To say that Jen was nothing but exceptional in designing, planning and executing our Italy vacation…read morewould be an understatement. Jen carried our unique and luxury vacation from beginning to end, listening to what we wanted, providing guidance and suggestions on which two areas of Italy we wanted to focus on, and then handled all logistics in what was a very busy time of year for us and when we could not plan ourselves. Not only did she think about how we could maximize our time in between cities, but she curated our time with experiences that ranged from relaxation, cooking, and adventure, yet still somehow saved time for us to have the perfect amount of exploration on our own. Whenever we had questions, she always made time to be a thought partner, and then executed on our behalf, from helping us secure a rental car (and guiding us in road sign knowledge!), to finding a mixture of Michelin Star restaurants and neighborhood trattorias, to helping us plan out our trip so it made sense for us, without missing a minute but also saving room to relax and enjoy Italy more than we ever have before. Without Jen, we would not have had a once-in-a-lifetime trip like this one - this was luxury on a new level. Forever in debt to you Jen and your immaculate subject matter expertise on Italy and planning the beyond perfect trip! We will be back to plan more with you because you've already gotten us excited for the next vacation :).

Jenn was the absolute best to work with on planning our 2 week trip to Italy. She had great…read morerecommendations and incredible insights as well as great local connections. Jenn was so easy to work with and diligent in her communication and bookings with us, plus she made herself available while we were on our trip, checking in to ensure everything was smooth. Our trip would not have been possible without her 10 out of 10 would recommend!

For all Seinfeld fans, this is a must do. The Real Kramer is an awesome and colorful gentleman and…read moreit was great to meet him. A few months later after I took his tour, I saw Kenny Kramer at the ballet in Lincoln Center. He loves New York City and the Arts as much as I do! As for the tour, you first see a film about Seinfeld in a tiny theater, and then Kramer introduced all his merchandise, including an "Assman" license plate and some T-shirts. Then you board a bus and play Seinfeld trivia and tour the various sites made famous by the show. Then, you go to the Soupman stand and while in line, Kenny Kramer poses for photos with you. I got the Jambalaya, of course, because Newman liked it.

The Seinfeld Tour was absolutely amazing mainly because it's actually led by the real life Kramer…read more-- Kenny Kramer! It was such a hoot hearing Kramer tell us about his personal experiences being neighbors and friends with Larry David (real life George). He told us many stories about Larry David, and about real life events that made it onto the tv show. The tour starts out a local theater with a warm-up comedy act and then Kenny Kramer is introduced. He told us about the show, his involvement with the show and how he launched the tour, and then got right on with his entrepreneurial ways, and began pitching his many different products he sells. It was quite funny -- life imitating art! He sells a wide variety of creative gift items and apparel. Our budget was tight so we skipped on that, but he was signing items as well. Then on the bus, Kramer led us around the city showing us many spots featured on the show and real life spots like his apartment building he shared with Larry David. There's also a pit stop at the original Soupman location which the Soup Nazi episode was based on. It's just a soup stand, but boy is the soup marvelous. Kenny Kramer also poses for pictures here! We got an awesome picture with him in front of the place,. He's really nice, and signed our tour pamphlet and posed for photos. He's quite funny too and the anecdotes he shares really make the tour. This is an absolute must for Seinfeld fans!

Six of us took this tour and it was one of the highlights of the trip for everyone. Our guide was…read morefunny, warm, and knew an enormous amount about the city. The mix of real history and his own stories kept all of us entertained the whole way through, and I say that as someone who has lived here a long time and has heard a lot of New York trivia. He was great with people. He asked us questions, remembered the answers, and made a point of talking with everyone as we moved between stops. The weather was a question mark that morning and he had already sorted out how to handle it, so it never became our problem. Everything leading up to the day was organized and clearly communicated too. Worth every penny. We'd do it again.

My wife and granddaughter recently visited New York and booked several sightseeing tours through…read moreReal New York Tours. We wanted a knowledgeable, top-notch guide to help us experience the city, and they exceeded our expectations. From the planning process to the tours themselves, everything was handled professionally and efficiently. Our guide was outstanding--knowledgeable, personable, and passionate about New York. They customized the experience, shared fascinating insights, and made every stop enjoyable. Our experience with Real New York Tours was exceptional. They delivered first-class service in every way, and I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a memorable and well-organized New York City sightseeing experience.

A wonderful afternoon cruise around the Statue of Liberty... Thank you to our guide, Debbie for…read morewelcoming and sharing so much information with us.

