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New York 9/11 Memorial Tour with Optional One World Observatory

Recommended by 96% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
New York City, USA
Great choice
5+ bookings last month.
  • 3 hours (approx.)
  • Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.8
·
· Patricia_G ·
Nov 2025
Sean was a great tour leader. He gave a very moving story of the events of 9/11 that added a personal touch of the events of that day. I would highly recommend this tour. Also, add the visit to the One World observatory. The views were magnificent!
· Bryan_R ·
Feb 2026
We had a powerful experience with Sean narrating the actual biographies of people who lost their lives on 911. He made the day come alive again: with the people in the tower, the rescue workers, regular citizens, etc. I couldn't help but but cry as he told of these stories, as Sean is a brilliant storyteller. Thank you, Sean!

Overview

Deepen your understanding of the tragic September 11 terrorist attacks on New York City on this immersive walking tour. With your local guide, visit the National September 11 Memorial and Ground Zero, and learn about how the event changed the country and the world. Spend time at the reflecting pools and Fireman’s Memorial, and pay tribute to the fallen. This tour can be booked with or without admission to the One World Observatory.
  • Discover Ground Zero sights and stories you'd miss on your own
  • Hear personal stories from your New York City guide as you go
  • Select a time that works for you, with both morning and afternoon departures
  • Upgrade to include admission tickets to the One World Observatory

What's Included

  • A local guide who shares stories about their personal connection to 9/11
  • Visit to the meaningful sites of Ground Zero
  • Moment of reflection at the largest man-made waterfalls on the continent
  • Self-guided tour of the lobby of Freedom Tower with the film “Voices”
  • Optional upgrade to visit the One World Observatory with the highest panoramic views in NYC
  • Gratuities
  • 9/11 Museum (upgradable on site depending on availability)

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

  • L'Arte del Gelato
    185 Greenwich St, New York, NY 10007, USA

    We meet inside the Oculus, a mall and transportation hub at Ground Zero. Your guide will be wearing an orange hat and standing by the L'Arte del Gelato stand on the main level.

End point

  • One World Observatory
    117 West St, New York, NY 10007, USA

    You will go to the One World Observatory on your own after the tour. You can spend as long as you like at the top but most people spend about an hour.

Itinerary

Meet your guide and group at St. Paul’s Chapel in Lower Manhattan. In the wake of the attacks on September 11, this church, the city’s oldest, became a haven for rescue workers and a place for mourners to find solace and pray.

Browse among the photographs and other memorabilia that are on display inside the church. Then, head to Ground Zero and the National September 11 Memorial. Stop at the Fireman’s Memorial, and see where the two World Trade towers once stood. Stop at the reflecting pools, the footprints left by the Twin Towers, as you read names of the 3,000 victims of the attacks.

The guided portion of the tour ends here. But if you’ve opted for the upgrade, head over to One World Trade Center to ascend to the One World Observatory. Skip the typically long lines with your prebooked ticket, and head right to the elevator, or Sky Pod.

While ascending up 102 floors, watch a short video that shows how New York City has transformed over the centuries. On the 100th floor, stop and take in the incredible views while standing 1,250 feet (365 meters) up. You can also walk out onto the 14-foot (4-meter) Sky Portal, where you can look right down on all the street activity happening below.
1

St. Paul's Chapel

15 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

2

The National 9/11 Memorial & Museum

1 hour Admission Ticket Free

3

One World Observatory

1 hour Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Stroller accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Near public transportation
  • Transportation is wheelchair accessible
  • Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
  • Most travelers can participate
  • Comfortable walking shoes are recommended
  • Tour is wheelchair accessible
  • Please dress appropriately and bring layers in case of cold weather
  • One World Observatory entrance is NOT included unless option is selected at time of booking
  • Children 5 and under free with paid adult ticket
  • Also note, in case you are approached by street booksellers, they are not affiliated with us
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers

Frequently Asked Questions (6)

Q:Is the 9/11 Memorial, Ground Zero Tour with Optional One World Observatory Ticket wheelchair accessible?

