Top Brooklyn Historical Tours

Explore the culture, architecture, and local scenery with a guide on this comprehensive tour of Brooklyn. Navigate five different neighborhoods in a half-day tour that covers Williamsburg, South Williamsburg, Bushwick, Cobble Hill, Brooklyn Heights. Get great views of the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan skyline; see dynamic street art and classic brownstones; visit fascinating shops, bars, and restaurants hard to find on your own. Your local guide shares fascinating insights throughout

The food choices in Brooklyn can be overwhelming—but on this small-group walking tour, you'll discover the best of the borough's culinary destinations. Exploring characterful neighborhoods like Carroll Gardens and Cobble Hill, you can look forward to trying everything from Middle Eastern baked goods and Italian bites to old-fashioned soda fountain treats and beyond. By the end of the tour, walk away with new local knowledge, and receive tips for the rest of your trip.

Home to historic brownstones and boasting exceptional, waterfront views of the Manhattan skyline, Brooklyn Heights is one of Brooklyn’s most in-demand neighborhoods—and this audio walking tour offers a flexible and budget-friendly way to discover it. Upon booking, download the app to your smartphone and use the tour whenever you like. You’ll see Truman Capote’s former house, the Center for Brooklyn History, and much more.

The Italian American Food Tour of Williamsburg is deliciously designed to tell the story of Italian American immigration, cuisine, and legacy through a series of mouthwatering food tastings. What to Expect: This is a 3-hour guided walking tour of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. One of our expert tour guides will lead you through the neighborhood, making stops at different locations where you will sample a pre-selected menu of tastings. This tour includes 2 sit-down tastings, 4 takeout tastings, and stops at 2 culturally-significant sites. What you will eat: - Chicken parmesan - Classic Italian deli meats - New York style white pizza - Traditional Roman style pasta - Ancient Roman pizza - Italian hero - Mini cannoli/ Rainbow cookie/ espresso DIETARY RESTRICTIONS: Please be advised that at this time, substitutions cannot be made to the tasting menu unless you are booked for a private tour. This tour is not recommended for those who follow a gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, or pork-free diet.

Guarantee your admission to the New York Aquarium in advance—and make your visiting experience seamless—with this convenient pre-booking option. Enjoy the flexibility of an any-day access admission ticket (available in peak and off-peak options), and stop by the aquarium at a time that suits you. This attraction is ideal for travelers with young children, and gives you the freedom to explore at your own pace.

Discover Brooklyn's landmarks and hidden gems on your own schedule and at your own pace with a private, self-guided scavenger hunt app. Answer trivia and solve challenges at your own pace, working with or competing against your team while learning new facts about the borough. Enjoy the flexibility to start anytime and explore Brooklyn on your schedule.

At the edge of Manhattan, where the city meets the river, stands the Brooklyn Bridge, New York City’s most iconic crossing. As the sun begins to set, the skyline transforms into a glowing masterpiece of light, steel, and history. In this two hour tour, you will explore the charm and beauty of Brooklyn and Manhattan at golden hour. Wander the cobblestone streets of DUMBO, visit Jane’s Carousel, admire historic brownstones and waterfront views, and cross the Brooklyn Bridge itself as day turns into night. Discover stunning photography locations, breathtaking skyline views, and the art, architecture, and stories that make this one of the most unforgettable experiences in New York City.

Skip the big group tours and explore Brooklyn at your own pace with this self-guided tour. Using just your smartphone, you'll follow GPS directions to top landmarks including the Grand Army Plaza, Mount Prospect Park, and more. Solve fun challenges, tick off attractions, and learn about the city's rich history. This tour is perfect for exploring at your own speed, with the freedom to take breaks whenever you like.

