Washington Square Park: Our most recommended tours and activities

New York City: Gangsters and Ghosts 2-Hour Walking Tour

1. New York City: Gangsters and Ghosts 2-Hour Walking Tour

Take a two-hour guided walking tour through some of NYC's most famous neighborhoods and discover their stories of gangsters and ghosts from the city’s past. The Five Points, Chinatown, Little Italy, and Greenwich Village were known as the vice districts during the 1920s and 30s. See the places where gangsters such as John Gotti and Lucky Luciano used to party, make deals, and carry out threats. Visit haunted locations and old crime scenes on a tour led by historians. Spooky tales of the ghosts and gangsters of NYC's streets will be shared along the way. Stop at The Five Points, known for hosting New York's most infamous gangs, Chinatown's "Blood Alley," haunted houses of the West Village, and the many restaurants where mafia murders occurred in Little Italy. Go inside the Godfather-featured Basilica of St Patrick. The tour is family friendly with frequent stops.

Greenwich Village Ghost Tour

2. Greenwich Village Ghost Tour

Explore the darker side of Greenwich Village on a ghost tour after dark. Learn about the infamous Hanging Tree as you walk into the heart of Washington Square Park and see the arch while listening to spine-chilling stories from your local guide. Next, make your way over to the Brown Building, site of the infamous Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, where the victims still linger to this day. Walk up 5th Avenue and stop past the Church of the Ascension, haunted by the artist John Lafarge. See the most haunted house in Manhattan at 14 West 10th Street, home to 22 spirits and the site of several murders. Head into the heart of the West Village, pass the home of Emma Lazarus and one of the most beautiful libraries in New York City.  Hear about the ghost of a former mayor at 12 Gay Street, and pass the famous Stonewall Inn where the riots that led to the birth of gay rights began. Cross Christopher Street to visit the infamous speakeasy of Chumley's.

New York City: City Highlights Guided Bike Tour

3. New York City: City Highlights Guided Bike Tour

Discover New York City with a 9-mile bike tour through the city that never sleeps. Join a professional New York City tour guide who will escort you to some of the most fascinating landmarks of the city. Your guide, a highly-rated, professionally-licensed New York City tour guide, will guide you through many of the highlights of this bustling city. Starting right by the Brooklyn Bridge on the Manhattan side, the tour takes you to Battery Park, Little Italy, and Chinatown before riding up to Washington Square Park. From there, ride along the Hudson Greenway. See where Sully Sullenberger famously landed a plane on the Hudson. See the newly constructed Vessel and Highline.

New York City: Greenwich Village 2-Hour Tour

4. New York City: Greenwich Village 2-Hour Tour

Explore New York’s most bohemian neighborhood on a 2-hour tour of Greenwich Village, and discover its reputation as a magnet for intellectuals, artists, and beat poets. Meet your guide on the corner of Waverly Place and 6th Avenue and set off in the footsteps of Henry James and Edgar Allan Poe. Learn about artists, such as Jackson Pollack, who gave the neighborhood its freewheeling identity. Hear stories of radical thinkers like Upton Sinclair and John Reed, who debated in smoky cafés. Feel the energy of “the Village” as you stroll from Washington Square Park to the haunts and hideaways of Dylan Thomas, Jimi Hendrix and Lenny Bruce. Savor stories of how the Beat Generation flourished here, and uncover some of New York's rarest sights - including the smallest piece of private property in the city! Along the way, you will go to Jones Street, where Bob Dylan's album cover “The Freewheeling Bob Dylan” was shot, see the 1st integrated NYC club at the Cafe Society, learn about the birth of gay rights at the Stonewall Inn, and see the apartment building used in “Friends.” Admire the oldest wood frame house in the village, and finish your tour at 77 Bedford Street, former home of Issac Hendricks, and the Cherry Lane Theater, the oldest continuously running off Broadway theater in New York. End your tour at 7th Avenue South and Christopher Street, right in front of the 1 train.

