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Whether you’re a regular visitor to New York, it’s your first time, or you’re a resident who hasn’t found the time to explore the city better – walking tours can be an excellent tool to get to know the NYC’s secrets.

Free walking tours keep your budget on track and are perhaps the best way to discover some of the city’s most famous landmarks – with an expert local guide to share insider tips and facts about the places you visit.

New York is home to hundreds of options for free walking tours, but some are better than the rest. If you’re visiting New York in 2023 and want to join a walking tour, here are our favorites in the city. 

Soho, Little Italy, and Chinatown Tour

Soho, Little Italy, and Chinatown are some of the oldest neighborhoods in the city and a far cry from the modern skyscrapers of Manhattan. So if you’re looking to get lost in the real New York City and learn more about how it grew into the city we know today – this is a great tour to join.

Scheduled four times a week between 9.45 am and 2 pm, lasting around two hours.

Brooklyn Bridge and Brooklyn Heights

Brooklyn Bridge is one of the most famous bridges in the world, and when visiting New York, it’s on most people’s “must-see” list. This tour takes you over the iconic bridge and into New York’s (and the USA’s) very first suburb – Brooklyn Heights.

Scheduled daily at 9.30 am, the tour lasts 3 hours.

New York

Want to see as much as possible on your walking tour? This New York tour is often considered the best, taking you through some of the city’s most prominent landmarks. For example, passing through Wall Street, the 9/11 memorial, Battery Park (for views of the Statue of Liberty), and New Amsterdam.

Scheduled twice a week at 10 am, the tour lasts 2.5 hours.

Central Park

Central Park is one of the most beautiful places in the city and the most photographed location in the world. If you want to see the park and learn more about its rich history and hidden gems – the Central Park walking tour is a great way to do so. Visit Wollman Rink, the Mall, Literary Walk, and the famous Gapstow and Bow Bridges.

Please note that this tour is no longer free, requiring a $20 fee per person, and needs to be booked well in advance to avoid disappointment – but as one of our favorite walking tours, we couldn’t leave it off the list.

Tours start at 10 am and last about 2 hours.

Are you visiting New York in 2023? Why not join us at the Hotel Beacon, a family-friendly hotel with apartment-style suites in the heart of the city?