We got a Groupon for this place, which makes the price a lot more reasonable. They don't open until…read more1 pm on the weekends, and on Saturdays they don't even give guided tours. Instead, they give an "augmented reality" audio tour which is kind of hit or miss. The house was preserved for the historical significance of the Townsend family, one of which was a spy for George Washington. I didn't feel there was a ton of information on the family though. Pointing their phone at the different objects in a room turned on audio about them, but only a couple of rooms in the actual house were interactive. The rest didn't have signs, and one loan employee was around to answer questions at the end. The exhibit in the visitor center was nice though. I just don't think the AR experience was really up to replacing a person, both in amount of information and the uncanny valley, unnerving portraits. There is street parking and a nearby lot that are free on weekends. The gift shop is minimal. It was an okay spot to visit, but I would recommend coming on Sunday or whenever they offer actual tours to get a more thorough understanding of the house and the history of the people who lived here.

We went here on a winter weekend, and were fortunate to have the builsings to ourselves. The…read morehelpful staff took out modest admission fee and explained that they don't do tours on Saturdays but they do have tour devices using augmented reality. That means that when you walk through the buildings, you scan the cell phone device on important paintings and artifacts and they talk to you with further information about who or what they are. The small building that contains the entrance is packed with paintings, dioramas, documents and artifacts. Next you walk to the main house, built in the 1730's, and housing the Townsend family. At the time of the Revolutionary War, Samuel had to make room for a British colonel. In spite of the fact that he sympathised with the patriots, he maintained good relations with his "Guest." At the time of the war, the house had eight rooms. One of his sons was one of the leaders of the Culpepper Spy Ring, Placing the home on the National Registry of Historic Places. Each room was elegantly decorated, with the exception of the space for the enslaved housekeeper. In spite of the fact that we didn't get a formal tour, the staff member tagged along with us and kept up a spirited conversation - even giving us a bonus look at the Victorian wing which doubled the size of the structure. The house is said to be haunted, of course. Very highly recommended. The full set of photos can be found at https://www.flickr.com/photos/terryballard/albums/72177720323110655

TEP deserves more than 5 stars for the amazing start to finish service we experienced on our 7 day…read moreadventure to Peru to hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. From the time we signed up, to the time we boarded the plane to return home, TEP took care of every detail. We commented amongst ourselves that we felt like kids on vacation with our parents, as we didn't have to worry about any of the details - just show up and follow Neptali (our guide). From airport pickup in Cusco in luxury Mercedes vans where we were promptly served Coca tea to help with the altitude acclimation, to group dinners at amazing Peruvian restaurants, to historical tours and education on the history of the Inca - everything was covered and taken care of for us. And that was all before the amazing trek along the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu! Of course the trek itself was the highlight of the trip, and although it was extremely challenging for us, TEP's unbelievable attention to detail did not fail us on the trail. With nearly a 2:1 porter to trekker ration, our every need was met on the trail. We dined like kings every meal, and were consistently amazed with the quality (and nutritional appropriateness) of the food our chef and sous chef were able to put out with minimal kitchen conveniences. The thing I felt was most special about TEP's approach to this trip was the focus on gaining a cultural and historical appreciation for what we were experiencing. Every step along the way, we learned about the native people of Peru, the Inca civilization, the many ruins we came across, the vegetation we saw and how it was and is used, and the history of modern Peru. It was the trip of a lifetime, and have the help of The Explorer's Passage made it so much more enjoyable, and so much more memorable. The value of what they provide is amazing for the cost....rather, for the investment. I highly recommend them!

What a fabulous tour! I did the "Washington in NYC" tour in June 2017 and it was such a wonderful…read moreexperience! So much fascinating historical information that I can't wait to share with all my friends now; such a great group of fellow explorers; and all so perfectly run - well planned, perfectly on time, with a great variety of sights and insights for all types of travelers. I recommend this tour highly - and will be on the lookout for future adventures from The Explorer's Passage! :)

