"Discover
Places, Tidbits, and Gossip That Even New York's Cognoscenti Don't
Know"
8th
Street Walking Tour
And what exactly will you discover? How about the site of Jimi Hendrix's
Electric Lady recording studio, Jack Kerouac's local haunts, and
Edward Hopper's home? Gossip dished by guide Arthur Marks.
Selected Saturdays from May through October at
11:30 a.m.; tour lasts an hour and a half
Meet at the northwest corner of St. Marks Pl. and Second
Ave.; 212-777-2173; villagealliance.org
Something
Old, Something New
Orchard Street Walking Tour
Get a taste of the bustling Lower East Side, from past to present.
Hit the former Municipal Public Bath House; the First Romanian-American
Congregation; Salwen Umbrella, the City's only remaining umbrella
shop (you know you want to see it); and the fishy Russ and Daughters.
Sundays at 11a.m., April through December; tour lasts
about an hour and a half
Meet at Katz's Delicatessen, 205 East Houston St. at Ludlow
St.; 212-226-9010; lowereastsideny.com
Show
Me the Money
The
Federal Reserve Bank
Itching for an insider's peek at the world's richest bank? The
Fed's free tour will take you five stories underground into their
gold vaults, demystify how the Bank functions, and let you test
your new knowledge at Fedworks, an interactive, multimedia
center. You'll even pocket some (shredded) money at the tour's end.
Call to make a reservation at least a week in advance and don't
be late as security procedures are lengthy.
Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 11:30
a.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m.; tour lasts one hour
33 Liberty St., between Nassau and William Sts.; 212-720-6130; newyorkfed.org
Bottoms
Up
Brooklyn Brewery
For an in-depth look at the science of beer
mixing, take a free tour of this stylish Williamsburg brewhouse.
A fresh beer sample to finish off the day! (Tour is all ages; sample for those 21+ only.)
Saturdays at 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m., and 4 p.m.; tour lasts 30 minutes
79 North 11 St., between Berry and Wythe Sts.; 718-486-7422;
brooklynbrewery.com
Miracles
on 34th Street
34th
Street Historic Walking Tour
Why is the Empire State Building the perfect symbol for New
York architecture? Which famous store owner drowned on the Titanic?
What's the link between Andy Warhol and a Con Edison substation?
You probably know a lot of this already, don't you? But hear it
all again on a tour by architectural historian Francis Morrone or
architect Alan Neumann.
Thursdays at 12:30 p.m.; tour lasts an hour and a
half
Meet at the Fifth Ave. entrance to the Empire State Building;
212-719-3434; 34thstreet.org
Rollin'
on the River
John J. Harvey Fireboat
Spend the afternoon cruising New York Harbor for free on board
the historic Harvey. Ooh, ahh, and get soaked as the historic
boat's brass cannons shoot water into majestic 200-foot arcs at
the rate of 18,000 gallons a minute. Launched in 1931, the swift
and powerful boat was brought out of retirement in the aftermath
of 9/11.
Check their website for "irregular but frequent"
tour offerings; tour length varies; for reservations e-mail: trips@fireboat.org.
Pier 63 Maritime, The Hudson River at West 23rd St.; fireboat.org
For
the Birds
Battery Park City Walking Tours
Want to hear about the birds and the bees and the flowers and the
trees? Let a Battery Park City Parks Conservancy horticulturist
take you for a garden stroll or join one of their fall bird walks
-- over eighty types of birds spotted to date. Free tours devoted
to nature, art, and history sponsored from May through October.
For tour dates visit their website; tour length varies
Meeting place varies, call for details; 212-267-9700;
bpcparks.org
All
Aboard
Grand
Central Station
You've gazed at Grand Central's celestial ceiling, now take
note of symbolic mythological figures, sculptures, and other architectural
details lurking throughout the Beaux Arts landmark. The Municipal
Art Society's long-running tour is light on gossip, heavy on design,
urban planning, and historical preservation. Donation requested.
Wednesdays at 12:30 p.m.; tour lasts about an hour
and a half
Meet in front of the information booth, main level of
Grand Central Station; 212-935-3960; mas.org
(website includes listings of other tours priced
between $10 to $15)
If
the Spirit Moves You
Trinity Church Tour
Visit the graves of Alexander Hamilton, William Bradford, and other
historical figures as you roam through Trinity Churchyard. The tour
also stops by the Church Museum where you can view art and artifacts
dating back to the 1600s.
Every day at 2 p.m.; tour lasts 15 to 20 minutes
Broadway and Wall Sts; 212-602-0800; trinitywallstreet.org
150
Years, 13 Tours
Central Park
The free tours are a baker's dozen more reasons to be thankful for Manhattan's
843-acre backyard. Explore the nooks and crannies of the North Woods,
designed to replicate the Adirondack Mountains; learn about the
innovative architecture of the Dakota and Bethesda Terrace; tour
the Harlem Meer, high ground crucial to the City's defense during
the American Revolution; or pick from 10 other options.
For tour schedules visit their website; tours last
about one hour
212-360-2726 (tour hotline); centralparknyc.org
At the Crossroads
Times Square Tour
Times Square wasn't always the overwhelming, Disney-laden spectacle it is today. This free tour looks back at the neighborhood's colorful, gritty past.
Fridays at noon; tour lasts about one hour
Meet at the Times Square Visitors Center, 1560 Broadway, between 46th and 47th Sts; 212-869-1890; timessquarenyc.org
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