movie tour in new york

New York City TV & Movie Tour

The new york city tv & movie tour will lead you to new york city’s best filming locations on this guided sightseeing bus tour you will see over 60 nyc locations featured in your favorite tv shows and movies..

So sit back and relax as your tour guide leads you through the most filmed city in the world , all from the comfort of a bus with air condition in the summer and heat in the winter. They will take you on a tour of the city’s most recognizable locations sharing with you some of the TV and film industry’s best-kept secrets. Follow in the footsteps of your favorite characters when you hop off at different NYC locations throughout your tour.

This tour travels through much of Manhattan while highlighting the specific TV and movie locations that are the tour’s focus. As a result, families and friends often find this tour an ideal way to tour the city! While the tour does not visit such Manhattan landmarks as the Statue of Liberty or Empire State Building, you will be visiting neighborhoods such as Greenwich Village , Chelsea , SoHo and Tribeca .

Bookings for this tour are non-refundable and can not be cancelled or rescheduled.

• Car , Coach
• Other Filming Locations
• Public tour

From € 57 per person

Covid-19 safety measures

Your safety is our top priority.

Although there are no known cases of illnesses at On Location Tours, we are responsible for keeping an active stance in preventing the spread of any diseases.

We are following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention along with Federal and State guidelines on stopping the spread. If you are feeling unwell, we kindly ask that you stay home for the safety of all customers and staff attending the tour.

Customer & Staff Protection

The daily washing and disinfecting of our vehicles encompassing the exterior and interior is standard operating procedure to ensure customers feel safe and secure.

• All high touch areas are wiped clean and disinfected including headrests, armrests, grab handles, luggage compartments, railings, windows, and window sills.
• The cabin floors are swept and mopped thoroughly, and the restroom is wiped down and disinfected.
• Advanced hand sanitizer that kills more than 99.99% of common germs is provided to all customers.
• Our buses are equipped with upgraded filtration systems, a driver partition screen, and an electrostatic disinfectant fogging system that is FDA and EPA approved.

• Meeting point: Ellen’s Stardust Diner
• Times Square
• Columbus Circle
• Central Park South
• Fifth Avenue
• Flatiron District
• Washington Square Park
• Greenwich Village
• Meatpacking District
• Midtown Manhattan
• Tour ends: McGee's Pub
• Visit your favorite Friends at the iconic Friends apartment building
• Stop by Washington Square Park, as seen in Girls, The Mindy Project, Glee, Someone Great, and When Harry Met Sally
• Get a glimpse at popular hotels as seen in American Hustle, Ocean’s 8, and Home Alone 2
• Take a photo in front of the iconic firehouse as seen in the Ghostbusters franchise.
• See the ‘Original Soupman’ and other locations as seen in Seinfeld
• Pass by famous sites as seen in The Office and Modern Family
• Get a glimpse at locations as seen in Homeland and This Is Us
• End your tour at McGee’s Pub; the original inspiration for MacLaren’s in How I Met Your Mother
• See new spots from The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Power, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Trainwreck, Mr. Robot, Younger, Avengers: Endgame and more!

Tour details

Small private tours are typically 1 hour shorter.

Meeting point

Please arrive at least 15 minutes before departure in front of Ellen’s Stardust Diner on 51st Street and Broadway, New York 10019 (view map)

Tour departs

Thursdays – Sundays at 11:00 am (Jan – Dec) Daily at 11:00 am (Jul – Dec)

55th & Broadway, New York

Live guide speaks

Tour operator.

On Location Tours

Cancellation policy

Accessibility.

All ages welcome Suitable for children Children must be accompanied by an adult Not wheelchair accessible

Professional live guide Transport and driver Vehicle with air condition

Food & Drink Gratuities (optional)

Things to bring

Appropriate clothing Comfortable shoes

Film series

Locations (13), 1. meeting point: ellen’s stardust diner.

Please arrive at least 15 minutes before departure in front of Ellen’s Stardust Diner on 51st Street & Broadway

2. Times Square

The experience begins in the heart of New York City, Times Square. See where Kimmy and Titus sing their hearts out in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt . Pass the famous steps where the cast of Glee sang a version of “I Love New York/New York, New York” in the Season 2 finale, and where Jamie introduced Dylan to the word “Flash Mob” in Friends with Benefits . Then pass the bar where Michael Keaton has his post performance drink in Birdman .

3. Columbus Circle

As you venture into Columbus Circle you’ll see famous buildings like The Time Warner Center and Trump International, home to some of the most expensive real estate in the country. Appearing in movies like Tower Heist , Enchanted and Ghostbusters , Columbus Circle is a New York staple that cannot be missed.

