Walking tours are both a source of entertainment and a chance to explore Manhattan. Benjamin Dumas/Flickr
By Jasmine Ting
Without a doubt, it is that time of the year again. Tweets and statuses read, “Spring has finally sprung!” Instagram feeds are now full of photos of flowers, green grass and Snapchat stories now feature people frolicking under the sun or having a nice picnic at the park. The season of fresh breezes, nature and sunshine is here — there is no better way to celebrate it than a leisurely stroll.
Here is a list of fun and quirky walking tours that even native New Yorkers can enjoy — arranged from the most tourist-friendly, to the most adventurous tours.
On Location Tours (more information at: onlocationtours.com)
Los Angeles may be home to Hollywood and the stars, but it is no secret that New York has hosted its fair share of movie and television shoots. Among these are the television series “Gossip Girl,” and Home Alone and “Sex and the City” — just to name a few.
On Location tours offers people the chance to get to know the city beyond the small and big screens. Instead of spending the day indoors with Netflix, couch potatoes can take a trip down to the iconic places as seen in some of their favorite shows and films.
Foods of New York (more information at: http://www.foodsofny.com)
Every city has its own flavor, but New York is rife with places for all foodies to enjoy. The world’s cuisines are all found in one big city, and Foods of New York Tours is there for anyone who wants to experience the world through the realm of taste. Instead of buying souvenirs from gift shops, treat yourself and your palate to a taste bud-tingling day going in and out of restaurants recommended by Todd Lefkovic. Bring your phone along on this culinary journey, and your feed will surely be filled with food porn that will keep your online friends hungry for days on end.
Literary Pub Crawl (more information at: literarypubcrawl.com)
New York City, as one of the largest hubs of arts and cultures, is crawling with bards and scribes. And naturally, talented artists and budding literary geniuses need their own spaces to get lost in imagination and deep thought.
The Greenwich Village Literary Pub Crawl offers bookworms the chance to take a peak at the lives of their favorite writers behind the pages that they read. You can do tours alone or with a group according to your liking. And like Edgar Allan Poe, those twenty-one-years-old and over get to have their beer goggles on for this unique stroll.
Shop Gotham (more information at: http://www.shopgotham.com)
Try not to drop as you walk around and shop during this guided shopping spree in the city. Shop Gotham takes its visitors directly to rare sales and finds. Wholesale showrooms, as well as celebrity boutiques —and designer meet-and-greets—are not out of the question. Exclusive discounts are also part of the packaged deal.
They also offer tours tailored to cater to their audience. For those interested in the fashion industry, retail-merchandising talks are given for SoHo and Nolita trips. Costumes Design and the Performance World tours are also examples of the unique industry-specific tours available.
Wild Food Tour (more information at: wildmanstevebrill.com)
Do not be fooled by the word “food” in this tour’s name. This tour does not involve restaurant-hopping and dinner reservations. Put emphasis on the word “wild,” for this is definitely not for the faint of heart, and is only braved by the adventurous and the daring.
Naturalist Steve “Wildman” Brill leads these ecology tours so people may discover the wonders of nature when it comes to natural food production. On this tour, you will find yourself hunting — and perhaps eating — edible plants, nuts and fruits from Central Park or other locations within the five boroughs of this beautiful city.
