New York City Christmas Holiday Lights And Markets Walking Tour

This tour started off well. We walked across the street and went into our first Christmas market. We were told to meet at the meeting spot in 20 minutes. And that is where the problem started. There were at least 100 booths in this market. When my significant other asked if we would be allowed more than 20 minutes at the next 2 markets and then Liam became combative. He responded to her question by saying "You were back in 20 minutes and no one else had an issue meeting in 20 minutes." To which I responded that everyone showed up in 20 minutes because that was the limit we were given, but more time would be nice. He then told us that no one is making us stay with the group we are welcome to go back to the Central Park Market and leave the group. I tried to explain that we know that everyone, including us, showed up in 20 minutes because that was thelimit we were given, but with the size of the market we felt we could have been given more time, 45 minutes would have been a better amount of time, but 20 minutes was way to short for the size of the market we started at. To explain my issue later on we went to a market with 20 or so booths and were again given 20 minutes. Liam was not professional at all and had this a bad experience. I am sure others would have liked more time at the first market, we for one were only able to shop at one booth. His combative attitude and not answering the question asked made for a terrible experience on this tour.

Let me start out by saying that this was an OK tour and our guide Kevin was extremely knowledgeable but know that if you are going to do this tour you better be physically prepared to literally walk miles during this tour. This is not a tour for individuals that have mobility issues or aren't in physical shape to walk miles. Our guide Kevin was difficult to keep pace with for my wife as he was a fast walker and there were 2 other groups beside ours in this tour that "tapped" out before finishing the tour due to the inability to keep up with the tour at times. The tour lasts 4 hours and highlights Christmas themed attractions and Christmas Markets in mid-Manhattan. You won't spend much time at any one place as most of the 4 hours is spent walking from spot to spot. You can spend as much time as you want at the Bryant Park market as it is the last stop on the tour. As this tour is during the Christmas holiday season, be prepared for huge crowds on the streets as you try to navigate the tour through the area. It was very difficult to keep up with the tour at times due to the mass of humanity along the tour route. I would recommend this tour for physically fit individuals who have no problems walking distances and don't mind huge crowds. Learning about the Christmas traditions in NYC from our guide Kevin were the highlights of the trip.

Joseph was great. He was informative and was constantly making sure the group were together. There were a few unexpected issues along the way due to the sheer volume of people on 5th Ave. However, Joseph guided us through it and made sure we were all safe. It was quite scary for a while. I guess these situations are unavoidable especially during the Christmas crowds. Thank you Joseph.

Liam was great, we had a member of our group in a wheelchair and he made sure to look out for ramps and help with the crowds. It was a great tour and we really enjoyed it.

This tour was great as it showed all the best Christmas lights and markets. Liam was knowledgeable and made things fun which made the trip more enjoyable. Would definitely recommend!

Me and my wife were on this tour. We had a great time, learned a lot about nyc. Our tour guide, Liam, did a great job. Always cool, always on Spot. Thax for this great experience. Best wishes from the austrians, Christine and Gabriel

Sadie was our guide for the tour. She made it a great tour. Lots of great stops and sights for someone who has never been to New York before. Made 4 hours fly by.

This tour was great. We got to see 3 different markets and Sadie told of plenty of interesting information as we walked through New York.

Liam was both professional and friendly, he was also very knowledgeable, we learnt a lot of the tour. We also managed to see the Rockafella tree and Sacs window light displays. All round a great way to see some of the most well-known tourist attractions and local hot-spots

Disaster. I messaged to say that I was running late to Liam and ended up being 3 minutes late. He had dropped me a pin so I could follow it but his location bounced all over Central Park for a good hour. I repeatedly asked him where his next stop was. He showed me a monument. It was 15 minutes from the last place I was looking for him. I made it to the monument and then I messaged him and he was now at and Central South which where I was when I asked him for his next location. So I walked back 15 minutes and waited for him there because he said he wasn't there yet. That was his next location. Waited another. 20 minutes from there and he must have walked right past me. Now he's on 5th Avenue. If you're going to give a tour, get your s*** together. At least be able to help people meet up with you or say that's not an option. But you should definitely know your surroundings and your locations and the name of monuments. Do not tour with Liam.

We expected a much larger market based on the You Tube videos. It is in a very nice, central location approaching the Castle. We didn't expect a German-like market, but being a larger city, we did hope for more. The vendors had the typical items and there was a decent variety of foods. The Castle light show was nice, but not really spectacular. It was good to visit the castle again, even if it was a bit more limited than the usual tour. Overall, it was a good, if somewhat underwhelming visit.

We took this tour on Friday 20 December. Joseph was a great tour guide. He was very engaging and a wealth of knowledge. Each stop on the tour was magical and the snow falling made it extra special. The crowds were crazy but Joseph made sure that we stayed together but if we got lost, he waited for us. Would recommend Inside Out Tours.