4. Central Park South

As you venture down Central Park South, you’ll get a glimpse of the locations that have set the stage in a number of the industry’s latest and greatest. See the most filmed building in the world, The Plaza Hotel, as seen in films such as American Hustle , The Great Gatsby , Bride Wars , Home Alone 2: Lost in New York , and Crocodile Dundee .

The Plaza’s Oak Room Bar set the stage for Hitchcock’s North by Northwest and was featured in the last season of Mad Men . Out front is the beautiful Pulitzer Fountain that was replicated in the opening credits of Friends and where Blair and Serena danced on Gossip Girl .

5. Fifth Avenue

Check out the famous locations from New York City’s funniest sitcoms on the exclusive Upper East Side. See Barney’s, where Elaine from Seinfeld buys a dress, only to realize it looks horrible on her. Then see the Pierre Hotel where Monica and Chandler tie the knot in Friends .

Continue your adventure and you’ll see the famous Fifth Ave stores that have been used in a number of films. Pass by FAO Schwarz, most famous for its role in the movie BIG , and see Tiffany & Co., which was featured on screen in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Glee and New Years Eve .

Cruising down Fifth Avenue the NYC TV & Movie Tour takes you past yet another Trump Tower that you’ll recognize as Wayne Enterprises in The Dark Knight . Next pass the St. Regis Hotel, as seen in The Devil Wears Prada, Taxi Driver and Miss Congeniality . You can’t miss Rockefeller Center, home to NBC Studios where The Tonight Show, Saturday Night Live, The Today Show , and countless other TV shows and movies film.

Most recently Marvel’s Daredevil featured a tense scene between Fisk and Madame Gao at the same rooftop garden Spider-Man swings onto with Mary Jane in Spider-Man .

See the New York Public Library, a filming location for Ghostbusters, Ted 2, 13 Going 30, Sex and The City: The Movie and catch a glimpse of the Empire State Building, featured in King Kong, Sleepless in Seattle and An Affair to Remember .

6. Flatiron District

The journey continues as you approach the Flatiron Building, which you’ll recognize from Spider-Man, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles , and the scene from The Other Guys when Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson leap from the top. Across the street is Madison Square Park, where Ron Burgundy fights the ultimate battle of the news teams in Anchorman 2 . You may also recognize this park from I am Legend, The Adjustment Bureau and Something Borrowed.

7. Washington Square Park

Our first stop on the tour is one of New York’s most famous landmarks, Washington Square Park. It’s here where Glee, The Mindy Project, Don Jon, Blue Bloods and countless other movies and TV shows filmed. Around the corner you can spot the Comedy Cellar where Louie performs in Louie and the McDonald’s where Julian demands breakfast in Big Daddy .

The Tribeca area is famous for its annual film festival founded by Robert De Niro but is also a great location for filming. Your tour guide will escort you for a photo-op at the FDNY Hook & Ladder 8, known as the Ghostbusters’ Firehouse , also seen in Hitch and Seinfeld .

9. Greenwich Village

In Greenwich Village your guide will lead you off the grid, literally into the maze of one hundred year old townhouses and cobblestone streets. You’ll appear in a familiar place, the perfect photo-op outside the apartment building that was home to Monica, Chandler, Joey, and Rachel from Friends .

10. Meatpacking District

In the Meatpacking District, you’ll see the Standard Hotel which houses the Boom Boom Room, that you’ll recognize from Gossip Girl and The High Line, one of New York’s newest parks featured in Hitch, GIRLS, and The Mysteries of Laura . Hovering high above is The Highline Hotel, whose grounds were often featured as fictional “Hudson University” in Law and Order SVU .

11. Chelsea

Moving through Chelsea you’ll see Empire Diner from Men In Black II and Home Alone 2 . Pass the Star on 18 Diner where Abby and Ilana recover after an all nighter on Broad City . Even see the Chelsea Television Studios where The Wendy Williams Show and The Rachael Ray Show are filmed.

12. Midtown Manhattan

Making your way through Midtown you’ll find the famous Macy’s in Herald Square, used in holiday favorites Miracle on 34th Street and Elf . See the Time-Life Building, featured in Mad Men as the new Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce office. You’ll catch a glimpse of the original “Al’s Soup Kitchen” from Seinfeld and the Bank of America Tower, which plays the role of “Atlantis World Media” from HBO’s The Newsroom . Even enter the world of Marvel’s Daredevil on Eighth Avenue at the 50th street subway stop, where “Foggy” Nelson places a desperate call to a friend in the NYPD.

13. Tour ends: McGee's Pub

The NYC TV & Movie Tour ends at McGee’s Pub, the inspiration for MacLaren’s Pub in How I Met Your Mother , where you’ll have the opportunity to take photos, grab a drink or dine at the spot that inspired the “bromance” between Barney, Ted and Marshall.

