Upper East Side Tours and Tickets

There are plenty of ways to experience the Upper East Side. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:

• Private Central Park Pedicab Tour

• Half-Day Bus Tour of NYC Top Highlights

• NYC Professional Photoshoot and Walking Tour With Private Guide

• New York Central Park Guided Pedicab Tour

• 90-Min NYC Private Gossip Girl Pedicab Tour

The Upper East Side is a New York City neighborhood, so it’s completely free to visit and explore on your own. However, you should budget for some above-the-going-rate meals, as this is one of the wealthiest areas of Manhattan, as well as a popular place to shop, shop, shop. Tours that visit the neighborhood start at around US$20.

Yes, given its proximity to Central Park, famed brownstones, and swanky stores, the Upper East Side is one of the most interesting neighborhoods to visit in New York City. This goes double if you're a fan of the TV series Gossip Girl, which was set in the neighborhood. Though you can walk around independently, tours are a great way to show you the highlights with the on-the-ground insight of a local guide.

Per one customer who booked the Private Central Park Pedicab Tour, "Our guide was excellent—effortlessly blending comedy with deep knowledge of Central Park's history, landmarks, and movie spots, which kept us entertained and engaged the entire time. He pointed out highlights along the way, shared fun stories, and was happy to stop for photos so we could really enjoy the scenery. [...] The whole experience was smooth, well organized, and such an enjoyable way to see Central Park that I would absolutely book this tour again and highly recommend it to anyone visiting New York City."

This affluent and storied Manhattan neighborhood is known for its old money and expensive ways. It’s also known for its Museum Mile, historic brownstones, and high-end shopping. It runs from 59th to 96th streets and is bordered by Central Park to the west and the East River to the east.

The Upper East Side’s Fifth Avenue is home to so many museums that the city blocks even boast the name “Museum Mile.” The most famous are the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, but you’ll also find the Jewish Museum, the Neue Galerie, and half a dozen lesser-known institutions.

New York City is best in spring and fall. (Manhattan summers are sweltering and its winters can bring snowstorms.) The same holds true for the Upper East Side, although the holiday season is another popular time to visit. Department stores along Fifth Avenue toward Midtown decorate their windows with incredible Christmas displays.

Yes—most of the Upper East Side’s museums offer kid-targeted programming, from special concerts at the Metropolitan Museum of Art to art workshops at the Jewish Museum. You can also get an old-timey coke float from a soda fountain at Lexington Candy Shop, and then run around Central Park’s Ancient Playground.

Yes and no—the Upper East Side is a famously wealthy enclave, but, as they say, the best things in life are free, and the same holds true for visitors. A walk down Fifth Avenue or Central Park will cost you nothing, and children under 12 can enter the Metropolitan Museum of Art for free.

New York City’s Upper East Side is best known for its old-school department stores such as Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Bergdorf Goodman, concentrated along Fifth Avenue next to a mix of other chain retailers. Plus, you can also find luxury boutiques and designer brands on Madison Avenue.

There are tons of things to do when you're done visiting the Upper East Side. According to travelers, these are some of the top attractions in New York City:

• Statue of Liberty

• Empire State Building

• Ellis Island

• Central Park

• Flatiron Building

View Viator's guide to all the best attractions in New York City.