walking tours lower east side manhattan

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Things To Do in the Lower East Side

This post is a guide to things to do in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, with a self-guided tour and tips on places to eat, hear music, and shop.

It's a relatively small area that has many great, but lesser-known sights, so it's great to get some tips from a local.

And we know a thing or two about the Lower East Side. Firstly, we lead walking tours here every day.

Secondly, many of our tour guides live or have lived in the Lower East Side. They all contributed to this post.

And lastly, in addition to showing the area to thousands of visitors a week, we also run the popular  NYC Travel Tips  Facebook group.

We asked our roughly 200k members to share their tips for things to do in the Lower East Side. We used some of their suggestions for this post.

The group consists of locals (like our tour guides), veteran visitors, as well as newbies to NYC.

And you don't need to be a member of the group to read the posts, comments, and recommendations.

So, check out our group once you have finished reading this post.

• Things to See and Do
• Guided Tours
• Where to Eat
• Bars, Music, and Nightlife
• Other Things to Do in NYC

WHERE IS THE LOWER EAST SIDE

The Lower East Side is a section of Lower Manhattan.

It is bounded by the Bowery and Little Italy on the west, the East River to the east, 14th St. to the north, and East Broadway and Chinatown on the south.

There are several subway and bus lines that service the LES, but for this self-guided tour, it's best to use the 2nd Ave Station on the F train. 

Use this Google Maps link for directions to the self-guided tour starting point .

Be sure to check out our guide to navigating the New York City subway .

If you are planning to use hop-on-hop-off buses to navigate around NYC, keep in mind that all the major companies have stops in or at the borders of the LES.

Be sure to read our comparison post on NYC bus tours .

We also have a downloadable PDF file of this Lower East Side Self-Guided Tour .

Click on the map for a movable map.

1. Yonah Schimmel Knishery

137 East Houston Street Open daily, 9 AM-7 PM.

Start at Yonah Schimmel’s Knishes and have a knish (pronounced ki-nish). This shop is located on Eldridge and Houston just off the 2nd Ave F train subway station.

Yonah Schimmel’s Knishery has been baking big, round delicious knishes since 1910.

In the 1890s, Yonah Schimmel, a Romanian immigrant, started selling his wife’s knishes at Coney Island while training to be a religious scholar.

The knish sold like hotcakes, as they say. Yonah abandoned his religious callings and opened this store with his cousin, Joseph Berger.

Yonah eventually left the business and went back to his studies. His cousin Joe Berger and his wife, Schimmel’s daughter Rose, took over the store.

Along with the traditional classics like potato and kasha, there’s sweet potato, spinach, mushroom, and even jalapeno. 

This iconic Jewish New York eatery also has egg creams and latkes (potato pancakes).

2. Russ & Daughters

179 East Houston Hours: M-F: 8 AM-8 PM; Saturday: 8 AM-7 PM; Sunday: 8 AM-5:30 PM.

Continue east on Houston and stop at Russ & Daughters. This fabulous gourmet Jewish grocery has stood the test of time.

Go inside! Smell everything. Eat something! Lox, gefilte fish, sturgeon, herring, trout, salmon, bagels, white fish, caviar….the list goes on and on!

Joel Russ, a Polish immigrant, started selling mushrooms out of a pushcart and opened this store in 1914.

He put his daughters in the title and put all three to work behind the counter.

Russ and Daughters just celebrated 100 years and they just opened up a cafe on 127 Orchard Street. His grandson, Mark, now runs the business.

The keyword here is “schmear” which means to coat a bagel with a small amount of cream cheese.

3. Katz's Delicatessen  

205 East Houston Street at Ludlow Street .

When it comes to Jewish delicatessens, Katz’s is the undisputed champion.

This iconic eatery, which opened in 1888, is known for serving the best pastrami sandwich in the world, not to mention great hot dogs, knishes, and knockwurst.

It's also where Harry met Sally. Read more Katz's here .

4. Angel Orensanz Foundation  

172 Norfolk Street

In the middle of the block stands the oldest synagogue building in New York City and the fourth-oldest in America.

Built in 1849 for the congregation Ansche Chesed (meaning "the people of kindness") in the Gothic Revival style, it was inspired by the Cathedral in Cologne, Germany.

The Congregation was formed in 1825 and was made up mostly of Jewish immigrants, primarily of immigrant German Jews, but also Dutch and Polish Jews.

In the 1850s, it had the largest membership of any synagogue in America.

By the 1970s membership dwindled as the neighborhood changed and the building was eventually abandoned and vandalized.

Then along came Jewish Spanish sculptor Angel Orensanz. He bought the building in 1986 and turned it into an art gallery and event space, but not just any event space.

Luminaries such as Whitney Houston and Maya Angelou performed here.

Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker were married there in 1997.

5. Sugar Sweet Sunshine Bakery

126 Rivington Street

Sugar Sweet Sunshine Bakery might have the best cupcakes and puddings around.

An intoxicating array of flavors and a lovely staff make this one of our favorite sweet spots. 

Co-owners, Debbie and Peggy, both alumni of Magnolia Bakery, opened this goody shop in 2003 and it's been a hit since the get-go.

While the cupcakes are scrumptious, the banana pudding is the bomb!

They have a second location nearby at the Essex Street Market on the southeast corner of Essex and Delancy Streets.

6. Economy Candy

108 Rivington Street

In 1937, Economy Candy opened and now almost 80 years later, this candy shop is still going strong with what is most likely the most extensive selection of candy in the city.

From old hard-to-find favorites like Squirrel Nut Zippers, Chuckles, and Charleston Chews to modern sweets like Pop Rocks, Pez dispensers, and Big League Chew, Economy Candy has thousands of types of sweet treats.

They also have a huge assortment of Ritter Sport chocolate bars and an incredible range of Jelly Belly flavors!

7. The Tenement Museum

In the mid-1800s to early 1900s, hundreds of tenement buildings were hastily built to house millions of newly arriving immigrants.

These buildings are typically 25 feet (8 m) across and 100 feet long (30 m).

Apartments were tiny and filled with too many residents, making conditions virtually unliveable.

Slumlords took advantage of the tenants in many ways. The conditions were filthy, dangerous, and at times, life-threatening.

The Lower East Side Tenement Museum educates the public about the horrific life in the tenement slums by recreating the original conditions of the tenements which you can tour.

This museum is a must-see for anyone interested in this important part of NYC history.

8. Williamsburg Bridge

One of three bridges that link Brooklyn to Manhattan, the Williamsburg Bridge was built in 1903 and was the world's longest suspension bridge until 1924.

The northernmost of the three bridges that link Brooklyn to Manhattan, connects the Lower East Side with Williamsburg, Brooklyn. 

Williamsburg , Brooklyn is home to Peter Luger’s world-renowned steak house (cash only, reservations strongly recommended) and one of the coolest ‘hoods on the planet.

9. Seward Park High School and the former site of Ludlow Street Jail 

350 Grand Street

Past Delancey on the corner of Essex and Broome is the site of the former Ludlow Street Jail which was opened from 1862 until the 1920s. 

Politician Boss Tweed, the head of NYC’s infamous Tammany Hall, the powerfully corrupt political machine that reigned over the city in the 1800s, died here in 1879.

He was buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn, a destination unto itself (see our self-guided tour of this lovely final resting place.)

Once the jail was closed and the building demolished, the new high school building went up in 1929.

Among its famous alumni are many actors and comedians such as Walter Matthau, Zero Mostel, Tony Curtis, Estelle Getty, Jerry Stiller, and Keenen Ivory Wayans.

Another graduate was infamous Soviet spy Julius Rosenberg who, together with his wife Ethel, was accused of betraying the United States. They were tried, convicted, and executed in 1953.

10. Pickle Guys

49 Essex Street, corner of Grand Street

At the turn of the 20th Century, Essex Street was teeming with pickle stores.

But now it's only the Pickle Guys, who opened their shop in the 21st Century. 

You will never find a snappier, juicer, or more delectable pickle than the full-sour pickle right here.

This really is a throwback to the time when pickle kings like Izzy Guss still had their doors open.

Enter this storefront, and soak in the wonderful aroma. Nothing but barrels of pickled treats and great staff.

The guys are at your service and ready to answer any questions.

Want something besides a full sour or half-sour pickle? How about a spicy pickle?

How about pickled mango, garlic olives, peppers, and pineapple?

11. Kossar's Bialys

367 Grand Street

The bialy was named after Białystok, Poland (at the time under Russian occupation).

Russian Jewish bakers started baking these delicious treats at the turn of the 20th century right here on the Lower East Side.

Bialys usually measure up to 15 cm (6 inches).

It’s a chewy yeast roll similar to a bagel, but the bialy is baked, not boiled like a bagel.

The center is depressed but happily filled with garlic, poppy seeds, bread crumbs, or onions.

Kossar’s has been at this location at Grand and Essex Streets since the early 1960s.

Morris Kossar's son-in-law and daughter, Daniel and Gloria Kossar Scheinin sold the business in 1998.

The interior is a true baker's bliss.

In addition to bialys and bagels, bulkas (small loaves), or pletzels (Jewish flatbread, with onion and poppy seed) come fresh out of the giant oven.

12. Doughnut Plant

379 Grand Street

In 1994, Mark Isreal turned the basement of his tenement apartment into a bakery and swept New York City up into a tidal wave of mass donut addiction. 

For five years he baked in his basement by night and sold his donuts to gourmet spots like Balducci's and Dean and DeLuca.

Word caught on fast and it was time to expand. There are now multiple locations throughout the city.

The donuts are to die for and are handcrafted daily, with no eggs or preservatives and no trans-fat.