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NYC TV & MOVIE BUS TOUR > 40 LOCATIONS

Are you a lover of Movies and TV series and can’t wait to visit their main locations during your NYC vacation? You are in the right place.

With our NYC TV & MOVIE TOUR you will have the chance to visit iconic locations that have made movies and TV series memorable such as:

Friends, When Harry Met Sally, Home Alone 2, Ghostbusters, How I Met Your Mother and so many more!

Our tour has  HIGH RATINGS on TripAdvisor: over 5900 reviews , with an average of over 4.5 / 5 stars and it is ranked 141  out of over 1200  tours in NYC

Use CODE “ DISCOVEROLT ” for an EXCLUSIVE 10% DISCOUNT

ABOUT THIS ACTIVITY

• Cancellation Policy
• COVID-19 PRECAUTIONS

THE EXPERIENCE

• Visit your favorite Friends at the iconic apartment location
• Stop by the famous arch at Washington Square Park, a location featured in Girls, The Mindy Project, Glee, Someone Great , and When Harry Met Sally .
• Check in to the popular hotels as seen in American Hustle, Ocean’s 8, and Home Alone 2
• Snap a photo with your sidekick ghouls at the iconic firehouse as seen in the Ghostbusters franchise .
• Discover the origins of the ‘Original Soupman’ and other locations as seen in Seinfeld
• Sitcom fanatic? Embrace your inner sarcasm and laugh your way to sites as seen in The Office and Modern Family
• Dive into the drama and see locations featured in Homeland and This Is Us
• End the day with a pint (or two!) at McGee’s Pub; the original inspiration for MacLaren’s in How I Met Your Mother.   This is where the tour ends

Times Square

The experience begins in the heart of New York City, Times Square, which holds the notorious New Year’s Eve Ball Drop and is home to locations featured in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Glee and Friends with Benefits .

Then, pass by the swanky piano bar The Rum House, featured in Birdman .

Columbus Circle & Central Park South

As you venture into Columbus Circle you’ll see famous buildings like The Time Warner Center and Trump International, home to some of the most expensive real estate in the country.

Appearing in movies like Tower Heist, Enchanted and Ghostbusters , Columbus Circle is a New York staple that cannot be missed.

As you venture down Central Park South, get a glimpse of the locations that have set the stage in a number of the industry’s latest and greatest.

See the most filmed building in the world, The Plaza Hotel, as seen in films such as American Hustle, The Great Gatsby, Bride Wars, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, and Crocodile Dundee.

The Plaza’s Oak Room Bar set the stage for Hitchcock’s North by Northwest and was featured in the last season of Mad Men .

Out front is the beautiful Pulitzer Fountain that was replicated in the opening credits of Friends and also seen in Gossip Girl .

Upper East Side & Fabulous Fifth Avenue

Check out the famous locations from New York City’s funniest sitcoms on the exclusive Upper East Side. See Barney’s, a luxury department store, and the Pierre Hotel, the elegant landmark hotel right across from Central Park.

Continue your adventure and see the famous Fifth Ave stores that have been used in a number of films. Pass by FAO Schwarz, most famous for its role in the movie BIG , and see Tiffany & Co., which was featured on screen in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Glee and New Year’s Eve .

Cruising down Fifth Avenue the NYC TV & Movie Tour takes you past yet another Trump Tower that you’ll recognize as Wayne Enterprises in The Dark Knight .

Next pass the St. Regis Hotel, as seen in The Devil Wears Prada, Taxi Driver and Miss Congeniality . You can’t miss Rockefeller Center, home to The Tonight Show, Saturday Night Live, The Today Show , and countless other TV shows and movies.

See the New York Public Library, a filming location for Ghostbusters, Ted 2, 13 Going On 30, Sex and The City: The Movie and catch a glimpse of the Empire State Building, featured in King Kong, Sleepless in Seattle and An Affair to Remember.

Flatiron District and Washington Square Park

The journey continues as you approach the Flatiron Building, which you’ll recognize from Spider-Man, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles , and the famous scene from The Other Guys .

Across the street is Madison Square Park, the historic public square featured in Anchorman, I am Legend, The Adjustment Bureau and Something Borrowed . It’s also where Glee, The Mindy Project, Don Jon, Blue Bloods , and countless other movies and TV shows filmed.

Around the corner, you can spot the Comedy Cellar, a comedy club where many top comedians perform as featured in Louie and the McDonald’s as seen in Big Daddy .

The Tribeca area is famous for its annual film festival but is also a great location for filming. Your tour guide will escort you for a photo-op at the FDNY Hook & Ladder 8, known as the Ghostbusters’ Firehouse , also seen in Hitch and Seinfeld .

Greenwich Village, the Meatpacking District

In Greenwich Village, your guide will lead you off the grid, literally into the maze of one-hundred-year-old townhouses and cobblestone streets. You’ll appear in a familiar place, the perfect photo-op outside the Friends apartment building .

