Living in New York City, I see all kinds of NYC tours leading visitors around the city. Curious to know which New York City day tours visitors really liked, I was surprised to see a company I hadn’t heard of, ExperienceFirst (formerly New York Tour1), with tours ranked among the best and having thousands of great reviews.
I made plans right away to join their New York City in a Day Walking Tour to see what the hype was all about.
So in this ExperienceFirst tour review, you’ll find out what you need to know about their New York City in a Day Walking Tour so you can decide whether it’s right for your New York itinerary or not.
ExperienceFirst (Formerly New York Tour1) Tour Review:
New York City in a Day
Now, I know you’re wondering can you really do NYC in a day? Of course not.
You can’t do any big city in a day. But, as I set off on a cool, sunny, late fall day for this 6-hour New York City adventure, I had no idea how cleverly ExperienceFirst (formerly New York Tour1) would weave together the perfect NYC one-day tour.
I met the ExperienceFirst guide and group in Times Square and was happy to see there were only 12 people including myself and the guide.
One thing you can always count on in New York City is a crowd. Small group size is a major positive when considering a tour company.
It means less time waiting for everyone to cross streets and catch up. Small groups are also much more able to maneuver the city sidewalks with the least amount of time wasted. Big plusses when you want to maximize your NYC itinerary!
The guide began by talking about Times Square, its history starting back when the Native American Lenape lived on Manhattan to how it came to be called Times Square. He shared some fun facts about the digital billboards and also the craziness of New Year’s Eve.
Having lived in New York City for 20+ years, I know a lot about the city and its history, as well as fun facts of today like what happens from 11:57 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. every night on the Times Square billboards! The guide elaborated on all of this plus more of the seemingly endless things to do in NYC near the Times Square area.
As we explored Midtown, our ExperienceFirst (formerly New York Tour1) guide brought us to popular sights like Radio City Music Hall, Rockefeller Center, and St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
Along the way, it was clear the guide was an expert on New York City. He gave interesting facts about many things including the diamond district and how the Rockefeller Center ice rink was only meant to be a 1-year attraction to get people to see and shop at the stores underneath the plaza.
But, mixed in with these tidbits, the guide added historical details about New York City and what it was like during different times in history, like the Great Depression.
ExperienceFirst NYC Tour: Midtown
As a local, I’m comfortable walking a lot of blocks every day. But, the guide knew there would have to be meaningful stops and breaks throughout the day to balance the group’s need to rest but also to maximize our New York in one-day itinerary.
Our first rest stop was a 15-minute break at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, which was a smart stop for several reasons.
Some members of the group chose to go inside to see the Cathedral (free entry). Others used the time to take photos of Fifth Avenue and Rockefeller Center. A couple of people chose to sit, stretch, and take a sip of water. All the while, the guide was available and eager to chat and answer any and all questions.
With the whole group back together, we walked south on 5th Avenue. The guide talked about the New York Public Library, Bryant Park, the Chrysler Building, Grand Central Station, and the city’s architecture.
Did you know Mr. Chrysler had the spire constructed for the Chrysler Building in secret just to one-up another skyscraper going up in lower Manhattan to claim the tallest building in NYC at the time?!
Or that one of the staircases in Grand Central Station is not original and was built during renovations by re-opening a closed quarry to make sure the stone matched the other staircase?!
I may be a New York City history nerd, but it was obvious how interested and engaged the whole group was to learn firsthand about NYC’s famous landmarks. I couldn’t help but notice other NYC visitors nearby who were not on our guided tour snapping photos yet missing key details that would add a deeper understanding of their photos later on.
ExperienceFirst Tour: Expert Guides with Local Knowledge
While others took a bathroom break in Grand Central, a few of us had fun “playing” in the Whispering Gallery. It was during this short downtime when I chatted with a couple about the tour so far.
They’d just started their first trip to New York City and were so happy to be walking around the city instead of sitting on a bus and I couldn’t agree more! It’s such a better way of getting your bearings and really experiencing New York City.
As a local, I know my way around NYC blindfolded. But, this couple loved how the guided walking tour was giving them a sense of where things were in relation to everything else. For example, they didn’t realize how close Grand Central was to Times Square or even to their NYC hotel.