Here are some mouthwatering donuts you can look forward to:

• Blackout — chocolate cake doughnut, filled with chocolate pudding, dipped in chocolate glaze and sprinkled with chocolate cake crumbs.
• Tres Leches — the sweet taste of the authentic “three milks” cake, delivered in a round cake doughnut.
• Carrot Cake — traditional carrot cake with lots of real carrots, raisins, walnuts, and spices, with a cream cheese filling.
• Doughseeds — mini, round, filled doughnuts. Launched with their signature Creme Brûlée, flavors now include Rose (with a rosewater pudding and dipped in a rosewater glaze, topped with an edible rose petal), Hazelnut Chocolate, Matcha Green Tea, Peanut Butter & Blackberry Jam, Pistachio, Strawberry & Cream, and Wild Blueberry & Cream.

13. Museum of Street Art

189 Bowery, inside the CitizenM Bowery Hotel

The free Museum of Street Art (MOSA) opened in October 2018 and grew out of the forced closure and demolition of the famous 5 Pointz outdoor graffiti museum in Queens in 2013.

In 2018, the CitizenM offered the former 5 Pointz curator, Meres One, a space to bring 20 artists whose murals had been on display at 5 Pointz. 

Artists were each given the walls of a flight of stairs in the hotel’s 20-floor stairwell.

Yes, this means you must walk 20 floors of stairs to see all the murals. 

Fortunately, the museum starts on the 20th floor, so at least it is a walk down, not up!

MOSA is open from 10 am to 5 pm every day. MOSA is free to visit, but reservations are required. Book a spot here .

Tour slots are every 30 minutes (10 am, 10:30 am, etc). No more than 5 people can visit at one time, due to space limitations.

TIP: If you love street art, take a look at our post on  the best places to see street art in NYC . Or consider taking one of our  street art and graffiti tours !

GUIDED AND SELF-GUIDED TOURS 

There are a few companies that offer tours of the Lower East Side, with many of them being food tours.

However, you have come to the right place.

Free Tours by Foot offers several tours of the neighborhood, including a food tour, a street art tour, and a self-guided, do-it-yourself version.

• Lower East Side Food Tour
• Lower East Side/Nolita/East Village
• Lower East Side Street Art Tour

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LOWER EAST SIDE EVENTS

The Lower East Side is full of great celebrations all year round. There's something for everyone.

Cultural events that take you back in time, art exhibits featuring great new work, cutting-edge film premieres, it's all here.

• Pickle Day :  Every October, Orchard Street is filled with pickle vendors, and pickle fans from everywhere can revel in the delights of everything pickled. This is a true celebration of the historic pickle and its prominent role in the history of New York City.
• Egg Creams, Egg Rolls, and Empanadas : An integration of Jewish, Latino, and Chinese culture, it’s an event like no other, and it takes place every June. Wondering what an egg cream is? Read our post on famous NY foods to find out! 
• Taste of the Lower East Side : Hosted by the legendary Grand St. Settlement, this is a culinary celebration for everyone. Dozens of vendors come together to serve up their delights and carry on the rich tradition of the Lower East Side. 
• Lower East Side Film Festival : This popular cinematic festival takes place every June.

LOWER EAST SIDE FOOD AND RESTAURANTS

The Lower East Side is well known for its dazzling array of delectable delights.

There is, of course, Katz’s Deli and Russ and Daughters (both the store on East Houston and the sit-down restaurant on Orchard Street)

There are also these amazing food shops written about above (and included in our Lower East Side Food Tour :

• Yonah Schimmel's Knishery
• Sugar Sweet Sunshine Bakery
• The Pickle Guys
• Kossar’s Bialys

Here are a few more recommendations, some more budget-friendly than others, but all worth checking out!

Scarr’s Pizza  ($) 22 Orchard Street. A classic New York slice with loads of toppings.

The Meatball Shop ($) 84 Stanton Street. This counter-service joint features a build-your-own-meal menu, where you get to choose from a mouthwatering array of meatballs.

Shopsins ($) Essex Market at 88 Essex Street. You don’t want to miss this tiny breakfast and lunch café with the giant menu. The owner is famous for his sassy attitude.

Kotti Berliner Döner Kebab ($$) Essex Market at 88 Essex Street. A bit of Berlin in NYC!

Clinton Street Baking Company ($$) 4 Clinton Street. Considered one of the best brunch spots in the country, people come for world-class pancakes as well as every other fantastic delight.

Beauty and Essex ($$$) 146 Essex Street, Serves up terrific brunch and dinner in an ultra-cool venue.

Dirty French ($$$) 180 Ludlow Street in the Ludlow Hotel. Voted by the New York Times as one of the ten best new restaurants of 2014. Not only that, the mushroom mille-feuille was voted one of the best restaurant dishes of 2014.

BARS, MUSIC, NIGHTLIFE SCENE

If it's nightlife you want, the Lower East Side is as good as it gets.

Bursting at the seams with a vibrancy that is second to none, this hood is the archetype of gritty chic.

From dance clubs to pubs, posh lounges to dive bars, the Lower East Side has it all.

If it's music you want, it's music you will get.

In the mood for some jazz? How about a little punk or maybe a house? Need a rock & roll fix? Or maybe some great blues?

The Lower East Side has it all. Here are some of our top picks:

Drinking Spots

• The Magician at 118 Rivington Street
• Local 138 at 181 Orchard Street
• Welcome to the Johnson’s at 123 Rivington Street
• Top Hops in the Essex Street Market at 88 Essex Street
• Mercury Lounge   217 East Houston Street. A 250-seat live music venue since 1993. It’s where the band, the Strokes, got their start. 
• Pianos NYC   158 Ludlow Street. Alternative rock venue.
• Rockwood Music Hall - 196 Allen Street. A three-stage venue in 2005. Lady Gaga, Mumford & Sons, and Billie Joe Armstrong are just some of the top artists who have performed here.
• Bowery Ballroom 6 Delancey Street. This standing-room-only venue has a capacity of 575 people. It opened in 1998. New York Magazine calls it the best music club in New York City.

LOWER EAST SIDE SHOPPING

MooShoes   78 Orchard St (at Broome St). A vegan-owned business that sells an assortment of cruelty-free footwear, bags, t-shirts, wallets, books, and other accessories

Extra Butter   125 Orchard St (Delancey Street) Minimalist boutique featuring on-trend men's & women's streetwear, sneakers & accessories.

Self Edge   157 Orchard St. Upscale menswear outpost stocking designer denim & accessories in contemporary surroundings.

The Great Frog 72 Orchard St (Grand St.) Outpost of the famous London shop selling chunky, biker/rocker jewelry.

Assembly   170 Ludlow St. Designer clothing & vintage pieces, with a unisex vibe & house-brand items.

Edith Machinist   104 Rivington St. Vintage boutique featuring a fashionable assortment of women's clothing, handbags, shoes & jewelry.

November 19   37 Orchard St. Chic homeware from around the world.

Bluestockings Cooperative   116 Suffolk St.  Worker-owned community space and bookstore with coffee shop.

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WALKING TOURS

The best way to see New York City is on foot, guided by knowledgeable and proud New Yorkers! While the Museum at Eldridge Street has been offering neighborhood walking tours for many years, we are excited to offer a series of freshly designed walking tours of the Lower East Side and beyond. Our expert guides are passionate about this city, and well-informed about local history, traditions, rumors, and fun facts. Stops will include restored synagogues, tenements, repurposed buildings, immigrant history and stories, and much more.

With public and private options, our walking tours will take you to amazing sites and landmarks, and cover what makes our neighborhood so special. Each of our guides is an experienced storyteller with historical knowledge and insider “secrets'' behind famous stops. Listening devices will enable you to hear your guide’s stories and explanations clearly. Tour lengths vary between 1 hour to 2 hours, depending on the type.

Whether you are planning your next family outing, a school trip, or a corporate event, we've got you covered!

Inquire here about booking a private tour just for your group!

Upcoming Public Walking Tours

Customizable private group tours.

Private tours allow your family, alumni, students, seniors, staff, or other groups to explore the Museum at Eldridge Street with a dedicated guide. These custom tours are tailored to your group's needs and interests. Looking for school programs? Visit our education page .

We recommend groups to book at least 2 weeks in advance. 

Virtual and on-site experiences are currently available.

Travel Blog | Travel Inspiration

Free Self-Guided Walking Tour Of Lower Manhattan: Where NYC Began

New York is such a walkable city; Manhattan in particular, seeing as it has so many attractions densely packed together. Check out my self-guided walking tour of Lower Manhattan to discover the best of this historic region of New York City on foot.

I previously wrote a self-guided walking tour of Manhattan that goes from the East Village to Central Park and people seem to like it – so I thought I’d do another. This walking tour will take you around the highlights of Lower Manhattan , including the Lower East Side, Little Italy, Chinatown, City Hall, the 9/11 Memorial, the Freedom Tower and the financial district including Wall Street. There’s an optional detour on the Staten Island ferry, and the tour ends with crossing the iconic Brooklyn Bridge.

Follow my free self-guided walking tour of Lower Manhattan, rather than joining an organised paid-for tour. You won’t have to pay a fee AND you get to do it at your pace. That’s win-win!

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. These are links to products or experiences I recommend and if you were to buy something after clicking on them, I might earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Any earnings go towards the upkeep of this blog, which I appreciate.

Table of Contents

About This Self-Guided Walking Tour Of Lower Manhattan

Lower Manhattan (also known as Downtown Manhattan or Downtown New York) is one of the oldest areas of the city: it’s where the city began back in the 17 th century. The land was originally inhabited by Indigenous Americans, but Dutch colonists built a city here named New Amsterdam, which was later taken over and renamed by the English. It remains the financial and civic heart of the city. It is also where the original skyscrapers first sprang up in the 1910s before they were overtaken by the Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building in mid-town in the 1930s.

