FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) About Your Tour of Brooklyn (or Beyond)
Map of Brooklyn neighborhoods, By Peter Fitzgerald [CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Disclaimer: Some are "Occasionally Asked Questions." The most important ones are at the top.
What are the top misconceptions about visiting Brooklyn?
Some people think/hope they can see a wide range of neighborhoods and sites in two or three hours. I do like wide-ranging tour routes and can manage a fast pace, but visitors must recognize that Brooklyn is very large, and it can take a while to travel between different neighborhoods or landmarks.
This FAQ was too short (ha), so I made a list about misconceptions.
What do you recommend for a first tour?
As a good introduction to the history and feel of Brooklyn, I recommend Brooklyn 101 or Brooklyn 202. For more of the buzz, consider Williamsburg or Greenpoint (and, if you have more time, combine them).
The Lower East Side helps explain the huge wave of Eastern European Jewish immigration, the construction of a "usable past," and the complicated legacy of urban renewal. To understand today's immigrant New York, Jackson Heights and Sunset Park are best.
I can modify all tours. Some clients even say things like, "Let's spend five hours seeing interesting things." That's fun.
I strongly recommend that you not try to see several far-apart neighborhoods in one short visit (as some travel guide articles misleadingly suggest!) but rather aim at clusters of neighborhoods relatively close together.
Why do you prefer that clients initially use email, rather than call?
I provide personal service, so I'd rather not play phone tag. Those reading this web site should learn much about potential tours, which makes the process efficient. (Please don't request "a tour of Brooklyn" but rather a specific one from my list, or an adaptation.)
If you want a same-day tour and start with a call, please also try email, because the questions on the email form speed the process. If you want a custom tour, I hope to learn your required stops before we talk. In other words, my business model is less like a "store" (open to calls at any time) than a "consultant" (let me assess whether I can be helpful).
How soon should we book?
Some people book many months in advance, some at the last minute. In general, a few weeks' notice is wise, especially in the busier months (Spring and Fall). In the Winter, I can often be flexible about timing, so we can wait to check the weather.
Your tours sound pretty fast-paced. We're not. Will you slow down?
Faster-paced tours can let us see more in a relatively short time period. For private tours, I of course can conform to your pace. If you're worried about walking too much, the DUMBO & Brooklyn Heights tour offers a relatively gentle route.
Are bathrooms available on the tours?
For private tours, we can usually find a bathroom (library, museum, park), though you may have to buy something at a cafe. For large group tours, I discuss a bathroom stop with the tour planners. Always take advantage of bathroom options before the tour, as well.
Are the tours appropriate for children?
They're not geared to children, though I can adapt them. Over the years, several energetic and curious kids/teens have enjoyed them, especially when they "get" that I'm not testing them with my questions, just trying to prompt their observations. Remember, tours typically last 2-2.5 hours. Rarely do people bring small children or babies; please check with me first.
Why can't we reserve a specific time via an immediate online link?
As a one-guide operation, my availability varies. I promise to respond promptly.
How come you're not listed on a portal site that we might have used successfully elsewhere?
Well, I'd have to raise my rates, since such sites take a significant cut of revenue.
How has the pandemic changed your tours?
First, of course, I've been mindful of the evolving guidance regarding mask-wearing and social distancing. I am vaccinated/boosted and have been leading tours outside without a mask, though I can wear one on request.
Also, I think the "time off" improved my tours, since I've done deeper research on tour topics, as well as reflection--after leading online "webinars"--on what mix of information and images enhance a tour. I bring more images now. Nearly every tour has a binder full of images.
Why "New York Like a Native" if you focus on Brooklyn?
Well, I've branched out beyond Brooklyn, to Manhattan and Queens. Most importantly, "like a native" implies a New Yorker's sense of pace and place.
From the start, I figured the Manhattan market was well-served by guides--though I've long led tours in Manhattan's Lower East Side, where I have decades of experience and which links to Brooklyn's Williamsburg. In 2022-23, I added the East Village, adjacent to the Lower East Side. However, if groups want to "keep" me for a longer period, I can add on parts of Manhattan. For example, I met a group at Moynihan Station and took them to DUMBO and the Lower East Side, plus Grand Central Station and the Staten Island Ferry.
In 2014, I launched my first Queens tour, in Long Island City, which is a cousin of sorts to Greenpoint and Williamsburg. I've since added two more Queens tours, in Sunnyside & LIC East and in Jackson Heights, and am working on another. More neighborhoods are coming--eventually.
Why do you call the combination of three Queens neighborhoods (Long Island City, Sunnyside, and Jackson Heights) a "Slice of Queens" rather than Queens 101?
Queens is so big and spread-out, it's impossible to combine what Brooklyn 101 offers (major park, central library, major museum, downtown, waterfront, first historic district, three-plus essential neighborhoods) into one compact Queens tour. That said, the three neighborhoods offer a great opportunity to view the architectural, ethnic, and urban diversity of Queens, including the fast-growing high-rise Long Island City, and two neighborhoods that began as garden districts in the 1910s-1920s, Sunnyside (with mainly attached row houses around couryards) and Jackson Heights (with mainly apartments buildings around courtyards), and which have grown and adapted since then. There are other fascinating Queens neighborhoods, but farther away.
OK, so by not offering regular tours of Manhattan's most popular sites, you're not trying to maximize your income?
Right. And, as I once told a visitor, my goal is not the most clients, but the right clients.
How do we know we're the right clients?
Well, if you're reading this far, you're on your way! Most people don't read the FAQ.
How many neighborhoods are there?
The map above shows Brooklyn's breadth. See home page for neighborhoods where I lead tours. I aim to expand in Brooklyn and Queens. Other tour guides cover Manhattan's "Greatest Hits." The Bronx and Staten Island are too far for me to visit regularly and adequately research a tour.
What's your favoriate neighborhood in which to lead a tour?
Well, all can be worth visiting, but I do have a favorite. If you pick it, I will tell you.
Can you lead a tour outside the neighborhoods you list?
