We specialize in private and custom tours of Brooklyn
Experience Brooklyn firsthand with your very own personalized tour. You’ll have a guide all to yourselves who will lead you in a fun and safe manner. He or she will be a local whose sole goal is to ensure you and your private group have an unforgettable experience.
We offer custom tour options covering sightseeing, culture, neighborhoods, shopping, history and more. You can choose from our more popular options, but are not limited to them: we can create a tour for any sort of interest or theme. Just tell us what you want to see or do and we’ll make it happen!
Every custom tour is crafted and tailor-fitted to your exact interests, needs and logistics:
Time/Date:
We will schedule your custom tour for the exact date and time of your choosing
Theme:
Pick from our list of tour options or let us create one to specifically suit your interests
Meeting point:
Your meeting point will be customized: we will meet you anywhere you’d like, or whichever place is most convenient for you (Manhattan, Brooklyn, your hotel, or anywhere else). We usually suggest for you to take the subway to Brooklyn – we will give a convenient meeting location, and directions. This saves you money because you do not need to pay for Manhattan pickup. However we can definitely pick you up in Manhattan if you want.
Length:
The tour will be crafted to suit the length of your choosing. We are happy to make suggestions about how long your tour should be. Most walking tours are 2 hours. Most driving tours are 3-4 hours. Occasionally there are tours longer than that.
Transportation:
We offer walking tours, and tours by vehicle. Minivan, sprinter, or buses can be arranged for your tour.
Group size:
Private tours – Our private tours are popular with couples and small groups: families, friends, colleagues, etc. It’s also not unusual for someone to take a tour by themself!
Group tours – We cater to groups of all sizes (schools, corporate, clubs etc). We provide walking, bus and step-on guide services.
More about our group, bus and coach services
Pricing
Private and custom tours begin at $95.00 per hour (most tours are 2 hours in length). Certain options are priced on an individual basis, for which we will provide a price based on your details The prices listed here include your whole group, they are not the price per person (except with 10 or more people). Here is the basic pricing schedule:
| Group size | Rate per hour |
| 1 – 4 | $95.00 |
| 5 | $100.00 |
| 6 | $105.00 |
| 7 | $110.00 |
| 8 | $115.00 |
| 9 | $120.00 |
| 10+ | $13 per person per hour ($24 per person for 2 hours) |
Transportation
We often recommend touring on foot because walking is the best way to deeply experience a neighborhood in Brooklyn. We will tailor the pace and distance to suit your personal desire and walking abilities. There is also the option to travel by vehicle (providing more of an overview covering multiple neighborhoods), which we can arrange. We also sometimes recommend traveling by subway – it’s fast and efficient (most of the time!)
Vehicle pricing varies based on season, etc. Approximate numbers are listed here, exact prices are provided on an individual basis. All vehicles are arranged with a 3rd party – we do not operate any vehicles ourselves.
| Method of transportation | Group size | Cost |
| Foot/ walking | 1 – 100+ | None |
| Subway | 1 – 25 | Fare for each ride (one way) is $3.00 per person |
| Car/minivan | 1 – 5 | Approx. $70 per hour (2-3 hour minimum) |
| Sprinter van | 6 – 15 | Approx. $175.00 per hour (4 hour minimum) |
| Mini bus | 16-39 | Approx. $200.00 per hour (4-6 hour minimum) |
| Motor coach bus | 40 – 54 | Approx. $240.00 per hour (4-6 hour minimum) |
Suggestions
Not sure where to begin? We are happy to make suggestions and recommendations. We have experience with many different types of groups, so we can advise you on what will work best given your preferences or circumstances.
We’re excited to meet you!
Our team is made up of fully insured professionals who are each passionate and enthusiastic. We are excited at the prospect of providing you with an unforgettable experience in Brooklyn.
Whether you’re visiting the United States for the first time, or have lived in Manhattan your whole life (or Long Island, or Westchester!), we’ve got you covered!
Ready to get started?
Here are some of Brooklyn’s top popular neighborhoods, activities and experiences to choose from:
All our public tours can also be arranged privately. They can be done individually or they can be combined.
Neighborhoods
Each of Brooklyn’s top neighborhoods has its own unique vibe, personality and flavor. On a custom tour we can get a general overview by swinging through several neighborhoods, or we can pick just one or two to delve into more thoroughly. Certain neighborhoods are closer or further from others; when planning the tour we will provide advice about the best route to follow, and how to get around.
Williamsburg
Brooklyn’s trendiest neighborhood is ground zero for urban counter culture. The area serves as a hub of creativity, loaded with vintage shops, fashion boutiques and craft food producers. A myriad of galleries, music venues and street art reflect the bounty of culture; while dozens of restaurants and bars present an array of dining and nightlife options. Recently the area’s waterfront has begun seeing major development and is becoming a flashpoint of controversy over gentrification and its effects on the longtime community.
DUMBO
The quirky name of this hip waterfront district stands for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass. Its cobblestone streets are lined with repurposed industrial loft buildings which are home to boutiques, galleries and artisanal craft shops. The area’s location below two tremendous historical bridges allows for breathtaking views and scenery.