In the Meatpacking District, you’ll see the Standard Hotel, which has windows overlooking lower Manhattan, the High Line, and the Hudson River. This hotel also houses the Boom Boom Room that you’ll recognize from Gossip Girl , and The High Line, one of New York’s newest parks featured in Hitch, GIRLS , and The Mysteries of Laura .

Hovering high above is The Highline Hotel in the West Chelsea neighborhood, whose grounds were often featured as fictional “Hudson University” in L aw and Order SVU .

Moving through Chelsea you’ll see Empire Diner from Men In Black II and Home Alone 2 . Pass the Star on 18 Diner where Abby and Ilana recover after an all-nighter on Broad City .

Making your way through Midtown you’ll find the famous Macy’s in Herald Square, the flagship department store, used in holiday favorites Miracle on 34th Street and Elf . You’ll also see the Time-Life Building, a 48-story skyscraper on Sixth Avenue, featured in Mad Men .

Catch a glimpse of The Original Soupman, the popular soup restaurant featured in Seinfeld , and the Bank of America Tower, a 55-story skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan which plays the role of “Atlantis World Media” in The Newsroom. Even enter the world of Daredevil on Eighth Avenue at the 50th street subway stop!

The NYC TV & Movie Tour ends at McGee’s Pub, the inspiration for MacLaren’s Pub featured in How I Met Your Mother, where you’ll have the opportunity to take photos, grab a drink or dine.

✅ Licensed Tour Guide

✅ Transportation

❌ Hotel pick-up and drop off

❌ Beverages

❌  Gratuities (never required, but highly appreciated if you enjoyed the tour)

People with mobility impairments: although the amount of walking is very limited, we get on and off our Bus multiple times during the tour

Non-refundable, cannot be rescheduled: Once purchased, tickets cannot be refunded and cannot be rescheduled because your space is being guaranteed at the event.

• Buses cleaned with epa-registered disinfectant between every tour
• All employees to wear face masks
• Mandatory temperature screening for all employees
• Face masks required for all travelers (mandatory by local governments)
• Hand sanitizers available aboard buses
• Limited seating on buses for added space between passengers
• Contactless check-in process

MEETING POINT

The meeting point is at the intersection of 51st Street and 7th Avenue.

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The best TV and movie tours in NYC

Take these TV and movie tours to spot film locations like the apartment from Friends and deli from When Harry Met Sally

Los Angeles might get all the credit for the entertainment industry, but NYC deserves some attention too. After all, this is the city of Friends , Seinfeld , When Harry Met Sally , Breakfast at Tiffany’s and many of best movies of all time . Discover all the city’s best-known filming locations on these TV and movie tours in NYC. Spot Carrie Bradshaw’s stoop from Sex and the City , the Bada Bing! strip joint from The Sopranos and that famous subway grate from The Seven-Year Itch . And since you pass so many iconic New York attractions and NYC parks along the way, these tours double as excellent ways to see the city.

RECOMMENDED: Full guide to New York City tours

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Best TV and movie tours in NYC

Central Park TV and Movie Sites Tour

With 843 acres of meadows, woods and streams, Central Park offers a gorgeous green backdrop for filmmakers. So perhaps it’s no surprise that countless movies have been set here, from When Harry Met Sally to Ghostbusters . Movie buffs will recognize the skating rink featured in Serendipity , the people-watching scene from Annie Hall and the path that Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra and Jules Munshin biked along in On the Town . This two-hour walking tour takes you to 30 film locations within the park, though hundreds more exist. $25

When Harry Met Seinfeld Tour

Instead of hitting all the usual downtown spots, this bus tour focuses on Midtown, the Upper East Side and the Upper West Side. Find the Seinfeld gang ’ s favorite restaurant, the fountain from Moonstruck , the Plaza Hotel from the The Way We Were and more filming locations. Bonus: You’ll also get a good look at Columbus Circle, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Guggenheim along the route. $39

New York TV and Movie Tour

Consider this the one-stop-shop for filming locations in the Big Apple: The three-hour bus tour takes you all over Manhattan, from the East Village to the Upper West Side. Highlights include the apartment building where Monica, Rachel, Chandler and Joey lived on Friends , a hotel featured in American Hustle and Ghostbusters headquarters. $43

Photograph: Courtesy CC/Flickr/ Eli Duke

Gossip Girl Sites Tour

Spotted: You checking out all of B and S’s usual Upper East Side haunts. You don’t need a Sidekick or plaid school uniform to hit up the Constance Billard School for Girls or Blair Waldorf’s lavish apartment building—or at least, the real-life locations that inspired them. In true Gossip Girl fashion, your guide will also dish the dirt on some little-known facts about the show on this three-hour tour. $49

