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Activity New York City, USA

Private Walking Tour in the Lower East Side with rooftop access

5.0 (5 reviews) 2 h 30 min Free cancellation Private tour
Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

Private Walking Tour in the Lower East Side with rooftop access

About this activity

>A smoked salmon tasting rooted in a century-old Lower East Side tradition

> Scheduled access to a rooftop with wide, open skyline views

> Access to a hidden graffiti museum most visitors never discover on their own

>A neighborhood that's equal parts historic and artsy — immigrant roots, street art, and contemporary galleries all in one walk

Historical Tours Walking Tours New Product Weather Dependent - Moderate Agent Low Quality Product

At a glance

Duration
2 h 30 min
Confirmation
Instant confirmation
Ticket
Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group
Your group only
People per booking
1–15
Guide
English
Operated by
Your New York Story LLC

What is included

Included

  • Included: Guided tour with a certified NYC licensed guide
  • Included: Snacks: One smoked salmon sample per person is included.

Not included

  • Not included: Gratuities
  • Not included: Alcoholic beverages: Access to the rooftop is arranged for you as part of the tour. Please note that the venue requires each guest to order at least one drink (non-alcoholic options are available)

Itinerary

  1. Economy Candy

    10 min

    Meet your NYC-licensed guide in front of Economy Candy, on the corner now known as Morris 'Moishe' Cohen Way — honoring the founder of NYC's oldest candy shop. The perfect starting point to dive into the roots of the Lower East Side. Arrive 15 minutes early if you'd like to browse their selection of hundreds of candies from around the world!

  2. Beastie Boys Square

    10 min

    Get ready for a vibrant mural tribute to the Beastie Boys, created by artist Danielle Mastrion in the very neighborhood where the trio grew up. It's one of the Lower East Side's most beloved pieces of street art — and a can't-miss photo moment on your tour.

  3. Stop 3

    Passing by

    Did you know that the Lower East Side is celebrating the photobooth — a New York invention with roots dating back a century, right here in Manhattan!

  4. Tenement Museum

    10 min

    By the turn of the 20th century, this part of the Lower East Side was the most densely populated place on Earth. Every wave of immigration left something behind — bagels, synagogues, the Henry Street Settlement — and you'll hear the story of the Moore family at 97 Orchard Street, and how Irish immigrants helped shape the neighborhood

  5. Stop 5

    20 min

    Along the way, you'll spot murals by legends like Hektad, Kobra, and Kenny Scharf, stumble upon a Soviet-era Lenin statue hiding in plain sight on a rooftop, and pass a boutique hotel hidden down a graffiti-covered alley that curates its own rotating street art collection — and that's only scratching the surface.

  6. Essex Market

    15 min Admission included

    Next, we'll step into Essex Market — the neighborhood's historic covered market, given a stunning revamp in 2019. There, you'll taste a sample smoked salmon, a Jewish culinary tradition that has flavored the Lower East Side for generations.

  7. First Park

    15 min

    Discover a community garden curated by a local art director since 2008, who invites street artists from around the world to transform its walls with ever-changing murals.

  8. Freeman Alley - Graffiti

    30 min

    Our last stop takes you to one of Manhattan's most iconic street art alleys — raw, uncurated, and covered in decades of stickers and pasteups. Add your own sticker to the wall using supplies provided by your guide. Then head to a nearby building for the opposite experience: a fully curated collection of 21 murals spanning a 20-story stairwell.

  9. Stop 9

    30 min Admission not included

    Your guide will get you access to a rooftop with wide views over the city — since the Lower East Side has no skyscrapers of its own, nothing blocks the skyline beyond. Your guide will stay with you for 30 minutes, though you're welcome to stay longer on your own. Any drinks ordered on the rooftop are not included and are at your own cost

Meeting point and pickup

Everyone meets at the meeting point.

Meeting point

  • Your guide will be waiting in front of Economy Candy, a Lower East Side staple since 1937.

End point

  • Your tour will end on a rooftop with skyline views, close to the famous Sticker Alley.

Cancellation

Free cancellation

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

If you cancel You get back
At least one day before 100%
Less than a day before 0%
  • The operator may cancel if the weather does not allow it; you then get another date or your money back.

Good to know

  • Public transportation options are available nearby

  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Traveller ratings

5.0 out of 5 · 5 reviews
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Activities, prices and reviews are from Viator. Booking and payment happen on Viator; Vacantier may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Private Walking Tour in the Lower East Side with rooftop access

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