Brooklyn Heights
Serene tree-lined streets and landmark brownstone townhouses make up Brooklyn’s oldest neighborhood. The stately homes, majestic churches and grand apartments of the area serve as specimens of magnificent architecture. Its fascinating historical background has seen it play host to events like the largest battle of the American Revolutionary War, and folks of influence like poet Walt Whitman and abolitionist Henry Ward Beecher. Waterfront views complement the quaint, family environment.
Coney Island
This beachfront of fun and amusement is the birthplace of the American theme park. Its boardwalk and side streets are lined with games, rides and unusual characters popular with summer crowds. Area icons include the ecentric Wonder ferris Wheel, wooden Cyclone roller coaster and tall red Parachute Jump. A dive into the area’s history reveals the story of legendary attractions, destructive forces of nature, and even a 150-foot tall elephant!
Themes
Urban Culture and Lifestyle
Brooklyn is the breeding ground of a trending urban culture. This revolutionary movement is founded on innovation, creativity and passion. It’s a reinvention of basic components of human lifestyle – tradition, materialism, and behavior – by examining them through the lenses of modernity: technology, communications, and social awareness. It’s a movement grounded in global, ethical and environmental consciousnesses. It celebrates fine detailing, and embraces artistic creativity, careful worksmanship, and painstaking quality. The intrinsic goal is for one to assert their individuality and take pride in themself: what they do, where they live, what they eat, and the effects their actions have on others. Come to Brooklyn to learn about this culture that’s altering the fabric of society as we know it.
History
Brooklyn’s long and proud heritage is as colorful and diverse as the people who call it home. Epic events, illustrious personalities and grand ambitions are what shaped what was once America’s 3rd largest city. Discover the pivotal role Brooklyn played in the American Revolutionary War, the American Civil War, the Industrial Revolution, the mass turn-of-the-20th-century immigration, World War 2 and much more. Further history to uncover includes beer brewing in Brooklyn, the waterfront, industrial decline, racial transitions, the Dodgers (baseball) legacy, and modern 21st Century gentrification. Did you know the Frankfurter was invented in Brooklyn..? and the Teddy Bear..? Can you guess which foreign World War 2 leader had roots in Brooklyn..?
Nostalgia
One in seven Americans have roots in Brooklyn! Did you or your parents grow up in Brooklyn? Prepare for a journey of nostalgia on a return visit to the old neighborhood(s). Reminisce about the old shops, schools, synagogues/churches/houses of worship. See what’s still there, and what is long gone. Or ride through multiple old ethnic neighborhoods. Visit newly popular trendy districts to contrast the Brooklyn of old with the new hip Brooklyn! This is a very customizeable tour.
Gentrification
Brooklyn’s overwhelming explosion in popularity is the product of gentrification. This phenomenon is a catalyst that brings new residents, businesses, cultural institutions and venture capital to formerly neglected districts. It breathes new life into forgotten brownstones, townhouses, lofts and industrial bunkers, fusing them together in a whirlwind blend of culture and excitement. It’s a transformation that sees drastic increases in economic growth and quality of life options. It becomes a rallying call for artists, creatives, idealists and entrepreneurs to converge, collaborate, and aspire for greatness.
Gentrification also brings controversy and serious issues because it often results in higher living costs and neighborhood demographic changes (dispossession of longtime lower-income communities in residential neighborhoods). The severe issue is when gentrification takes place in an area that was not deserted or forgotten – only neglected by society. On our tours we delve further into this subject and examine the good, the bad and the ugly.
Artisanal Food
Hand-wrapped chocolate bon bons. Ramen hamburgers. Southern fried chicken & waffles. Vegan ice cream.
Quality is king at Brooklyn’s producers of artisanal food goods. The products are lovingly crafted in small batches using only the finest locally-sourced materials. The delicious taste of these goodies make it a pleasant surprise when discovering how healthy and environmentally sustainable their ingredients can be. Brooklyn’s centers of culinary creativity offer a dizzying variety of treats: wood oven pizza, shnitzel, lobster roll, dumplings, fritters, beef jerky, key lime pie, whoopie pie, croissants, egg cream, saltwater taffy and more…
Graffiti & Street Art
Brooklyn is a place of cutting-edge culture and experimentation – therefore there’s no wonder that it’s a hub of creative graffiti and street artwork. These exercises in creativity are on open display throughout Brooklyn: amusing stencils, thought-provoking murals, quirky posters and tags, and even yarn graffiti! The street art in Brooklyn is created by talented folks from all over the world, from Spain to Argentina to Australia, and even Iran. Prepare for a range of emotions as we explore the humor, drama, and intensity imparted into Brooklyn’s murals by their globetrotting artists!
Shopping
Shoppers, get ready. An overwhelming array of shopping opportunities in Brooklyn means you’ll want to stop and explore every eclectic shop and cute boutique we encounter. There’s something for everyone: craft goods, indie fashion, hand-made jewelry, music and records, books, antiques, vintage, secondhand, army/navy, sweets, snacks, cheese, chocolate, baked goods, exotic imports, and more!
Photography
Brooklyn is a photographer’s mecca. Its waterfront features sweeping views of New York City’s skyscrapers, bridges and harbor. Around the borough, magnificent architecture and landmarks are ripe for capture by both novice and expert. Shops, ethnic enclaves and street scenes also serve as choice photo subjects. Historic neighborhoods, iconic brownstones, repurposed industrial spaces and creative street art round off the list of memorable things to capture on film (or SD card, of course).