This tour company represented that we would attend the papal mass in St. Peter's Basilica for the…read moreFeast of the Epiphany in January 2026. This was on the initial tour advertisement and on the tour itinerary we received by FEDEX on Dec 22d, 2025, eight days before our trip started. The evening before the mass the tour manager said, We don't have tickets for you to go inside to the mass so you'll be in the square and watch it on the screen. It's going to be raining again, so if you don't want to go just let me know. She explained nothing about what to expect on the square, would there be seating, would we have the opportunity to receive the Eucharist, are there restrooms, etc. The rain was very heavy, and we would have been out there for about four hours. Most people decided not to go. Our trip leaders had tickets to get into the basilica, and so some of them went, rubbing salt in the wounds of those who couldn't get in. The tour managers knew they didn't have tickets for us to go into the basilica from day 1 of the trip, but they didn't let us know until it was too late to make other plans. They could have taken one bus to the square with people who wanted to go despite the rain, and they could have taken another bus possibly to mass at another basilica or church in town so we wouldn't miss the feast day mass, or people could have planned to take the morning to go on their own to a museum or church rather than stay out in the rain, but since the tour managers sprang it on us at the last minute, it was just a little too late to react with a good plan. They misrepresented what they were offering us, offered no explanation as to why this happened, and offered inadequate alternate plans.

Pilgrimage to Rome, Jan 2026. Under no circumstances use Peter's way, pm, our trip was awful…read more Lufthansa, omg, the worst airline. Our overnight flight from Tampa to Frankfort had a 1 hour connection time in Frankfort. in hindsight EVERYONE (luftansa&pw) knew 1 hour was not possible due to how ineptly run the Frankfort airport is. There were at least 1000 peeps lined up to get thru customs. our connecting flight left w/o more than 1/2 our tour. There was no one from Lufthansa or Pw available to help us get to Rome. We missed the first audience w the pope. the pw 800 customer service number went unanswered. total cluster. Unforgivable. After near 48 sleepless hours we finally got to Rome. Papal mass at St. Peter's was awesome and breathtaking. The only redeeming event on the trip. Every day, breakfast at 6, bus 6:30-7. Gone all day, til 6pm, dinner at 7, bed, wash,rinse, repeat. Most days no lunch as the schedule was so packed no time. One day lunch at a truck stop. Hotels sucked, food (breakfast, dinner inc in tour price) at the Hotels sucked. Went to dinner at nearby restaurants for a decent meal. The hotel in lucanto...my husband did not fit in the tiny shower, the shower doors were easily knocked off runners. We had 1 sconce that worked in the room for light. Went to the desk to get a bulb for another light and was told there were no additional light bulbs. Just awful. Every was exhausted and sick from trying to keep pace w the grueling schedule. No time to shop or for one's self unless one stayed at the hotel. Most days one was forced to the bus in the am cuz we were on to the next town. We've traveled extensively and this was by far the worst trip ever. Never again. Unfortunately zero stars not available.

Great tour - Margo was so knowledgeable and it was a lot of fun! Great way to celebrate America's…read more250th birthday!

Recently, I did a 2 hour walking Culper Spy Ring with Margot…read more It was really amazing . Two hours passed by so quickly! Margot is very knowledgeable and dedicated. Her enthusiasm for the history of Setauket is heart warming. Thanks to Margot, you can actually feel like you are a part of history while walking the tour. A tour worth taking whether you are a "local" or coming from far! Deepti G

Lots of great history and stories. The staff love and believe in their mission to restore the…read moremansion. The ghost hunting tour is a must do-very well planned and an unforgettable experience.

We went on a haunted tour this evening and it was definitely more authentic than we ever expected…read more Upon entering the main foyer, you immediately & instinctively know that it's history is very much alive in spirit. We had a few very weird occurrences happen throughout the night, most notably in the attic and basement, both of which gave off insanely heavy vibes. The staff is amazing as is the old mansion itself, which has been through a myriad of architectural changes throughout the decades. We will definitely be back for a day tour! I'm too chicken to go back for a night tour! Highly recommend!