NYC: Dyker Heights and NYC Holiday Lights Tour by Luxury Bus

5. NYC: Dyker Heights and NYC Holiday Lights Tour by Luxury Bus

Embark on a Christmas adventure through the heart of New York City with a guided bus or SUV tour. Explore the holiday paradise of Dyker Heights, all decked out for the season, with stops at iconic landmarks such as the World Trade Center, Brooklyn Bridge Park, and Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. Kick off the tour in the dazzling Midtown, weaving through Chelsea and the Meatpacking District, paying your respects at the World Trade Center. Then, cruise by the historic New York Harbor, where the Titanic was set to dock. Brace yourself for the enchanting spectacle at Dyker Heights – an entire neighborhood transformed into a dazzling festive wonderland. Snap photos with Lady Liberty at Brooklyn Bridge Park, cross the Manhattan Bridge, and conclude our journey at the iconic Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. Let your guides and the twinkling city lights get you in the holiday spirit and make the season magical.

Greenwich Village Tour

6. Greenwich Village Tour

Begin your 2-hour tour at the corner of 6th Avenue and Waverly Place, and learn about the history of Greenwich Village. Head to the Edgar Allan Poe house and the Washington Square Hotel. Explore Washington Square Park, a former potter's field, and learn how this area became the destination for musicians and protesters. Visit the Brown Building, site of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire in 1911, an event that led to the American labor movement. Head up McDougal Street, and see Cafe Wha, Cafe Reggio, and the Comedy Cellar. Learn where the best pizza in NYC is sold. Stroll down Christopher Street and visit the Stonewall Inn, where a riot in 1969 began America's Gay Rights Movement.

NYC: Ghosts & Ghouls of Greenwich Village Walking Tour

7. NYC: Ghosts & Ghouls of Greenwich Village Walking Tour

New York City is known for its hustle and bustle, and has been the living space for many of America’s most historically significant people. With every step you take in this concrete jungle, there’s a good chance you’re coming across something that has a story to it that you’ve never heard before. Throughout this dense city filled with generations of historic events, there’s one area with a real reputation for paranormal activity: Greenwich Village. Come explore the dark side of Greenwich Village on this thrilling ghost tour by US Ghost Adventures. The town has been inundated with a history that is fascinating, tragic, and strange. Embark on a life-changing experience and explore a side of New York that few are brave enough to see. Throughout the tour you will visit 9 haunted locations in and around Greenwich Village whilst seeing historical places that are home to some of the strangest tales you’ve ever heard. You'll encounter the Jefferson Market Library, where architectural curiosity catches the eye due to its unique tower. If you look closer however you’ll see a dark past, as this building once served as a prison for Manhattan’s female criminals, and was also the first night court. Following that you will visit the site of the Triangle Factory Fire, a tragic event which led to the death of nearly 150 people. You'll conclude by visiting the Mark Twain House and a haunted restaurant, where ghosts from 200 years ago have been seen consistently since 1910. Whilst at the Mark Twain House you can see if you can catch a glimpse of the famous author walking about in a white suit, which many witnesses claim to have seen.

NYC: Private Personalized Tour with Driver and Guide

8. NYC: Private Personalized Tour with Driver and Guide

Your driver and top-rated NYC guide will pick you up in a luxury mini-van with a panoramic roof. They will provide you with their expert planning expertise, so that you can create your own personalized tour and visit the city sites that you want to see most. Maybe they include Central Park, the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building or any of hundreds of equally fascinating attractions. Whatever is on your bucket list, you'll leave with unforgettable memories of the Big Apple.  Essential New York sites to consider: - Times Square - Strawberry Fields - Soho - Brooklyn Bridge - Saint Paul's Chapel - Central Park - Greenwich Village - Little Italy - Wall Street - The Dakota - Washington Square Park - Chinatown - Ground Zero - Empire State Building - Rockefeller Center - Fifth avenue - Flatiron building - Chelsea and Highline Park

