More about: New York Hop-On Hop-Off Bus
Visiting New York by tour bus is a very practical idea, as it allows you to get to know the most important areas of the city in a quick way while comfortably seated.
It's a great option to visit the Big Apple in a short time or even to move between the main attractions to see in New York without having to depend on public transport timetables. I'll tell you everything you need to know to enjoy it to the fullest.
New York Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Tour
Select between the two and three-day pass
Perfect if you want to enjoy the city, while taking a break from intense walking, and get around New York while taking in the views of the streets and skyline.
This two or three-day pass for the New York sightseeing bus will allow you to visit, following the guided commentary on board, the most famous tourist attractions in New York such as Times Square, Central Park, the Empire State Building or Rockefeller Center, etc. The sightseeing bus is usually double decker with an open top roof so you can take all the pictures you want from the best angles.
You can choose a 1-day Discover ticket for the Downtown Manhattan tour or opt for a premium 1-day Essential pass with Downtown Route (red route) and Uptown Route (blue route) and a bike rental offer.
Alternatively, you can choose the Explore 2-day pass with Downtown Route (red route) and Uptown Route (blue route) and a bike rental offer.
Why I like this option: it's the cheapest and most complete way to enjoy the New York sightseeing bus. You can hop on and off as many times as you like during the tour and you also have the chance to enjoy a bike ride.
Manhattan Night Bus Tour
See New York lit up
With this night sightseeing bus tour you will comfortably discover the iconic sights and main attractions of Mahattan at the best time to see the skyline. It's a unique experience that will dazzle you.
With this night bus tour of Manhattan you'll get to know, comfortably and at sunset, the emblematic sites of the Big Apple such as the Statue of Liberty, the One World Trade Center, the financial district of Jersey City, Ellis Island, the Empire State Building or the Chrysler Building, among other destinations.
You'll have the chance to get off at some stops to see the place in more detail or take pictures. You'll also get to try one of the famous cakes at Carlo's Bakery.
Why I like this option: You'll enjoy unbeatable views of Manhattan lit up that will amaze you. A unique and comfortable way to end the day.
Other New York City sightseeing bus options
The sightseeing bus caters for all tastes and, in addition to the day and night tour, there are other options available such as themed tours of specific areas such as Brooklyn, Bronx or Queens; top experiences where you can opt for a luxury bus, or even the combination of experiences, i.e. you can combine the tour with a cruise. The following are the most popular experiences:
- Tour of New York with cruise and bus tour, from CAD 147.
- Night tour of New York by luxury bus, from CAD 136.
- New York sightseeing bus tour with cruise to the Statue of Liberty, from CAD 142.
- New York contrasts tour by bus, from CAD 89.
New York Sightseeing Bus routes
Downtown - Red Route
The Red Route lasts two hours and operates between 8am and 5pm. This guided tour of downtown New York City can start at any of the stops on this route. The tourist attractions linked by the Red Route are the main attractions you need to see in Manhattan:
- Broadway.
- Wall Street.
- Statue of Liberty
- Ellis Island.
- Little Italy.
- Chinatown.
- Soho.
Uptown - Blue Route
The Blue Route operates between 9am and 5pm. This guided tour of Uptown New York City lasts 2 hours and can be started at any of the stops. Sightseeing attractions that are part of the Blue Route are:
- Madison Square Garden.
- Fifth Avenue.
- Times Square.
- Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY.
- MoMA, Museum of Modern Art, NY.
- Central Park.
Brooklyn - Purple Trail
The Purple Route is 1 hour long and runs at 10am, 12pm and 3pm. This guided tour outlines the best things to see and do in Brooklyn and can be started at any of the 4 stops that make up the route. Sightseeing attractions on the Purple Trail include:
- Grand Army Plaza.
- Barclays Center, Brooklyn Nets Stadium.
Harlem - Green Route
The Green Route operates at 10am, 12pm and 3pm. This guided tour of the best things to see and do in Harlem lasts 1 hour and can be started at any of the stops. Sightseeing attractions that are part of the Green Route are:
- Apollo Theater.
- Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine.
