By Anjuli Johnson I hopped on our Holiday Lights & Movie Sites Tour this week, enjoyed some laughs with our lovely tour guide Elyse, and watched NYC’s holiday lights come to life. Some of the city’s main December attractions are the holiday window displays carefully crafted by Manhattan’s department stores each year. It’s definitely worth…

Have you ever wondered where your favorite talk shows get their audiences? You might assume that getting to see Jimmy Fallon live or being part of a Rachael Ray gift giveaway costs a pretty penny, right? Wrong! These shows are filmed live in New York City and offer free public tickets to tapings.  Check out how to get tickets to 10 of the hottest live-taped shows in town below. You might see your favorite daytime and late night hosts in person before you know it! 1. Saturday Night Live (30 Rockefeller Plaza at 48th St)- Tickets are given away via lottery by sending your contact information to snltickets@nbcuni.com in August. But if you missed the cut off, don’t worry! Standby tickets for the 8pm dress rehearsal or 11:30pm live broadcast are given out Saturdays at 7am. Be prepared to camp…

The star-studded female cast of the new Ghostbusters reboot was seen filming in New York City last week (September 16-20). The On Location Tours staff was lucky enough to spot the Ghosbusters mobile Ecto-1 right outside our offices on 8th Avenue and 38th Street! Check out the photo below. Ghostbusters is set to hit theaters in…

By Anjuli Johnson August is already slipping away. Kids and teens are getting bummed about going back to school and parents are dreading the coming winter. But summer isn’t over yet! Take advantage of the last few weeks of warmth and sunshine with these fun NYC activities. Spend a day at the beach You may…

By Anjuli Johnson Valentine’s Day is right around the corner! There’s no better way to get into a lovey-dovey mood than reminiscing on

By Anjuli Johnson Love is in the air during the month of February. In anticipation of Valentine’s Day, we’ve pulled together a Top 5 list of NYC movie & TV locations perfect for Valentine’s Day. Grab your sweetheart and explore these romantic filming sites for a perfect date. 1. Serendipity 3 (Serendipity) It will be…

On Location Tours is giving away a Romantic Movie Prize Pack during the month of February in honor of Valentine’s Day and our new

On Location Tours is giving away an Ultimate Holiday Prize Pack! We’ve put together an amazing gift for TV & movie fans, which includes: 2 tickets to an On Location Tour of the winner’s choice, Manhattan Movie Map T-shirt, Manhattan Movie Map tote bag, 6 of our favorite NYC-filmed DVDs (Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Spider-Man, Manhattan, Ghostbusters, Home Alone 2, and When Harry Met Sally), and mint lip balm. Enter below for a chance to win.  Giveaway entry ends December 15th, 2014. a Rafflecopter giveaway

By Anjuli Johnson I finally made it to Central Perk, the (temporary) mecca for any Friends super-fan like myself. It took some serious dedication. I waited in line for two and a half hours in the rain, and I even got splashed by a passing car. My friends and I thought the rain might make…

On Location Tours is thrilled to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the hit TV show Friends.  Join us on the New York TV & Movie Sites tour to stop at the Friends building and to see other fun Friends locations. For a limited time, tour-goers will have the opportunity to win Friends-themed prizes including Central Perk coffee! SPECIAL OFFER! Buy now through October 20th and get 10% off New York TV & Movie Sites ticket purchases with code FRIENDS.  