Sure. It may require some extra research. Though I don't lead walking tours in East Flatbush, Brownsville, East New York, Marine Park, and Sheepshead Bay, I have guided groups on vehicle or subway tours that included visits in those neighborhoods. In some neighborhoods (Bay Ridge, Bensonhurst, Sunset Park), my tours derived from requests.
If we book a 2.5-hour tour, can we extend it?
Yes. You can decide during the tour, once you assess endurance, weather, budget, and your comfort level with me. (That's assuming I don't have another obligation.)
Can you combine a religious Jewish neighborhood and a trendy neighborhood?
Yes, but not in 2.5 hours, unless you're focusing only on Williamsburg or Crown Heights, both of which are large neighborhoods with a religious Jewish segment. Otherwise, I recommend the 3-hour Brooklyn 101 tour with either an extension to Jewish Crown Heights (+ at least 1 hour) within the tour or, at the end, an extension to Jewish Williamsburg (+ at least 1.5 hours). We can even do both. Please note that "Jewish neighborhoods" are not all the same!
Can you do an "ethnic neighborhoods" tour?
Yes, but note... there are many ethnic groups in Brooklyn, some longstanding, some not, including Polish (Greenpoint), Middle Eastern (Bay Ridge; also Atlantic Avenue shopping district), African-American (Bedford-Stuyvesant especially), West Indian (Crown Heights, Flatbush, etc.), Chinese (Sunset Park, Bensonhurst), Russian/former Soviet Union (Brighton Beach, Sheepshead Bay, etc.), Italian (pieces of Carroll Gardens/Williamsburg, Bensonhurst, Dyker Heights), Pakistani/Bangladeshi (Kensington), Turkish (Midwood), Orthodox/Hasidic Jewish (multiple neighborhoods), Mexican (ditto), Sephardic Jewish (Kings Highway).
Many of these neighborhoods are not the focus of my listed tours, because they don't necessarily contain the most notable history, architecture, or institutions. But they're still interesting.
Can you lead an "immigrant neighborhoods" tour?
In Brooklyn, Sunset Park shows the presence of a significant amount of immigration, from China and Latin America. In Queens, the hyperdiverse Jackson Heights has immigrants from an even greater number of places, especially if we dip into adjacent Woodside, Elmhurst, and Corona.
Can you lead a food tour?
Yes--and no. Some companies offer food tours in which large (or small) groups only aim to sample, and move relatively slowly. I generally prefer to highlight neighborhoods in a broader fashion, but can certainly incorporate food stops. We can discuss. Dessert and/or ice cream work especially well.
Do you offer a Black history tour?
Not that I bill as such. I've conceptualized my tours as introductions to neighborhoods. So a neighborhood like Bed-Stuy, which became (and in many ways remains) the heart of African-American Brooklyn, includes Black history, sparked by walking past certain institutions/buildings, businesses/organizations, and even murals and street co-namings. And Black Brooklyn history is part of other tours, such as a walk (in Brooklyn 202 and Fort Greene/Clinton Hill) past the Shirley Chisholm state office building in Fort Greene, named for the first Black woman in Congress. (Green-Wood Cemetery offers a Black history tour.)
Can you take us to Green-Wood Cemetery? (aka Greenwood Cemetery)
Sure. They offer their own tours, some in trolleys. But I'm enthusiastic about taking people there, and can be more flexible on time, as well as combining the cemetery with other neighborhoods; please see this page. This can be with a vehicle (mini-bus or smaller), or on foot.
Can we visit the former site of Ebbets Field, where the Brooklyn Dodgers played?
Yes, if you're truly a completist. But there's not much of visual interest, given that an undistinguished housing development was built there. That site is not on the route of any of my tours, but is not far, by subway, from my Brooklyn 101 / Brooklyn 202 tours or my Flatbush tour.
Can we bring our dog?
Sorry, these tours are for humans, not pets. If you have a service dog, please contact me so we can discuss.
Can I smoke on the tour?
Please don't--your guide is very allergic. If you must, please step a good distance away.
It's cold or wet or really hot. How can we do a tour but avoid the elements?
My tours--other than vehicle tours--are mostly outdoors, so please dress for the weather! I can try to build in some stops (public buildings, cafes, shops, even a bus ride) to get out of the cold or heat briefly. If you supply a vehicle, of course, I'm happy to join you. I can offer some suggestions on how to hire a bus or car.
What tours are seasonal?
The Dyker Heights Holiday Lights tour can only be done in late November/December/early January. The Flatbush tour is offered year-round, but is especially fun just before Halloween. When the leaves change color in the fall, green neighborhoods include those in Brooklyn 101, Brooklyn 202, Fort Greene/Clinton Hill, Carroll Gardens/Cobble Hill, Flatbush, Park Slope, and Sunnyside. While Coney Island can be visited year-round, it's best to go when the rides are running: late May through early September, with weekend activity often starting in April and continuing through mid-to-late September, sometimes even in October.
How should we dress for the cold weather?
The more layers, the better. During the winter, I do try to make occasional stops indoors, but please be prepared. Wear a hat. Wear long underwear. You might even try toe warmers.
Tours in Spanish? Multilingual tours?
Sorry, but as a typical American; I'm not multilingual. I don't lead tours en español--well, I have led a few tours in enthusiastic but broken Spanish, but I don't profess fluency. You can find multilingual guides via the Guides Association of New York, of which I'm a member. I've led several tours working with translators.
Do tours start on time?
I am on time/early 99% of the time. I'll wait for private clients, of course. While I appreciate promptness, note that some tour starting places are chosen for convenience near subway stops, and may not be the best place to linger. So if you're planning to be very early, please alert me first, or get a cup of coffee.
Public group tours start on time; why disadvantage those who are prompt? But we typically don't leave the starting place for 10-15 minutes. So latecomers to public tours may miss some history/background, but shouldn't miss the walk.
Is public transportation included in the price? Food?
No. I assume that people already have MetroCards, or will use a credit card or phone to pay via the OMNY reader. Food is extra. I can recommend places for a snack, meal, or dessert. (A meal adds time to a tour, of course.) I can also point you to a restaurant or food hall after the tour.
Can we find a taxi or ride after the tour?