NYC by Night - Yellow Route
The Yellow Route is 1 hour long and operates from 6pm to 8pm. This night tour is non hop-on hop-off, i.e. you do not have the option to get off and get back on at any part of the tour. It has one stop and the tourist attractions that can be seen on the Yellow Route are:
- Times Square.
- Statue of Liberty.
- Wall Street.
- Brooklyn Bridge.
- Empire State Building.
- Manhattan Bridge.
How much does a New York City Sightseeing Bus ticket cost?
In Hellotickets you can book a ticket for the New York City sightseeing bus, from CAD 88 and you can get on and off at any of its stops as many times as you want. If you want to book a night bus tour of Manhattan, it will cost you CAD 87, a higher price.
Children under the age of 12 get a reduced price and only pay 35 Euros, so it's a good option if you 're travelling to New York with young children or as a family. You can also bring your baby and they won't need a ticket.
Tips for using the New York City Sightseeing Bus
If you're ready to book your sightseeing bus pass, it's best to consider the following tips to get the most out of the experience.
- Activate your ticket first thing in the morning: Tickets can be activated automatically from the moment you board one of the buses, so it's best to do it first thing in the morning to get the most out of your day. No time? Don't worry, if you have a busy morning you can always activate it after 3pm and the ticket will last for 24 hours, so you can use it until 3pm the next day.
- Do one of the full routes to take advantage of the views: If you get a good spot on the top floor of the bus (which is not always the case because there are usually more travellers wanting to take the same seats as you), take advantage of the full route: you can take photos, take a break and use the route as a good way to get your bearings in the city and then decide which stops you want to get off at.
- Do it at the beginning of your trip: If you're going to be in New York for a few days and it's your first time in the city, it's a good way to get your bearings on the New York City map. Take the tour at the beginning of your stay to calculate distances, discover new neighbourhoods and decide which stops and attractions you will visit for the rest of your travel schedule.
- Take advantage of the tourist card ticket: Many of New York's tourist cards include a free ticket to the sightseeing bus or a cruise on the Hudson River. Keep this in mind because if you purchase one of these New York City Sightseeing Cards, you'll get free access and it's worth taking advantage of it.
- Use it as public transport: The New York underground is very well connected and its frequency is enviable, but if you want to get from one attraction to another, they are most likely to be well connected on one of the tour bus routes and you'll make the most of the journeys by enjoying the scenery as you make your way from a museum to a skyscraper or to the next stop on your itinerary.
Sightseeing bus by night
Another option in the city that never sleeps is to book the night tour bus, which will allow you to end the day in a relaxed way while resting after a long walk and seeing the lights of New York.
The New York City night bus tour is also a great option if you're travelling to New York in the winter and want to protect yourself from the cold when the low temperatures are lurking.
It's also a great way to enjoy the Christmas lights if you're travelling to New York at Christmas time, arguably the most magical time of the year. On those days when the crowds take over the streets, sitting back and relaxing on the sightseeing bus as it crosses the city at night will seem magnificent. You have several options:
- Manhattan Night Bus Tour of Manhattan, from 87
- New York City Night Tour by Luxury Bus, from 136.
- New York City Night Bus Tour, from CAD 85.
The complete package: sightseeing bus and cruise
If you want to enjoy the full experience you can book a guided walking tour, sightseeing bus and cruise from 147, an experience of no less than 6 hours where you'll see New York's most iconic sights on foot, by bus and by ferry.
And another option if you prefer something more free, is to book the New York sightseeing bus with cruise to the Statue of Liberty from 142, as you can hop on and off at any of the 30 stops along the way. The pass lasts for one day and from the Statue of Liberty cruise you can admire the Manhattan skyline.
Other interesting activities in New York
If you're considering booking a sightseeing bus pass, then you've realised that New York has so much to do and see that it's often beyond the walking capacity of the traveller. If you want to delve a little deeper into all the areas and neighbourhoods of the city, I've put together this guide on 5 Best New York City Neighborhoods so you can get your bearings and start organising your itinerary.
And if you want to discover the most interesting spots with a guided tour, my favourites are the Contrasts Tour and the Upper and Lower Manhattan Tour. Here are the details of both tours: Contrasts Tours in New York y Upper and Lower Manhattan Tours in New York. And you won't regret it if you book the New York Contrasts Tour.