On September 22nd, we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the initial broadcast of the fan-favorite TV show Friends. To mark this occasion, we’ve partnered with TrivWorks, NYC’s live trivia event professionals, to offer a special contest for all Friends enthusiasts! Starting on Monday, September 1st, a weekly Friends trivia challenge will be published at NOON EST on the TrivWorks website – the first two people to respond correctly will win a pair of tickets each to our New York TV & Movie Sites Tour where you’ll pass by Chandler’s work building and stop at the Friends building for a photo-op! Be sure to follow @OnLocationTours and @TrivWorks on Twitter in order to see the contest the moment it is published! (Heads up: we will soon be giving away tickets to TrivWorks’ upcoming Tarantino Trivia Night, being held at The Bell House on…

In honor of the 25th Anniversary of the hit TV show Seinfeld, On Location Tours is offering 10% off tickets to see Seinfeld locations in New York City!  Use code SEINFELD during checkout to save 10% on the New York TV & Movie Sites Tour and/or the Uptown TV & Movie Sites Tour.  Offer expires…

Catch On Location Tours guide, Amadeo Fusca, aka the “Joke Jockey” on MTV2’s Jobs That Don’t Suck airing Wednesday, May 28th at 11:30 pm EST!

May 6th, 2014 marks the 10th Anniversary of the Friends finale. OLT staffers have put together a list of our top 10 favorite Friends moments!  Be sure to share your favorite episodes and moments with us in the comments below. 1. Phoebe singing/performing “Smelly Cat” 2. Ross playing the keyboard and performing “the sound” in…

SPOTTED! Kevin Jonas filming “Celebrity Apprentice” at Pie Face on 7th Ave & 36th St in NYC.

You’ll want to catch it! Check out the Contagious Comedy show on Tuesday, February 25th from 6p-8p @ Dave & Buster’s in the Theater District.  Comedic lineup includes; Lisa Blythe Perlman, Eric Neumann, Michael Rakosi, Christine Boudreau, Sasha Srbulj, Marc Gerber, Ron Nobles, Maya Klausner, Dan Perlman, Frank Favia & Jacey Powers. $20: show plus appetizer buffet for tickets purchased online in advance. Book online at contagiouscomedy.eventbrite.com.  For more details go to contagiouscomedynyc.com. Not only are there deals on food + fun, but also half price drinks from 4:30p-7:30p & raffle prizes at the end of the show! Don’t forget to check out the first ever Contagious Comedy podcast after the show too.

New York is iconic to most, and is a vivid picture in the dreams of many. This is due largely to the fact that the city has served as the backdrop for so many great films, and we all fall a bit more in love with the sights and sounds of the city through the stories we see play out on the big screen.  Check out this list of movies that take you on a journey into New York, and see if your favorite film made the cut. Annie Hall – In this off-beat romance, a Neurotic New Yorker named Alvy Singer falls in love with a free spirited woman named Annie Hall. This is a quintessentially New York film directed, written and starring Woody Allen. Check out Coney Island, where Woody Allen’s character is from. Serendipity – Starring John…

By Lauren Nicholson Valentine’s Day is almost upon us, lovebirds! Are you looking to ditch the conventional ideas of flowers and boxed chocolates? We suggest treating your sweetheart to a romantic adventure instead. We’ve pulled together a list of Valentine’s Day date ideas inspired by TV shows and movies filmed in New York City. 1….

Stefan Raab from TV Total Live (a German late night show) will be joining On Location Tours on the Sex and the City Hotspots Tour on Sunday, January 26!  We’re seeking German Sex and the City fans living in the New York City area who would like to join us for an abbreviated version of the Sex and the City tour at 2:45 pm.   If interested, please email your contact information to marketing@onlocationtours.com with subject line “SATC Tour with TV Total Live.” Please note: the tour will be in English.

New York is a hell of a town, no one will deny that. But how great is it? So great that many celebrities have come out of the area and many more call the city home. Here is a list of some that reside everywhere from chic Downtown, to hip Brooklyn and everywhere in between. Jay Z –This rapper has New York written all over him and weaved into his amazing rap lyrics. His name even comes from the J and Z trains that still run through the Marcy Projects in Brooklyn where he grew up. Now that those days are behind him, he and his superstar wife Beyonce and fabulously cool kid live in trendy Tribeca, in the same building with former New York Housewife Bethenny Frankel. Alicia Keys – Born and raised in New York’s iconic Hell’s Kitchen,…

Buy tickets to any of On Location Tours’ flagship sightseeing tours and receive $5 off each ticket now through March 6th!  Must use code WINTER14 during the purchase process. Offer valid on travel/tour dates through March 31, 2013.  Buy your TV and movie tour tickets now!