Fall foliage, boats, beer, cider, Bavarian food, and four hours on the water? Honestly, what more…read moredo you need? We did the fall foliage tour with an Oktoberfest theme and had such a fun time. It was a four-hour delightful ride with plenty of food, drinks, sightseeing, and fresh air. Our guide, Andy, was fantastic. He had SO many facts about the city and everything we were seeing--and he was hilarious. Honestly, I think Andy could probably carry an entire conversation by himself if you stopped responding. He just keeps going! But in the best possible way. The themed drinks were a lot of fun. I had an apple cider mimosa, which felt very appropriate for a fall boat ride. They also had a special Oktoberfest mug for $45 that came with FREE REFILLS. My friends took advantage of that for the beer and cider, because apparently they understood the assignment. Food-wise, we shared a HUGE Bavarian pretzel and an apple cider donut. There were also larger food plates available for $16.50 if you wanted to make a whole meal of it. When we went, the leaves were just starting to change, so I can only imagine how gorgeous this ride will be once the colors really come in. I'm guessing mid-November could be spectacular. And PLEASE get upstairs. Take in the fresh air, let the sun hit your face, and actually enjoy those views. It makes the whole experience. Dress warmly, though! I was in a sweater, leggings, and boots and was definitely feeling the chill. And now for the public service announcement nobody asked for but everyone needs: THE BATHROOMS AREN'T SCARY. They actually have multiple stalls. They automatically flush. You will survive. Happy boating, sightseeing, drinking, eating, and aggressively looking at leaves! Would absolutely do this again.

Rising above the Hudson River on its distinctive tulip-shaped pillars, Little Island is one of the…read moremost unique public parks in New York City. The park combines beautiful gardens, winding pathways, open lawns, viewpoints, and performance spaces, all packed into a relatively small area. The design feels creative and peaceful, and the elevated walkways provide great views of the Hudson River, New Jersey skyline, and surrounding waterfront. There are quiet spots to sit and relax, landscaped gardens that change with the seasons, and a variety of free performances and events throughout the year.

Booked my child's birthday party here. Was forced to endure the incredibly mediocre band camp…read moreperformer Thomas Barlett on what we thought would be a true homage to one of the great New Yorkers--Allen Ginsberg. Imagine our surprise when we realized that there were no balloons, and the staff was very rude and tired and unhelpful and just generally miserable to deal with. We just can't believe they couldn't accommodate my child with balloons. We saw the girl who played Snow White but only because they could not come up with any decent celebs to sing don't cry for me Argentina, except for the band camp counselors wife. Really terrible night. Worst birthday party even.

This review is for a special fourth of July weekend brunch cruise on the Spirit of New Jersey…read moreleaving from Liberty Landing Marina in Jersey City. This being said, my comments probably apply to many similar cruises offered by this company. The cruise was supposed to board at 10:30 am for an 11 am departure, returning at 1 pm. Boarding started maybe 10:50 am and the ship left about 20 minutes late, and still returned at 1 pm. So it was really a 1 hour and 40 minute cruise rather than a 2 hour one. The boat has two indoor, air-conditioned dining levels and an upper deck. It is random which level you are seated at, but the layout looks the same. With taxes and random fees, cost was about $350 for a family of three, and $500 for a family of four. We did not pay extra for a window table. We got a window table anyway, which was nice. There were also bottomless mimosas for the adults and orange juice for the kids. We did see the tall historic ships as advertised. We didn't see many - definitely less than 10 - but we did get pretty close to the ships and got some good pictures. The boat went around the tip of Manhattan and we saw Ellis Island, Governor's Island, and Staten Island. We spent a lot of time around the Statue of Liberty. It was a while before we got food. At the beginning of the cruise, the buffet was not ready yet so basically everyone went upstairs to the upper deck to take pictures first. When the buffet was ready there was a lot of waiting around while they called the tables up one by one. The buffet was honestly not great. The sausage was undercooked, the bacon was over-crispy, the salmon was overcooked. There was someone serving slices of beef which were somewhat dry but still the best thing there. The DJ did a commendable job acting as a tour guide but also playing every line dance that he could think of in order to convince people to get on the dance floor. I am sure nobody booked the cruise for the purposes of having a dance party, but there were definitely at least two families with kids dancing on the dance floor by the end of the cruise. Overall, decent but expensive.

