Three words to sum up Manhattan Walking Tour: Interesting, Professional and Personal.
I recently took it upon myself to find out what Manhattan Walking Tour was all about and I am pleased to say it was a great experience. I set out Monday morning and as the only person on my tour, I found that this aided in a more personal experience. My tour guide Alex was eager to show me the sites of the heart of NYC – Times Square.
Stopping in the Times Square Visitor Center was a great way to start the tour. Visitors can learn about the most popular attractions from Broadway to the New Year’s Eve celebrations. In fact I was given the opportunity to do something really cool.
On the board of Hopes and Dreams, thousands of people each year stop in to write a wish that they have for the New Year on a piece of confetti. What you may not know is that these wishes are what fall from the sky as the clock strikes midnight. I will now be one of the thousands of wishes floating in the sky that night in the hopes of coming true. This is just one of the personal touches that Manhattan Walking Tour adds to your experience.
The best part of the tour of course is the fun and interesting facts you will learn about, like: Why is it named Times Square and where exactly is Times Square located? You may be intrigued by the answer. While most people are familiar with that iconic photo of the navy solider kissing the nurse on the street, you probably do not know how much this event has to do with Times Square.
If you have ever visited this area, you know how pricey things can be, but do you know what billboard costs the company $32 million a year to use? Are you aware of the hard times that the area faced as little as 25 years ago, which resembled more of a Red Light District than the area populated by tourists today?
Along with the main attractions, you will learn some unknown secrets. Take a walk down Eighth Avenue and try to find one of the best projects that the city has ever done for the community. What is the most stayed at hotel? Where is the best place to go for a post-theater dinner? Why exactly do men walk curbside to women? What is the busiest intersection in the city and how exactly did the Hilton Hotel get its Times Square address?
Alex and the rest of the staff are great professionals and know how to share these facts in the most interesting way possible. While I found the story of why we drop a ball on New Year’s Eve to be very fascinating, I know that I could not repeat it as good as I heard it.
The day was absolutely perfect for a tour and the experience was capped off with a stop at Dean & Deluca for a refreshing iced tea and a delicious pastry. This is not a stuffy history tour where you will follow a man holding up an umbrella all day. Manhattan Walking Tour wants your time to feel just like you are strolling around the city with a friend. If you really want to explore this city then you need to step off the bus, leave the taxi at the curb and do what New Yorkers do…walk.
Manhattan Walking Tour is the best way to see the city, whether you are a tourist or even if you have lived here your whole life. Come out and test your knowledge and be surprised at all the new stories you will learn.
-Written by Megan Malandro