Guests will learn the fascinating history of whiskey, as they sip along with one of our specially created flights. Tastings also cover the production process, and take an in-depth look at barrel aging and blending. Our expert hosts will reveal the secrets of the pros as they teach you how to nose, taste, and evaluate five of our whiskeys like a distiller. We keep our tastings interactive and entertaining and encourage participation! Kings County Distillery adheres to the philosophy that whiskey snobbism should be a thing of the past and that everyone has the skills to develop a cultured palate.

Immerse yourself in Brooklyn’s one-of-a-kind ambiance, and get an overview of its destination-worthy neighborhoods, on a small-group bicycle tour of the borough. Meet your guide in DUMBO (right below the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges), grab your bike and helmet, and set off on two wheels. See Fort Greene and Prospect Park, explore Carroll Gardens and Cobble Hill, and visit other top neighborhoods, all in just half a day.

Begin an 80-minute visit at the museum, exploring century-old machinery, vintage glass bottles, engaging exhibits, and a digital scavenger hunt. Tour the factory to see how a modern seltzer business operates using 100-year-old equipment, and enjoy the chance to spray loved ones with seltzer. Return to the museum for additional fun with a wooden puzzle channel, a selfie station, and unlimited seltzer and egg cream at the bar. Conclude the experience with a visit to the store, offering unique seltzer-themed and museum-themed merchandise such as t-shirts, egg cream kits, books, pins, and stickers—perfect for gifts. This interactive and nostalgic journey provides a glimpse into the history and charm of seltzer-making in a modern context.

Experience Brooklyn like a local on a small-group cycling tour through the borough’s hippest neighborhoods, including tough-to-reach areas that visitors often miss. Avoid the stress of navigating on your own as you follow a guide to popular landmarks and hidden gems, including possible stops at breweries and distilleries (tastings own expense). Photo stops along the way make this a popular choice for active New York visitors.

Explore the captivating neighborhoods of Brooklyn Heights and DUMBO, starting at the historic Brooklyn Borough Hall. Stroll along the picturesque Brooklyn Heights Promenade, soaking in views of the iconic Manhattan skyline and Brooklyn Bridge. Discover notable landmarks like Plymouth Church and St. Ann's Church, each steeped in rich history. Enjoy the charm of DUMBO's cobblestone streets, capture a photo with the Manhattan Bridge at Washington Street, and unwind at Brooklyn Bridge Park. Your journey concludes at Empire Stores, a lively hub of shops and eateries, and at Time Out Market, where you can enjoy delicious food with a rooftop view. - Discover Brooklyn Heights Historic District and trendy DUMBO - Enjoy breathtaking views of downtown Manhattan - Enthusiastic guides provide engaging insights - Tour begins at Borough Hall Station, with easy group meet-up location

Explore Brooklyn, New York like a local on this private and personalized walking tour. Choose a time period that works for you and join a host that is carefully chosen for you according to your interests. Head out to explore the borough's diverse neighborhoods and discover street art, galleries, music venues, record stores, bars, and more, depending on your preferences.

Coney Island has inspired dreamers and schemers since the Gilded Age. On this special Made in Brooklyn Tour®, you'll discover how this seasonal world's fair wowed the crowds with the latest and greatest innovations and inventions. Coney Island was a showcase for everything from deep sea exploration to aerospace. Electricity to structural steel. Incubators for tiny little babies to towers that rivaled the first skyscrapers. And, of course, candy and hot dogs too! Let your imagination run wild with the stories behind its sensational parks and rides.

Explore one of New York City’s most iconic landmarks—and enjoy a more comprehensive way to experience it—on this private walking tour of the Brooklyn Bridge. In the early evening, meet your guide in Brooklyn and learn all about the bridge’s history (and how it shaped the city). Then, stroll all the way across the bridge to Lower Manhattan, soaking up top-notch city views along the way.

Immerse yourself in the culture and food of Williamsburg, Brooklyn on this half-day small-group walking tour. Discover the hip neighborhood and the spots that locals love with your foodie guide and just a small group for company. As you stroll through Williamsburg's charming streets, stop at several eateries, and sample some of the Big Apple's most famous dishes, including bagels, dumplings, pizza, and more.