The cruise was advertised as "New Jersey July 3rd Parade of Historic Ships signature afternoon…read morelunch". We saw no historic ships, no tall ships. The route advertised was from Liberty State Park to the Intrepid, then back to Battery Park and up the East River to Williamsburg Bridge. This boat simply circled Battery Park for 1 1/2 hours. No Intrepid and no East River! No historic ships. Food as fine, table location was excellent of there had been any ships to see. I received several emails warning to arrive 60 minutes early. We had to wait in the hot sun (nearly 100 degrees that day) and they boarded passengers 20 minutes later than stated in the email. So, we waited in the hot sun more than 80 minutes. Then we didn't have the cruise we paid for!! No email telling me the route changed or change of plans no access to the historic ships on this cruise!! if I had known that the day of the cruise, I would have demanded a refund before paying for five adults for this event. Make sure you double and triple check the actual cruise route before paying for a cruise with this organization.

What an amazing time! A safe new and enjoyable adventure. We learned a new skill, the people in…read morecharge made sure we had an amazing experience.

This is a top notch paddle sports business. They have tours ,lessons in kayaking ,and paddle board…read more I found them to be very supportive of new kayakers as well as more experienced folks. Noelle and Jeremy are great guides . They provided support, guidance , and education. I had been discouraged by another area kayaking facility. Noelle and Jeremy were so positive that I am back at it on the amazing Hudson River. Hoboken is an easy commute from Manhattan. I took a Ferry from 39th street to Hoboken, 10 minutes at most. Once at Dock 14th , you will find Resilience Paddle to your left next to Pier 14.

I can't say enough good things about this entire experience. The tour we wanted was sold out,…read morebummer. Sent a message to see what was recommended as far as the availability of a wait list or moving tickets from walking to bus tour would be easy. Scott himself responded, almost immediately with his recommendations. Purchased the walking tour tickets, put ourselves on the wait list for the bus tour and watched emails like a hawk for the few days before our scheduled date. The pizza tour Gods smiled on us and the wait list opened up. I called to get our tickets moved and talked to Scott who handled the whole transfer quickly for me because once the wait list opens up it opens up for everyone on it. He was very helpful in scoring those seats for us and understood the urgency. LOL. That's ALL before we even got to our first meeting place. We met the tour and Scott at Keste in the Financial District. I had read in my research that the tour stops aren't planned ahead and I was skeptical, but you could see him figuring it out as he figured out his group for the day. One of the attendees had taken the tour a year prior, they played a game of guess the spot so he didn't repeat stops for her and the very large group of family that she brought with her on this tour. There was one request for a spot in Brooklyn but he couldn't make it happen due to their hours, not that he wouldn't have moved heaven and earth if he could have. We had a smaller than usual tour group because of timing and a LI RR strike and you could just see that this opened up other options for places to go. After Keste we were able to do two stops in the Bronx, one in East Harlem. There was even an ice cream, water ice store next door to the last pizzeria. So much thought went into this route. Scott was able to take this group to places he hadn't been to in quite some time due to the distance and size of the group. Back to Keste-- what tour guide takes his entire group and takes over the kitchen, helping himself to dough balls and creating pies as he discussed pizza history?? We saw the kitchen and oven in each establishment and each shop was welcoming and friendly. Scott is a wealth of knowledge and enjoyed sharing his story and the story of all of the stops we visited. Pizza is an absolute passion project for him. Highly recommend!