I’ve walked around this area of Manhattan a lot and have taken various routes through it. This walking tour is a mixture of several walks that I’ve done myself, picking some of my favourite landmarks in this area.

The route is 6.2 miles / 10 km and would take 2 and a quarter hours if all you did was walk it. However, of course, you’ll want to stop along the way, so I think you should give yourself several hours to do this lower Manhattan walking tour – maybe even the whole day, if you want to take it easy. It is mostly outdoors, so isn’t ideal if you are forecast to have rain (but if that’s the case, I have tonnes of ideas of things to do in NYC on rainy days ).

I’ve included an interactive route you can use in Google Maps at the end.

Self-Guided Walking Tour Of Lower Manhattan – Step By Step

Start in the lower east side.

Our Lower Manhattan walking tour starts at Katz’s Delicatessen , a legendary Jewish deli on the northern border of the Lower East Side. It’s been serving sandwiches since 1888, making it the oldest deli in New York City

Those who have been around for a few decades might remember this place as one of the many movie locations in New York City : it was used in the classic 1980s movie, When Harry Met Sally (1989), for the scene where Sally, played by Meg Ryan, fakes an orgasm.

However, you don’t have to know that movie to be interested in Katz’s Deli. I’ve read that more and more of the old NYC delis are closing, so Katz’s feels even more special for still being there. Despite its fame, it has retained its original character and it is still a great place to fuel up before your walking tour around lower Manhattan. It’s such a classic, I included it on my NYC bucket list .

Not really knowing what to order, I played it safe and ordered a turkey sandwich. I guess I was expecting some politely sliced meat in a sandwich, which is what I’d expect back home in the UK. But what came was a mountain of steaming hot meat, dripping with fat. It could barely be contained between the bread!  Tip: make sure you keep your ticket stub – you need it to get out!

After eating at Katz’s, head three blocks south and one block right (west) until you get to the Tenement Museum . This is a great place to learn about the experience of working-class immigrants in the Lower East Side in the late 19 th century and early 20 th century when they were squeezed into small tenement buildings. These days, of course, the area has been gentrified and is a pretty desirable place to live.

Little Italy

After the Tenement Museum, head west along Delancy or Broome Street until you get to Mulberry Street , the heart of Little Italy (as declared by the sign over the street). This leg is 0.5 miles and should take 10 minutes (non-stop).

This area was named for the congruence of Italian immigrants who formed a community here in the late 19 th century.  There were 10,000 Italians here at its peak population in 1910. The movie Godfather Part 2 recreates a vision of what life was like here in the 1920s.

But the Italian-American inhabitants have largely moved out into other areas and nowadays it feels more like a collection of Italian restaurants than a thriving community.  The 2010 U.S. Community Survey found that no one living in Little Italy was born in Italy and only 5% of residents identified as Italian American.

Nevertheless, if you come through on 19 September, you might catch the feast of San Gennaro , when Mulberry Street throngs with food stalls and decorations in honour of Saint Januarius, the Patron Saint of Naples.

Carrying on south for 5 minutes, by the time you hit Canal Street , the signs on the shops will have already let you know you’re in Chinatown.

This area of Lower Manhattan has had a community of Chinese inhabitants since the last 1800s. Unlike Little Italy, this area still has a high concentration of Chinese people. It’s not the only Chinese community in NYC, but there are still 90-100,000 Chinese-Americans living here. If you want to find out more about the Chinese diaspora, the Museum of Chinese in America is on Centre Street.

If it’s not something you’re used to, the Chinese characters in the signs can feel novel and photogenic. However, my favourite part of Chinatown is off the streets. Columbus Park is a small public park in Chinatown. In the 19 th century, it was part of the dangerous five points neighbourhood, made famous in the Gangs of New York (2002) movie.

Nowadays, it is a peaceful place and feels like the community heart of Chinatown. Locals gather here to meet and play Mahjong or Xiangqi (Chinese chess). It’s a great place to stop and rest (or do some people-watching). I like quiet corners of Manhattan like this – sometimes it’s places like these that you can have unique NYC experiences .

From Columbus Park, head west then south on Centre Street, which will take you to City Hall Park.  You’re now in the civic centre of NYC, where you’ll find New York City Hall and the Tweed Courthouse.  This leg is 0.3 miles and should take 8 minutes (non-stop).

New York City Hall is the oldest city hall in the United States and a National Historic Landmark.

The park itself is small but there’s a pretty fountain and it is overlooked by the neo-Gothic-style Woolworth Building , which was the tallest building in the world when it was built in 1913, until 1930, when the Chrysler building was built.  

9/11 Memorial & Freedom Tower

Go south onto Broadway and then head left onto Fulton Street to get to your next stop, a major destination in Lower Manhattan: the 9/11 Memorial . This leg is 0.3 miles and should take 8 minutes (non-stop).

The 9/11 Memorial contains two square pools that are on the footprint of the two towers of the World Trade Centre, which came down on September 9, 2001. The names of the 2,977  victims are engraved on the marble around them. Standing on the edge of the pools, I felt like the waterfalls cascading down into the sunken pools were a graceful and evocative monument to the fallen buildings and those who died that horrible day. For more of an idea about what to expect at the memorial and museum, check this post about the 9/11 Memorial & Museum .

There’s also Survivor Tree, a pear tree that somehow survived the terror attacks and was rehabilitated and planted in the Memorial in 2010.

In place of the two towers, One World Trade Centre was built and opened in 2014. If you have time and fancy an elevated view over Manhattan and the Hudson River, you could visit the One World observatory at the top.

Wall Street

Once you’ve paid your respects at the 9/11 Memorial, head southeast out of the park and onto Cedar Street, turning onto Nassau Street. This will soon take you past Federal Hall , which is a National Monument, and then to Wall Street , the nerve centre of the financial district and home of the New York Stock Exchange, the world’s largest stock exchange by total market capitalization. This leg is 0.4 miles and should take 9 minutes (non-stop).

Wall Street was named after a wooden stockade or wall the Dutch built to protect their settlement in the 17th century. It is a small street and feels like a narrow cavern, such is the height of the buildings along it. If you’re a fan of architecture, you might want to check out some of the old skyscrapers along Wall Street, including 40 Wall Street.

Battery Park & Statue Of Liberty Viewpoint

From Wall Street, take Broad street south and then turn right onto Water Street until you reach the park on the southernmost tip of Manhattan. This area is Battery Park and you can get a view of the Statue of Liberty from here. This leg is 0.6 miles and should take 12 minutes (non-stop).

Battery Park is named for the defensive artillery batteries that were built here in the late 17th century and today you can visit the remains of a 19th century fort, Castle Clinton.

If you have plenty of time, you could also detour and take the Staten Island Ferry from the Whitehall terminal.  The ferry is free and it goes back and forth between Manhattan and Staten Island, taking approx. 25 minutes each way. The ferry route passes by the Statue of Liberty – which makes it a great way to see this famous landmark without paying for an expensive tour. It’s also nice to see the view of Manhattan as you pull out of the dock. It really looks like a cluster of glass and steel trees.

Of course, you might prefer an organised boat tour to the Statue of Liberty , which will give you a much closer look.

Whether or not you take the Staten Island detour, you will now head back towards City Hall along State Street and then Broadway . Don’t expect any theatres around here, though! Those are all several dozen blocks north.

Named for its width, Broadway is an old road that was originally a path made by Indigenous Americans. It runs for 13 miles from Lower Manhattan along the length of Manhattan, through the Bronx and out of the city all the way to Sleepy Hollow in upstate New York.

As you walk this stretch of Broadway in Lower Manhattan, you’ll pass some landmarks along the way, including:

• Charging Bull : a famous bronze statue of a bull said to symbolise aggressive financial optimism and prosperity. The sculpture was created by Italian artist Arturo Di Modica in the wake of the 1987 Black Monday stock market crash and was originally installed outside the New York Stock Exchange as an act of guerrilla art. Between 2017 and 2018, another statue called Fearless Girl was placed in front of Charging Bull, but she was moved to a new spot outside the New York Stock Exchange.
• Trinity Church : You might have already seen this church, from along Wall Street: it appears small, its steeple dwarfed by the surrounding buildings. And yet, it was the tallest building in the United States from 1846 until 1869, and the tallest in New York City until 1890.

This leg is 0.9 miles and should take 20 minutes (non-stop).

Brooklyn Bridge

From Park Row on the South side of City Hall Park, you can get onto the Brooklyn Bridge Promenade , a pedestrian walkway that will take you all the way across the Brooklyn Bridge into the Dumbo area of Brooklyn. It’s a lovely walk, and also one of the best romantic things to do in NYC .

This hybrid cable-stayed/suspension bridge opened in 1883 as the first fixed crossing over the East River and the longest suspension bridge in the world (at that time).

The brick towers of the bridge are iconic and walking along the bridge will give you plenty of opportunities to enjoy the views of the bridge, and, if you look backwards, of Manhattan as you get further away from it.

The walk across the bridge is quite long: 1.1 miles, so it can take 25 minutes or more. On the other side, there are even more viewpoints, if you need them, including the Brooklyn Bridge Lookout and a classic view of the bridge in between buildings from Washington Street.

You can also walk the Brooklyn Bridge just before nightfall, which is a lovely time to do it, as you get to see the lights come on around the city – it’s one of the best things to do in New York at night .

If you feel like indulging in a good meal after all your exertions, I can recommend the River Café , a floating restaurant on the shore, just south of the Brooklyn Bridge. It is fairly expensive and kind of formal, with suited waiters etc. However, the food is really great, the service is impeccable and the views are unbeatable.