Usually. If there is no yellow cab, new(ish) green, outer-borough taxis have meters and accept street hails. No need to confirm price. App-based services like Uber and Lyft are available in most neighborhoods.
We'd like to drive to the starting place of a tour and park near there--can that work?
Well, yes, but... my tours are generally conceptualized as Point A to Point Z, with start and end points near public transit. So the routes infrequently circle back toward/near the starting place. That said, you could always take public transit or a taxi/Uber (or, in some cases, walk) to return to the starting place.
We'd like a tour in a car or bus--do you drive?
Guiding takes concentration, so another driver is required. I can offer suggestions on how to hire a vehicle.
Can a tour work if a family member drives?
Maybe, but remember that legal parking is often difficult, so the driver may have to remain while others exit. If you'd like everyone to get out several times and walk, I recommend that one person focuses on driving.
We only eat kosher--are kosher meals available on private tours?
In certain neighborhoods, sure: Williamsburg, Crown Heights, Midwood, Borough Park.
Can you lead a family reunion tour, or a 70th birthday tour, involving custom research?
Of course. Those can be very interesting and satisfying, for both you and for me. I usually add a research fee, depending on the list of locations you have relevant to family history, since I must develop a custom route. It helps if you let me know the important locations/addresses beforehand.
Can we visit DUMBO or walk the Brooklyn Bridge before the Brooklyn 101 or 202 tours?
Sure, we just organize the route to end near the Brooklyn Museum or in Park Slope. Alternatively, the Brooklyn Museum and/or Brooklyn Botanic Garden are great to visit before these tours, as they can be nearby the start. Also, we can simply do the DUMBO/Brooklyn Heights tour, and maybe continue into Cobble Hill & Carroll Gardens.
We're hoping to save money. Why can't you just charge $25-$35/person and open tours up to larger groups?
My business model is small-group private tours--except for the very infrequent times I lead tours for an established organization, college, or company. Others operate regularly scheduled public group tours with as many as 20-30 people, charging per ticket. If I did that, I might take home more money, but deliver a slower and lower-quality tour. I prefer my way.
Why can't you add us to someone else's tour?
Sorry, I understand the rationale, but... that never works out logistically, so I don't try.
What are the pros and cons of a one-guide operation?
I'm not always available, so larger companies may be more flexible. But New York Like A Native clients always get me as the guide.
What gives *you* the right to lead tours of certain neighborhoods, especially if you don't live there, or the neighborhood is ethnically/racially/religiously different?
A professional tour guide has done some homework, and has organized the tour using that expertise. Yes, a person/resident from, say, an tenants' group, a business improvement district, an activist group, the local community board, a religious body, historic preservation, or an artists' group might lead a different (and worthy!) neighborhood tour. You get my considered assessment, based on my research, experience, and sensibility.
What are some unusual tours you've led?
Do you really have an "encyclopedic knowledge" of Brooklyn?
Well, Thomas Wolfe said the borough was so complex that "Only the Dead Know Brooklyn." I know a lot, but I'm always learning. (I do know there's a mystery by that name.)
Can you lead a tour of Prospect Park?
My Brooklyn 101 and Brooklyn 202 tours include a relatively brief visit to the park, but if you'd like a full tour of the park, please try Custom NYC Tours or Turnstile Tours.
What's a brownstone? How do we get a look at brownstone interiors?
A brownstone is a row house clad in brown sandstone, popular in 19th century Brooklyn. "Brownstone Brooklyn" is an umbrella term for row-house neighborhoods built in the 19th and early 20th centuries, including limestone and brick buildings.
Brownstone Brooklyn neighborhood organizations, at least pre-COVID, offered house tours in spring and fall. I volunteered for the Park Slope Civic Council's House Tour for some 15 years. I often bring some photos of house interiors.
Do you offer tours of matzo factories?
Well, not officially. Until mid-2015, we could go by Streit's on the Lower East Side and take a peek. (Alas, no more.) But it may be possible to make an impromptu visit during a Brooklyn tour to Crown Heights or Borough Park, only in the pre-Passover season, of course.
What about tours of TV/movie locations, including Spike Lee's Brooklyn locations or sites in the HBO show "Girls"?
Not really--though I can stop at a couple of places. A full tour requires a bus (which means a large group).
What about a literary tour of Brooklyn?
Literary locations can range far afield, so it depends on the time you have available, your transportation mode, and the number of authors in which you are interested. Consider: the Williamsburg of Betty Smith's A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is nowhere close to the Fulton Ferry waterfront of Walt Whitman or the Boerum Hill/Gowanus of Jonathan Lethem's The Fortress of Solitude. There are many Brooklyn authors--the Brooklyn Public Library's literary tour can't include a majority.
If you wonder where writers like Jhumpa Lahiri or Paul Auster live or have lived, we go there (neighborhoods, not houses). Please recognize that most "Brooklyn writers" are "writers who live in Brooklyn," not "writers about Brooklyn," as Colson Whitehead wrote. That said, I'm happy to take you to locations mentioned in books like (for example) Pete Hamill's A Drinking Life, which has several Park Slope addresses. But Brooklyn Heights is probably the most concentrated neighborhood for authors.
How about a hip-hop tour?
Well, my Bedford-Stuyvesant tour can touch on hip-hop, but I wouldn't call it a hip-hop tour. Too many other interesting things to see. And Brooklyn is changing, as gentrification overtakes some hip-hop spots. (Others offer hip-hop tours.)
Can you lead a tour of the Brooklyn Navy Yard or the Brooklyn Army Terminal?
No. That's the specialty of Turnstile Tours.
Are gift certificates available for public tours? Private tours?
Not for public tours; I lead them too irregularly. Gift cards for private tours are available here, please calculate the fee based on the number of people and/or contact me for more info. Tours are scheduled at mutually acceptable times.
If we can't come to Brooklyn/New York, how can you work with us online?
Like a lot of people, I've reassessed the digital world. I've developed two Coney Island webinars (digital presentations), which should intrigue anyone curious about that legendary place. And I've developed an Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park/Barclays Center webinar, which is more geared to classes and professionals involved in urban planning, architecture, real estate, and Brooklyn history.