Having only a limited number of days in New York to check items off our bucket list, we needed an…read moreexcellent guide with a plethora of knowledge and enough spare energy to keep us going. I fortunately found New York Historical Tours under the ownership and direction of Kevin Draper, CEO (Chief Experience Officer). My wife and I had used a private tour guide while in Scotland, and had a wonderful one on one experience ~ away from groups and tailored to fit our style of tourism. Kevin was incredibly knowledgable, affable, professional and customized our bucket list to 1) see the Statue of Liberty with pedestal access and the new museum, 2) get a brief but comprehensive history of Ellis Island without disembarking, 3) work our way to Katz's Delicatessen (we are big "When Harry Met Sally" fans) all the while getting a feel and history of the local neighborhoods, as well as learning how to use the Metro system to develop a nice level of familiarity and comfort in the East Side of Manhattan where we were staying. A standout feature on a tour with Kevin is his attention to detail in planning our time together. I call him the Master of Timing and Positioning. For example he suggested catching the first ferry to the Statue of LIberty. When we met him, he had already purchased our tickets. While on the ferry, he kept us comfortably shaded, then took us to key positions to get the best views of Lady Liberty while giving us an incredibly interesting history of the Statue. By the time we left the island, it was getting swamped with tourists and school groups. Superb timing indeed. On the way to the Metro, he pointed out the very interesting history of Battery Park and surrounding buildings and branch of the Smithsonian museum. We wound our way through Little Italy, Chinatown, Nolita and Jewish neighborhoods on the way to Katz's. Amazingly the line was short, but a madhouse inside. Kevin knew how to maneuver to the right cutter, get a table and we had a delicious lunch. As we left, the line had grown to over a block long with over an hour wait. Again the Master's timing was impeccable. He gave us more fascinating history of different areas as we headed back to the Metropolitan Museum where we ended our incredible tour. Our 6 hour private tour went by so quickly, and we were comfortably exhausted. As a historian, Kevin is a walking talking wealth of knowledge about New York, and has tremendous pride in this amazing city. We can enthusiastically recommend him for those seeking the best in personal tours of the Big Apple. In fact, we look forward to using his services on a return trip to New York which can't come soon enough.

We went on their China Town & Little Italy tour of down town Manhattan. Dan was just terrific!…read more His enthusiasm was contagious that made our Birthday celebration weekend. We now want to go on all the tours that they offer.

I met Rad in a jazz club while visiting NYC on business and what luck because Rad is a wealth of…read moreknowledge about the NYC jazz scene and jazz in general, and knows the local musicians. I liked Rad so much that although I live in California I've stayed in touch regularly and will connect with him next time I'm in NYC.

From the owner: This is a unique jazz walking tour of Greenwich Village with a history lesson…read more To this day, NYC continues to boast a rich history of iconic jazz clubs, and a thriving jazz scene. On this walking tour, we will first meet in the West Village in front of the historic Village Vanguard, New York City’s oldest operating jazz club since 1935. We will give a brief history lesson about the world famous venue and its humble beginnings, where such greats as Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, Mary Lou Williams, Keith Jarret, Stan Getz, and the Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra performed regularly. Next we will make a stop at one of the nearby Village coffee shops, cafes, or specialty shops. The highlight will take place during the final hour, where we will attend a live jazz concert (one 45-minute set) at one of the historic jazz clubs in Greenwich Village. The club will vary each walking tour depending on who will be performing that night; however rest assured, we will secure the best performances and spots available. Don’t be surprised if we get to see up close some of the greatest jazz musicians in the world and even occasionally the famous jazz musicians themselves. There may be a chance (no guarantees!) after the band’s set, to get a group photo-op with the band or performer, depending on the show chances can be good.  This will definitely be a truly unforgettable experience for all lovers of NYC history and jazz.

If your local to the Bayport - Sayville area and you love to hike, Meadow Croft offers a nice…read moreleisurely stroll through meandering trails along an Inlet and nearby Lotus Lake. The Roosevelt family walking trail is 0.7 miles long and offers a nice, peaceful and easy hike through a serene landscape. Highly recommended for a short hike.

This understated, yet stunning estate is the Former John E. Roosevelt Estate located in the Suffolk…read moreCounty Sans Souci Lake Nature Preserve. It is tricky to get to - it's right around the corner from St. Ann's in Sayville - you must drive down a dirt road (the estate is about 400 yards in from the Main street / Middle Road). You will see marshland, a few water bodies, and then you will come upon a beautiful pale yellow summer "mansion." This estate is very different from the mansion in the huge Bayard arboretum and the palatial estates of the North Shore - this mansion functioned as a "summer home" for the Roosevelt family during the early 20th century. The grounds were designed for enjoyign the summer air outside of NYC pollution, hunting and preservation/conservation, and water sports. The estate is open to the public at 2PM on weekends - you can take a 2.5 hour tour of the grounds/ house. This review does not do justice to the serene and unpretentious nature of the property.

This is now my second time at Ocean and my experience has been amazing! I went on a Friday which…read morewas super lively and then again on Monday. I recommend going on a slower day because you can get the best seating upstairs to watch the beautiful sunset. The staff is young but hard working and very knowledgeable of the menu. The manager Bryan goes above and beyond to ensure everyone is satisfied. Happy hour and lobster night will have me become a regular here. Food is delicious, seafood is fresh, any cocktails are strong. 10/10

Went to a wedding here. Beautiful views! Food was excellent. Plenty of parking. The ride there had…read moreamazing views along the coast.