There’s also Juliana’s Pizza , which has won numerous awards and accolades.

Map: Self-Guided Walking Tour Of Lower Manhattan

Here’s a route map of this walking tour of Lower Manhattan, including markers for landmarks you’ll pass and also some places to eat.

How To Use This Map : Click the tab in the top left-hand corner of the map to view the layers. If you click the icons on the map, you can get more information about each one.  If you click the star next to the map’s title, it will be added to your Google Maps account. To view it on your phone or computer, open Google Maps, click the menu, go to ‘Your Places’ or ‘Saved’, then click Maps and you will see this map in your list.

I hope this self-guided walking tour has inspired you to explore lower Manhattan.  It is such a fascinating area, with a real mix of things to see and do.

If you need more inspiration for exploring New York City, check out my other walking tour for Manhattan , and also my guide to movie locations around New York . I’ve even written a 4-Day New York itinerary , to give you ideas about how to make the most of a few days in the city.

And if you want to get off the beaten path a little, you might be interested in my post on unique things to do in NYC .

If you like this article, I'd be delighted if you shared it!

About The Author

Martha Knight

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2 thoughts on “free self-guided walking tour of lower manhattan: where nyc began”.

Thoroughly enjoyed reading your post and virtually following along on this walking tour around Lower Manhattan. It was fascinating to read about the different areas and their development. Not to forget the highlights in each section to look out for. The variety of cultures living next to one another and also taking the ferry around Staten Island would engage me for hours. Thanks for compiling this tour 🙂

Carolin | Solo Travel Story

Thanks so much, Carolin! I really love NYC and I enjoyed creating this route. It’s a lot of walking, but, like you say, there’s so much packed into this part of the city.

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Lower East Side Tour

Uncovering the historic lower east side, discover the neighborhood that transformed america.

For over two centuries, the Lower East Side has been home to waves of newly-arrived immigrants, creating a cauldron of cultures and innovation. But the historic district is quickly disappearing. In fact, the National Trust of Historic Preservation named the Lower East Side one of the most endangered places in the nation.

On this tour, we’ll explore the streets of the Lower East Side, uncovering remnants of its past hidden in plain sight. You’ll learn how the immigrants lived, worked and worshipped and hear tales of the neighborhood’s colorful denizens and discover how its cultures and conflicts shaped modern America.

Upcoming Dates:

Check back for new dates.

Book the Lower East Side Walking Tour now!

A recent review on TripAdvisor for our Lower East Side Tour:

“My partner and I did the Lower East Side tour with Jeff Dobbins. He was witty, informative and informed. He is clearly an experienced guide who knows both how to keep a group together and how to keep the interesting information flowing. Great tour and well worth it!.”  -Fred R.

Tour Highlights

Get ready to…

• Explore the neighborhood’s teeming German, Jewish, Latino, and Asian enclaves.
• See historic synagogues and storefront Buddhist temples.
• Discover remnants from the area’s colonial past.
• Explore the district’s culinary legacy, from pushcarts to pickles. Find where you can still nosh on traditional favorites.
• Visit New York’s original Garment District — the birthplace of America’s labor movement.
• Learn about the local boys who created Hollywood.
• Enter the tenements and discover the harrowing living conditions within.
• Hear about the notorious gangs and gangsters of the Jewish Mafia

Walking Tour: 2 hours (we will send you the meeting place when you sign up)

Virtual Tour: 90 minutes including Q & A (we will send you a Zoom link)

Person – Walking Tour: $40.00 / Virtual Tour: $20.00

Book online now!

Private Tours Available! We offer live virtual experiences that make a fun socially distanced event for your family, organization, or group of friends. We also offer in-person private walking tours for small groups. Click to learn more

Tour guide Jeff Dobbins

Looking to study up before the tour?

Prep for our Lower East Side Tour by listening to the podcast episodes “A Culinary Tour of the Lower East Side” and “The Grand Tale of Orchard Street.”

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Embark on a journey through the vibrant heart of New York City with our curated walking tours. Each tour is crafted to unveil the hidden narratives, architectural wonders, and historical layers that make Manhattan a global icon. Dive into the city’s rich tapestry, guided by our passion for storytelling and deep knowledge of its streets. Browse our packages below and book your walking tour to experience Manhattan’s unforgettable charm.

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The 27 Best Walking Tours of NYC (Ranked & Sorted)!

Among the most popular ways to experience the Big Apple are guided walking tours, which offer something for everyone. Here I show you the best walking food tours , street art walking tours , the best  Hamilton Musical Walking Tour , Haunted Walking Tours and (of course) the best walking tours through neighborhoods like Soho, Chinatown, the Lower East Side or the Theatre District.

You'll love this:

• Things to Do in NYC
• 30+ New York City Neighborhood Guides

The choice is huge and unfortunately not every tour is really worth the money. All walking tours that made it to our best list are really really good! Many of them we have done ourselves (several times) – which ones we show you here in our personal recommendations .

New are Self Guided Walking Tours , where you can explore the city at your own pace and at any time of day, private walking tours  and last but not least, here is an overview of free walking tours .

Table of Contents

The Best Walking Tours of NYC

01 A Slice of Brooklyn Pizza Tour

The A Slice of Brooklyn Pizza Tour is a combination of sightseeing tour, bus and walking tour. It starts not far from Union Square Park in Manhattan: with your New York guide you drive to Brooklyn to get to know one of the most important neighborhoods like  Sunset Park, DUMBO, Bay Ridge and also Coney Island. 

On this sightseeing tour you will learn where movies like Goodfellas, Once Upon in America or Annie Hall were filmed and you will stop at two of the best pizzerias in Brooklyn. Because pizza and New York simply belong together!

02 Best of Brooklyn Walking Tour

Brooklyn is known for its good pizzas and great coffee. You can go on a journey of discovery through different countries like you can in hardly any other borough. There are many different cultures that have brought their recipes from home to the Big Apple. This Food on Foot tour offers the best of everything: from savory to sweet, from European variations to Mexico and Asia.

03 Brooklyn Bridge & DUMBO Walking Tour

Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and learn about the exciting and dramatic history of this world-famous New York City neighborhood, all while enjoying breathtaking views of the Manhattan skyline. On the other side of the Brooklyn Bridge you will discover DUMBO, a newly popular and up and coming part of Brooklyn. 

Meeting point is 52 Chambers Street in front of the Tweed Courthouse.

04 Chinatown and Little Italy Food Fest

Explore the flavors and traditions of  New York’s Chinatown and Little Italy during this exciting food tour. You’ll leave with a full stomach and lots of interesting information about the history and culture of these two neighborhoods.

05 Food on Foot Tours

This is one of the best ways to discover the culinary highlights of NYC! Taking you around the city to explore the best of the best in terms of food, this award winning tour is an excellent way to explore the taste of different areas of NYC.

06 Gangsters and Ghosts Tour in NYC

Immerse yourself in the rich history of New York City with an intriguing Gangsters and Ghosts walking tour. Join your guide for a unique journey into the city’s past, exploring its infamous crimes, notorious gangsters, clandestine deals, and haunted structures. Meander through a variety of downtown neighborhoods, including Little Italy, Chinatown, and the West Village, as you soak up chilling tales of spirits and mobsters. Experience downtown Manhattan’s history on this one-of-a-kind tour, gain insightful knowledge about local history from your guide, and explore several neighborhoods all in one fascinating journey.

07 Hamilton Musical Walking Tour

Did you know that Alexander Hamilton spent most of his life in New York? He is the main character in the musical “Hamilton”, which is one of the most successful shows on Broadway (it won 16 Tony Awards!). This Walking Tour will take you to the most important stages of his life and show you which spots have made an impact on the story. 

Highlights of the Walking Tour include many important historical sites such as Thomas Jefferson’s home, Kings College and Trinity Church. It’s the perfect tour for anyone looking to get in the mood for an evening on Broadway – and for all fans of the musical “Hamilton.”

08 High Line and Chelsea Small Group Tour

This is the most popular walking tour along the High Line, starting in the Meatpacking District at the Whitney Museum, running through Chelsea and ending at Hudson Yards. The High Line is my personal favorite park in NYC and always worth a visit. I find the High Line and Chelsea Small Group Tour really exciting because you get told the history and significance to New York. Your guide will tell you many secrets that the High Line, the Chelsea Market and the Meatpacking District has to offer.

For me personally, this tour is one of the best walking tours in NYC ever, because you see a lot of the old and the new New York City. That’s what makes this district so interesting for me!

09 High Line Park and Greenwich Village Food Tour

This walking tour through Greenwich Village and Chelsea is one of the best food tours New York City has to offer! Because in this part of the city there are many wonderful little food spots that you must discover. 

In addition, you will learn many exciting anecdotes about the High Line, which connects the Hudson Yards with the Meatpacking District. This former elevated railway line was saved from demolition due to an initiative and is now one of the most popular sights in New York. All the more reason to book this awesome walking tour!

10 High Line, Chelsea & Meatpacking Tour

Go on a fun adventure in New York’s only park above street level- the Highline. Experience the Chelsea neighborhood from a whole new vantage point and find out more about the history of the famous Meatpacking District including how it developed into one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the world.

11 New York City Slavery and Underground Railroad Tour

Learn more about the dramatic history of slavery and its connection to the New York subway. Listen to the stories of those New Yorkers who risked their lives and property to help others escape. During this Walking Tour you will gollow the NYC Freedom Trail, and learn how a group of brave men and women forged the network that became the Underground Railroad. View the former city stations that were included on the Underground Railroad, and discover how New Yorkers risked their lives to help people escape slavery.