A:Yes, this tour is accessible for strollers and wheelchairs.

Feb 2021

The answers provided are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

4.8
based on 639 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Must See 9/11 Memorial Tour

Bryan_R, Feb 2026
We had a powerful experience with Sean narrating the actual biographies of people who lost their lives on 911. He made the day come alive again: with the people in the tower, the rescue workers, regular citizens, etc. I couldn't help but but cry as he told of these stories, as Sean is a brilliant storyteller. Thank you, Sean!

9/11 Memorial Tribute

John_P, Dec 2025
This was a very heartfelt and rewarding experience. The destruction of Tower One and Tower Two, and the other five buildings, was explained from the very personal viewpoint of the tour guide who experienced 9/11. With his press credentials as a photographer, he was able to get close enough to feel the devastation and take memorable pictures. Touching the two beautiful memorial pools was very emotional. I was able to locate the name of a man who had been a local student in my hometown who had died in Tower One while working on the 104th floor. It was an emotional experience to place my hand on his name. The visit to the museum is a “must do” experience. The artifacts, the pictures of those who perished, the drawings from children, and all the exhibits made you feel that you were experiencing 9/11 all over again. I certainly recommend this tour.

Sean was a great tour...

Patricia_G, Nov 2025
Sean was a great tour leader. He gave a very moving story of the events of 9/11 that added a personal touch of the events of that day. I would highly recommend this tour. Also, add the visit to the One World observatory. The views were magnificent!

Response from Host, Nov 2025

Thank you so much for your review - the views really are something else.

Impactful!

doug_A, Oct 2025
There are so many symbolic elements to the memorial that would be missed without the tour. We highly recommend it!

We loved it. Sad but so...

Sue_B, Aug 2025
We loved it. Sad but so worth going. Bring comfortable shoes. Lots of walking. Plan on about 5 hours to do the tour and the museum.

Loved!

John_S, Aug 2025
Jake was a great guide. We enjoyed all of his stories during the tour. He had a lot of knowledge to share.

Tour 911 memorial

Jayne_W, Jul 2025
Liz did the tour and her knowledge was exceptional. She made everyone in her group feel welcome and the nice touch was the group photo. You definitely need a guide at the 911 memorial to give you vital information and if you get Liz you will be lucky.

Heartfelt and...

Ellen_A, May 2025
Heartfelt and knowledgable narration by Tim M. Took us back to that day with stories of tragedy and heroism.

Great tour!

LISA_R, Mar 2025
We were originally scheduled for this tour at 1:00 but our previous tour ran late. Viator graciously allowed us to join the 3:00 tour. This tour is very informative about the history of the area and how it looks different today. This is the 2nd tour I’ve done of the 9/11 story and I learned something new!

Awesome tour

Damien_S, Feb 2025
Very informative and knowledgeable guide Jaclyn was amazing and you could feel the passion she had for showing people around

Must do

Sarah_C, Jan 2025
Interesting informative and a must do in NYC. We had a great guide who was friendly and. Helpful and had amazing storytelling must do

Talk only tour

Richard_B, Dec 2024
We asked for the 911 tour with optional tickets to the tower we never got tickets to the 9/11 tour that part was simply someone outside talking to us about some of the things that happened and they gave us tickets to the observation tower even though it said optional and did not give us tickets to the 911 memorial And I was very generic presentation and certainly not worth the price for what we got

Response from Host, Dec 2024

Hi Richard, Thank you for reaching out. As stated on our listing, this is a walking tour where our expert guides recount first-hand stories of 9/11 and share their personal connection to the horrific events of that day. We offer optional upgrades for admission to the museum and/or the observatory. It seems as if you only purchased admission to the observatory, not the museum. We apologize if there was any misunderstanding. Thank you.

