42nd Street

Tours

When New York entrepreneurs and creative types join forces, ultramodern entertainment in the form of a 45-foot long bus with stadium seats, surround sound, and street performances ensues. Take this interactive 65-75 minute bus ride and see New York from an entirely unique perspective. It turns the streets of New York into a stage, bringing entertainment and tourism together to create a city experience that everyone, from tourists to native New Yorkers, can enjoy. The RIDE drives through New York and features performances in front of sights, such as Grand Central, 42nd Street, Bryant Park, and more. It’s Broadway without the limitations of a stationary theater, and a bus tour with a theatrical twist. Each of the mobile theaters hold 3 rows of stadium seats, plus the most modern audio and visual technology, including speakers that bring inside sounds out onto the street, enabling RIDErs to go “On Air” and interact with the city.

Learn where Batman was saved from being canceled and how Kryptonite was created. Visit the site where Christopher Reeve first flew as Superman.  See where The Avengers left a keepsake for the city of New York. Get a unique and unforgettable view into the comic book industry and the characters that make it extraordinary.  Your 2-hour tour starts in front of the Headquarters of the United Nations and as you walk down 42nd Street, you’ll see the Green Goblins apartment, go inside the Daily News building and stop at a bar where some of comics’ greatest artists used to hang out. Check out the Chrysler Building, Grand Central Terminal and the site where Stark Tower is supposed to be. As you take a left down Park Avenue, you’ll walk along historic Publishers Row. See where some of the world’s most iconic comics were first created and the offices of Will Eisner and Bob Kane. You guide will point out where TV shows like Gotham and Netflix’s Daredevil were filmed, where the first man to play superman lived, and much more. Have a fun walk, see great sites, hear amazing stories and discuss the history of all the characters that made you to believe a man could fly!

Start your tour in beautiful Bryant Park and head off to explore the history of midtown and its many Art Deco architectural masterpieces, as well as other beautiful styles like Beaux-Arts. Hear about the origins of NYC's landmarking laws from your expert guide. Get a unique perspective on the Empire State Building. From there, travel up historic 42nd street where you will see numerous historic buildings. View several early, key Art Deco masterpieces including the gorgeous Chrysler Building, and many lesser-known landmarks with stunning decorative architecture. Admire a few stunningly preserved lobbies. Visit Grand Central Terminal, the world's largest train terminal, and one of NYC's most beautiful interior spaces. Journey up 5th avenue to see the guide's favorite Art Deco hidden treasure in midtown, before ending at Rockefeller Center.

Explore Broadway's backstage on a 1 hour and 45 minute walking tour of New York's famous Theater District. Discover not only the fascinating history of Broadway but behind-the-scenes stories that brought the unforgettable productions to life. Accompanied by a professional actor guide, you'll also learn the secrets behind historic theaters from an insider's perspective, how the audition process works, and the tricks of making it in the business. Learn the story that created Times Square; from its origins as a horse trading district, to its transformation into the stage entertainment capital of the world. Trace the evolution of theaters after the Great Depression into the radio, and television studios of today – including where the Tonight Show first aired. Walk the edge of the notorious Hell's Kitchen, and hear how a 'Real' West Side Story took place just blocks from the theater where it was playing. The tour also highlights the stories behind places such as Shubert Alley, 42nd Street, The Edison Hotel, 'Smoky Mary's' church, and the George M. Cohan statue – as well as a few surprises along the way.

Travel the exhilarating streets of Midtown Manhattan on a private pedicab tour, and see some of the landmark attractions and skyscrapers of New York City from the unique perspective of a 3-wheeled rickshaw. Your friendly driver/guide will personalize your tour, providing you with facts, history, and information about popular culture, news, and events in the city. There will be 3 or 4 short stops along the way to stretch your legs a little and take some souvenir pictures. See where all the action takes place in the Broadway Theater District, with stunning views of the lights of Times Square. Ride along 42nd Street, and explore the new 8th Avenue. Discover the 46th Street Restaurants of Hell's kitchen, and see where popular TV broadcasts take place at the Fox News Channel building and site of ABC’s Good Morning America. Continue, pedaling past MTV Studios, Radio City, and the Rockefeller Center. Marvel at the luxury stores of 5th Avenue and the Diamond District. See the skinniest building in Midtown Manhattan, and the historic St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Pass some landmark buildings of New York’s glamorous lifestyle, such as the NYC Yacht Club, Plaza Hotel, and Waldorf Astoria. Continue along 44th Street to the Algonquin and Royalton hotels, and Ivy League clubs of Yale and Harvard. Art Deco and Beaux-Arts highlights include the Chrysler Building and Grand Central Terminal, while Bryant Park will offer a leafy retreat from the hectic streets.

