There are a lot of great things to do when visiting New York City and now you can add one more thing to the list. In fact, if you’re a classic film fan this is likely to go to the top of your things to must-see and do. TCM and On Location Tours have selected the best movie sites around Manhattan to share with tourists while riding a specially designed tour bus. The experience includes visiting historical sights in person, as well as viewing movie clips of the classic films in which the sights were featured. Thus providing a one of a kind behind-the-scenes look at some of your favorite films set in the city that never sleeps. In addition your tour guide will entertain, inform and quiz you with trivia questions while showcasing over 60 filming locations. That’s a heck of a lot of sights! So, not only will you get a taste of New York film history, you'll receive a great sightseeing tour of Manhattan where some of the most iconic films of all time were made.
Areas of interest include Columbus Circle (It Should Happen To You), Lincoln Center (Ghost Busters) and the Upper West Side. Select stops that allow for a quick hop off include the well-known market place Zabar’s, which was featured in You’ve Got Mail and the famous Dakota Building that can be seen in the films Hannah and Her Sisters and Rosemary’s Baby. You’ll cross through Central Park, learning about dozens of films set here, including the very first motion picture made in New York City (I don’t even know what that was). As the tour continues down the east side of Manhattan you’ll stop for a photo-op in front of Holly Golighty’s apartment from Breakfast at Tiffany’s before venturing into lesser known neighborhoods, like Sutton Place to experience a fantastic view of the Queensboro Bridge that you will undoubtedly recognize from Woody Allen’s Manhattan and virtually every other film ever shot in New York.
Other well-worn film locations used in countless films include the Plaza Hotel (Plaza Suite), FAO Shwarz (Big), Tiffany’s (Breakfast at Tiffany’s), Rockefeller Center (My Favorite Year), and the Empire State Building (An Affair to Remember). Many more sights are included before you end your journey at Grand Central Terminal (The Clock). The TCM Classic Film Tour is the ideal escape for movie fans, but also a great way to see how much (and how little) Manhattan has changed over the years.
In an effort to stay current, On Location Tours is constantly updating their tours with new locations and cannot guarantee the presence of all locations mentioned. However, if you have a particular interest in locations from a specific TV show or movie, please let your tour guide know and they will do their best to accommodate your request. How friendly is that? Tours are scheduled for Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at 11:30 am, and depart near the corner of Broadway & 51st Street (exact location is given upon purchase). The cost is quite reasonable at $43 per adult ticket and $27 for each child. Not bad for a three hour tour. Advance purchase is not only advisable, but required. Use top image as link to site.