Your City. Directed. Most tours follow a script; I prefer a screenplay. As a licensed guide and 13-year resident, I frame Brooklyn as a series of evolving "sets": from Brooklyn Heights’ Gilded Age to Bushwick’s industrial noir. A location scout through the city's Chiaroscuro, the dramatic contrast between iconic vistas and sophisticated "B-sides." Production Tiers: THE TRAILER (2h): Choose one "backdrop" when booking. Option A (Classic): Dumbo & Brooklyn Heights. Meets at York St Subway Station (F Line). Option B (Indie): Bushwick & Williamsburg. Meets at Jefferson St Subway Station (L Line). (I'll message you to confirm the specific meeting point & choice). THE SHORT SUBJECT (4h): My most popular edit. From Bushwick murals and Hasidic Brooklyn through Williamsburg and Brooklyn Heights to a DUMBO scenic finale. THE FEATURE PRESENTATION (8h): The "Director’s Cut." An immersive journey: Bushwick, Greenpoint, Williamsburg, Fort Greene, Downtown Brooklyn, Brooklyn Heights, and Dumbo.

Discover America’s first suburb through its rich and often overlooked cat history. On this 1.5-mile walk through Brooklyn Heights, our expert storytellers share real stories of the neighborhood’s 19th- and early 20th-century cats—mousers, companions, and silent witnesses to the area’s development. We’ll visit Walt Whitman Park, Brooklyn Borough Hall, and the iconic Promenade, where you’ll hear meticulously researched tales of cats who crossed paths with literary giants and local legends. While this tour focuses on historical storytelling rather than modern cat sightings, feline companions are welcome (in carriers or harnesses). The tour ends near Brooklyn Cat Café—just a few blocks away. It’s not included, but we highly recommend making a reservation to visit after. Whether you’re a history enthusiast or a cat lover, this unique perspective on Brooklyn’s past continues to earn glowing reviews and memorable moments.

Head off the tourist trail and get a taste for Brooklyn's food culture on this small-group or private walking tour. Come hungry, and follow your guide to eclectic foodie hotspots in the Brooklyn Heights and DUMBO neighborhoods—many of which only the locals know about. As you go, sample a range of sweet and savory delights, and discover locals-loved food businesses and markets that many visitors overlook.

Discover Harlem's top attractions during a walking tour. Known as a hub for African-American arts since the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s, the iconic neighborhood is home to the legendary Apollo Theater, the Abyssinian Baptist Church, the Studio Museum of Harlem, Sylvia's Soul Food restaurant, and architectural masterpieces such as Striver's Row, Shepard Hall at the City College of New York, and the Hamilton Grange National Memorial.

Discover Brooklyn’s crafty side by visiting the artists and creatives who give the borough its hip reputation on this Brooklyn walking tour. Learn more about local history while visiting the small makers and artisans with a proud, local Brooklyn guide. Stop to snap photos of landmarks, tour factories, and shop stand-out collections along the way.

On this self-guided walking tour of Brooklyn's Williamsburg, you’ll hear about the thriving Hasidic Jewish community that rebuilt itself from the ashes of the Holocaust. You’ll also discover how these Yiddish-speaking religious Jews have created a complete ecosystem that preserves their traditions alongside life in modern New York City. This tour begins at the Williamsburg waterfront facing Manhattan, where Jewish immigrants first arrived via the “Jewish Highway” (the Williamsburg Bridge). You’ll weave through the streets where Hasidic, hipster and Hispanic cultures converge, seeing distinct architectural styles that reflect different cultural values. As you walk, you’ll discover the rhythms of daily life in this unique enclave – from synagogues to specialized shops. You’ll hear how the community balances isolation with adaptation, seeing firsthand how different Hasidic dynasties function as massive organizations.