Can you offer advice on planning our overall visit: transportation, restaurants, hotels?
Sure, though please hire me first for a tour and pay a deposit! You may want to try other sources, such as TripAdvisor and Yelp. Here's one warning about renting unofficial units. Keep in mind that some neighborhoods are very large, and the "value" of staying in them depends on proximity to transit, shopping, etc., so it pays to drill down on the specific location, not just the neighborhood.
Are there any scams we should avoid on visiting New York City?
Yes. Please check out these tips, from the Guides Association of NYC, regarding fake monks, CD sellers, Battery Park ticket sellers, and Ground Zero street sellers.
Do you accept barter payments?
Not typically, but I'd consider it. What do you have to trade?
For restaurants/bars/hotels in Brooklyn/NYC, I'd consider trading a tour for your staff or clients in exchange for food-and-beverage credit. (This is not the same as me supplying clients to you; I'd offer a tour/orientation for your staff or as a bonus/perk for your customers.)
Is Brooklyn safe? Is the subway safe? Are your tours safe?
Most places where tourists go are quite safe, and crime has been decreasing since the peak some 30 years ago. But we shouldn't generalize about such a large place (and yes, there's been an uptick since 2020). I still take the subway, of course, but I advise vigilance--see this blog post.
This is a city; visitors should be especially vigilant at night and on lightly populated streets, and avoid confrontations on the subway. Do note that some neighborhoods are safer than others, and some parts of neighborhoods safer than other parts.
Also recognize that some gentrifying magnets are not without crime--I'm thinking Franklin Avenue in Crown Heights. Do check SpotCrime for some granular crime data (but consider the time of such crimes). Also see this NYPD crime map (click on "Crime Location Map" or "Heat Map" at top right ) and this one, which does not necessarily account for improvements in safety and policing, but does give a sense of Brooklyn's more troubled areas. Also see this map tracking gun violence.
Do note: nothing untoward has happened on my tours, other than fatigue and a bit of dehydration. So rest up, bring water, and wear walking shoes.
Please note: you appear less vulnerable if you 1) walk with a sense of purpose 2) don't wear "New York" t-shirts that peg you as a tourist 3) don't flaunt cameras/jewelry/cash/iPhones in crowds, including the subway, 4) don't leave your wallet or phone visible in your back pocket 5) don't isolate yourself with headphones/earbuds/texting.
Also, don't walk down a crowded street 2/3/4 abreast. That annoys us. Also, keep track of your public space on the subway--you don't want to encroach on the wrong (crazy/angry) person.
That sounds a little tough.... Are New Yorkers/you rude? You seem a little bossy?
I think we're blunt. We mean well, but we tend not to dilly-dally. To be a good tour guide, you have to be somewhat bossy, in a friendly way.
Are you contributing to over-tourism in Brooklyn?
Nope. In case you reached my website from a Ginia Bellafante essay in the New York Times: nearly all my tours are small groups--just a handful of people. Nor do I operate daily tours through her neighborhood (as some do). Thus I'm not loudly lecturing unruly groups carrying selfie sticks. Here's my more extensive response.
Are the people who go on your tours locals or tourists?
It's a mix. Some are Brooklynites or Manhattanites, or former New Yorkers. Others come from the metro area, other parts of the United States, or abroad. (I got a good number of Australians, it turns out, at least pre-pandemic.) Some are visiting friends and family; some want to see more of NYC; some are moving to Brooklyn. A growing number stay at hotels, guest houses, or AirBnB's in Brooklyn.
I'm a former private tour client. Can you give some quick advice on my next visit, though I don't need another tour?
Sure. I'm happy to provide such follow-up service to clients. Email is strongly preferred.
Can you answer my random questions about Brooklyn?
I might, but please try first on your own, at least if you haven't previously hired me for a tour. If it takes some research, I might ask for a modest fee.
Where can I buy some cool Brooklyn t-shirts?
Try Roxy's Tee Parlour. Also try the Transit Museum store.
Will *you* hire me?
Sorry, no--this is a one-guide operation.
How do I become a tour guide anyway? Is there a license?
Guides must pass the city licensing exam. Here are some tour guides' web sites regarding how to pass that exam. Here's more information, including flashcards. Here's information on membership in the Guides Association of NYC (aka GANYC). Here's a good set of resources from TripSchool.
Will donate a tour to our charity event? Will you lead a tour for our class/group for free?
Sorry, no free tours (other than my annual free Jane's Walk regarding Atlantic Yards, typically the first Friday evening of May). But I can be flexible on rates for some educational/nonprofit groups.
We'd like a guide but you're not available. Who to contact?
Try Eliot Niles at Brooklyn Attitude or Jeremy Wilcox of Custom NYC Tours. For in-depth tours of Manhattan, try Joyce Gold History Tours. You can also see listings at the Guides Association of NYC, and post your own inqury there.
Who built your web site? What website builder did you use?
I built it all myself: design, text, and photographs. Using the Weebly web site builder made things easier (unsolicited endorsement, but if you sign up with this link you get 10% off and I get a $10 credit).
This FAQ is quite long. Are you always this long-winded?
Nope. But there is a cool bonus photo below.
What are the top misconceptions about visiting Brooklyn?
Some people think/hope they can see a wide range of neighborhoods and sites in two or three hours. I do like wide-ranging tour routes and can manage a fast pace, but visitors must recognize that Brooklyn is very large, and it can take a while to travel between different neighborhoods or landmarks.
This FAQ was too short (ha), so I made a list about misconceptions.
What do you recommend for a first tour?
As a good introduction to the history and feel of Brooklyn, I recommend Brooklyn 101 or Brooklyn 202. For more of the buzz, consider Williamsburg or Greenpoint (and, if you have more time, combine them).
The Lower East Side helps explain the huge wave of Eastern European Jewish immigration, the construction of a "usable past," and the complicated legacy of urban renewal. To understand today's immigrant New York, Jackson Heights and Sunset Park are best.
I can modify all tours. Some clients even say things like, "Let's spend five hours seeing interesting things." That's fun.