TCM Classic Film Tour

Prefer the classics to new releases? The Turner Classic Movies bus tour of 60 filming locations around Manhattan has you covered. As you pass each spot, your guide will queue up the accompanying scene inside the bus so you can compare the original clip to the current day site. The subway grate on 52nd and Lexington might not look like much today, but it gains a whole new meaning once you rewatch Marilyn Monroe’s scene from The Seven-Year Itch . $49

Sex and the City Hotspots Tour

What Sex and the City fan hasn’t daydreamed about switching lives with Carrie, Samantha, Miranda or Charlotte for the day? The over-the-top outfits, glamorous parties and outrageous dates might be too good to be true, but at least the scenery is true to life. Visit Carrie’s brownstone, some of the girls’ favorite bars and an X-rated store featured on the show on this three-hour bus tour. There might even be time to stop for a Cosmopolitan. $49

The Real Housewives of New York City Tour

Don’t worry, reality TV fans: There’s a bus tour on this list for you, too. Now’s your chance to see where Bethenny coined her most famous saying and—who could forget—Aviva threw her prosthetic leg across the room. The four-hour route takes you to some of the glamorous locations featured on the series—and the backdrop for some of the most infamous fights. $49

The Sopranos Sites Tour

Technically speaking, this tour takes you outside the five boroughs, but The Sopranos is such an iconic New York show that we couldn’t leave it out. After you board the bus in Midtown, you’ll go through the Lincoln Tunnel—the site of the show’s unforgettable opening sequence—on your way to the New Jersey suburbs. There, you’ll check out the Bada Bing! strip club, Big Pussy’s auto body shop and the restaurant featured in the final scene of the series. $52

TV and Movie Locations Tour With Official NBC Studio Visit

Channel Liz Lemon for this tour of NBC’s film and television studio at Rockefeller Center. After visiting a few film locations in the area, you head inside for the main event: a tour of the production studios where Saturday Night Live , NBC Nightly News and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon are filmed. Better get ready for your close-up: You’ll also get a chance to record your own five-minute talk show segment. $84

Looking for more tours in NYC?

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A self-guided New York film locations walking tour (with map)

Posted on Last updated: December 20, 2022

Explore Manhattan through the locations of iconic movies and TV shows, from Ghostbusters to King Kong, on this self-guided New York film locations walking tour – map and directions included.

* This site contains affiliate links , where I get a small commission from purchases at no extra cost to you.

It was my first trip to New York and everything should’ve felt new. But I couldn’t shake off the feeling that I’d been here before. Walking past Fifth Avenue’s skyscrapers as yellow cabs rushed by, it hit me. I might not have actually been to the Big Apple before, but I’d walked these streets and seen these views in so many movies it almost felt like I had.

Times Square’s neon lights, the view from the top of the Empire State Building, steam rising from subway vents – they were all part of the films I grew up with. Although I’ve been back to New York several times since, I still haven’t shaken off that feeling of excitement I get from seeing these places translated from the screen into real life.

Whether you’re a rom-com or thriller fan, love black and white films or modern blockbusters, chances are New York will feature in your film history too. And Manhattan has such a high concentration of film locations that it makes for a great walking tour.

So grab your camera and some comfy shoes, and in just under seven miles (or five miles if you use the handy subway short cut) this self-guided New York film locations walking tour will take you in the footsteps of King Kong , Ghostbusters and many more.

A self-guided New York film locations walking tour

Start your New York film locations walking tour at the Metropolitan Museum of Art at 1000 Fifth Avenue. The nearest subway station is 86th Street, which is on the route of the 4, 5 and 6 trains. From the station it’s around a 10-minute walk to the museum.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art (aka The Met) is one of the world’s largest art museums, and its main building stretches for a quarter of a mile along Fifth Avenue. There are over two million items in the Met’s collection across 5000 years of history, with everything from ancient Greek sculptures to artworks by Monet, Van Gogh and Picasso.

On screen, the Met is where Pierce Brosnan steals a Monet painting in the 1999 remake of The Thomas Crown Affair. Well the exterior scenes are at least – the Met didn’t want to be associated with a robbery, even a fictional one, so didn’t allow filming inside.

Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan take a wander around the Temple of Dendur in the Met’s Egyptian Room in When Harry Met Sally (1989). The temple also featured in Ocean’s 8 (2018), the third Ocean’s Eleven spin-off. The production team recreated the museum’s Met Gala – an annual celebrity-filled fundraiser – as the scene for a diamond heist.

From the Met, follow Fifth Avenue south along the edge of Central Park (1.2 miles) until you reach the end of the park where you’ll see the Plaza Hotel on your right.

