Gray Line Tours / Big Apple Tours
add photosDeparts from various locations:
8AM – 6PM from Times Square (Broadway between 47th & 48th Sts.)
8:30AM – 4:30PM from Gray Line Visitors Center @ 777 8th Avenue (between 47th & 48th Sts.)
6PM – 8:30PM from Times Square (between 47th & 48th Sts.) Tues & Wed
6PM – 9:30PM from Times Square (between 47th & 48th Sts.) Thu - Mon
6:00PM – 8:00PM from Gray Line Visitors Center @ 777 8th Avenue (between 47th & 48th Sts.)
10AM - 4PM from South Street Seaport
5 Reviews for Gray Line Tours / Big Apple Tours
41
29
'11, '12
0 families found this helpful
"A new perspective on a great city"
The Greyline New York Sightseeing Bus was a wonderful experience for our family, so much that we coerced friends of ours to join us! I travelled with my husband, an adult friend, and our kids: 11, 8, 6, and 1.5 years old. There are 4 different loops to ride and so much to see, with great tour guides informing you of important and noteworthy sights along the way. Though the baby slept much of the time, the older kids enjoyed riding up top, the adults loved the information and everyone found a new way to see the city we call home.
Highlights:
Obviously, the tour’s best part is riding in the open air on a double-decker bus. I found that I noticed far more details about NY from a higher vantage point, my son loved waving to the people below and one of the older kids, a fact-lover, was in his element.
The tour guides are so informative! One liberally sprinkled his commentary with personal anecdotes; another gave us so much information we would have loved to write it all down. The facts on buildings, churches, city enclaves, and neighborhoods are astounding. I’ve lived in New York for almost 7 years and I learned so much.
Lowlights:
The narrow stairs to the top level are steep; a woman with a disability had difficulty navigating them, and there is some waiting as people get on or off the tour.
There aren’t uniform rules regarding rain. On one loop, our guide handed out ponchos at the threat of rain, on another, passengers went downstairs to wait out the shower without ponchos.
One tour guide gave noticeably less information than the others. Having had two fantastic guides before him, we were a little upset.
Some seats have better views. Downstairs seats have limited views, and on buses with an upper level covered partially with plexiglass, it is difficult to see out because of scratches.
Recommended ages:
The tour is perfect for adults and I’d recommend it for kids older than 9. If your child loves facts and celebrities, or riding buses, I would strongly consider this. Very few young kids were on the tours. Mine didn’t like riding the bus for 3 hours straight on the Uptown tour, but liked when we hopped on and off the Downtown tour. We followed up the bus tour with a trip to our local library to investigate some of the neighborhoods we passed through and some of the cultures we saw. My son learned so much and enjoyed making connections with our bus experience.
Staff:
We found the staff friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. Each bus has a tour guide and driver, both of whom are ready to help passengers with mobility and questions.
On one tour there was confusion regarding my sleeping daughter . Though she should be held, eventually they allowed her to remain strapped in the stroller and anchored it like a wheelchair. This was only because she was considered disabled (wearing her leg braces). I assume most children would not get this advantage.
Tips:
On cold or windy days, jackets are a must. The top of the bus is open and colder than the sidewalks.
Tours are long. I brought snacks for everyone and would recommend a toy of some sort for younger kids. Rides are often up to a half-hour longer than advertised. We were told the Uptown Tour would take 2 hours when, in fact, it was closer to 3 hours.
Pricing & timing:
Each loop is $44 adult/$34 child, making it a very expensive activity. The All Loops Tour, including Uptown, Downtown, Brooklyn and Night tours is $55/$45 and valid for 48 hours; a far better value.
As a NY resident, I would pay this price for an extraordinary occasion. I think it is best value when a tourist has a few days to see select sights at the hop on/off stops and is happy to use the Greyline bus to get around instead of the Subway.
Buses were full but not overcrowded. From buses I’ve seen around town, they get busier during the summer tourist season, though, with people constantly hopping on and off, I’d assume you always have a seat.
Overall, it was enjoyable and informative. We had a great time seeing sights and learning facts about NY City and Brooklyn. I’d definitely recommend this as a wonderful way to get to know the city.
This review is based on two complimentary tickets for the All Loops tour on Greyline New York City Sightseeing bus. I received no other compensation and the business owner did not state any requirements that I express a particular point of view. The opinions I express here are entirely my own.
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0 families found this helpful
"Meh, so-so"
Not too expensive, and a pretty good way to get around the city in nice weather. The guides have a lot of interesting information about the city, which they'll generously share. Right before they beg for tips. But make sure you know where you want to go and what you want to see when you get off the buses at each stop. Otherwise, you'll just be wandering aimlessly all over Manhattan.
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"Great bus tour for the entire family"
I've taken the Big Apple Tour not only with my family, but also guests of mine who never get the chance to come to NYC and every time it has been wonderful. The kids had an absolute blast and it was really great for all of my tourist friends to get a tour of the city. The hop on and hop off feature is really great too, and it's come in handy for me.
1 family found this helpful
"Great way to see the city!"
My kids love the novelty of sitting at the top of a bus that has no roof. You get to see so much with very little effort. We've done this a few times and even though you can hop on and off if there is a site you want to explore further, we prefer to sit and enjoy the history of New York through our tour guide. If you have small children in strollers it would be such a pain to see all of the sites via subway or cab. It is a great way to take it all in.
0 families found this helpful
"Fun with the Family"
There are dozens of tours of the town available, but for kids, nothing beats bouncing around the Big Apple on the top level of a bright red double-decker bus. Currently, one company offers hop-on, hop-off options, so you can spend more time at favorite attractions and then catch the next bus that comes along.
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