something you have to see in person- pictures don’t do it justice.”

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12.The RIDE Experience Theatrical Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 981 reviews · from $79

THE RIDE turns Midtown Manhattan into a moving theater. From 259 W 42nd Street, you get tiered side-facing seats, two comedy hosts, live commentary, screens, and five to seven street performances. Expect Broadway, Fifth Avenue, Central Park, Times Square, and more, with hosts such as Scott and Jackie bringing plenty of audience interaction.

“Hilarious narration from the tour guides! We loved this, especially the interaction with the performers! Definitely a highlight of our NY stay”

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13.NYC: Sex and the City Hotspots Bus Tour (On Location Tours)

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 892 reviews · 3 hours - 210 minutes · from $81

Follow Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda through Manhattan on a three-hour guided bus tour. Guides such as Lou, Hannah, Ryhan, and Christine add show trivia, filming stories, and NYC facts. You’ll visit Carrie’s apartment, see Buddakan and Charlotte’s Rabbit shop, enjoy a Magnolia Bakery cupcake, and stop for optional drinks at Scout.

“loved Hannah! she made the tour interesting and fun! only improvement is that tour guide needs a small sign to say Sex and The City tour as meeting point is very busy this time of year.”

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14.Top Rated Brooklyn Half-Day Food, History & Culture Tour via bus

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 758 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $189

Meet your guide in Greenwich Village and ride a climate-controlled bus through Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Gowanus, Carroll Gardens, and DUMBO. Expect falafel, shawarma, pierogi, kielbasa, coal-fired pizza, cannoli, and chocolate, plus neighborhood stories and photo stops. Guide Laurie is often praised for her warm, well-informed hosting.

“Laurie was a great guide! She was personable and knew the area backwards and forwards. We sampled great food and learned plenty about Brooklyn. We would do it again!”

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15.New York City Holiday Lights Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 664 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $89

See New York after dark on a small-group bus and walking tour with guides such as Rachel, Alberto, and Tony. From Times Square, you’ll visit Hudson Yards, the High Line, South Street Seaport, Wall Street, Grand Central Terminal, and Rockefeller Center. A glass-topped bus, bottled water, and guided walks are included.

“Great tour, liked visiting some hidden gems and hit all the popular sites. Alberto was excellent historian and guide!”

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