★★★★☆
Circle Line's Harbor Lights cruise
Sailed at sunset, which is the time to go.
Debra · Australia · August 2026
New York Night Tour Reviews
What travellers wrote after an evening on a harbor cruise, a night bus, a helicopter, a skyline tour or a walk. Comparing New York Night guided tours? The operators' own ratings and fares sit side by side below.
What travellers said afterwards
These are travellers' own accounts, paraphrased, each tagged with the tour it belongs to. Most are five stars, but not all. A Dyker Heights coach that went before the houses were lit, a guide lost to the wind on a top deck, and a closed-top bus booked in hope of an open one are all here. They tell you what to check before you book.
A few names come back again and again. The Brooklyn Bridge is the favourite stop, whether seen from the water, from Dumbo or from under it. On the flights, Linden and Fairfield are a trip out of the city that most reviewers say was worth it.
★★★★☆
Circle Line's Harbor Lights cruise
Beautiful views, and a good way to finish five nights in New York.
Carolyn · Australia · September 2026
★★★★★
Circle Line's Harbor Lights cruise
The view is lovely, though the commentary was in English from start to finish and the audio guide app did not help much.
Massimo · Italy · September 2026
★★★★★
Circle Line's Harbor Lights cruise
Sunset at the Statue of Liberty on the way out and the skyline lit up on the way back; arriving at about 6:10 was just right for seats.
Jennifer_W · Family · August 2026
★★★☆☆
Circle Line's Harbor Lights cruise
A good tour, but on the very top deck the wind made the guide hard to hear.
Anna_P · May 2024
★★★★★
Circle Line's Harbor Lights cruise
A lovely way to see New York lit up, close to the Statue from both sides of the boat, with seats inside and out.
Gillian_K · Couples · September 2026
★★★★★
NY Waterway's golden hour cruise
An informative guide, good music and the photo moments made the two-hour sunset cruise the highlight of the holiday.
monique · United States · September 2026
★★★★★
NY Waterway's golden hour cruise
A golden hour on the water: the sunset, the skyline and the Statue of Liberty.
Corinna · Germany · September 2026
★★★★★
Classic Harbor Line's night yacht
Close enough to be a few hundred feet from the Statue of Liberty, with plenty to see along the way.
Brandon_K · Couples · May 2026
★★★★★
Classic Harbor Line's night yacht
Hot chocolate on a December cruise, attentive staff, and the temperature on board just right.
Stacey_G · Family · December 2025
★★★★☆
Classic Harbor Line's night yacht
A pleasant cruise out to the Statue, good photographs after dark and good drinks.
Malcolm M · August 2023
★★★★★
Circle Line's sunset cruise from Pier 16
Good pacing: the boat slowed near the Statue and the other photo spots, and both sides of the boat got a view.
Carly · United States · September 2026
★★★★☆
Circle Line's sunset cruise from Pier 16
A very big boat with a lot of people on it, so arrive early for a good seat.
Emilie · France · August 2026
★★★★☆
Circle Line's sunset cruise from Pier 16
Seeing the Statue of Liberty was a lifelong goal, only slightly dampened by bad weather.
Chloe · Ireland · August 2026
★★★★★
ExperienceNYC's closed-top night bus
Started on time and well organised, with stops for pictures and sightseeing.
Ijeoma_I · Couples · September 2026
★★★★★
ExperienceNYC's closed-top night bus
Educational, with a knowledgeable guide and a safe, courteous driver.
Scottie_R · Couples · July 2026
★★★★☆
ExperienceNYC's closed-top night bus
A decent overview driving round the city in a comfortable bus; the photo stop in Dumbo at the end was the best part.
Michele_P · September 2025
★★★☆☆
ExperienceNYC's closed-top night bus
Hoped for an open-top ride on a mild evening, but it turned out to be a closed-top coach.
OllieGab · September 2026
★★★★☆
ExperienceNYC's closed-top night bus
A pleasant way to enjoy the city's lights; in Dumbo you get off and have time for photographs of the view.
Valeria · Italy · May 2026
★★★★★
ExperienceNYC's closed-top night bus
Only a small group that evening, so everything was relaxed.
Doreen · Germany · July 2026
★★★★★
TopView's open-top night bus
A relaxing way to take in the city lights; in summer, take the 8pm tour so that it is dark enough.
Doris_M · Family · August 2026
★★★★★
TopView's open-top night bus
A first night in New York, with views from the top deck you could not reach on foot in that time.
Michael_P · Family · August 2026
★★★★★
TopView's open-top night bus
It did not cross the Brooklyn Bridge, as expected, but went over the Manhattan Bridge with a view of it instead.
Cynthia_M · Couples · July 2026
★★★★☆
TopView's open-top night bus
Beautiful and informative, but it left 40 minutes late on a cold, windy night.
