- Walking Tour Tour Type Walking Tour
- 2 hours for public tours Duration 2 hours for public tours
- All ages Ages All ages
Take a leisurely walking tour through Central Park, NYC’s most famous backdrop.
Quick Details
New York Classic Film Tour by On Location Tours
Ah, there is nothing quite like the classics, are we right? New York is the most filmed city in the world and we’re taking you behind-the-scenes of some of your favorite classic films that feature The Big Apple. We have selected the best movie sites around Manhattan to share with you so you can slip right into the shoes of timeless characters who made their mark on the big screen.
Get a behind-the-scenes curated look at some of your favorite classic movies set in New York City, as your guide entertains, informs and quizzes you with trivia questions while showcasing over 60 filming locations!
Not only will you get a taste of New York film history, but you’ll also receive a great sightseeing tour of Manhattan. By indoor bus with AC in the summer and heat in the winter, we’ll take you to neighborhoods rich with history, where some of the most iconic NYC films of all time were made.
What Will You See On This Tour?
-
Swing past the Empire State Building, an iconic backdrop featured in several films
-
Snag something fresh at Zabar’s, the famous market featured in Manhattan and You’ve Got Mail
-
Feel the wind where Marilyn Monroe’s skirt flew up in The Seven Year Itch
-
Embrace your superhero status at Grand Central Terminal, featured in Superman and North by Northwest
-
Stroll through world-famous Central Park and match filming locations to movie clips from Thomas Edison Shorts to Ghostbusters
-
Recreate the sweet scene with an even sweeter view in front of Queensboro Bridge, featured in Woody Allen’s Manhattan
Meeting Location
- Broadway and 51st Street (exact location given at time of purchase)
Private Tours
Our private tours have a more intimate vibe, where you can ask our tour guide more questions about their experiences while being on a set. The guide can personalize the tour by paying extra attention to your group and helping you get the best photos!
We have various size vehicles to accommodate your private tour. Depending on the size of your group, your tour might be in a Sedan, an SUV, a sprinter or a limo.
Covid-19 Precautions
Although there are no known cases of illnesses at On Location Tours, we are responsible for keeping an active stance in preventing the spread of any diseases. We are following the Center for Disease Control and Prevention along with Federal and State guidelines on stopping the spread.
For this reason, we require all guests to wear a face mask for the entire duration of the tour. Thank you for your cooperation.
-
Yes, the vehicle will stop a few times throughout the tour to let guests off and walk around, as well as visit some of the locations.
-
See Columbus Circle, Lincoln Center and the Upper West Side, hop off at Zabar’s, the well-known marketplace, featured in You’ve Got Mail and the famous Dakota Building that can be seen in films like, Hannah and Her Sisters and Rosemary’s Baby.
As you make your way to the Upper East Side, cross through Central Park, learning about dozens of films set here, including the very first motion picture made in New York City.
The sights don’t end there, the tour continues down the east side of Manhattan where you’ll stop for a photo-op at the apartment from Breakfast at Tiffany’s before you discover hidden neighborhoods, like Sutton Place to experience a fantastic view of the Queensboro Bridge you’ll recognize from Manhattan.As you head downtown on this NYC bus tour, you’ll pass locations that have set the scene for countless films, like the Plaza Hotel, FAO Schwarz, Tiffany’s, Rockefeller Center, the Empire State Building and much more before ending your journey at the famous Grand Central Terminal.
The NYC Classic Film Tour is the perfect escape for movie fans, but also a great way to see how much, and how little, Manhattan has changed.
-
The Upper West Side has several landmarks like Columbus Circle, Lincoln Center and The American Museum of Natural History. It is one of greenest parts of Manhattan and has relaxed bistros and lots of lively bars. This all makes it cozy and sparkly. The perfect neighborhood to casually stroll by the great architecture.
While we cruise by the classic movies filmed in New York, we will also see many landmarks located in the Upper East Side. The first landmark is Columbus Circle. The movies Ma and Pa Kettle Go To Town, It Should Happen To You and Superman were filmed near this location. Other locations are the Museum of Arts & Design and The Prasada.
Tavern on the Green is a restaurant that has been featured on many movies like Ghostbusters and Wall Street. While we go back up we will visit The Dakota and the American Museum of Natural History. The classic West Side Story, which was just rereleased, was filmed at the Lincoln Center, The world’s leading performing arts center.
-
Central Park is located between the Upper West Side and the Upper East Side. It is the most filmed location in New York City. The classics Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Love Story were just two of movies that used this beautiful park as a setting.
-
New York City’s Upper East Side is the neighborhood situated between Central Park and the East River, from 59th to 96th Streets. Fifth Avenue is often referred to as ‘Museum Mile’. Museums included here are the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the Museum of the City of New York and more.
While we go up passing by locations of Working Girl and Marathon Man, we will see the Convent of Sacred Heart. We go down again via the Museum Mile on 5th Avenue. Before we leave the Upper East Side, we will show you a couple more filming locations, the Met Life Building and a location of Midnight Cowboy. We will end the route in the Upper East Side by the Queensboro Bridge.
-
Crossing over 59th Street you’ll be officially leaving Uptown Manhattan and in front of the most filmed building in the world, the Plaza Hotel. We go down on Fifth Avenue for more New York City landmarks such as the New York Public Library, the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, and the shopping area with Bergdorf Goodman and Tiffany’s.
Heading into midtown traffic you’ll pass another Trump Tower, a fitting setting as Wayne Enterprises in The Dark Knight Rises and the penthouse in Wolf of Wall Street. When you head back to the west side, you will come by 34th Street where the famous Macy’s from A Miracle on 34th Street was filmed.
We end the tour at the famous Grand Central Terminal. Not only a beautiful building and an actual train / subway station, but also home to many, many New York movies and series.
TOURS STOPS AND DETAILS
FAQS
-
This tour is for all ages.
-
Yes, the vehicle will stop a few times throughout the tour to let guests off and walk around, as well as visit some of the locations.
-
No, our buses do not have two decks. Depending on the size of your group, your tour might be in a coach bus, mini bus, Sedan, SUV, or sprinter.
-
Please email [email protected] at least 24 hours in advance of the tour to request a wheelchair-accessible vehicle.