The Plaza Hotel

The Plaza Hotel * opened in 1907 and gets its name from the Grand Army Plaza which it’s located on. It stretches over 21 floors and was built to look like a French Renaissance château. It’s one of the city’s most luxurious – and expensive – hotels, and a stay in its lavish Royal Plaza Suite will set you back an eye-watering $40,000 a night.

Over the years the Plaza has featured in plenty of films, including Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992). Macaulay Culkin’s uses his dad’s credit card to stay there when he gets on the wrong plane and ends up in New York instead of Florida. It’s also been a location for North By Northwest , Crocodile Dundee , The Great Gatsby and Bride Wars .

Leave the Plaza and carry on walking down Fifth Avenue for a few minutes and you’ll see Tiffany & Co’s flagship store on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 57th Street.

Tiffany’s

With its polished marble exterior and sparkling window displays, Tiffany’s is one of the world’s best-known jewellery stores (who hasn’t coveted one of their turquoise boxes?). It became part of movie history in 1961 when Audrey Hepburn stepped out of a cab and stood looking through the shop’s window in the opening scenes of Breakfast at Tiffany’s .

You can have breakfast at Tiffany’s yourself at the Blue Box Café (reopening in 2023 after refurbishment). It’s decorated in their signature turquoise colour and serves smoked salmon bagels and buttermilk waffles – though book well in advance.

Tiffany’s is also where Patrick Dempsey asks Reese Witherspoon to marry him in Sweet Home Alabama (2002), which prompted a flurry of proposals in the store ever since. And if you want a turquoise box for yourself and don’t quite have a diamond-sized budget, you can get a more budget-friendly silver Tiffany chain for around $95.

Keep walking south down Fifth Avenue until you get to 51st Street, then take a right turn and walk one block to 6th Avenue (0.5 miles) and the Radio City Music Hall.

Radio City Music Hall

The Art Deco Radio City Music Hall * is part of the Rockefeller Center. It was the largest indoor theater in the world when it was built in the 1930s and has had over 300 million visitors since then. The main stage is the length of a city block and the theatre’s Rockettes dance troupe have been high-kicking their way across it for the last 90 years.

As well as being a filming location for several game shows, Radio City appears in The Godfather (1972) – Michael Corleone and his wife are watching a show when they hear Don Corleone has been shot. It was also shown in 1982’s Annie and Home Alone 2 .

Next continue south down 6th Avenue, then turn right along 45th Street and walk for one block to 7th Avenue and Times Square (0.5 miles).

Times Square

Over 330,000 people normally pass through bustling Times Square each day, making it one of the world’s most visited tourist destinations. But in the Tom Cruise film Vanilla Sky (2001), Times Square is completely deserted after the production team got special permission to empty it of people and cars for three hours early one Sunday.

Will Smith also goes hunting in an abandoned Times Square in the post-apocalyptic I Am Legend (2007). It was destroyed by a giant wave in Deep Impact (1998). And is the site of a fight between Spiderman and Electra in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014). Times Square also appeared in classic films Midnight Cowboy (1969) and Taxi Driver (1976).

Then head south down 7th Avenue. Turn left when you reach 43rd Street and follow it for three blocks to Park Avenue where you’ll find Grand Central Terminal (0.5 miles).

Grand Central Terminal

Grand Central Terminal was built in 1913 and is a US National Historic Landmark, as well as still being one of the city’s busiest transport hubs. The station exterior and Park Avenue Viaduct were the site of the Battle of New York in 2012’s The Avengers .

The main concourse was used for a flash mob scene at the end of the Justin Timberlake film Friends With Benefits (2011). Look up to see its beautifully detailed astronomical ceiling – though keen astronomers might notice the star map isn’t totally accurate.

Below the concourse is the Oyster Bar where George Clooney has lunch with his daughter in One Fine Day (1996). And Will Smith’s been to Grand Central twice – to film exterior shots for I Am Legend and discover aliens in the locker room in Men in Black (1997).

Outside the station, head west along 42nd Street for two blocks to the New York Public Library’s Schwarzman Building (0.3 miles).

New York Public Library

With its marble walls, grand staircases, chandeliers and ceiling fescoes, the New York Public Library is one of my favourite New York buildings. On screen it stood in for the foyer of The Met in The Thomas Crown Affair (1999). But it’s probably best known as the place where the Ghostbusters hunted down the ghost of librarian Eleanor Twitty (1984).

The library’s beautiful Rose Reading Room is two blocks longs long and 15 metres high, with a gilded ceiling painted with clouds. It appears in The Day After Tomorrow (2004), where survivors of the new Ice Age burn the library’s books to keep warm.

And Carrie Bradshaw chose the library as the venue for her wedding to Mr Big in Sex and the City: The Movie (2008) because it was “the classic New York landmark that housed all the great love stories” (though it didn’t quite work out for her).

