A Walk with a Big Apple Greeter

Big Apple Greeter pairs visitors with volunteers who live in New York and want to share it, free of charge. They aren't professional guides; they're New Yorkers who spend two to four hours showing you their city, whether that means a stroll on the High Line, the shops of a Brooklyn neighborhood, murals and food in the Bronx or Queens, or a ferry ride to a Staten Island neighborhood. Along the way they'll show you how to use public transit and where locals eat, which tends to change the rest of your trip.

Request a Greeter through the online visitor form, ideally on a laptop, and ask for your first full day in the city with two backup dates. You need confirmed accommodation in the New York area for at least two nights; groups are capped at six people traveling together, and at least one person must be 18 or older. Visits start in the morning or early afternoon. If no Greeter is available, the organization tells you about a week before your trip. Greeters don't accept tips; the program runs on donations.