NYC Gangsters and Ghosts Walking Tour: 2-Hour Walk

Walk the streets where mobsters made deals and ghosts still linger

A two-hour guided walking tour through New York City's Five Points, Chinatown, Little Italy, and Greenwich Village reveals the neighborhoods' violent past as vice districts during the 1920s and 30s. A historian leads you to the exact spots where gangsters like John Gotti and Lucky Luciano operated, past haunted houses and old crime scenes, with frequent stops throughout. The tour is family-friendly and covers the most dangerous slum in 19th-century America, Tong violence in Chinatown, and the mobster hangouts where murders took place.

Step-by-step itinerary

Gangsters and ghosts walking tour

• Explore 1800s Five Points slum
• Visit Chinatown's violent history
• See Roosevelt Island haunted home
• Discover mobsters' old turf
• Experience haunted Washington Square Park

The Experience

Two hours is enough to move through four neighborhoods without rushing. The tour starts in the Five Points, where your guide describes the 1800s slum that was once America's most dangerous district, then moves into Chinatown's "Blood Alley"—historically the site of Tong violence and gang rivalries in the late 1800s and early 1900s. From there you walk through Little Italy, past the old tenements and restaurants where some of America's most feared mobsters made their home and carried out their business, including the spots where mafia murders occurred.

The route also takes you to Roosevelt Island to see one of New York's best-preserved 19th-century family homes, famous for both its history and ghost stories. You finish at Washington Square Park, which beneath its music and chess games holds one of the darkest and most haunted grounds in the city. A professional historian guides the entire walk and shares the spooky tales and crime stories tied to each location. The frequent stops mean families with children and people of varying fitness levels can keep pace without strain.

What’s included

Professional historian guide in English; two-hour walking tour through the Five Points, Chinatown, Little Italy, Greenwich Village, Roosevelt Island, and Washington Square Park.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Empire Tours - NYC

Is this one for you?Two hours leaves room for another neighborhood or a meal afterward, but not for a major museum or a second full activity. Book this if you want the crime and ghost stories without spending your whole afternoon on a single tour.

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Top questions

What neighborhoods does the gangsters and ghosts tour cover in New York City?

The tour covers the Five Points, Chinatown, Little Italy, and Greenwich Village. You'll also visit Roosevelt Island and Washington Square Park, moving through the exact streets and buildings tied to the city's gangster and ghost history from the 1800s through the 1930s.

Who leads the NYC Gangsters and Ghosts Walking Tour?

A professional historian leads the tour in English and shares the crime stories, gang histories, and ghost tales tied to each stop along the way.

Is the gangsters and ghosts tour suitable for families with children?

Yes, the tour is family-friendly with frequent stops throughout the two hours. Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller, and the pace accommodates all physical fitness levels.

What is "Blood Alley" in Chinatown?

Blood Alley is the Chinatown location historically known for Tong violence, gang rivalries, and brutal clashes in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Your guide explains the violence and gang history tied to this area during the tour.

Does the tour include transportation between neighborhoods?

The tour is a walking tour through the neighborhoods themselves. Public transportation options are available nearby if needed, and the route is wheelchair accessible.