Exit the library onto Fifth Avenue and walk south for seven blocks until you reach the Empire State Building (0.4 miles) at 20 West 34th Street.

Empire State Building

The 103-storey Art Deco Empire State Building * has to be one of New York’s most iconic buildings. And the first time many of us ever saw it was on screen with a giant gorilla swinging around the top of it in the original 1933 monster film King Kong .

Since then it’s been used in over 250 films and TV shows, including Superman II (1980), where Christopher Reeve’s Superman catches the tower’s antenna before it falls. And its interiors were used as Buddy’s father’s offices in the 2003 festive film Elf .

The Empire State Building was also used in romantic favourite An Affair to Remember (1957). Cary Grant asks Deborah Kay to meet him at the top of the Empire State Building, but she’s hit by a car on the way there and doesn’t make it.

An Affair to Remember is Meg Ryan’s character Annie’s favourite film in Sleepless in Seattle (1993). So the Empire State Building’s observation deck is where she finally meets up with Tom Hanks’ character Sam and his son at the end of the film.

The next hop is a bit bigger, so you can also catch the subway if you don’t want to walk (take lines B/D/F/M from 34th Street to 2nd Avenue). Otherwise head down Fifth Avenue then take Broadway south through Union Square before going left on East Houston Street to Katz’s Deli, on the southwest corner of Houston and Ludlow Streets (2.2 miles).

Katz’s Deli

Katz’s Deli on the Lower East Side was founded in 1888 and is known for its giant pastrami on rye sandwiches. It got its big screen break in When Harry Met Sally (1989), as the place where Meg Ryan faked an orgasm over lunch with Billy Crystal. You can sit in her spot under a sign saying “Where Harry met Sally… hope you have what she had!”

The deli also appears in fantasy film Enchanted (2007) and is where Johnny Depp’s character meets with an FBI contact in Donnie Brasco (1997).

Next head back along Houston Street as far as West Broadway and then follow that south until you reach 14 North Moore Street (1.4 miles).

FDNY Ladder 8

Finish your New York film locations walking tour at the New York City Fire Department’s Hook and Ladder 8 firehouse. It was built in 1903 and has been a working fire station for more than a century. But you might know it better as the base for the Ghostbusters as it featured in both the 1984 original film and the 2016 remake.

Well the outside of the building did at least – a lot of the interiors were actually shot in the studio in LA. But the Ghostbusters logo from the film hangs outside the station after a crowdfunding campaign raised money to build one. The station also appeared in the 2005 film Hitch and episodes of TV show Seinfeld and How I Met Your Mother .

From the station it’s a few minutes’ walk to Franklin Street or Canal Street subway stations. Or you’re surrounded by Tribeca’s bars and cafés if you fancy a post-tour drink.

New York film locations walking tour map

If you’d like to do this New York movie walk yourself, click on the map below to access directions through Google maps. The full route is 6.9 miles/11.1km and takes 2.5 hours to walk straight through, but allow four hours to include stops along the way.

Or the shorter route with the subway short cut between the Empire State Building and Katz’s Deli is 5 miles/8km in total with 1 hour 40 minutes of walking.

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Monday 25th of December 2023

A great find. Easy to follow enjoyable tour. Thank you

Lucy Dodsworth

Saturday 30th of December 2023

That's great – really glad you enjoyed it!

Friday 1st of September 2023

I'm going to NY soon with my youngest and was looking for a movie tour for our first day. This is perfect for us

Tuesday 5th of September 2023

Thanks Grant, hope you have a great trip!

darekandgosia.com

Thursday 4th of July 2019

Nice list Lucy! So many iconic locations :) Which one is your favorite one? :)

Monday 8th of July 2019

Ooh that's a tough one – I do love Grand Central, such a beautiful place and I'm a big train travel fan too.

Friday 1st of March 2019

What a wonderful guide, Lucy! I'm visiting New Your in a week and these locations will be perfect for one of my filming projects. Exactly what I was lookig for, thanks :)

Tuesday 5th of March 2019

Hope you have a fab time – it's such a great city!

New York Movie & TV Tours

Movie & TV Tours is the perfect way to experience the filming locations of your favorite TV shows and movies in New York City. On this guided tour, visit famous sights from popular shows such as Friends, Glee, and Seinfeld, and blockbuster movies like Spider-Man and Ghostbusters. See iconic buildings, streets, and landmarks and relive some of the most memorable scenes in television and film history. A knowledgeable guide shares behind-the-scenes stories and fun facts, making this tour a must-see for any pop culture fan.

Movie & TV Tours' Sex and the City Hotspots Tour is a must-do for any fan of the iconic show. On this 3.5-hour tour, you'll visit the most memorable landmarks from the series, such as Carrie's stoop and the jewelry store where Charlotte found her engagement ring. Your knowledgeable guide will share behind-the-scenes stories and fun facts about the show and its stars. Plus, you'll get the chance to stop for photos and even shop at some of the same stores featured on the show.

