Bronx: Tours and Guided Visits

The only one of New York City's five boroughs located on the mainland, The Bronx is the famous home of the Yankee Stadium, Bronx Zoo and New York Botanical Gardens. It offers some of the best food in the city and boasts various cultural attractions like the Bronx Museum of the Arts.

Many consider the Bronx the birthplace of hip-hop music and the borough is packed with good music venues and places to enjoy the local culture. It is also a hot spot for street art, and you can see lots of graffiti in the neighborhood. Bronx tours are a fun way to sightsee and learn more about the area.

You will find below everything you need to know about the Bronx tours, one of the best spots for sightseeing in New York City.

Where is the Bronx located?

The Bronx is on mainland New York and is separated from Manhattan by the Harlem River. Public transport is the cheapest, fastest and most efficient way to travel around the city.

You can catch the train or subway to the Bronx in around 20 to 30 minutes from Manhattan. The subway offers the cheapest fares, and many trains daily run between the Bronx and Manhattan.

You can also reach the Bronx from Manhattan via bus, and the journey takes around 50 minutes on average.

Driving from Manhattan to the Bronx takes between 15 minutes and an hour, but the route can take longer during peak traffic. Many people prefer to travel via the subway for this reason.

What are the highlights in the Bronx?

Yankee Stadium

Home to the famous New York Yankees baseball team, the Yankee Stadium is a breathtaking attraction that can seat over 50,000 people. You can visit the stadium's Babe Ruth Plaza to read the famous baseball player's memorial plaque and take pictures outside the ballpark.

Wave Hill

Wave Hill is a famous public garden in Riverdale in the Bronx. It boasts over 28 acres of horticultural gardens, alpine gardens and greenhouses you can explore. You can see the Hudson River from the slopes of Wave Hill.

New York Botanical Garden

The New York Botanical Garden is a large cultural attraction in Bronx Park with over one million plants. Inside the garden, you'll find vegetable patches, walking trails, flower gardens and much more.

Pelham Bay Park

Pelham Bay Park is a must-visit if you're in the Bronx. It is three times bigger than Manhattan's Central Park and spans over 2,700 acres. Pelham Bay Park even has its own artificial beach, Orchard Beach, where visitors can swim and picnic.

Bronx Zoo

With over 265 acres of parklands, the Bronx Zoo is one of the largest zoos in the United States. Animals that call the zoo home include gorillas, wild horses, monkeys and tigers. There is also a children's zoo where kids can see goats, chickens, and other farm creatures up close.

What are the best tours to visit in the Bronx?

Small Group Bronx Bike Tour and Little Italy Visit

A great combination of healthy exercise and sightseeing, this tour will take you cycling through the Bronx. There is no need to bring your own equipment as your guide will provide you with a bicycle, helmet and bike lock.

Your guide knows the safest cycling routes and will show you a more intimate look at the Bronx than driving can provide. This tour also makes a stop in Little Italy to explore the food markets and culture.

Harlem, Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan Private Tour

Unlike other tours in the Bronx, to which anyone can purchase entry, this private tour is solely for you and whoever you want to bring along. It explores Harlem and four New York boroughs, the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan.

You will drive past cultural attractions like the Apollo Theater, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, the Arthur Ashe Stadium and more. At the end of the tour, you can peruse the Little Italy markets at your leisure.

Manhattan, Harlem and Bronx Hip-Hop History Tour

On this tour, you will learn about the history of hip-hop in Harlem, Manhattan and the Bronx. The tour includes a three-hour narration from a professional tour guide, as well as visiting celebrity guides from the hip-hop scene.

You will tour through street art and murals of hip-hop legends in various locations, including the famous Graffiti Hall of Fame in Harlem. For anyone interested in hip-hop, this is a great way to learn about its historical roots in the boroughs of New York.

Bronx, Queens, Harlem, Brooklyn and Coney Island

Coney Island is a famous location in New York and appears in multiple Hollywood movies. On this tour, you can visit the popular island and explore the Bronx, Queens, Harlem and Brooklyn.

Your knowledgeable tour guide will take you past the Apollo Theater and Yankee Stadium before you cross the river into Queens. Later, you will visit Crown Heights and Williamsburg and end the day off on the Coney Island boardwalk.

Guided Walking Tour of Little Italy and Culinary Tasting

Food tours in the Bronx are popular, especially ones that visit Little Italy. This New York food tour stops at many different eateries in the area to explore the local cuisine and discover the area's best food spots.

Unlike tours that take you to New York's other boroughs, this tour focuses only on the Bronx. The tour spans three hours and includes a professional guide to show you the best parts of Little Italy.

What are the prices of the Bronx tours?

Bronx tours start at around US$35 per person, This includes a guided walking tour and culinary tasting in the Little Italy neighborhood.

Group tours that visit the Bronx, Harlem, Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan cost roughly US$60.

Discover the borough's musical legacy on a hip-hop history tour from US$80.

Small-group bike excursions to the Bronx and Little Italy cost around US$110 and take a maximum of eight people at a time.

If you want to see Coney Island, expect to pay around US$70 - US$100 for group tours.

To book a private guided tour of the Bronx, Harlem, Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan the cost is from US$600 to US$900. This is suitable for groups of up to 5 or 6 people and includes private transportation and a tour guide and driver.

Where do the Bronx tours start?

While Bronx bike tours usually start in the Bronx, bus tours and coach tours offer pickup at various locations in Manhattan. Some tours have pickup points at specific hotels, while others will be happy to collect you from wherever you are staying.

When is the best time to go on a Bronx tour?

Tours of the Bronx take place all year round so that you can visit the borough at any time. Bear in mind that winters in the Bronx are snowy and windy, while summers can be extremely humid.

Most tourists prefer to visit in autumn (September, October and November) or spring (March, April and May) when the temperatures are more pleasant. However, activities in the Bronx, such as music shows and dining out are great throughout the year.

Travel tips

• Wear comfortable clothing and shoes for walking around the Bronx.
• Bring a bottle of water with you.
• Pack a hat and sunglasses for sunny days.
• Bring along your phone or camera to take photographs.
• Do not eat beforehand so you can enjoy snacks on the tour.