NEW YORK CITY WALKING TOURS

OFFBEAT WALKING TOURS

Big Onion Walking Tours (212/439-1090) features ethnic, architectural and historic walking tours led by Columbia University historians. Every Friday beginning in April, their "World of Finance" tour, co-sponsored by the Museum of American Financial History, will include visits to the New York Stock Exchange and a walk down Wall Street. For more information, call the Museum (212/908-4110).

Joyce Gold History Tours of New York (212/242-5762) specializes in unusual, in-depth weekend forays into many of the city's distinctive neighborhoods. Fascinating tours planned for Spring include "East Village: Culture and Counter-Culture", "The Genius and Elegance of Gramercy Park", "Downtown Graveyards" and "Greenwich Village Highlights"

Goodman's Travel Guides (718/631-7692) offer maps and guides on sightseeing, shopping, museums, galleries and antiques for self-guided walking tours. These guides are indispensable for the casual tourist or the seasoned veteran looking for something new to see or do. Don’t forget to grab one of these before setting out to conquer the city.

Harlem Spirituals, Inc (212/391-0900) specializes in unique tours which feature the essence of Harlem, its heritage, culture, and history. Experience the African American tradition in Gospel music, enjoy Soul Food or rock out in one of several jazz clubs. Tour highlights include Sugar Hill, The Cotton Club, The Apollo Theater, and the Morris Jumel Mansion. Groups and individuals are both encouraged.

Heritage Trails New York (212/344-2800 ext. 7) helps visitors explore the historic sites of Lower Manhattan on their own, with the help of a free TrailsMap brochure that corresponds to forty Heritage Trail site markers on four color-coded trails. This system is extremely helpful and implanted quite well; it’s literally very impossible to get lost. Don’t miss it.

The Museum of the City of New York, (212/534-1673) offers multi-ethnic walking tours and history walking tours and theaters walking tours. Spring tours include, Multi-Ethnic East Harlem Walking Tour, RIOT! Astor Place and its Theaters Walking Tour, and Paul Robeson and Labor History Walking Tour.

New-York Historical Society, (212/873-3400) offers various walking tours throughout Manhattan including Harlem, Chinatown and the Lower East side just to mention a few. The Society is very reputable and therefore an excellent source of information. Don’t overlook this valuable resource when planning a sightseeing tour of NYC.

92^nd Street Y Tours (212/996-1100) one of the most extensive tour programs in New York, the Y offers hundreds of outings covering every aspect of city life. This spring, offerings include "New York's New Gold Coast: Central Park West", "Ninth Avenue's Ethnic Food Markets", "Inside Private Homes of Flatbush, Brooklyn" and "The Great White Way: Neon & Nightlife."

Savory Sojourns (212/691-7314) leads wonderful culinary walking tours of Greenwich Village. Included are stops at notable gourmet stores and lunch at a charming restaurant.

This spring, she will also offer a culinary exploration of Astoria, Queens, a long-time

Greek enclave that is now home to immigrants from other Mediterranean cultures.

Signature Tours (212/517-4306) is offering escorted walking tours of the Bronx's

Woodland Cemetery this spring, where Herman Melville, Miles Davis, F.W. Woolworth and a host of other famous New Yorkers are buried. Participants can choose the budget tour - deli lunch and roundtrip subway rides - or a deluxe version with gourmet lunch and chauffeured vehicle. Also, a new "Signatour" option allows cyber-savvy tourists to customize their own excursion on line at www.signaturetoursnyc.com.