I strongly recommend that you not try to see several far-apart neighborhoods in one short visit (as some travel guide articles misleadingly suggest!) but rather aim at clusters of neighborhoods relatively close together.
Why do you prefer that clients initially use email, rather than call?
I provide personal service, so I'd rather not play phone tag. Those reading this web site should learn much about potential tours, which makes the process efficient. (Please don't request "a tour of Brooklyn" but rather a specific one from my list, or an adaptation.)
If you want a same-day tour and start with a call, please also try email, because the questions on the email form speed the process. If you want a custom tour, I hope to learn your required stops before we talk. In other words, my business model is less like a "store" (open to calls at any time) than a "consultant" (let me assess whether I can be helpful).
How soon should we book?
Some people book many months in advance, some at the last minute. In general, a few weeks' notice is wise, especially in the busier months (Spring and Fall). In the Winter, I can often be flexible about timing, so we can wait to check the weather.
Your tours sound pretty fast-paced. We're not. Will you slow down?
Faster-paced tours can let us see more in a relatively short time period. For private tours, I of course can conform to your pace. If you're worried about walking too much, the DUMBO & Brooklyn Heights tour offers a relatively gentle route.
Are bathrooms available on the tours?
For private tours, we can usually find a bathroom (library, museum, park), though you may have to buy something at a cafe. For large group tours, I discuss a bathroom stop with the tour planners. Always take advantage of bathroom options before the tour, as well.
Are the tours appropriate for children?
They're not geared to children, though I can adapt them. Over the years, several energetic and curious kids/teens have enjoyed them, especially when they "get" that I'm not testing them with my questions, just trying to prompt their observations. Remember, tours typically last 2-2.5 hours. Rarely do people bring small children or babies; please check with me first.
Why can't we reserve a specific time via an immediate online link?
As a one-guide operation, my availability varies. I promise to respond promptly.
How come you're not listed on a portal site that we might have used successfully elsewhere?
Well, I'd have to raise my rates, since such sites take a significant cut of revenue.
How has the pandemic changed your tours?
First, of course, I've been mindful of the evolving guidance regarding mask-wearing and social distancing. I am vaccinated/boosted and have been leading tours outside without a mask, though I can wear one on request.
Also, I think the "time off" improved my tours, since I've done deeper research on tour topics, as well as reflection--after leading online "webinars"--on what mix of information and images enhance a tour. I bring more images now. Nearly every tour has a binder full of images.
Why "New York Like a Native" if you focus on Brooklyn?
Well, I've branched out beyond Brooklyn, to Manhattan and Queens. Most importantly, "like a native" implies a New Yorker's sense of pace and place.
From the start, I figured the Manhattan market was well-served by guides--though I've long led tours in Manhattan's Lower East Side, where I have decades of experience and which links to Brooklyn's Williamsburg. In 2022-23, I added the East Village, adjacent to the Lower East Side. However, if groups want to "keep" me for a longer period, I can add on parts of Manhattan. For example, I met a group at Moynihan Station and took them to DUMBO and the Lower East Side, plus Grand Central Station and the Staten Island Ferry.
In 2014, I launched my first Queens tour, in Long Island City, which is a cousin of sorts to Greenpoint and Williamsburg. I've since added two more Queens tours, in Sunnyside & LIC East and in Jackson Heights, and am working on another. More neighborhoods are coming--eventually.
Why do you call the combination of three Queens neighborhoods (Long Island City, Sunnyside, and Jackson Heights) a "Slice of Queens" rather than Queens 101?
Queens is so big and spread-out, it's impossible to combine what Brooklyn 101 offers (major park, central library, major museum, downtown, waterfront, first historic district, three-plus essential neighborhoods) into one compact Queens tour. That said, the three neighborhoods offer a great opportunity to view the architectural, ethnic, and urban diversity of Queens, including the fast-growing high-rise Long Island City, and two neighborhoods that began as garden districts in the 1910s-1920s, Sunnyside (with mainly attached row houses around couryards) and Jackson Heights (with mainly apartments buildings around courtyards), and which have grown and adapted since then. There are other fascinating Queens neighborhoods, but farther away.
OK, so by not offering regular tours of Manhattan's most popular sites, you're not trying to maximize your income?
Right. And, as I once told a visitor, my goal is not the most clients, but the right clients.
How do we know we're the right clients?
Well, if you're reading this far, you're on your way! Most people don't read the FAQ.
How many neighborhoods are there?
The map above shows Brooklyn's breadth. See home page for neighborhoods where I lead tours. I aim to expand in Brooklyn and Queens. Other tour guides cover Manhattan's "Greatest Hits." The Bronx and Staten Island are too far for me to visit regularly and adequately research a tour.
What's your favoriate neighborhood in which to lead a tour?
Well, all can be worth visiting, but I do have a favorite. If you pick it, I will tell you.
Can you lead a tour outside the neighborhoods you list?
Sure. It may require some extra research. Though I don't lead walking tours in East Flatbush, Brownsville, East New York, Marine Park, and Sheepshead Bay, I have guided groups on vehicle or subway tours that included visits in those neighborhoods. In some neighborhoods (Bay Ridge, Bensonhurst, Sunset Park), my tours derived from requests.
If we book a 2.5-hour tour, can we extend it?
Yes. You can decide during the tour, once you assess endurance, weather, budget, and your comfort level with me. (That's assuming I don't have another obligation.)
Can you combine a religious Jewish neighborhood and a trendy neighborhood?
Yes, but not in 2.5 hours, unless you're focusing only on Williamsburg or Crown Heights, both of which are large neighborhoods with a religious Jewish segment. Otherwise, I recommend the 3-hour Brooklyn 101 tour with either an extension to Jewish Crown Heights (+ at least 1 hour) within the tour or, at the end, an extension to Jewish Williamsburg (+ at least 1.5 hours). We can even do both. Please note that "Jewish neighborhoods" are not all the same!
Can you do an "ethnic neighborhoods" tour?
