Take a Virtual Trip to New York With These Free Tours
In the days before COVID-19, New York City was the most visited city in the United States. But as the epicenter of the outbreak, it is no longer inundated (or even partially occupied) with tourists. At the moment, even locals cannot spend time in their city, but right now, making a virtual visit to the Big Apple is easier than ever.
Since 2009, Untapped New York has been touring New York City’s little-known spots, as well as publishing new content from abandoned hospitals to Hart Island . And like many other tourist attractions and destinations, the site has begun offering online tours and lectures during the coronavirus. Usually, subscriptions to access their online programs start at $ 10 per month, but they currently offer a free two-month membership using the STAYHOME code. This includes access to upcoming live virtual events as well as their archive of previous tours and lectures.
So what can you expect to see and learn? Programs currently available in the Untapped New York Archive include lectures on city fairs, Penn Station’s past and future, and New York City coffee history, as well as tours of the Victorian Flatbush, Subway System, Grand Central Station, and Prospect Park.
Virtual events are also planned for late June , including lectures on Ellis Island, the restoration of the Fraunces Tavern and the city’s cemeteries. Tours include Red Lighthouse, Queens County Farm, and a Walt Whitman-inspired Brooklyn Tour.
If you’ve always wanted to visit New York, a frequent visitor who usually doesn’t get further than Manhattan, or a local, now you have the chance to explore all five boroughs from the comfort of your couch and hours on the subway.