Movie & TV Tours presents the Sopranos Sites Tour which takes you through some of the iconic locations of the popular show The Sopranos. The tour includes a visit to satiate your hunger at the real-life pizzerias and restaurants featured in the series like Satin Dolls, where you can enjoy a scrumptious meal surrounded by the show's memorabilia. The knowledgeable guide takes you to over 40 locations and shares behind-the-scenes stories about the show adding an interesting edge to your tour.

Movie & TV Tours offers an unforgettable Gossip Girl Sites Tour, taking visitors on a journey through the glamorous Upper East Side made famous by the hit TV show. Fans will get a chance to visit over 40 locations featured in the series, including the Constance Billard School for Girls, the lavish Palace Hotel, and the iconic steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Along the way, expert guides share behind-the-scenes insights and juicy gossip about the show's cast and crew. It's a can't-miss experience for any fan of Gossip Girl.

Movie & TV Tours offers an exciting Central Park Movie Sites Walking Tour, taking you on a journey through the filming locations of your favorite movies and TV shows. Enjoy the scenery and the backdrop of Central Park, as you retrace the steps of famous actors and actresses. The knowledgeable guides will give you great insights into the behind-the-scenes of films like Home Alone 2, When Harry Met Sally, and Elf. It's an activity perfect for movie enthusiasts and nature lovers alike!

Experience the enchanting world of 1950s New York with Movie & TV Tours' private classic '57 car tour to Marvelous Mrs. Maisel sites. On Location Tours presents this extraordinary journey through iconic filming locations captured in the Emmy-winning show. Merging history with entertainment, this tour lets fans cruise Manhattan in a vintage car, reliving Midge Maisel's enchanting life. Stops include the Gaslight Cafe, B. Altman’s and the Maisel/Roth apartment, capturing an era long past in an unforgettable way.

Movie & TV Tours introduces you to the Central Park Movie Sites Tour, an exciting exploration of New York's illustrious cinematic history. This tour offers a unique perspective of the park, highlighting iconic filming locations from more than 50 famous movies and TV shows. Spot recognizable scenes from 'Friends,' 'Sex in the City,' and 'When Harry Met Sally.' Narrated by knowledgeable guides, this tour provides an enchanting journey through Hollywood's favorite urban oasis.

• New York City
• Cultural & Theme Tours
• Movie & TV Tours

TCM Classic Film Tour of New York

• 3-hour tour of famous film locations in New York City
• Admire top New York attractions including the Empire State Building, Central Park and Grand Central Terminal
• View clips from classic films and see how New York has changed since they were filmed
• See filming locations from films such as Breakfast at Tiffany's, You've Got Mail, Ghostbusters and The Seven-Year Itch
• Learn more about your favorite films and New York City from your guide, a local actor
• Stop for photos at selected filming locations and test your knowledge with movie trivia quizzes!
• Upgrade to priority seating for better views of your favorite film sites

Inclusions & Exclusions

• Transport by air-conditioned coach
• Local actor guide
• Food and drinks
• Gratuities (optional)
• Hotel pickup and drop-off

Departure & Return

Ellen's Stardust Diner in Midtown10:30am

10:30amThursday and Saturday

Grand Central Station

What To Expect

Manhattan has played a starring role in classic movie history and remains one of the world's most-filmed cities. See the urban set locations made famous by Turner Classic Movies (TCM) and other production studios on this fun and informative tour. Make your way to Times Square, where you'll board a comfortable coach and meet your guide, a local actor and New York film expert. Upgrade to priority seating to sit in the first four rows of the coach. Drive through Central Park to learn about the many scenes filmed among its verdant paths and gardens, and cross to the West Side to view the building where John Lennon once lived and that was featured in Rosemary's Baby and Woody Allen's Hannah and Her Sisters. See the subway grate immortalized by Marilyn Monroe in the The Seven-Year Itch and Holly Golightly's apartment from Breakfast at Tiffany's. Along the way, your guide will screen classic movie clips so you can compare footage with views of New York City today.Throughout the 3-hour tour, you'll see more than 60 film locations, including New York City landmarks like the Plaza Hotel, Rockefeller Center, the FAO Schwartz toy store, and the Empire State Building. Your tour ends at Grand Central Station, which has been featured in scores of films, such as Superman and Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest. 

Additional Info

• Confirmation will be received at time of booking
• Limited wheelchair accessibility. Buses are not equipped with wheelchair lifts. Storage is available for foldable wheelchairs. Passengers must be able to get on and off the bus of their own accord. Wheelchairs may be taken out at the stops if desired

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel At least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

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