9-11 tour with Alice

Tina_C, Dec 2024
Very powerful. Alice was an exceptional guide. She was very patient with a fairly “opinionated “ young man. The stories she shared were so touching.

Eye opening

Kristina_A, Dec 2024
Maya, our guide, was amazing. She had a great spirit and truly enjoys what she does. Maya obviously had a personal connection and memories attached to this tour but that just makes her more passionate about sharing this experience with everyone

A day that will never be forgotten

Sharon_K, Nov 2024
The tour that Jaclyn gave us was exceptional. Her knowledge and passion of explaining details meant so much to me. This experience was one that i will always remember. Thank you

Unforgettable experience

Marlene_O, Nov 2024
Amazing experience. What a beautiful Memorial. The observatory is breathtaking.We had an amazing tour guide Liz she was great very informative and helpful.

Interesting and interactive

E_S, Nov 2024
It was a great tour at times very sad!! Our tour guide vas very informative,knowledgeable and interesting. He made it for a very nice tour. Tim Douglas thanks for a fantastic tour

Would recommend.

Yelena_K, Oct 2024
Raymond did a great job, was very personable, knowledgeable, and kept a good pace. The coverage was great and the teen kids stayed interested and engaged. The group was of a great size.

9/11 Heroes

Guy_C, Oct 2024
The most memorable were the stories about the heroes of 9/11, people that gave their lives to save others.

9/11 must be in our school’s history books. . . Always remember the victims and hero’s, and lessons learned from 9/11.

Judy_F, Oct 2024
Our tour guide was attentive, well informed, and took time and care to walk us through the before, during and after stories of the 9/11 tragedy. We would recommend this meaningful tour to everyone. We must always remember . . .

Excellent

Michael_C, Oct 2024
The tour guide was extremely knowledgeable about things and person who passed on 9/11. Would do it again she was excellent.

Great Experience!!!

Rick_B, Sep 2024
Jacklyn was a very knowledgeable guide with a wonderful enthusiasm for sharing her knowledge! She made this tour well worth the cost. I will never forget the events of September 11.

LOVED IT 😍

michelle_b, Aug 2024
The tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and very pleasant. Offered several opportunities to ask questions and offer assistance when needed. Would DEFINITELY do this tour again with him again

Awesome guide

Cecilia_L, Aug 2024
Sean was very passionate as a tour guide great experience very knowledgeable and understanding with special guests that needed assistance Thanks Bull Lucero USMC

Great memorial tour

Jennifer_M, Jul 2024
We had a great time taking the tirme to learn about the 9/11 memorial and all of the symbolism around it. Helene was a wealth of information!

Lest We Forget

Stanley_B, Jul 2024
The tour was phenomenal and informative. The tour guide, Jared, was passionate and engaging. This can be an emotional experience.

Great experience

Sofia_W, Jul 2024
David did a great job explaining everything. He was very friendly, knowledgeable and approachable. I highly recommend.

Great Job by Helene

BILLK451, Jul 2024
Great tour guide, Helene, made it a wonderful informativel experience. Observatory was a separate activity and was interesting to me however the teens traveling with us got bored quickly.

Very engaging and informative

Kate_K, Jun 2024
Amy was a great guide who took good care of keeping us in the shade on an unusually hot day. She did a great job of sharing her story and giving us many insights about the memorial and what things were like in NYC when everything was happening. I was alive for that day, but to hear a NYC perspective is always humbling. She also shared many pieces of information about little details I never would have noticed. I was very glad to be able to share this experience with my 15-year-old daughter who really enjoyed it.

Well done

JeaninePerry, Jun 2024
Tour guide Liam O’Brien as amazing. I can’t recall the last time a tour guide held my undivided attention for 3+ hours, but Liam did. Knowledgeable, humorous and most importantly personable all made for an exceptional experience.

From $39.00

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up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

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On average, this is booked 31 days in advance.

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