New York City: A Day in Manhattan Cycling Tour

9. New York City: A Day in Manhattan Cycling Tour

Pedal off from beneath the Manhattan Bridge and follow the East River Esplanade towards Southport Seaport. Learn the history of the shipping industry before going to Battery Park to get stunning views of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Cycle the Hudson River Greenway to arrive at Riverside Park. Next, explore the Upper West Side and grab a bite to eat in the Time Warner Building or from one of the many street vendors during a 30-minute food stop. Cycle the 6-mile loop of Central Park to experience the attraction the best way possible, and take a quick ride through Midtown Manhattan towards Times Square and the Empire State Building. Stop at Rockefeller Plaza and St. Patrick's Cathedral along the way. Head into the West Village to visit Washington Square Park. Ride through the East Village and into SoHo before going through Little Italy and China Town. Reach the East Side of Manhattan and get beautiful views of Long Island before the tour ends!

New York: City Highlights Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour

10. New York: City Highlights Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour

Start by downloading the Action Tour Guide app, which will function as your personal tour guide, audio tour, and map. Purchase one tour per car, not per person. Everyone listens together! Note: This 14.5+ mile-long tour covers the essentials of New York City in 14-16 hours. Once downloaded, your tour of New York City begins at 764 Doris C Freedman Pl. From there you will head south to Trump Tower and hear about Former President Donald J. Trump’s organization’s headquarters. Keep driving and you will see St. Patrick's Cathedral on your left - a fantastic Roman Catholic cathedral in the middle of this modern city. After that, you’ll reach The Rockefeller Center - known for its famous observation deck, the "Top of the Rock,". Then you’ll come across Times Square - perhaps the most visited tourist destination in the world. As you continue to drive, you will see and hear about some more iconic landmarks, such as the Empire State Building and Madison Square Park. Did you know Madison Square Park’s history dates back to the late 1700s when it was used as a potter's field and a military parade ground? As you continue to drive, you will hear much about the city’s history and tourism through the decades. Canal Street is next, followed by City Hall Park. From there, continue on Pearl Street and hear about the infrastructural development taking place in the city over the years. Coming up is the Manhattan Bridge. The Manhattan Bridge is one of the three iconic bridges that connect the vibrant borough of Manhattan with the charming Brooklyn. Up next is the Brooklyn Bridge. It is a suspension bridge that spans the East River, connecting the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn in New York City. From here, head to the Financial District of New York. It is the historic and symbolic heart of New York City's financial industry, home to the New York Stock Exchange, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the American Stock Exchange, among many other financial institutions. If you decide to take a walk, make sure to use our Wall Street Self-Guided Walking Tour. Coming up ahead is Battery Park. The park is named after the artillery battery stationed there in the late 1700s to defend the city. Highly recommend you take the Battery Park Self-Guided Walking Tour. Coming up next is the One World Trade Center, also known as Freedom Tower, is the main building of the World Trade Center complex, which is located in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan in New York City. After that, you will drive alongside the Hudson River and arrive at one of the city’s newest parks - Little Island. As you reach the end of the tour, you will also hear about the city’s ongoing fight against the forces of nature. Finally, you’ll arrive at Columbus Circle. Columbus Circle is an important and iconic landmark of New York City, it's a must-see destination for any tourist visiting the city, and it offers a great variety of activities and landmarks. Your tour concludes here.

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What people are saying about Washington Square Park

Overall rating

4.7 / 5

based on 369 reviews

The highlight of our trip. Our guide was the warmest and most genuine and knowledgeable person you could wish for, an authentic New Yorker who lives the City and people

Pierre did an amazing job. It is fascinating how much he knows about the italian mafia and overall about immigrants and New York. I can only recommend this tour

Fantastic tour through Greenwich Village. Very knowledgeable guide.

Our tour guide Gabby was amazing and we had so much fun!!!!!!!

Gabby was amazing very knowledgeable and enthusiastic!