THERE IS NO BETTER PLACE TO BE THIS HOLIDAY THAN AT THE RADIO CITY CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR®!   The radiant Radio City Music Hall® will be decked out for the season and the Rockettes® shine like never before in a breathtaking NEW FINALE that transforms the theater into a glistening winter wonderland.  The Rockettes modern choreography…

TICKETS ON SALE NOW! LIMITED HOLIDAY ENGAGEMENT: 3 WEEKS ONLY (December 11th-29th) SPECIAL DEAL! Use code PARTNER to save 25% on select tickets and performances. Visit theateratmsg.com/partner to purchase. Ralphie Parker wants only one thing for Christmas: an official Red Ryder® Carbine-Actions 200-shot Range Model Air Rifle. A Christmas Story, The Musical is the hilarious…

By Lauren Nicholson The holiday season is one of the most fantastic times of the year to visit New York City. With its sparkling lights, towering Christmas trees and abundance of ice skating rinks, the Big Apple shines brightly during the early months of winter. It’s among these reasons and more the city has been chosen as a backdrop for many well-known holiday movies. Join On Location Tours on a jolly joyride as we review the best holiday movie moments filmed in NYC. 1. The Plaza Hotel (768 5th Ave) – In “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York,” Kevin (Macaulay Culkin) stays at The Plaza Hotel during his trip to New York City. Upon entering the hotel, Donald Trump makes a cameo appearance when Kevin asks him where the lobby is. 2. Atlantic Grill (49 W 64th St) –…

On December 4, thousands will gather around the Rockefeller Center Tree to witness the twinkling lights blink on, while millions more will crowd around television sets worldwide to see the event.The tree lights up midtown Manhattan and serves as a glowing beacon of the Christmas spirit. But its Depression-era birth turns out to be far more humble. On Christmas Eve in 1931, construction workers put up a tiny, 20-foot balsam fir on the meek and mucky site of what would soon become Rockefeller Center. They strung it with cranberries, paper, and even tin cans. Christmas lights went up two weeks later at the behest of a Rockefeller Center publicist. Sadly, the tree disappeared the following year. The first official tree emerged in 1933. Rising 50 feet tall into the gray winter sky, it stood in Rockefeller Plaza, where it would…

Everyone is a suspect in Murder for Two, a hilarious musical murder mystery with a twist: one actor investigates the crime, the other plays all of the suspects and they both play the piano! A zany blend of classic musical comedy and madcap mystery, this 90-minute whodunit is a highly theatrical duet loaded with killer laughs. A New York Times and Time Out New York Critics’ Pick. “Ingenious!  A snazzy double act.” –The New York Times “A hilarious musical whodunit.”  – The New York Observer “Thrilling. This is showmanship at its finest.”  – TheaterMania See MURDER FOR TWO for as low as $49.50*!  Visit BroadwayOffers.com or call 212-947-8844 and use code MRGENMAR1. *Restrictions and blackout dates apply

By Lauren Nicholson With nearly 400 years of rich history, it should come as no surprise that New York City has seen its fair share of gory moments and ghost hauntings. Historic accounts of famous landmarks and old buildings are often intertwined with scary stories of horror and paranormal activity. In honor of Halloween, On Location Tours has pulled together a list of the top 5 spookiest filming locations in New York City. 1. The Dakota Located on 72nd Street and Central Park West, The Dakota has been a longtime, prestigious residential building for the rich and famous. In Roman Polanski’s psychological horror film, Rosemary’s Baby, The Dakota was used for exterior shots of the NYC apartment building where the characters lived. Most notably, John Lennon was shot and killed at the south entrance to The Dakota where he and…

Food Network star Guy Fieri spotted the TMZ Tour NYC and invited tour-goers into his restaurant, Guy’s American Kitchen and Bar, for complimentary food and drinks!