Yes, but note... there are many ethnic groups in Brooklyn, some longstanding, some not, including Polish (Greenpoint), Middle Eastern (Bay Ridge; also Atlantic Avenue shopping district), African-American (Bedford-Stuyvesant especially), West Indian (Crown Heights, Flatbush, etc.), Chinese (Sunset Park, Bensonhurst), Russian/former Soviet Union (Brighton Beach, Sheepshead Bay, etc.), Italian (pieces of Carroll Gardens/Williamsburg, Bensonhurst, Dyker Heights), Pakistani/Bangladeshi (Kensington), Turkish (Midwood), Orthodox/Hasidic Jewish (multiple neighborhoods), Mexican (ditto), Sephardic Jewish (Kings Highway).
Many of these neighborhoods are not the focus of my listed tours, because they don't necessarily contain the most notable history, architecture, or institutions. But they're still interesting.
Can you lead an "immigrant neighborhoods" tour?
In Brooklyn, Sunset Park shows the presence of a significant amount of immigration, from China and Latin America. In Queens, the hyperdiverse Jackson Heights has immigrants from an even greater number of places, especially if we dip into adjacent Woodside, Elmhurst, and Corona.
Can you lead a food tour?
Yes--and no. Some companies offer food tours in which large (or small) groups only aim to sample, and move relatively slowly. I generally prefer to highlight neighborhoods in a broader fashion, but can certainly incorporate food stops. We can discuss. Dessert and/or ice cream work especially well.
Do you offer a Black history tour?
Not that I bill as such. I've conceptualized my tours as introductions to neighborhoods. So a neighborhood like Bed-Stuy, which became (and in many ways remains) the heart of African-American Brooklyn, includes Black history, sparked by walking past certain institutions/buildings, businesses/organizations, and even murals and street co-namings. And Black Brooklyn history is part of other tours, such as a walk (in Brooklyn 202 and Fort Greene/Clinton Hill) past the Shirley Chisholm state office building in Fort Greene, named for the first Black woman in Congress. (Green-Wood Cemetery offers a Black history tour.)
Can you take us to Green-Wood Cemetery? (aka Greenwood Cemetery)
Sure. They offer their own tours, some in trolleys. But I'm enthusiastic about taking people there, and can be more flexible on time, as well as combining the cemetery with other neighborhoods; please see this page. This can be with a vehicle (mini-bus or smaller), or on foot.
Can we visit the former site of Ebbets Field, where the Brooklyn Dodgers played?
Yes, if you're truly a completist. But there's not much of visual interest, given that an undistinguished housing development was built there. That site is not on the route of any of my tours, but is not far, by subway, from my Brooklyn 101 / Brooklyn 202 tours or my Flatbush tour.
Can we bring our dog?
Sorry, these tours are for humans, not pets. If you have a service dog, please contact me so we can discuss.
Can I smoke on the tour?
Please don't--your guide is very allergic. If you must, please step a good distance away.
It's cold or wet or really hot. How can we do a tour but avoid the elements?
My tours--other than vehicle tours--are mostly outdoors, so please dress for the weather! I can try to build in some stops (public buildings, cafes, shops, even a bus ride) to get out of the cold or heat briefly. If you supply a vehicle, of course, I'm happy to join you. I can offer some suggestions on how to hire a bus or car.
What tours are seasonal?
The Dyker Heights Holiday Lights tour can only be done in late November/December/early January. The Flatbush tour is offered year-round, but is especially fun just before Halloween. When the leaves change color in the fall, green neighborhoods include those in Brooklyn 101, Brooklyn 202, Fort Greene/Clinton Hill, Carroll Gardens/Cobble Hill, Flatbush, Park Slope, and Sunnyside. While Coney Island can be visited year-round, it's best to go when the rides are running: late May through early September, with weekend activity often starting in April and continuing through mid-to-late September, sometimes even in October.
How should we dress for the cold weather?
The more layers, the better. During the winter, I do try to make occasional stops indoors, but please be prepared. Wear a hat. Wear long underwear. You might even try toe warmers.
Tours in Spanish? Multilingual tours?
Sorry, but as a typical American; I'm not multilingual. I don't lead tours en español--well, I have led a few tours in enthusiastic but broken Spanish, but I don't profess fluency. You can find multilingual guides via the Guides Association of New York, of which I'm a member. I've led several tours working with translators.
Do tours start on time?
I am on time/early 99% of the time. I'll wait for private clients, of course. While I appreciate promptness, note that some tour starting places are chosen for convenience near subway stops, and may not be the best place to linger. So if you're planning to be very early, please alert me first, or get a cup of coffee.
Public group tours start on time; why disadvantage those who are prompt? But we typically don't leave the starting place for 10-15 minutes. So latecomers to public tours may miss some history/background, but shouldn't miss the walk.
Is public transportation included in the price? Food?
No. I assume that people already have MetroCards, or will use a credit card or phone to pay via the OMNY reader. Food is extra. I can recommend places for a snack, meal, or dessert. (A meal adds time to a tour, of course.) I can also point you to a restaurant or food hall after the tour.
Can we find a taxi or ride after the tour?
Usually. If there is no yellow cab, new(ish) green, outer-borough taxis have meters and accept street hails. No need to confirm price. App-based services like Uber and Lyft are available in most neighborhoods.
We'd like to drive to the starting place of a tour and park near there--can that work?
Well, yes, but... my tours are generally conceptualized as Point A to Point Z, with start and end points near public transit. So the routes infrequently circle back toward/near the starting place. That said, you could always take public transit or a taxi/Uber (or, in some cases, walk) to return to the starting place.
We'd like a tour in a car or bus--do you drive?
Guiding takes concentration, so another driver is required. I can offer suggestions on how to hire a vehicle.
Can a tour work if a family member drives?
Maybe, but remember that legal parking is often difficult, so the driver may have to remain while others exit. If you'd like everyone to get out several times and walk, I recommend that one person focuses on driving.
We only eat kosher--are kosher meals available on private tours?
In certain neighborhoods, sure: Williamsburg, Crown Heights, Midwood, Borough Park.
Can you lead a family reunion tour, or a 70th birthday tour, involving custom research?
