New York City Slavery and Underground Railroad Tour

The routes enslaved people took to freedom, and the New Yorkers who risked everything to help them

This walking tour of New York City traces slavery and the Underground Railroad through five stops in lower Manhattan, including the African Burial Ground National Monument and Wall Street, with a live English-speaking guide. Children from age 5 are welcome. The tour runs 2.5 hours and covers moderate ground, so comfortable shoes matter. You'll hear the stories of real uprisings, escapes and the people who sheltered fugitives on their way north to free states and Canada.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each5 stops

1. National Museum of the American Indian10m
2. Fraunces Tavern Museum15m
3. Wall Street30m
4. Foley Square15m
5. African Burial Ground National Monument10m

Explore NYC slavery and Underground Railroad history

• Visit Alexander Hamilton Custom House exterior
• Explore The Battery historic area
• See Fraunces Tavern Museum exterior
• Walk along Wall Street and learn history
• Visit Foley Square and view sculpture
• Visit African Burial Ground and memorial

The experience

The tour starts at the National Museum of the American Indian, a Beaux-Arts building from 1907 that once served as the Alexander Hamilton Custom House, and moves through lower Manhattan's financial district: the same streets where enslaved people built the wall that gave Wall Street its name. Your guide walks you through the Battery, where millions of immigrants arrived before Ellis Island existed, then past Fraunces Tavern, a site central to the American Revolution. The route is deliberate: each stop anchors a different chapter of New York's role in slavery and resistance.

At Foley Square, you'll stand in front of "Triumph of the Human Spirit," a sculpture honoring enslaved people in New York. The African Burial Ground National Monument (the oldest and largest known excavated burial ground documenting enslaved lives in the city) is the tour's centerpiece. Your guide shares the stories of revolts, kidnappings and dramatic escapes, and explains how the Underground Railroad worked as a network of clandestine routes and safe houses. The people who risked their lives and property to help others escape are part of the history too.

The tour is wheelchair accessible and works for families with children from age 5 onward. Infants can ride in a pram or stroller. Service animals are welcome. You'll need moderate fitness to walk the route comfortably, and public transportation stops are nearby if you need to arrive by subway. Bring water and wear shoes you can walk in for 2.5 hours.

What’s included

• A live guide in English.
• the history of slavery in New York and the Underground Railroad as a network of escape routes.
• the site of New York's first slave market.
• visits to Fraunces Tavern, the African Burial Ground National Monument, Foley Square and Wall Street.
• stories of revolts, escapes and the New Yorkers who risked their lives to help people reach freedom.

Options for this experience

2 options

Private group of 1 to 10Up to 10 people · Guide in English · 14:00A one-of-a-kind experience for your party, led by a guide assigned only to you.

TourUp to 9 people · Guide in English · 13:00

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Information

Lasts 2h 30m, runs Monday to Saturday at 14:00 and 13:00, from US$ 49 per person, with a live guide in English and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesMonday to Friday: 14:00Saturday: 13:00 and 14:00Another time? ›

GroupUp to 30

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (5 to 11 years) · Under 5: can't be booked

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Moderate physical effortWheelchair accessibleStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Inside Out Tours LLC

Is this one for you?Book the private group option if you're traveling with family or friends and want the guide's full attention and flexibility with pacing. The shared tour works well if you prefer a set schedule and don't mind walking with other travelers interested in this history.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 11 years). Children under 5 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly is the African Burial Ground and why does it matter to this tour?

The African Burial Ground National Monument is the oldest and largest known excavated burial ground in New York documenting the lives of enslaved people in the city. It's the centerpiece of the tour because it holds the physical evidence of slavery in colonial New York and honors those who were buried there.

Does the tour explain how the Underground Railroad actually worked?

Yes. Your guide covers the Underground Railroad as a network of clandestine routes and safe houses that enslaved African Americans used primarily to escape into free states and Canada. The tour also tells stories of the New Yorkers who sheltered fugitives and risked their own safety to help people escape.

Can I bring my five-year-old on this tour?

Children from age 5 are welcome. Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller, so younger siblings can come along too. The tour covers 2.5 hours and involves walking, so consider your child's comfort with that pace.

Is this tour only exterior visits, or do we go inside buildings?

Most stops are exterior visits. You'll see the National Museum of the American Indian and Fraunces Tavern from outside. The African Burial Ground and Foley Square are open-air sites where you'll spend time learning the history. The tour is designed to walk the streets and stand at these specific locations rather than enter museums.

What's the difference between the private group and the regular tour option?

You can book this tour as a shared group or as a private group of up to 10 people. The private option gives you the guide's full attention and lets you set the pace. The shared tour runs on a set schedule with other travelers. Both follow the same route and cover the same history.

How do I get to the starting point?

The tour begins at the National Museum of the American Indian in lower Manhattan. Public transportation options are available nearby, so you can arrive by subway. Hotel pickup is not included, so plan to meet the guide at the museum.