Socially Distanced Tours - the Safer Way to See New York!
All Private, All Custom, All the Time!
Just your party and me.
Private New York Tour Guide
I have not always been a private New York tour guide. In my previous career, I worked at two Manhattan locations close to New York attractions frequented by tourists - Herald Square and Madison Square Park. Herald Square is home to Macy's. Madison Square Park is home to the Flatiron Building and great views of the Empire State Building. Both are popular stops for tour buses. I would see tourists standing uncomfortably in the rain, snow and heat of summer waiting for the next bus to come, which was sometimes full when the bus finally arrived. I would think and say to my colleagues "what horrible way to see the city." We all agreed.
One bus company started offering tours where the guide hops off with the guests. What I observed with these tours is a couple of dozen guests meandering single file along the crowded city sidewalks following their guide holding an umbrella or child's toy high in the air. The groups would stop and huddle around the guide, competing with one another shouting out their questions, while being the object of negative feedback and ridicule from the public (sometimes me) trying to squeeze by to get to work, pick their children up from school, manage their shopping bags, etc. In several areas of the city,
To view my individual tour offerings, click below.
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neighborhood organizations got together and had the tour bus tours banned from their neighborhood and streets (but, as a private New York guide I can take you to these places).
I will tell you the story of this turtle in Central Park when we meet.
So, as an alternative to the bus tours, I began offering private New York tours.
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In addition to being a private New York tour guide licensed by the City of New York, I am a member of the professional Guides Association of New York City (GANYC). I am also certified by GANYC. I successfully passed all of the course work, practicums and exams related to the sightseeing and tour industry in New York City.
On the personal side, I have lived, studied and traveled extensively throughout Europe. My wife and I return yearly. I am have been a resident of Manhattan for almost a quarter of a century and have lived throughout the New York area for almost 40 years. I earned both Bachelor's and Master's Degrees from New York institutions. In my previous professional life, I worked in the field of human services. I served in management positions for both domestic and international agencies, including the largest human services agency in the country and some of the largest agencies in the city and state. I am married to a life-long teacher, now an education administrator. I have two adult children and four grandchildren ages 2 to 17. I would like a dog, but the building we live in doesn't allow them. I would also like a Maine Coon cat, but my wife doesn't allow them.
Some would say this looks like a "mom and pop" operation. Well, nothing could be further from the truth! This is strictly a pop only operation. Mom wants nothing to do with it. Touring with me is more than having a private New York tour guide, it is more like having a friend in New York (which you will immediately haveafter we meet).
I would love to be your private New York tour guide and show you the city the way it should be seen - up close and personal; iconic as well as off-the-beaten path, without all of the confusion, disruption and interruption in a crowd of others.
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Thank you for visiting and spending time on my website. Please feel free to contact me with any questions and/or if I can provide you with more information. I am more than happy to respond, as quickly as I can.
Hoping to see you in the BIG
Ronald
Private New York Tour Guide
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Addie wrote: "We spent a fantastic autumn day in NYC with Ronald as our driver and guide. We had made all the arrangements online in advance and Ronald picked us up in a shiny black minivan at ourhotel in Newark, right ontime, too! Ronald had mapped out our day to cover all the sights we had asked for, including the Bethesda Fountain in Central Park, Brooklyn Bridge, Statue of Liberty, Ground Zero and lunch in Chinatown. Ronald is very professional, knowledgeable and friendly, and boy, does he know NYC. He shared the history of the city, the various neighborhoods, etc. Traffic was heavy and we actually went over our 6 hours abit. Traveling back to Newark there had been an accident on the freeway, so rather than sit and inch along, Ronald got off the freeway and drove us round about Hoboken, all the time telling us about that city too. Well worth the expense and highly recommend spending the day with Ronald!"