Of course. Those can be very interesting and satisfying, for both you and for me. I usually add a research fee, depending on the list of locations you have relevant to family history, since I must develop a custom route. It helps if you let me know the important locations/addresses beforehand.
Can we visit DUMBO or walk the Brooklyn Bridge before the Brooklyn 101 or 202 tours?
Sure, we just organize the route to end near the Brooklyn Museum or in Park Slope. Alternatively, the Brooklyn Museum and/or Brooklyn Botanic Garden are great to visit before these tours, as they can be nearby the start. Also, we can simply do the DUMBO/Brooklyn Heights tour, and maybe continue into Cobble Hill & Carroll Gardens.
We're hoping to save money. Why can't you just charge $25-$35/person and open tours up to larger groups?
My business model is small-group private tours--except for the very infrequent times I lead tours for an established organization, college, or company. Others operate regularly scheduled public group tours with as many as 20-30 people, charging per ticket. If I did that, I might take home more money, but deliver a slower and lower-quality tour. I prefer my way.
Why can't you add us to someone else's tour?
Sorry, I understand the rationale, but... that never works out logistically, so I don't try.
What are the pros and cons of a one-guide operation?
I'm not always available, so larger companies may be more flexible. But New York Like A Native clients always get me as the guide.
What gives *you* the right to lead tours of certain neighborhoods, especially if you don't live there, or the neighborhood is ethnically/racially/religiously different?
A professional tour guide has done some homework, and has organized the tour using that expertise. Yes, a person/resident from, say, an tenants' group, a business improvement district, an activist group, the local community board, a religious body, historic preservation, or an artists' group might lead a different (and worthy!) neighborhood tour. You get my considered assessment, based on my research, experience, and sensibility.
What are some unusual tours you've led?
- One very energetic guy wanted to see as many neighborhoods as possible in five hours by foot and public transit, since he was moving to Brooklyn and looking for a place to live.
- A couple visiting Brooklyn and local food spent 11 hours with me, including parts of Downtown Brooklyn, Brooklyn Heights, DUMBO, Williamsburg, Clinton Hill, Prospect Heights, Park Slope, Fort Greene, Sunset Park, Coney Island, and Dyker Heights: Foods included: ice cream, pizza, bagels, (spicy) chicken, french fries, brisket BBQ, and cannoli! (Pluse take-home babka and rugelach.) Not the healthiest day of eating, but a memorable one.
- A woman from Australia eager to learn about her ancestor's career building houses in Brooklyn pushed me to create a custom tour in Bedford-Stuyvesant and Bushwick.
- A Brooklyn native returning after decades requested three consecutive days of tours to reintroduce himself to the borough.
- A writer working on a novel sought to learn the contours and details of Greenpoint.
- A photographer from Spain aimed to see as much as possible in five hours, so we traversed Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Bedford-Stuyvesant, and Bushwick.
- A school with new teachers wanted to better understand Bedford-Stuyvesant and Crown Heights.
- An extended family reunion traversed the borough by bus to see several neighborhoods, all vastly changed, where the patriarch grew up.
- For an 80th birthday tour, we visited old family haunts (and synagogue) in Bensonhurst, then skipped to the Lower East Side to understand the previous generation.
- A Brooklyn native returned to see his old apartment and schools, which just happened to be blocks away from my home.
- A homebuilder from the Midwest was interested in Brooklyn rowhouse details, aiming to incorporate them in a new development.
- A woman wanted a gift for her boyfriend, so I developed a tour that included her neighborhood.
- A very energetic couple booked a full day, so we spent nearly 9 hours (with a lunch stop, etc.) combining Brooklyn 202 with Williamsburg.
Do you really have an "encyclopedic knowledge" of Brooklyn?
Well, Thomas Wolfe said the borough was so complex that "Only the Dead Know Brooklyn." I know a lot, but I'm always learning. (I do know there's a mystery by that name.)
Can you lead a tour of Prospect Park?
My Brooklyn 101 and Brooklyn 202 tours include a relatively brief visit to the park, but if you'd like a full tour of the park, please try Custom NYC Tours or Turnstile Tours.
What's a brownstone? How do we get a look at brownstone interiors?
A brownstone is a row house clad in brown sandstone, popular in 19th century Brooklyn. "Brownstone Brooklyn" is an umbrella term for row-house neighborhoods built in the 19th and early 20th centuries, including limestone and brick buildings.
Brownstone Brooklyn neighborhood organizations, at least pre-COVID, offered house tours in spring and fall. I volunteered for the Park Slope Civic Council's House Tour for some 15 years. I often bring some photos of house interiors.
Do you offer tours of matzo factories?
Well, not officially. Until mid-2015, we could go by Streit's on the Lower East Side and take a peek. (Alas, no more.) But it may be possible to make an impromptu visit during a Brooklyn tour to Crown Heights or Borough Park, only in the pre-Passover season, of course.
What about tours of TV/movie locations, including Spike Lee's Brooklyn locations or sites in the HBO show "Girls"?
Not really--though I can stop at a couple of places. A full tour requires a bus (which means a large group).
What about a literary tour of Brooklyn?
Literary locations can range far afield, so it depends on the time you have available, your transportation mode, and the number of authors in which you are interested. Consider: the Williamsburg of Betty Smith's A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is nowhere close to the Fulton Ferry waterfront of Walt Whitman or the Boerum Hill/Gowanus of Jonathan Lethem's The Fortress of Solitude. There are many Brooklyn authors--the Brooklyn Public Library's literary tour can't include a majority.
If you wonder where writers like Jhumpa Lahiri or Paul Auster live or have lived, we go there (neighborhoods, not houses). Please recognize that most "Brooklyn writers" are "writers who live in Brooklyn," not "writers about Brooklyn," as Colson Whitehead wrote. That said, I'm happy to take you to locations mentioned in books like (for example) Pete Hamill's A Drinking Life, which has several Park Slope addresses. But Brooklyn Heights is probably the most concentrated neighborhood for authors.
How about a hip-hop tour?
