New
York City History
Day 1 - Lower East Side
There’s no better place to begin a historic look at New
York than the city’s epicenter for three centuries of
immigrants: the Lower East Side. As you meet your knowledgeable
guide, your journey into New York’s past begins.
 Discover
how the Lower East Side evolved as it welcomed wave after wave
of immigrants, including the Germans, Italians, Eastern Europeans,
Irish, Latin American, and Chinese. Learn about life in the
tenements, and on the streets. Visit historic sites, including
Seward Park, the Eldridge Street Synagogue, the Henry Street
Settlement, and the Educational Alliance. You can
see how it was to live in these times. Your tour comes to a
delicious conclusion
in Chinatown. You can enjoy lunch at Wo Hop—where delicious
meals and a lack of atmosphere attract native New Yorkers.
Afterwards, you can see what a tenement looked like from the
inside by visiting the Lower East Side Tenement Museum on Orchard
Street. Group tours, which help you understand what life was
like in the tenements, depart about every 30 minutes and last
one to two hours.
If you want a break from history, shop for the great bargains
the Lower East Side is famous for. To see some of the newest
and hippest designers, visit Forward on Orchard Street. This
storefront serves as a place for up-and-coming designers to
work, display and sell their newest creations. If you prefer,
you can experience the outrageous character of the East Village—home
to some of the city’s best shops, restaurants and nightlife.
This evening, return to the comfort of your hotel. Dinner
is included at one of Manhattan’s fine restaurants.
Optional activities available on this day:
Day 2 - On Broadway
This morning, you can explore a neighborhood you have not yet
discovered. Or simply spend some time in New York City’s
oasis: Central Park (even New Yorkers need trees). The first
major public park built in America, Central Park spans 843
acres and is home to more than 270 species of migratory birds.
You can search out the more than 50 sculptures in the park
(watch for the wolf sculpture hidden among the rocks) or
enjoy the tranquility of Literary Walk--a favorite spot of
ours. You can also visit the Central Park Zoo (with everything
from a rain forest to polar bears) or take in historic sites
of the revolutionary war. For inspiration, stop by Strawberry
Fields named in honor of the late Beatle John Lennon, or
visit the Shakespeare garden--a peaceful spot filled with
flowers and plants mentioned in the author’s works.
 Depending
on where you are in the park, enjoy lunch at one of the many
restaurants along Columbus Avenue. Afterwards, take a walking
tour of one of the most famous streets in the world: Broadway.
Trace the history of Broadway, starting from its origins as
a Native American trail. Explore neighborhoods from Bowling
Green to SoHo (as in South of Houston Street—tip: in
New York, it’s pronounced “Howston”). Your
guide discusses the commercial and residential growth of Broadway,
from its earliest settlement by Dutch traders to its emergence
as the country’s most famous street. As you walk up America’s
longest street, You’ll see an architectural landmark:
the Woolworth Building, as well as many other landmark skyscrapers.
You’ll also learn how Broadway earned its nickname “the
great white way”.
Tonight, enjoy an early dinner (at least, early by New York
standards), so you have time for a Broadway or off-Broadway
show. We can help arrange the perfect evening for you.
Optional activities available on this day:
Day 3 - Upper West Side
 Depending on the time you depart the city, you can choose a
neighborhood or museum to explore. Consider the Upper West
Side--one of the most magnificent neighborhoods of New York
with its historic buildings and world-renowned museums. If
you’d like to experience the Natural World, visit the
awe-inspiring dinosaur exhibit at the American Museum of
Natural History or the spellbinding Rose Center for Earth
and Space. To enrich your sense of New York history, visit
the New York Historical Society. You may want to continue
to the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, which stands as
an icon to medieval-style architecture. Built in 1892 (it
is actually still be worked on), the Cathedral is the largest
in the world.
Although it will be hard to bid farewell to New York City,
we hope you’ll return to visit again.
Optional activities available on this day:
The above programs are just some of the areas we recommend
to discover New York’s history. There are numerous neighborhoods
and museums to visit--based on your individual interests.
Get more information about New York City History tour.
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