You board an open-top double-decker bus in Midtown and ride for two hours through New York City's lit-up landmarks: Times Square, the Flatiron Building, the Manhattan Bridge with skyline views, and the Theater District. A live guide provides context and history as you pass Brooklyn Bridge, Lincoln Center, and the Empire State Building. You get one free drink at Planet Hollywood and can activate your ticket via the Big Bus app or in person before departure.
You board the open-top double-decker bus at Stop #40 on 7th Avenue at 48th Street, right at M&M's World in the heart of Midtown. The tour lasts two hours and departs every 20 to 30 minutes between 7:00pm and 9:00pm, so you can pick a slot that fits your evening. There's no hopping on and off — this is a continuous ride, which means you settle in and the guide does the talking while the city moves past you from 360 degrees. The bus climbs high enough that you're not craning your neck at street level; you're actually seeing the skyline the way it's meant to be seen after dark.
The route takes you through Times Square first, where the screens and signs are so bright they wash out everything else, then down toward the Flatiron Building and through Little Italy before heading east to cross the Manhattan Bridge. That's where the views open up — the bridge puts you out over the water with the skyline lit up on both sides, and the guide points out the Empire State Building glowing in the distance. You swing back through the Theater District and past Lincoln Center on the Avenue of the Americas, with Macy's and Radio City Music Hall lit up as you go. The whole thing moves at a pace where you can actually absorb what you're looking at instead of snapping photos of a blur.
Included in the ticket is one free drink — beer or wine — at Planet Hollywood, which you can claim during the tour or after. The live guide speaks English and shares the history and context of what you're seeing, not just the names of buildings. If you prefer, recorded commentary is available in Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, French, and German. The bus is wheelchair accessible, and infants can sit on a lap or ride in a stroller. You do need to arrive 15 minutes before your departure time to get a seat — it's first-come, first-served, so showing up early matters if you want a spot on the upper deck.
Operated by Big Bus Tours - USA
Is this one for you?Right for travelers who want to see New York's main landmarks lit up at night without arranging transport or timing multiple stops — the fixed two-hour route and live guide handle the navigation and context while you take in the views from the top of the bus.
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2h · EN
from US$ 67 per person
★★★★★★★★★★4.12318 reviews