I also added the time they were saving by walking as opposed to dealing with city traffic on a tour bus. This would be especially true for anyone with just one day in NYC! Given what we saw by the end of the day, there would have been no way we could have covered as much of Manhattan had we been on a tour bus.
The guide directed us all toward the subway lines under the main level at Grand Central. We were heading downtown to lower Manhattan.
In my opinion as someone who helps visitors plan their NYC trip, unless it’s a dedicated midtown sightseeing tour, all top-notch New York City tours must expand out to some of NYC’s other exciting neighborhoods like Greenwich Village, Chinatown, or maybe even into Brooklyn to see some of the best street art in New York City.
If you’re not familiar with the subway, it’s absolutely the best way, other than on foot, to get around town. Past tour participants comment again and again about how they loved getting around by subway like the locals do and glimpsing the REAL daily life in New York all without the worry because they were with a guide.
Not sure how to use a MetroCard or have a question about the subway map? Your ExperienceFirst (formerly New York Tour1) guide is a local who can help all New York City visitors know all the dos and don’ts.
Coming out of the subway just near Federal Hall and the Stock Exchange on Wall St., the guide talked about the wall built by the Dutch to keep out the British and the Native Americans. The group also learned about the first U.S. Capital building, Federal Hall, and the Stock Exchange.
At this point in the day, we were getting hungry and happy to have some free time to sit for lunch before meeting back up just before 1 o’clock.
ExperienceFirst Tour in New York City: The Staten Island Ferry
The afternoon began with a ferry ride to Staten Island to pass by the Statue of Liberty. The ferry ride also gave the guide time to talk about New York Harbor now and throughout history.
I was struck by how cleverly planned the ExperienceFirst (formerly New York Tour1) itinerary was. The ferry ride made perfect sense after lunch, as the boat has seating and bathrooms all while seeing Lady Liberty and getting a perspective of New York from the water.
Looking at the Statue of Liberty and back at the skyscrapers in lower Manhattan, it’s hard to imagine a time when the Statue was the tallest structure in NYC! From the ferry, the views of One World Observatory and other downtown skyscrapers, the harbor, Battery Park, and even the Brooklyn Bridge in the background are spectacular, especially on a blue-sky day.
New York City ExperienceFirst Tour: Lower Manhattan
After getting back to Manhattan, we walked toward the Battery and learned more about the Dutch and Colonial Times in New York. Did you know New York City was originally named New Amsterdam after the first European settlers, the Dutch?
New York City’s colonial history is there but visitors benefit from a guide to learn more because historic places and sights downtown are easy to miss if you don’t know where to look.
Walking up the Canyon of Heros (think ticker-tape parades!), New York’s history was on full display!
From the Charging Bull Statue to the markers on the sidewalk commemorating past parades for dignitaries, as well as Trinity Church with the grave of Alexander Hamilton, our ExperienceFirst tour guide weaved together time periods and shared funny stories to teach us all he could about this incredible city.
As we arrived at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, all of us took time to stand by the reflecting pools and read some of the victims’ names. We took a moment to talk about the survivor tree and the overall redevelopment of the area.
For those of you with the New York CityPASS, I highly recommend using your pass for the 9/11 Museum. This New York in a Day Walking Tour doesn’t take you inside the museum so you’ll want to plan a time to go inside.
ExperienceFirst Tour Bottom Line
As the tour came to an end nearby, I couldn’t believe how much ground, literally and figuratively, we had covered in just 6 short hours together. Truly, ExperienceFirst (formerly New York Tour1) has created an optimized itinerary for anyone who wants to see the city’s most popular spots in a day and travel like a local while doing it.
The guide maximized all our time together and yet we never felt rushed. There was enough time for breaks, photos, funny jokes, and a lot of New York City! It’s perfect whether you’re short on time and need to see as much as you can in the time you have or you want to get the lay of the land with a knowledgeable guide all while sightseeing.
If you’re looking for an immersive full-day NYC small group tour with an expert local guide passionate about this fantastic city, look no further than ExperienceFirst’s New York City in a Day Walking Tour.
What are your questions about ExperienceFirst tours?
Like this post? Please share it on social media using the share buttons.