12 New York: Central Park Movie Sites Walking Tour

On the tour she passes countless locations of TV series and movies: feeds the pigeons like Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone 2, takes pictures in front of the Wollman Rink, as seen in Serendipity, and visits the Boathouse Café, where Harry and Sally have already sat. Also on the tour are locations from comedies such as Date Night – Gangster for a Night, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Gossip Girl, Ghostbusters and more.

13 NYC Lower East Side Food and Culture Small-Group Tour

This is a really unique walking tour in NYC that will introduce you to the wonderful Lower East Side. The Lower East Side Food and Culture Tour shows you the many lovely little delis, Jewish specialties, bakeries and everything that makes up the soul of the city. 

You’ll visit places that are an important part of the community, having operated in the same spot for generations. You’ll get a glimpse of authentic life and become part of the real New York. 

With nearly 500 positive reviews, it’s the most popular walking tour in New York of them all!

14 NYC Lower East Side Walking and Food Tour

The Lower East Side is still an absolute insider tip among the neighborhoods of New York City and a part of Lower Manhattan that I love to visit. There are countless authentic bars and delis, some of which have been family-owned for more than 100 years and are thus an important part of the community.  

The NYC Lower East Side Walking and Food Tour deals exactly with these small spots and stores and is therefore a TOP Thing to do for foodies!

15 NYC Private Walking Tour

If you are traveling as a family or small group and already know exactly what you want to see in New York City, then this private walking tour with Oli is a great option. Here you can let a New York guide show you the best parts of the city and sights from a local’s point of view. You can decide individually which attractions you want to see, because together with Oli you can build your perfect itinerary!

As a bonus, you can even be picked up directly from your hotel, so that the sightseeing program starts directly from your accommodation. And the best part? I personally know Oliver and can only recommend him to you: he loves New York and you will notice that 200% during your tour with him!

16 Radio City Music Hall Stage Door Tour

The Stage Door tour is great for everyone who is interested in theatre and the entertaining arts. Find out everything about the Rockettes and their history as well as a lot of behind the scenes information about the Radio City Music Hall.

17 Soho, Little Italy & Chinatown Walking Tour

Now known for their many excellent restaurants, shops and tourism, Manhattan’s SoHo, Little Italy and Chinatown neighborhoods offer the most varied stories of New York City. Take a 2-hour tour with a local guide and discover hidden gems and 19th century buildings.

18 Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island: 4-Hour Guided Tour

Enjoy a guided tour of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. You will have reserved access to the ferry to get to the statue and then you can explore these 2 major attractions with a 4 hour guided tour.

19 Statue of Liberty Pedestal, Ellis Island & Pre-Ferry Tour

A 30-minute English-language guided tour of Battery Park followed by a transfer to the Statue of Liberty with a German audio guide and guaranteed admission to the base of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

20 The Secrets of Grand Central Terminal

The Secrets of Grand Central Terminal Walking Tour not only shows you the most important parts of New York’s famous train station, but focuses on the secrets and special features that only a New York guide would know. Did you know that there is a hidden tennis court in Grand Central Terminal? Or that the painting of the ceiling is mirror-inverted? You will learn much more on this exciting walking tour in NYC!

My Recommendations

I’m a big fan of the

• the 4-Hour Guided Tour of Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
• Brooklyn Bridge & DUMBO Walking Tour as well as the
• High Line and Chelsea Small Group Tour , because you can do sightseeing and learn a lot of interesting things from a local guide at the same time.

And then I would like to recommend the

• NYC Slavery and Underground Railroad Walking Tour and the
• Lower East Side Food and Culture Tour .

If you want to customize a walking tour to your own preference and schedule, I recommend this private walking tour with Oli, who I also know personally!

The 13 Best Walking Food Tours

Walking Food Tours bring together several things I like: you learn about the food culture and the neighborhoods of NYC through a local guide, and you get to eat delicious food!

Here you can find the best food walking tours of NYC :

NYC Lower East Side Food and Culture Small-Group Tour

Best of brooklyn walking tour, high line park and greenwich village food tour, chinatown and little italy food fest, flatiron food, architecture, and history tour.

The Flatiron Building is one of the most photographed buildings in the city. But there is much more to discover in the direct neighbourhood. Thanks to the organization “Flatiron 23rd Street Partnership” you will be guided through the district every Sunday by a free guide. Meeting point is the southwest corner of Madison Square Park.

NYC Lower East Side Walking and Food Tour

2-hour cupcake tour of greenwich village.

If you’re into sweets and desserts you should try the famous Cupcake Tour. Sample colorful cupcakes at boutique bake shops, and build your own custom cupcake during this 2-hour tour in Greenwich Village. New York clearly has the best cupcakes and this will be the chance to try the best of them.

Greenwich Village Pizza Walk

Pizza and New York simply belong together! Next to the famous Brooklyn Pizza Walking Tour, this tour through Greenwich Village and Little Italy is one of the most popular food tours in NYC. Included in the price are 3 slices of pizza from different stores and during the tour you will also learn a lot about these neighborhoods from a New York guide.

A Slice of Brooklyn Pizza Tour

New york west village food tour.

Go on one of the famous Food on Foot Tours. During the 3-hour tour, you will discover many great little restaurants and bakeries. A total of 6 of them are on your program on this walking tour, which is one of the most popular in the West Village. For foodies this tour is a must!

New York: Midtown Manhattan Street Food Walking Tour

Food trucks are very popular with New Yorkers: as a quick snack between meals or as a lunch. The Gourmet Snack Truck Tour takes you either through the Financial District or Midtown. From Korean short ribs to souvlaki, curry, falafel, hot dogs or brownies – you will be surprised!

Williamsburg Brooklyn Food Tasting and Walking Tour

The Williamsburg neighborhood has a lot of bars, restaurants, pubs and delis and for me is one of the most interesting neighborhoods in Brooklyn (one of our favorite BBQ spots called “Die Fette Sau” is located here). A visit to Williamsburg should definitely be on your itinerary because it’s a nice contrast to hectic Manhattan.

On the Williamsburg Brooklyn Food Tasting and Walking Tour, a New York guide will show you the most important corners of the neighborhood and where to get the most authentic and best food. 

The 3 Best Street Art Walking Tours

Street art is an expression of art that is very common and popular in New York. If you keep your eyes open while walking around the city, you will see a lot of them.

Especially Brooklyn with the Bushwick and Williamsburg neighborhoods are known for their variety of graffiti and street art. These street art walking tours will take you to the most important spots – and you will learn a lot about the artists and the context of the motifs.

Graffiti & Street Art Walking Tour

Brooklyn is famous for its bold and bright street art, but it’s not easy to know where to find these creative works. With this walking tour of the Bushwick neighborhood, take in the diversity and culture of the neighborhood’s urban street artists. Check out massive murals and intricate designs as you take to the streets to learn how Brooklyn’s best can turn anything with a surface into a stunning work of public art.

Sidewalks and Skyscrapers: Street Art Is This Way

This walking tour shows that there is also street art and graffiti worth seeing in Manhattan. You start your exploration in Soho , and then in two hours learn the stories behind the large and small works of art. Some of the graffiti is an impressive 20 meters high, so always have your cameras ready!

Private Graffiti & Street Art Walking Tour

The Bushwick district is probably the most famous part of New York when it comes to street art and graffiti. Here there are many colorful, very elaborately designed and creative murals. You will see the different techniques that the artists have to master and learn a lot about this own culture and art. 

For many artists, this is their main profession and their graffiti just look awesome! For this reason, take a look at this Start Art Walking Tour!

The Best Hamilton Walking Tour NYC

The musical Hamilton on Broadway has broken many records: it has won the most Tony Awards, the visitors are enthusiastic, the story is unique and until today it is not so easy to get tickets for this musical. The reason? It is always fully booked!

Alexander Hamilton was one of the founding fathers of the United States and spent most of his life in New York City. Reason enough to take a closer look at the Hamilton Walking Tours, where you will learn a lot about his life, his works but also a lot about the history of NYC, which is strongly associated with him.

Hamilton Musical Walking Tour

Alexander hamilton's haunts and hangouts tour.

This walking tour is the second tour that deals with the life of Alexander Hamilton. While the first one has a focus on historical sites, here you will learn more about the person himself. From his favorite pub to his grave, everything is included. Nevertheless, the New York Stock Exchange and Wall Street are not missing from the program!

The 4 Best Haunted Walking Tours

If you’re looking for Ghost Tours or Haunted Walking Tours, you definitely need to check out these tours (not only during Halloween in NYC !):

01 Gangsters and Ghosts Tour in NYC

02 Ghost Stories: A Mysterious, Macabre Interactive Tour at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Dive into a world of the spectral and spine-chilling with our Ghost Stories adventure, encompassing everything from the eerie to the unnerving, the morbid to the enigmatic, and the phantasmal to the monstrous. This immersive journey at the Metropolitan Museum presents a spine-tingling exploration of all things terrifying. Attendees will traverse through different eras and cultures to explore the myth of the Flying Dutchman, enigmatic funerary masks, captivating still life art, and striking sculptures. 

Knowledge about the works of art from Egypt, America, and Europe, among others, will be imparted, along with tales of supernatural occurrences within the museum itself. Throughout this experience, we’ll delve into how various cultures portray the daunting and the macabre, seeking to understand the essence of our fears and their origins.

When? Fridays: 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. and Saturdays: 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Important note: Upon your arrival, the guide will provide your tickets (avoiding the need to queue for purchase!), which remain valid for all the exhibitions in the museum after the conclusion of the tour.

03 Ghost Tour of Greenwich Village NYC

Greenwich Village is for me one of the most beautiful neighborhoods of New York and has a lot to offer. But it also has a haunted side in stories, which will be shown to you on this walking tour. This ghost tour through Greenwich Village is full of spooky tales of lost children, phantoms and celebrity ghosts – and not only at Halloween a popular tour. 