Five stars for Scott's Pizza Tours, and that's only because six is not an option Yelp provides…read more Imagine a man who has taken the idea of pizza, which most people treat as a thing you fold in half on a street corner, and decided it deserves a Rosetta Stone. That man is Scott. We met him at Keste in the Financial District, and before he said much of anything, I noticed something unusual. Several of the people on our tour had done it before. They were back for more. That seemed as telling as anything else. People do not go on vacation and repeat the same bus ride unless something extraordinary is waiting for them on the other end. Scott does not work from a script. He looks at the group, he looks at the day, and then he consults the secret weather system in his head. Out came our route. Four stops, starting at our meeting point in Manhattan's Financial District and three more scattered like wayward toppings on the city map. Queens. The Bronx. Harlem. Lucky us. Scott told us that combination hardly ever happens. To him it was chance. To the rest of us it was magic. The stops themselves were like chapters in a book. At Keste we learned about the precision of Neapolitan tradition. At Patsy's in Harlem we felt the weight of history, coal ovens burning with the same stubbornness they have for generations. At Mario's on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx, an owner with stories longer than the line outside the door talked to us like we were old friends. At Philomena's in Queens, Scott was so at home that he even took a customer's order when the restaurant was swamped by our presence. Every stop had its secrets revealed. Oven temperatures. Dough hydration percentages. Family feuds. Bake times. Flour suppliers. How long a pizza can sit before the soul leaks out of it. Scott called over owners, opened kitchen doors, and invited us to peer inside the fiery mouths of the ovens like pilgrims gazing at sacred relics. Scott himself is difficult to explain without sounding untrustworthy. He is a human encyclopedia with a perfectly tuned sense of joy. He has a Rolodex in his brain that seems to contain the phone number of every pizza maker on earth. I mentioned Hamilton and he talks about Papa's and DeLorenzo's as if we were neighbors. Others mentioned Seattle and Las Vegas, and he told them where to eat, who to meet, and when to go. He casually suggested lowering the water percentage from 66 to 63 for another guest's home pizza dough, as if adjusting the tides. Then he mentioned that after our tour he would be home making 16 doughs for his guides, who were planning to test a new oven. I believed him. He also radiates decency. He runs Slice Out Hunger, a nonprofit that takes the love of pizza and turns it into meals for people who need them most. It is good to know a person can devote their life to melted cheese and still be entirely serious about kindness. This tour filled us with more than pizza. It gave us a sense of belonging. Everyone, from my ten year old to a pizza shop owner who happened to be along for the ride, was entertained and educated and full. Scott's Pizza Tours is not just about pizza, although the pizza is wonderful. It is about a man who has built a community, and who invites strangers to step inside it for a few hours. If you are a casual eater, a home chef, or someone who has already built your own pizzeria, this is for you. Five stars. The highest recommendation.

The High Line Park...what can I say? I mean, I've loved you for years…read more I think I was in my 20s when I first laid eyes on you, and after doing this walk so many times, I can confidently say my favorite direction is starting at Gansevoort Street and walking toward 34th Street. Unless you want to stop at the shops and restaurants at the end, then I would do the opposite. For me, this direction is perfect because I can end near Penn Station and hop back on the LIRR home. But regardless of which direction you walk, it's perfection. I made a few pit stops along the way this time. I hopped off to explore Little Island, realized the Whitney Museum was right there, and decided to explore that too. Then I went back to the High Line and continued my walk, ending at The Vessel; another one of my favorites. I love the greenery, the flowers, the art,the Hudson River views, and the fact that there is always something to see along the way. Grab an ice cream as a little treat on a sunny day, and you have the perfect NYC outing. The High Line will definitely always be one of my favorite things to do in the city.

The High Line is one of those places where you almost forget you're in NYC…read more Last night, after dinner with about 20 coworkers, we wandered up a staircase and found ourselves on this beautiful elevated walkway winding through the city. Gardens, benches, public art, apartment windows close enough that you're practically making eye contact with the people inside... and somehow, despite being in Manhattan, it all feels surprisingly peaceful. At night, it's especially beautiful. Couples cozy up on patches of lawn and stare out at the city lights. Others are taking photos, selfies, or just people-watching. I found myself doing a little of everything while wandering farther and farther south. Before you know it, you've walked 20 blocks and suddenly realize... well... I guess I have to turn around now. Along the way, you might notice remnants of old railroad tracks running through the gardens and think, "What the heck are those doing up here?" That's when the curiosity really starts. The High Line wasn't originally built as a park. It was an elevated freight railroad completed in the 1930s as part of the West Side Improvement Project. Before that, freight trains ran at street level along Tenth Avenue, so dangerously that the road became known as "Death Avenue." Yeah, who knew?? Cowboys on horseback (apparently nicknamed the West Side Cowboys) would ride ahead of trains waving flags to warn pedestrians. The tracks were elevated, which spared pedestrians, while also transforming the neighborhood. Decades later, after the railroad was abandoned, New Yorkers saved it from demolition and turned it into one of the city's most unique public parks. It's free, beautifully landscaped, and one of those attractions that's just as much about wandering as it is about reaching a destination. Don't rush it. Stop, look around, enjoy the history beneath your feet... and for a little while, forget you're in New York.

Good food! Great variety on a short time! Really enjoyed this tour, we would do another like this…read moreanytime!

This is my 3rd tour with Foods of NY. Food tours is something I always do when I visit a town and…read morethese tours are amongst my favorite. Tours are thoughtfully curated to provide a great experience and historical information as well as the best of the best food tastings.