Noela_R · October 2024
★★★★★
Big Bus's open-top night tour
A live guide with good stories, much better than the recorded commentary on the daytime buses.
margaretschlechty · August 2026
★★★☆☆
Big Bus's open-top night tour
Good places and a local guide, but the bus's sound system kept cutting out.
WILLIAM_Q · October 2024
★★★★☆
The December holiday-lights bus
A lot seen in a few hours: Times Square, the High Line and Rockefeller Center among them.
Kenia_H · January 2024
★★★★★
The December holiday-lights bus
Done over the Christmas break: many well-known places, plenty of bathroom breaks and a stop for a meal.
V_G · April 2023
★★★★★
HeliNY's flight from Linden
Organised and professional, with a clean, smooth flight and a pilot who pointed out everything.
Hayley_P · Family · December 2025
★★★★★
HeliNY's flight from Linden
Expensive, but a once-in-a-lifetime trip with the best views of the city; the shuttle from the station was ideal.
Daryl_G · Family · January 2026
★★★★★
HeliNY's flight from Linden
A great experience, and the crew collected the party from the Linden station and took them back.
Anthony_G · Family · September 2026
★★★☆☆
HeliNY's flight from Linden
The city lights were worth the trip to Linden, but some seats face backwards, which would have changed the booking.
Jeongwon_L · November 2023
★★★★☆
HeliNY's flight from Linden
Beautiful sights at night; the pilot was hard to hear, which hardly mattered once over the city.
Mica_E · April 2024
★★★★★
Charm Aviation's flight from Fairfield
A bit of a drive to the airfield, which made it better: you fly in towards the city from far off.
Mobile07128902396 · November 2024
★★★★★
Charm Aviation's flight from Fairfield
Everyone arrived early, so the flight left early and caught the sunset as well as the lights.
andreashG2697BF · August 2025
★★★★★
Zip Aviation's flight from Fairfield
The pilots even flew an extra loop so the Brooklyn Bridge could be seen.
Laura · Ireland · August 2026
★★★★★
Zip Aviation's flight from Fairfield
Manhattan at sunset and a warm welcome, though the office is not easy to find.
Sujata · France · May 2026
★★★★★
The Dumbo and Long Island City skyline tour
For skyline photographs the angles from Dumbo, with the bridges lit, are the reason to book; relaxed, with time to shoot.
Larry_S · May 2026
★★★★★
The Dumbo and Long Island City skyline tour
The right mix of history, information and sightseeing; the city at night is a different experience.
Jade_w · January 2026
★★★★★
Royal City's New Jersey skyline van
The best skyline views of the week, and a small group, so more time at each stop.
Cheryl_M · March 2023
★★★★☆
Royal City's New Jersey skyline van
Good to see the city from the outside looking in; the bakery stop meant nothing to the group, but the guide was friendly and knowledgeable.
Jane_G · May 2022
★★☆☆☆
Royal City's New Jersey skyline van
Only a few photo stops, and the first came at 6:15pm, after the best of the golden hour.
Jimmy_C · September 2021
★★★★★
Royal City's private skyline van
Hotel pickup on time and a guide full of interesting facts about the skyline.
362red · April 2025
★★★★★
The Spanish-guided lights tour
A professional guide who explained every detail, and panoramas that pleased everyone.
Andrés L · February 2026
★★★★★
The Spanish-guided lights tour
It reaches places that are hard to get to on your own: a very different picture of the city.
X2080WKmarcelom · December 2025
★★★★★
The Greenwich Village haunted walk
Spooky and fun without being frightening: ghost stories mixed with history, told by a funny, kind guide.
E3808NMes · August 2026
★★★★★
The Greenwich Village haunted walk
Full of stories and history, with just the right amount of walking; no ghosts seen, but plenty of atmosphere.
Michelle_T · July 2025
★★★★☆
The Greenwich Village haunted walk
A fun night walk round the Village with a young teenager and a tween in a small group, stopping at many old buildings.
GardenExplorer · May 2025
★★★★★
The 8pm Greenwich Village ghost walk
One of the favourite ghost tours of all time, with a knowledgeable, personable guide.
Pamela_W · Couples · August 2026
★★★★★
The 8pm Greenwich Village ghost walk
A walk through the neighbourhood's past, both the macabre and the settlers who built it.
Sarah_P · Friends · June 2026
★★★★★
The 8pm Greenwich Village ghost walk
It would have been good to go inside some of the places, but there was plenty to learn outside them.
Maureen_C · Friends · July 2026
★★★★★
The gangsters and ghosts walk
An excellent guide; the meeting point was a little dark, so it was hard to be sure it was the right place.