Along the way, you’ll learn many interesting anecdotes as you stroll through Washington Square Park, West 10th Street and the campus of New York University. The Greenwich Village Ghost Tour is a real highlight!

04 East Village Haunted Manhattan Walking Tour

On this haunted walking tour you’ll explore one of the oldest neighborhoods in Manhattan: the East Village (and Alphabet City). And at night! There are 13 haunted locations on the list – from historic pubs to the Public Theater to a subway stop known for its “ghost train”.

05 Ghosts of Greenwich Village: 2-Hour Private Walking Tour

Do you like stories about ghosts? Then this private haunted tour of Greenwich Village in the evening is a great option! In two hours, you’ll hear lots of haunted stories about people who have suddenly disappeared or are haunted around Washington Square Park and New York University. And of course: also a lot about this beautiful neighborhood of NYC!

06 Alexander Hamilton's Haunts and Hangouts Tour

07 West Village Ghost Pub Crawl

The West Village Ghost Pub Crawl presents an exciting journey through the haunted corners of the bohemian West Village. Meander through charming, tree-lined streets with 19th-century brownstones, engaging in a thrilling ghost hunt throughout the neighborhood. Your guide will lead you through a series of haunted landmarks including a piano bar, a famous speakeasy, a popular inn, and a historic carriage house, each harboring its own spectral inhabitants. Embark on this spirited expedition to uncover the ghostly mysteries hidden in one of New York’s spookiest neighborhoods.

My Tip: Here you find my comparison of the best ghost tours in NYC !

The Best Private Walking Tour

Nyc private walking tour, manhattan neighborhood private customized walking tour.

You already have an idea of which neighborhoods and sights of New York you want to see? Then this walking tour is perfect for you, because you can create your individual route with your New York guide. 

Each of the many neighborhoods has its own charm and character, which is what makes New York so charming and interesting. Therefore, the right mix can show you the best picture of the city. Combine Times Square and Broadway with Greenwich Village and Soho, or schedule Greenwich Village or Chelsea with the High Line. The beauty of this private tour is that you set the schedule. If you particularly like a place, you can just stay longer!

With over 350 positive reviews, this private walking tour of NYC is one of the best!

The Best Self Guided Walking Tour

Nyc grand central terminal self-guided walking tour.

With its majestic cieling, a series of roman-inspired walk ways, and 18-metre high arched windows, the Beaux Arts style terminal is one of the busiest and most beautiful stations in the world. A comprehensive restoration in 1998 restored this jewel to its former splendour for thousands of passangers to enjoy daily.

Free Walking Tours

Central park conservancy.

Free Central Park tours are offered by the Central Park Conservancy. Here you will learn all kinds of interesting facts about the history of Central Park, its highlights and most important corners. The meeting point depends on the tour.

Grand Central Partnership

If you want to know what makes the Grand Central Terminal so special, the 90-minute free walking tour from the Grand Central Partnership is something you should definitely consider. With a historian as your guide, you’ll learn lots of exciting things about the beautiful building every Friday from 12.30 p.m.

Friends of the High Line Walking Tours

The High Line Park takes you along the old tracks of the elevated railway to the Meatpacking District. Thanks to the initiative “Friends of the High Line” the park exists at all, because originally the construction was supposed to be torn down. And the best thing? They offer free tours!

Things To Do

New York Neighborhood Guides

I'm a true New York fan! Not only have I visited the city over 25 times but also have I spent several months here at a time. On my blog I show you the best and most beautiful spots of the city, so that you have a really good time! You can also find lots of insider tips in our New York travel guide . Also check out my hotel finder for New York !

Get exclusive content, real insider tips, and the best deals in NYC for FREE!

Start of your trip: We will remind you with current events when you are in NYC!

22 Lively Things To Do On The Lower East Side, Manhattan

Exploring New York City's Lower East Side has never been easier with our complete guide to the neighborhood, covering food, entertainment and activities.

If you find yourself on the Lower East Side of Manhattan but you’re unsure what to do, know that you are in one of the most happening and historical neighborhoods of the city.

From countless immigrant stories that all began on the Lower East Side, to iconic locations and establishments that have been captured in some of the most famous movies in existence, the Lower East Side is anything but boring.

So whether you’re interested in eating, exploring, or learning something new, here are our favorite recommendations for all of the best things to do on Manhattan’s Lower East Side .

Table Of Contents

Coffee/Bakery

Unique experiences, 1. katz’s deli.

One of NYC’s top dining attractions is Katz’s Deli on the Lower East Side. Stop in for their famous pastrami on rye —but be prepared for a line! You might even recognize it from a memorable lunch scene in “When Harry Met Sally.”

Where: 205 E Houston St, New York

2. Scarr’s Pizza

You’ll be overwhelmed with options at Scarr’s Pizza, from their sides like eggplant parm and garlic knots to their full pies. Listen to us and order the Hotboi pie with sauce, cheese, pepperoni, jalapeños and Mike’s extra hot honey.

Where: 35 Orchard St, New York

Crowned one of NYC’s top 10 new restaurants in 2021 by The New York Times , Dhamaka is a culinary destination serving “unapologetic Indian” food. It’s quite a hot reservation so be sure to secure your table well in advance.

Where: 119 Delancey St, New York

4. Russ & Daughters

Russ & Daughters may have just opened a brand new location in Hudson Yards , but their roots can be found on the Lower East Side. Though they offer up one of the best lox bagels in the city, don’t miss out on their latkes, black & white cookies and rugelach.

Where: 127 Orchard Street, New York

5. Clinton Street Baking Co.

You could hate pancakes and still love the ones served at Clinton Street Baking Co. Think fluffy, pillowy clouds topped with a variety of ever-changing ingredients from whipped cream to fresh fruit, that’s never too sweet. However, savory lovers can decide between items like their Buttermilk Biscuit Sandwich, Spanish Scramble or Clinton St. Omlette. They also have a to-go bakery when you’re in a rush.

Where: 4 Clinton Street, New York

6. Beauty & Essex

Behind an unassuming pawn shop lies a fabulous lounge and restaurant serving up an assortment of unforgettable bites and eclectic cocktails. It would be an absolute shame to go here and not get their grilled cheese soup dumplings . It’s a dish we see every night in our dreams—seriously, we’re not being dramatic.

Where: 146 Essex Street, New York

7. Black Cat LES

If you’re ever searching for a new cafe to work from home at, Black Cat LES is a perfect contender. With comfy seating, caffeinated beverages (yes, they even offer macadamia milk—the royalty of nut milks), and WiFi to mooch off of, you’re sure to be productive.

Where: 172 Rivington Street, New York

8. Supermoon Bakehouse

Supermoon Bakehouse has created a cult following with their out of this world flavor profiles and pastry creations. To name a few examples, they’ve offered treats such as a Thai iced tea doughnut, lavender cruffin, and a blackberry and elderflower croissant . The menu is ever changing, but beware they only operate Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays from 10am-6pm.

Where: 120 Rivington Street, New York

9. Pause Cafe

Another fantastic spot to work from home, Pause Cafe offers spacious indoor and outdoor seating. The Moroccan influenced menu goes above and beyond pastries with options like superfood bowls and crepes. Plus, their plate ware is gorgeous—perfect for a little aesthetic cafe moment on the feed.

Where: 3 Clinton Street, New York

10. Davelle

You may have seen this Japanese (kissaten style) cafe’s viral toasts before, ranging from Mentai Mayo to Black Sesame and Cream Cheese. Pair one of those with Kyoto-style cold brew or instead order one of their Japanese curries.

Where: 102 Suffolk Street, New York

11. Double Chicken Please

Ranked as the 6th best bar in the world , Double Chicken Please can be found on the corner of Delancey and Allen Streets. Visitors can head to the coop in the back for experimental cocktails like Cold Pizza and Mango Sticky Rice, before ending the night with a chicken sandwich from the front room.

Where: 115 Allen Street, New York

12. Lullaby

When you’re looking for a laissez-fare bar with a unique cocktail menu, Lullaby is a great spot to check out. The entire concept is intended to offer elevated cocktails in an unthreatening environment. Our favorite drink definitely has to be The Dole Whip , taking a boozy twist on Disney’s iconic Dole Whip Soft Serve.

Where: 151 Rivington Street, New York

13. Attaboy

Bellied up at the bar but unsure what to order? At Attaboy you don’t have to stress because there’s not even a menu to choose from. The bartenders will ask you what your into and from there concoct a drink specially for you. It might take you a few walks down Eldridge to locate this inconspicuous spot, as no sign lets you know you’re in the right spot. Best of luck!

Where: 134 Eldridge St, New York

14. The Flower Shop

From their cheetah print pool table to 70s-style furnishings, The Flower Shop will transport you back a few decades for a night of drinking and good company.

Where: 107 Eldridge St, New York

15. The Late Late

Found off Houston, head downstairs to a dark atmosphere with energetic music at this Irish-influenced bar.

Where: 159 E Houston Sreet, New York

16. Ye’s Apothecary

Hiding in plain sight, Ye’s Apothecary’s door on Orchard Street will lead you down a few stairs before you enter into an eclectic space. Offering an expansive gin menu, each drink promises to please with a blend of Chinese herbal infusions.

Where: 119 Orchard Street, New York

17. The Back Room

Where beer is served in paper bags and cocktails in tea cups, The Back Room transports you to a different era. It’s actually one of the two still existing speakeasies that operated in New York City during the Prohibition. And yes, the hidden entrance is the same as the one that was used 85 years ago.

Where: 102 Norfolk Street, New York

18. The Gutter LES

For the competitive types, get your gang together and head out for a day at the bowling alley. Order a pitcher of beer and keep the drinks flowing as you try your best to score a turkey.