Phil Morris hopped on the TMZ Tour NYC bus on Friday, October 18th! Morris is well-known for playing the character of Jackie Chiles on the hit sitcom Seinfeld.  Be sure to check out his TV series, “Love That Girl”, airing Fridays at 9pm on TV ONE. Phil Morris with TMZ Tour guide Matt

Last week brought some fun surprises for passengers on the TMZ Tour NYC!  We spotted a few celebrities and even got a couple to hop on the tour bus with us.  Check out the segments, which aired on TMZ on TV, of famous Comedian Arsenio Hall and Lil Bub the cat! Buy TMZ Tour NYC tickets now!

Celebrate back to school with Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark! Spider-Man will be giving away limited edition Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark backpacks to kids!* Buy a ticket today and collect your backpack at the Foxwoods when you come and fly high with your favorite New York superhero. You might even be the lucky winner…

By Lauren Nicholson OLT’s Shot On The Spot went on location to Macy’s in Herald Square NYC to see Squirrels to the Nuts, starring Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson, filming.  We were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of Rhys Ifans on set!

By Lauren Craft In New York City, the list of things to do and sights to see are endless but sometimes it’s nice to get out of the city and explore its surrounding locales. If you’re looking for a thrill or just trying to enjoy what nature has to offer here are our favorite day trips that are just a zip car ride outside of the concrete jungle:   Hiking and Biking at Mohonk Mountain For some light thrills and picturesque views, we suggest taking the day to head up to Mohonk Mountain Resort where you can spend the day hiking or biking through their gorgeous grounds at about $25.00 for the day. From NYC by Car: Approx. 1 Hour and 40 mins   Whitewater Rafting in the Poconos If you’re not afraid to get a little misty, this is for…

By Lauren Nicholson Tracers, starring Taylor Lautner, is filming on 36th St between 5th and 6th Ave in NYC today! Shot On This Spot’s host, Lauren, scouted the scene in hopes of a Lautner sighting.  Unfortunately, he was no where to be found, but we spotted some other cool stuff on set. Check out the video below for more!   Maybe Taylor was hiding in his on-set trailer?  

By Lauren Nicholson An OLT insider spotted Jennifer Aniston on set filming her new movie Squirrels to the Nuts around 96th Street and Madison Avenue in New York City on July 16th! Aniston is starring in the new film with Owen Wilson, Kathryn Hahn and Cybill Shepherd.  Check out this exclusive photo our insider captured:

By Lauren Nicholson Summer wedding season is in full swing!  By now, you’ve probably been to two or three celebrations and have another five lined up from now through September.  Ah yes, love is a beautiful thing, especially when the unity of two people is celebrated in the greatest city of all, New York City!  Here’s a breakdown of our top 5 NYC wedding moments from TV & film: #5  –  30 Rock:  When it comes to comedy, nothing beats the hilarious wedding of Liz Lemon (Tina Fey) and Criss (James Marsden) at City Hall. #4  –  Made of Honor: This romantic comedy starring Patrick Dempsey and Michelle Monaghan is full of New York City moments where the main characters, Tom and Hannah, reside.  Some of our favorite moments: – Tom and Hannah meet the priest officiating Hannah’s wedding…

By Lauren Craft Fourth of July has come and gone and in our books, that means summer is half way through. So, with 8 weeks left until Labor Day, we’ve put together a Summer 2013 Bucket List, with our top 8 “must-dos” before fall hits! 1. Catch a free flick in the park At On Location Tours, we are all about TV shows and movies, so number one on our list is to grab a blanket, some snacks and catch a free summer movie in a city park.   2. Dance in the rain without getting wet New York City has had it’s fair share of rain this summer, but we are dying to check out Rain Room, the latest exhibit at the MoMa, where you can step inside a field of falling water that pauses wherever a human body…