Ludmila · Brazil · November 2024
★★★★★
The gangsters and ghosts walk
An energetic, joyful guide and many facts that were new to the group.
Mariolina · Italy · November 2024
★★★★★
The NYPD mafia and food walk
Lower East Side history, mafia and police lore and good Italian food, ending in Little Italy all lit up at night.
Debra_S · Friends · September 2026
★★★★★
The NYPD mafia and food walk
Great food, and first-hand knowledge that was even better: stories you would not believe outside the movies.
Jody_T · Couples · September 2026
★★★★☆
The NYPD mafia and food walk
A good walk through several neighbourhoods and tasty food; the guide spoke softly but repeated things when asked.
Cheryl_B · July 2025
★★★★★
The hidden bar and speakeasy walk
A funny guide who told the story of Prohibition in an interesting way.
Judy_J · Friends · May 2026
★★★★☆
The hidden bar and speakeasy walk
An entertaining guide and excellent drinks, each bar with something of its own; be ready for a fair amount of walking.
leonjacey · October 2022
★★★★☆
The bar, lounge and rooftop walk
A friendly guide, and the last two bars were the best.
Murielle · Canada · December 2025
★★★★★
The bar, lounge and rooftop walk
A storyteller of a guide, with tales of the old speakeasy bars.
Madiha · Canada · December 2024
★★★★★
The Midtown Christmas lights walk
Two and a half hours among the holiday lights, the tree at Rockefeller Center and the windows, with a guide who knew their history.
Nancy_K · December 2025
★★★★★
The Midtown Christmas lights walk
A perfect length, with the story of how the famous store windows are made.
MeriH_N · December 2025
★★★★★
A Dyker Heights coach from 10th Avenue
It took the hassle out of getting to Brooklyn from Midtown, with plenty of time to walk around and a stop at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge.
fran_m · Couples · January 2026
★★★★☆
A Dyker Heights coach from 10th Avenue
Go later in the season: several houses were not yet decorated or lit, as the guide had warned before leaving.
Jennifer_F · December 2024
★★★★☆
A Dyker Heights coach from 10th Avenue
Stopping under the Brooklyn Bridge at night was one of the best parts, though the whole trip felt a little rushed.
Shawn_S · December 2022
★★★★★
The Dyker Heights and Bay Ridge coach
Not only a bus tour: there are several blocks of walking, so dress for the weather.
mike23txus · Friends · December 2025
★★★★☆
The Dyker Heights and Bay Ridge coach
Informative on the drive to Brooklyn and fun lights; the traffic was terrible, though that was not the tour's fault.
Barbara_U · December 2025
★★★★★
The Dyker Heights coach in Spanish or English
Some confusion before departure with a very large group at a busy Midtown meeting point, but a very good trip.
Chiara · Italy · January 2026
★★★★★
The Dyker Heights coach in Spanish or English
A surprising neighbourhood and a pleasant driver; the start, in the middle of a street, could be easier to find.
jérôme · France · December 2025
★★★★★
The private car to the Christmas lights
The private ride to the Dyker Heights lights was a highlight of a week in New York, for parents and grown-up children alike.
Laura_D · December 2023
★★★★☆
The private car to the Christmas lights
A good night, but the car did not stop at the Brooklyn Bridge as described, and the tree at Rockefeller Center had to be asked for.
Lora_K · December 2022
★★★★★
The Niagara Falls day-into-night coach
Worth it but very long, as expected, with two 45-minute breaks to eat on the way there.
Timo · Germany · June 2026
★★★★☆
The Niagara Falls day-into-night coach
Excellent guides; the free time was a little short, and on the way back the bus stopped away from the meeting point.
Muriel · France · August 2026
What travellers keep saying
The light depends on the month
In summer, reviewers on the 6pm buses and the early skyline vans say the first hour was daylight. The advice that comes back is to take the later departure in June and July. From November to February, it is dark from the start.
Hearing the guide matters
The praise that comes back is for a guide full of stories. The complaints are wind on an open deck, a sound system that cuts out, and a narration that turned out to be recorded.
Get there early
On the big boats the first in line get the rail seats, and reviewers on the cruises say to arrive early. On the buses, a late start on a cold night is the most common complaint.
Dress for the stops
The Dyker Heights coaches include an hour or more on foot, and reviewers keep saying to dress for the weather. On the water it is cooler than on the street, even in summer.