Where: 77 Essex Street, New York

19. Happy Medium

Let out your creative side at this art café with a menu entirely offering a variety of art experiences. From clay to charcoal to collaging, spend the day letting your mind roam away from the craze of the city. Plus, you get to take your masterpiece home with you!

Where: 49 Market Street, New York

20. Economy Candy

Stock up on candy from NYC’s oldest retail candy shop dating back to 1937. Economy Candy spoils its customers for choice, with nostalgic items from your childhood to modern favorites.

Where: 108 Rivington Street, New York

21. Tenement Museum

Learn all about NYC’s immigrant history and actually take a step inside recreated apartments of former residents that lived in the museum’s two tenement buildings between the years 1860-1980. Beyond apartment tours, the Tenement Museum additionally offers walking tours that take you around historical sites of the neighborhood.

Where: 103 Orchard Street, New York

22. Essex Market

Essex market is your one-stop-shop for groceries, specialty ingredients, and vendor dining. The expansive market also has a community fridge located 220 Broome Street that’s accessible 24/7. And in the winter, they’ve been known to host the world’s largest gingerbread village .

Where: 88 Essex Street, New York

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Lower East Side Walking Tour

The former Jewish slum district of NYC’s Lower East Side is one of the most iconic and historically significant neighborhoods in the world. Even though times have changed, this one time immigrant haven still boasts the character and charm of yore — if you know where to look.

This unique walking tour compares images and stories of yesterday with today and offers unparalleled insight into the evolution of a neighborhood now popular for its trendy boutiques, hotels and restaurants.

Visited on tour:

• Legendary eateries (Katz’s deli, Economy Candy, Pickle Guy, etc)
• Historic synagogues and churches
• Iconic landmarks, cultural sites and points of interest
• Classic, old-fashioned retail stores
• Orchard Street, Rivington Street, Delancey Street, Essex Street, Hester Street, etc.

Discussed on tour:

• Tenement life
• The immigrant experience
• Settlement houses
• Employment, sweatshops, labor unions
• Yiddish and immigrant theater
• The roots of Hollywood on the Lower East Side

Available as a private tour

Private walking tours start at only: $150 for up to four guests (1.5 to 2 hour tour) +$20 per person above that (6 guests=$190, etc.)

Group walking tour fees (12 or more guests, 1.5-2 hours): -$15pp

School groups (K-12): -$10/per student thereafter (teachers/chaperones free!)

Book this tour:

You can book now and pay in cash on the day of the tour.

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Things to Do in Lower Manhattan | Lower East Side Tour

Looking for some off-the-beaten-path, unusual things to do in NYC for your next trip? I highly recommend adding the Lower East Side to your next NYC weekend. More specifically, if you have even just a long weekend, consider filling your entire NYC itinerary in this neighborhood. There are plenty of things to do on the Lower East Side to keep you busy without having to head uptown. Here’s how I spent an entire, incredible NYC trip on the Lower East Side.

Check out my travel vlog about the best things to do in the Lower East Side NYC

The Lower East side is located in the southeast corner of Manhattan and has been known as the gateway neighborhood where new immigrants first land after arriving in the United States.  This area is bordered by The Bowery to the west, East Houston to the north, the East River to the east and Canal Street to the south.  It’s bordered by Chinatown, Nolita and the East Village neighborhoods.  

If you’re looking for a unique and off the beaten path NYC Experience, the Lower East Side is the place to go.

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What are the best lower east side walking tours and lower east side food tours.

Start out with a Lower East Side walking tour to get yourself acclimated to the layout of the streets and the historical landmarks. There are many walking tours in NYC, but check out Big Onion walking tours , and peel back hundreds of years of Lower East Side architectural, political, and social history. For Lower East Side Food Tours, I recommend Nice Guy Tours for a fun, delicious way to get to know the history of the best restaurants in the Lower East Side, from pastrami to pastry. Ask for Dante, the owner of Nice Guy Tours, and remember to start out on an empty stomach. 

What are the Most Unique Museums in NYC on the Lower East Side?

Most often, Manhattan’s Lower East Side is not the first stop for museum-goers on their first trip to NYC. But some of the coolest things to do in the Lower East Side are the museums — off-the-beaten-path and quirky, historical, and moving. The Lower East Side is chock-full of unique museums, and The Tenement Museum is an absolute must. This is an actual tenement building on Orchard Street that has been outfitted as an exact replica of how immigrants lived a hundred years ago. You’ll spend a meaningful couple hours learning about life through an immigrant’s eyes. Advance reservations are required for Tenement Museum tours. Afterwards, stop by to see how the “other half lived” with a visit to the Merchant House Museum on East 4th Street — a 19th century brownstone owned by generations of the same wealthy family and perfectly preserved until the early 20th century, now designated as a City landmark. No reservations required, but check the web site for hours; guided and self-guided tours are available.

Another interesting stop is The Museum on Eldridge Street which is the old Synagogue, where you can learn about the Jewish immigrant history of NYC.   There are also a few art-centric Lower East Side museums not to be missed — the New Museum on the Bowery, with eye-popping contemporary exhibits; the International Center of Photography on Essex Street with incredibly moving, provocative photographs; and the Museum of Street Art , an homage to the best of street art and graffiti that winds up twenty floors of stairwell in the citizenM New York Bowery Hotel.

What are the Best Lower East Side Rooftop Bars and Happy Hour Spots?

Rooftop bars in the Lower East Side are the best way to end your day of walking and eating. Check out the 20th floor of citizenM New York Bowery Hotel (and gawk at the Museum of Street Art as you walk up the stairwell). Or head to The Crown bar at Hotel 50 Bowery , a rooftop bar with vast views and homey little food bites to accompany your drinks. Mr. Purple on Hotel Indigo’s 15th floor offers beautiful views and unusual drinks. And at Last Light on the Bowery , you can take in the lower-Manhattan skyline while sharing wine and craft beers with your friends, or drinks such as the “Naked and Famous” or “Small Victories.”

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What are the Best Lower East Side Clubs?

I’m not much of a club scene girl, but the NY Nightclubs on the Lower East Side are some of the best for dancing and people watching. They range in appearance from frumpy, old, and graffitied to eclectic, colorful, and dripping with velvet. So if you’ve still got some get-up-and-go after happy hour and dinner, head to The Rumpus Room , La Caverna , CBGB , The Pyramid Club , The DL , or The Bowery Electric . It’s one of the things to do on the lower east side that you won’t get anywhere else, and you won’t regret it.

If you want to extend your trip up the East Coast, I recommend visiting Portland, Maine! Click to read my top 10 Portland things to do.

What are the best restaurants in the lower east side.

There is no way to qualify the best food in the Lower East Side. You can’t throw a penny without hitting another gem. After you’ve experienced your Lower East Side Food Tour , you’ll be set to conquer the rest of your meals, but it’ll be tough not to repeat. Start your mornings at one of the many Lower East Side coffee shops, including Caffevita , The Roasting Company , or the Ludlow Coffee Supply (my favorite), then grab a great breakfast in the Lower East Side at Yonah Shimmel for the best knishes in NY. It is a must to run to Katz’ Delicatessen for lunch — a Lower East Side Deli that has been around since 1888 and is famous for Katz’ pastrami sandwich.

And save time to spend in the Essex Food Market . Opened in 1888 first for vendors with pushcarts, it has grown to an enormous, modern space with a plethora of cheeses, meats, fish, produce.

Dinner is always a special treat on the Lower East Side.  The restaurants are small with only a few tables, and have an intimate and lively setting.  Start at The Ten Bells for appetizers and a glass of wine, then head to Wildair or Pig and Khao , or The Fat Radish .

What are the best Lower East Side Hotels?

Trust me — don’t go chain if you want to plant yourself in the middle of New York’s Lower East Side. The best Lower East Side restaurants aren’t chains, and Lower East Side shopping isn’t your typical mall stores, so stay the course and bunk into a Lower East Side boutique hotel — surprisingly, for its small size, the number of hotels in the Lower East Side is more than you’d expect. With so many things to do in the Lower East Side, you won’t want to spend too much time in your hotel, but while you’re there, it may as well be cool and comfortable. Due to its small boundaries, Lower East Side boutique hotels are close to everything in the neighborhood and all the things to do in the Lower East Side. I think the best hotels in the Lower East Side are those that snuggle into the landscape of older, charismatic buildings. I stayed at Hotel Indigo (pictured below) , which was hip and trendy, and a little bigger than my other hotel suggestions.  It was, however, part of Marriott Bonvoy, which I love!

Book one of these Top 5 Lower East Side Hotels!

1. the bowery hotel – 335 bowery, 2. the ludlow hotel – 180 ludlow street, 3.  sohotel – 190 allen street, 4. hotel on rivington – 107 rivington stret, 5. the nolitan – 30 kenmare street.

The Ludlow Hotel offers magnificent NYC views with huge windows and gritty, urban, chicly decorated rooms. The lobby and bar area quite possibly might be the most comfortable, cozy place to meet up with friends. The drinks are exceptional and fun, although a bit on the pricey side. Sohotel on Broome Street holds the honor of the longest-running hotel in New York City, dating back to 1805. Rooms here are New-York-City-hotel-room small, but they work perfectly for those on more of a budget. Also, Sohotel has “standard twin,” “standard triple,” and “standard family” rooms if you’re traveling to New York alone or in groups with odd numbers. At The Bowery Hotel , you’ll be greeted by a doorman in a top hat before entering the warm, dark, cozy lobby that’ll make you feel like you’ve jumped back in time — right down to the room keys with the red tassels. This is all contrasted with bright, airy rooms decked out in velvet upholstery and modern amenities. Take advantage of drinks at The Bowery Terrace, a second-floor, outdoor lounge laced with brick walls, wood beams, and fireplace. I also love the idea of the Blue Moon Hotel on Orchard Street. This old tenement building has been transformed into a comfortable hotel complete with standard hotel rooms as well as dormitory-style rooms if you’re traveling with friends or on a budget. The hotel sits above Davidovich Artisan Bakery so you can wake up to the homey smell of the famous Davidovich Bagels and pastries.