Times Square has been called the Crossroads of the World, and is one of the most visited places on earth. There’s so much going on it’s hard to know where to look. On this walking tour, I’ll guide you from Father Duffy Square to the Empire Theater on 42nd Street, pointing out the details most visitors miss. I’ll show you hidden artwork and iconic filming locations. You’ll also see the exact spots where a famous kiss and a legendary murder occurred. I’ll share the fascinating backstories behind the buildings and theaters we pass, including the Knickerbocker and Casablanca Hotels, Paramount Building, New Victory Theater, New Amsterdam Theatre, Liberty Theater and Empire Theatre. Plus I’ll introduce you to the larger-than-life characters who left their mark here. Along the way, you’ll: • Be dazzled by the history of Time Square’s lights, from the search lights that signaled Teddy Roosevelt’s election and the “zipper” that announced war’s end, to the theater marquees that made this the “Great White Way” and the famous New Year’s Eve “Ball Drop” • Find the often overlooked Liberty Theatre where Birth Of A Nation premiered, directly inspiring lynchings and the revival of Ku Klux Klan • Spot the Naked Cowboy and get a brief history of the man behind the strategically placed guitar • Experience the gangland murder of ”Beansie” Rosenthal which led to the "Trial of the Century," and sent Charles Becker to the electric chair, becoming the only cop in history to be executed • Meet Father Duffy, the heroic battlefield priest who braved machine gun fire to comfort the wounded, and became a hero in New York’s toughest neighborhood • Stand at the start of the Lincoln Highway, the first road across America • Be thrilled by the tale of the hapless burglars who tried to shoot it out with NYC cops, using squirt guns filled with Tabasco Sauce • Walk along 42nd Street, once the most dangerous and decadent block in New York City, now home to a Disney theater • Learn how the New Victory Theater evolved from a stage for serious drama, to New York’s last burlesque house, then into its first porn theater, only to become an abandoned wreck for many years before being reborn into the now famous children’s theater • See where thousands of teens swooned for Sinatra and screamed for the Beatles • Discover how the Tony Awards got their name Why wander aimlessly like other tourists, when you can discover all the tantalizing tidbits and fascinating details they miss, in just 75 minutes? With TellBetter’s Times Square tour, you’ll be enthralled by sound effects, music and actors’ performances that turn an ordinary walk down the street into a stroll through time.

Look beyond the glitz and glam of Broadway and you’ll realize that the renowned theater district is filled with legendary stories as entertaining as the shows that fill its stages. From the bright lights of Times Square to Broadway’s hidden alleys, on this walking tour you’ll strut in the footsteps of the theater world’s icons. Starting on Times Square’s big red steps, you’ll stroll past the George M Cohan statue and hear how a 14-year-old create a uniquely American art form -- the Broadway Musical -- at at a time when entertainment was largely imported. As you walk, I’ll share the fascinating backstories of the musicals that changed everything, from Show Boat and Oklahoma! to Rent and Hamilton. You’ll learn how Andrew Lloyd Weber's "British Invasion" conquered Broadway with one mega-musical after another, from Jesus Christ Superstar and Cats to Phantom of the Opera. I’ll teach you how to speak fluent Broadway, giving you the lowdown on lingo like sung-thru, movicals, and jukebox musicals. I’ll also show you St Malachy’s, affectionately known as the Actor’s Chapel, where instead of praying to be healed, visitors pray to break a leg! Deeply researched, cleverly written, and professionally produced, this tour isn’t just a walk through a historic district, it’s a stroll through time, with fascinating stories at every turn. Even serious Broadway geeks and aficionados will learn new secrets and stories, putting faces and places together as we wind our way through these legendary streets to many notable theaters, ending at the Times Square Church. Please note: This tour focuses on the theater district and history of the Broadway musical. There’s another TellBetter tour that focuses on the non-theatrical stories and sights of Times Square and legendary 42nd Street.