Operator ratings and review counts
These figures are the operators' own, published on their booking pages and shown as they stand. They belong to the operators, not to us.
| Tour | How you see it | Where it starts | Rating | Reviews | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NYC Sunset & Harbor Lights Cruise with Statue of Liberty | Harbor cruise | Pier 83, West 42nd St | 4.6 | 8,948 | From $45 per person |
| New York Night Tour Open Top Bus Tour | Open-top double-decker | 7th Ave at 47th St | 4.4 | 3,123 | From $59 per person |
| Circle Line: 2hr - New York City Harbor Lights Cruise | Harbor cruise | Pier 83, West 42nd St | 4.4 | 3,034 | From $45 per person |
| NYC: Statue of Liberty Sunset Cruise Ticket | Harbor cruise | Pier 16, South Street Seaport | 4.6 | 2,852 | From $27 per person |
| New York City Mafia and Local Food Tour led by NYPD Guides | On foot | East 12th St at 2nd Ave | 4.9 | 1,490 | From $129 per person |
| From NYC: Niagara Falls One Day Tour -Day & Night Experience | Coach day trip | 7th Ave at 51st St | 4.4 | 1,300 | From $180 per person |
| Dyker Heights Christmas Lights Guided Tour | By coach | 10th Ave at 41st St | 4.5 | 922 | From $63 per person |
| New York City: Dyker Heights Christmas Lights Tour | By road from Midtown | 7th Ave at 51st St | 4.5 | 846 | From $49 per person |
| NYC at Night: 3-Hour Luxury Bus Tour of Top Highlights | Closed-top bus | 8th Ave at 49th St | 4.5 | 757 | From $42 per person an offer fare with no end date shown |
| New York City: Gangsters and Ghosts 2-Hour Walking Tour | On foot | Depends on the option | 4.7 | 688 | From $34 per person |
| Dyker Heights Brooklyn Christmas Lights Tour | By coach | Broadway at 51st St | 4.4 | 670 | From $45 per person |
| NY Helicopter Tour: New York City Skyline from New Jersey | Helicopter flight | Linden Airport, New Jersey | 4.7 | 664 | From $330 per person |
| New York City Holiday Lights Tour | Closed-top bus | 7th Ave at 50th St | 4.6 | 663 | From $89 per person |
| NYC: Bar, Lounge and Rooftop Nightlife Tour | On foot | 8th Ave at 49th St | 4.5 | 588 | From $38 per person |
| New York City Ghost Tour of Greenwich Village | On foot | 6th Ave at Waverly Place | 4.7 | 506 | From $39 per person |
| NYC Golden Hour Cruise (2hr) | Harbor cruise | Pier 79, West 39th St | 4.8 | 457 | From $38 per person |
| Sightseeing Night Tour by Open-top Bus with Live Guide | Open-top double-decker | 7th Ave at 48th St | 4.2 | 343 | From $67 per person |
| NYC at Night: Luxury Bus Tour of Top City Highlights | Closed-top bus | 8th Ave at 49th St | 4.6 | 338 | From $45 per person |
| New York City Skyline at Night Guided Tour | By van | 7th Ave at 51st St | 4.6 | 222 | From $89 per person |
| New York City Bright Lights Skyline Cruise on Yacht | 1920s-style yacht | Pier 62, Chelsea Piers | 4.7 | 126 | From $78 per person |
| New York City Night Skyline Tour by Helicopter | Helicopter flight | Essex County Airport, NJ | 4.8 | 122 | From $275 per person |
| Greenwich Village Haunted Tour | On foot | Washington Square Park | 5.0 | 100 | From $35 per person |
| NYC Private Holiday Lights Tour | Private SUV, chauffeur | Pickup in Manhattan | 4.8 | 87 | From $649 per vehicle (up to 5) |
| Hidden Bar and Speakeasy Night Tour NYC | On foot | 8th Ave at 49th St | 4.8 | 55 | From $40 per person |
| Ultimate NYC Christmas Lights At Night Walking Tour | On foot | West 34th St, Herald Sq | 4.8 | 29 | From $54 per person |
| New York City Private Tour by Plane at Night | Private plane | Linden Airport, New Jersey | 5.0 | 20 | From $178 per person, private flight |
| New York City Night Lights Helicopter Tour from New Jersey | Helicopter flight | Essex County Airport, NJ | 4.9 | 20 | From $334 per person |
| Night Tour: New York City Lights | Air-conditioned vehicle | West 49th St at 8th Ave | 4.7 | 19 | From $48 per person |
| ICONIC New York City Skyline Night Tour: Dumbo & Long Island City | Vehicle sized to the group | Hotel or set pickup point | 5.0 | 13 | From $38 per person |
| Private Skyline Tour of New York City at Night | Private minivan | Pickup in Manhattan | 5.0 | 3 | From $889 per group (up to 4) |
A tour with thousands of reviews and one with a handful are not a verdict on each other. The gap is mostly how many people each carries: a harbor cruise takes hundreds, a helicopter six. The price column is not a like-for-like comparison either, because a per-vehicle fare and a per-person fare buy different things.
Read the practical detail in the visitor guide, check the FAQs, then compare every tour on New York Night Tours.