What are your favorite things to do in Manhattan on the Lower East Side? Let me know in the comments!

Enjoy your trip to NYC’s Lower East Side. Send me some pics of you on your next trip to NYC, and let me know of some of your favorite things to do in the Lower East Side to add to my next NYC itinerary. 

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Hello! I’m Kim, The Abundant Traveler®, and roaming the world has been my passion as long as I can remember. (There’s likely a photo of me next to the definition of Wanderlust in the dictionary.)

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Thing to Do

Lower East Side Tenement Museum National Historic Site , National Parks of New York Harbor

Neighborhood Walking Tours

Building on the lower east side - neighborhood walking tour.

Housing is New York’s enduring issue. Nowhere has this been more felt than the Lower East Side, at one point the most crowded place on the planet. Explore how architects, activists, civic agents, and everyday people have influenced the very landscape of the neighborhood and uncover the stories of the Lower East Side. Learn about some the earliest homes in the neighborhood, before they were replaced by the humble tenement, and gaze upon the modernist urban renewal efforts of the 1950s. This is an approximately 1.4 miles and 60 minute tour.

Outside the Home - Neighborhood Walking Tour

On this tour we’ll look at how Lower East Siders shaped and were shaped by their neighborhood over the 19th and early 20th Centuries. From stores to parks, movie theaters to schools, discover how these spaces became important centers for navigating identity, advocacy, and cultural exchange. This is an approximately 1 mile and 60 minute tour.

Reclaiming Black Spaces - Neighborhood Walking Tour

From the 1640s to the modern day, on this 90 minute walking tour we’ll highlight stories of how Black and African Americans shaped Lower Manhattan as they made homes, businesses, and communities there over the centuries. Discover what drew Black New Yorkers to Lower Manhattan, and how their experiences were shaped by that migration, how those communities created a sense of home, and how they resisted the racism they faced. This is an approximately 1.5 miles and 90 minute tour. 

Tenement Apartment Tours

100 years apart.

Explore how immigrant women coped with economic hardship through the stories of Natalie Gumpertz and Mrs. Wong. Hear how these two women, living a century apart, shared similar struggles, hopes, and survival strategies as they made new lives. Visit the recreated 1880s tenement apartment of the Gumpertz family, whose primary breadwinner disappeared during the Panic of 1873. Then visit an interactive 1980s Chinatown garment shop that connects you directly to the memories of Mrs. Wong, her children, and her co-workers. How did a 19 th  century German-Jewish immigrant and a 20 th  century Chinese immigrant rely on their communities during hard times? This is a 60 minute tour. 

Finding Home

Visit the tenement homes of the Epstein and Saez Velez families in the 1950s and 1960s. The families shared a tenement building at 103 Orchard Street, and shared a changing Lower East Side, yet had very different experiences as Jewish Holocaust survivors and Puerto Rican migrants. What was it like to live in a neighborhood becoming more racially and culturally diverse and how did newly arrived families find a sense of belonging? Visitors will explore these questions through the memories of the families and the historical context of the mid-20 th  Century while touring their recreated homes. This is a 60 minute tour. 

Exploring a Tenement: 1933 

Join us for an exploration of the research, preservation, and restoration work that goes into every Tenement Museum tour. Learn about Italian immigrants Adolfo and Rosaria Baldizzi, and their American-born children Johnny and Josephine as they navigated tenement life during the Great Depression. Visit the Baldizzi’s recreated tenement home, discover how we learned about the family, and get a special look at the unique process of reconstructing their 1933 apartment and the discoveries and surprises made along the way. This is a 60 minute tour. 

Tenement Women: 1902

Enter the world of tenement families and explore the challenges and changes faced by Jewish immigrant mothers in 1902. Visit the Levine family’s tenement apartment, where Jennie Levine managed a household and oversaw family finances while her husband ran a garment factory in their front room. Then, explore a few stops nearby to learn where and how women organized the Kosher Meat Boycott of 1902, led by women like Jennie, which both divided and united Jewish Lower East Siders. This interactive tour invites you to explore how women asserted their rights before they had rights as citizens, and how they inspired future generations and movements. This is a 60 minute tour.

Meet Victoria

Visit our historic 97 Orchard Street tenement and journey back in time to 1916 for an immersive experience with an actor playing Victoria Confino, a real teenager who immigrated to the United States in 1913. You’ll meet Victoria in her family’s recreated tenement apartment and get to ask Victoria questions and hear stories about her home in Greece, her journey to the United States, and her experiences as an immigrant in the Lower East Side of 1916. Recommended for visitors of all ages! This is a 60 minute tour.

Family Owned

Amidst wars, depressions, and changing laws, family businesses served as the anchors of the community, but they had their costs. This tour spans the 75-year-old residential history of 97 Orchard, taking you to the 1870s century lager beer saloon and home of John and Caroline Schneider and the 1930s auction house of Max Marcus. 

This immersive and interactive tour starts with a visit to Schneider’s Saloon, which served food, beer, and entertainment, but also acted as a living room for German immigrants and families to socialize and a meeting place for local clubs and political organizations. You will also visit the Schneider’s bedroom at the back of the saloon; as they moved into 97 Orchard in 1864, it is the oldest apartment featured at the Tenement Museum. Then, you’ll travel forward in time to the Great Depression, where you’ll learn how Max Marcus made a living in an interactive multimedia exhibit in the space that once held his auction house. This is a 60 minute tour.

After the Famine: 1869

Having fled famine conditions in Ireland in large numbers, the Irish helped make New York an immigrant-majority city and a metropolis. Joseph and Bridget Moore came to the rapidly growing, culturally diverse tenement neighborhoods in the years after the Civil War. In 1869, they left a more Irish neighborhood for 97 Orchard, a brand-new building. But while this tenement had new amenities, the majority of its residents were German. 

How did Joseph and Bridget create an Irish American lifestyle for their family? Discover how music, politics, religion came together to form a complex Irish American identity. This is a 60 minute tour.

At Home in 1911

By 1911, the Lower East Side had become both the most densely populated area in the country and the largest Jewish city in the world. Jewish immigrants came to the United States for its religious freedom and its economic opportunities, which posed new questions. Should one work on the Sabbath? If one worked in a factory, should one go on a strike to improve conditions?  In 1911, a devastating factory fire disrupted the city, prompting both grief and ultimately, a series of new labor and work safety laws. Find out how Fannie and Abraham Rogarshevsky and their six children made their way through a turbulent decade. This is a 60 minute tour.

Tickets are required for all tours. 

Accessibility information.

The Tenement Museum welcomes all visitors. We recognize the diverse needs of our audience and offer accessible programs and services to enable all visitors to explore the stories we interpret at the Tenement Museum.

The Tenement Museum offers a special $65 membership for visitors with disabilities. For a discounted membership, please call the membership line at 877-975-3786.

Free entry to care partners

Regardless of Museum membership status, all visitors with disabilities can obtain free entry for their care partners. Please call 877-975-3786 or e-mail [email protected] to request free entry for a care partner.

Service Animal Policy

Service dogs are welcome on all museum tours. However, pets and emotional support animals are not allowed inside tenement buildings, but can be brought on outdoor neighborhood walking tours.

For questions about Museum accessibility and how we can accommodate your specific needs, call 877-975-3786 or e-mail [email protected].

Wheelchair Accessibility

The following tours are wheelchair accessible:

Reclaiming Black Spaces

Building on the Lower East Side

Outside the Home

The Museum has a limited amount of wheelchairs available to borrow for wheelchair accessible programs. To reserve a wheelchair for your visit, please contact our Call Center at 877-975-3786 (Monday–Saturday: 9 am–5 pm) or e-mail [email protected]

Individuals who are Blind or have Low Vision

Handling objects are available for our  100 Years Apart, Finding Home , and  Day in the Life  tours. Ask for these materials when you arrive at the Visitors Center.

Visitors can book a free tactile orientation to the Museum before their tour with two weeks’ advance notice.

Individuals who are Deaf or have Hearing Loss

Assistive listening devices.

The Museum offers FM assistive listening devices upon request for all tours and evening programming. Ask a representative at the Visitors Center upon arrival.

Language Aids

If you are looking for language translation for tours, please email [email protected] for options.

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Last updated: August 18, 2023

Find The Fun

Event details, jewish gangsters on the lower east side: a walking tour.

Walking Tour Sunday, April 14, 2024 1:00 PM 3:30 PM Google Calendar ICS Learn where leaders of the Jewish Underworld began their nefarious activities, and discuss questions of morality, power, & assimilation. Arnold Rothstein, Meir Lansky and Bugsy Siegel were all notorious gangsters whose criminal activities extended to Atlantic City, Miami, Cuba and Las Vegas, but their stories began on the Lower East Side of New York. We will examine where these leaders of the Jewish underworld began their nefarious activities. Along the way we will analyze questions of morality, power and assimilation. Use your imagination to evoke what once existed, as we view sites that were associated with these Jewish Gangsters. Join Bradley Shaw, your guide, as he sheds light on the Jews of this dark aspect of New York's 'past. Brad, an urban historian and educator, was born on the Lower East Side, has a BA in History and Education from Brooklyn College, and is a licensed NYC tour guide. He has been a docent, walking tour guide, and manager at the Museum at Eldridge Street, in addition to serving as a guide with the LESJC.

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