Well, my Bedford-Stuyvesant tour can touch on hip-hop, but I wouldn't call it a hip-hop tour. Too many other interesting things to see. And Brooklyn is changing, as gentrification overtakes some hip-hop spots. (Others offer hip-hop tours.)
Can you lead a tour of the Brooklyn Navy Yard or the Brooklyn Army Terminal?
No. That's the specialty of Turnstile Tours.
Are gift certificates available for public tours? Private tours?
Not for public tours; I lead them too irregularly. Gift cards for private tours are available here, please calculate the fee based on the number of people and/or contact me for more info. Tours are scheduled at mutually acceptable times.
If we can't come to Brooklyn/New York, how can you work with us online?
Like a lot of people, I've reassessed the digital world. I've developed two Coney Island webinars (digital presentations), which should intrigue anyone curious about that legendary place. And I've developed an Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park/Barclays Center webinar, which is more geared to classes and professionals involved in urban planning, architecture, real estate, and Brooklyn history.
Can you offer advice on planning our overall visit: transportation, restaurants, hotels?
Sure, though please hire me first for a tour and pay a deposit! You may want to try other sources, such as TripAdvisor and Yelp. Here's one warning about renting unofficial units. Keep in mind that some neighborhoods are very large, and the "value" of staying in them depends on proximity to transit, shopping, etc., so it pays to drill down on the specific location, not just the neighborhood.
Are there any scams we should avoid on visiting New York City?
Yes. Please check out these tips, from the Guides Association of NYC, regarding fake monks, CD sellers, Battery Park ticket sellers, and Ground Zero street sellers.
Do you accept barter payments?
Not typically, but I'd consider it. What do you have to trade?
For restaurants/bars/hotels in Brooklyn/NYC, I'd consider trading a tour for your staff or clients in exchange for food-and-beverage credit. (This is not the same as me supplying clients to you; I'd offer a tour/orientation for your staff or as a bonus/perk for your customers.)
Is Brooklyn safe? Is the subway safe? Are your tours safe?
Most places where tourists go are quite safe, and crime has been decreasing since the peak some 30 years ago. But we shouldn't generalize about such a large place (and yes, there's been an uptick since 2020). I still take the subway, of course, but I advise vigilance--see this blog post.
This is a city; visitors should be especially vigilant at night and on lightly populated streets, and avoid confrontations on the subway. Do note that some neighborhoods are safer than others, and some parts of neighborhoods safer than other parts.
Also recognize that some gentrifying magnets are not without crime--I'm thinking Franklin Avenue in Crown Heights. Do check SpotCrime for some granular crime data (but consider the time of such crimes). Also see this NYPD crime map (click on "Crime Location Map" or "Heat Map" at top right ) and this one, which does not necessarily account for improvements in safety and policing, but does give a sense of Brooklyn's more troubled areas. Also see this map tracking gun violence.
Do note: nothing untoward has happened on my tours, other than fatigue and a bit of dehydration. So rest up, bring water, and wear walking shoes.
Please note: you appear less vulnerable if you 1) walk with a sense of purpose 2) don't wear "New York" t-shirts that peg you as a tourist 3) don't flaunt cameras/jewelry/cash/iPhones in crowds, including the subway, 4) don't leave your wallet or phone visible in your back pocket 5) don't isolate yourself with headphones/earbuds/texting.
Also, don't walk down a crowded street 2/3/4 abreast. That annoys us. Also, keep track of your public space on the subway--you don't want to encroach on the wrong (crazy/angry) person.
That sounds a little tough.... Are New Yorkers/you rude? You seem a little bossy?
I think we're blunt. We mean well, but we tend not to dilly-dally. To be a good tour guide, you have to be somewhat bossy, in a friendly way.
Are you contributing to over-tourism in Brooklyn?
Nope. In case you reached my website from a Ginia Bellafante essay in the New York Times: nearly all my tours are small groups--just a handful of people. Nor do I operate daily tours through her neighborhood (as some do). Thus I'm not loudly lecturing unruly groups carrying selfie sticks. Here's my more extensive response.
Are the people who go on your tours locals or tourists?
It's a mix. Some are Brooklynites or Manhattanites, or former New Yorkers. Others come from the metro area, other parts of the United States, or abroad. (I got a good number of Australians, it turns out, at least pre-pandemic.) Some are visiting friends and family; some want to see more of NYC; some are moving to Brooklyn. A growing number stay at hotels, guest houses, or AirBnB's in Brooklyn.
I'm a former private tour client. Can you give some quick advice on my next visit, though I don't need another tour?
Sure. I'm happy to provide such follow-up service to clients. Email is strongly preferred.
Can you answer my random questions about Brooklyn?
I might, but please try first on your own, at least if you haven't previously hired me for a tour. If it takes some research, I might ask for a modest fee.
Where can I buy some cool Brooklyn t-shirts?
Try Roxy's Tee Parlour. Also try the Transit Museum store.
Will *you* hire me?
Sorry, no--this is a one-guide operation.
How do I become a tour guide anyway? Is there a license?
Guides must pass the city licensing exam. Here are some tour guides' web sites regarding how to pass that exam. Here's more information, including flashcards. Here's information on membership in the Guides Association of NYC (aka GANYC). Here's a good set of resources from TripSchool.
Will donate a tour to our charity event? Will you lead a tour for our class/group for free?
Sorry, no free tours (other than my annual free Jane's Walk regarding Atlantic Yards, typically the first Friday evening of May). But I can be flexible on rates for some educational/nonprofit groups.
We'd like a guide but you're not available. Who to contact?
Try Eliot Niles at Brooklyn Attitude or Jeremy Wilcox of Custom NYC Tours. For in-depth tours of Manhattan, try Joyce Gold History Tours. You can also see listings at the Guides Association of NYC, and post your own inqury there.
Who built your web site? What website builder did you use?
I built it all myself: design, text, and photographs. Using the Weebly web site builder made things easier (unsolicited endorsement, but if you sign up with this link you get 10% off and I get a $10 credit).
This FAQ is quite long. Are you always this long-winded?
Nope. But there is a cool bonus photo below.
The restored Astroland rocket, in Coney Island, Brooklyn, inside Deno's Wonder Wheel Park