Joseph our guide was great at striking a balance between giving insight and information with allowing the group time to explore on their own.

Joseph was one of the best tour guides ever. Great trip through the city. Highly recommend for anyone wanting to get into the Christmas spirit!

I really enjoyed the tour through NYC. We had some time to stop at the Christmas market at Central park were I was able to purchase a Glühwein. Kevin took us to some places that I would have never found on my own. I definitely recommend the tour. Thanks Kevin!

The meeting place in Columbus Circle was difficult to find as the circle has so many places and adjoining streets which made me late after taking several wrong instructions because even New Yorkers weren't sure!! Eventually I made it...Kevin our guide was very knowledgeable and had lots of information about Xmas trees and the history of them in New York. I enjoyed his stories. The shop windows on 5th Avenue were worth a look plus other places. Unfortunately it began to rain and so part of the tour was ruined being outdoors and so I never finished it and decided to leave the group but that was of know fault of anyone just " mother nature ".. Apart from that it was a good way to spend a few hours.

We had Charles as a tour guide, he was very informative and knew his way around the city plus had some very interesting facts. However, being an elderly couple with kids he walked rather quickly and we had some trouble keeping up with him. Overall, was a great experience and we would recommend this tour and the guide.

We took this tour on December 8, 2024. Joseph was our four guide and he was entertaining and knowledge. Trying to keep 20+ people together while walking in NYC for 3.5 hrs is no easy task, but he made it happen. We appreciated the microphone so we could hear him over the holiday crowds and sounds of the city. We learned some interesting info about the city and its holiday history. We covered a lot of ground in a few hours, so if you're not up for a sometimes fast-paced walk this isn't the tour for you.

We covered a lot of ground… Saturday night was rough since crowds and long lines made it difficult to see anything substantial in the time allotted. Charlie, our guide, was cheerful and kept calm in the chaos. I would recommend the tour, but go on a weeknight, not the weekend.

While the guide was very nice, she did not seem to have herself in order. She constantly used her iPad to make sure what she told us was accurate. I was expecting a tour of Christmas store displays with shopping, not a history lesson. So if you think it is just lights/displays/shopping, think again. (Which is what we went for.) The President-Elect was in town so several blocks were blocked off thanks to him. But it changed the route. My friend stopped to take pic of motorcade vehicles. I followed tour. They went around corner so I waited on my friend so she would know where to go. We turned the corner not 20 seconds later & the tour was gone. At the point, we were already tired and a bit disappointed. Admittedly, we did not try to call the guide due to this. Never made it to Macy’s. Took ourselves to Rockefeller to see tree. It was just not what we expected and was disappointing.

We did enjoy this tour, but at the time of going not all the Christmas markets were open. So do check this before you book. Kevin, our guide was very knowledgable and full of fun facts and the Christmas lights were impressive, but the whole walk took nearly 4 hours, which was too long for my husband and I. The tour started with about 27 people and ended with 10 which probably tells you all you need to know.

Did the Christmas markets and lights tour. Joseph was excellent and very knowledgeable. It was extremely busy especially on 5th Ave by Saks and Rockefeller but that was not the tours fault, just the festive season. Inspite of this Joseph managed not to lose any of the group. If you don't know NY this is a great way to take in some of the festive highlights.

Charlie was great, would highly recommend, was fun and informative. Was enjoyable and managed to find some hidden gems along the way.

Liam was excellent loads of knowledge very friendly helped us with loads of information took us to 10 different hot spots along the way from Sheffield

Our tour guide Kevin led us on a jam packed tour to see the holiday lights and Christmas markets around New York. Not only did we see some amazing sights with great photo ops but Kevin was filled with knowledge on all things holiday traditions, how they developed and more. I would highly recommend, especially with Kevin as a guide!!

Did the Christmas markets and lights tour. Julia was excellent and very knowledgeable. I thought the tour would show us maybe places you wouldn't necessarily see walking on your own as a tourist. This wasn't so but maybe we misinterpreted the tour so not the tours fault. As we did this tour on our second day in New York we had seen most of the lights and attractions already. So the lesson to learn is don't go on this tour expecting hidden gems, only if you don't know where the standard attractions are. We did still enjoy the tour because of Julia who was great to listen to.

Great tour and guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. However, a note of caution... YOU DO NOT NEED A METRO CARD!!!! You only go into Grand Central Station to look... you do not go on the metro. $20 spent unnecessarily!!!!

Liam was our tour guide and he done a brilliant job, made the tour fun, personal to the group and had brilliant banter. He gave a lot of history around the areas and pointed out some iconic photos to take. He was flexible when accommodating for rest room and food breaks! Couldn’t have asked for a better tour guide would definitely recommend

Everything was great!! A lovely walking tour. It was very interesting and our guide very kind.Thanks Lulú.

Check out Christmas market at Bryant park and Central Park. Christmas lights of Times Square are like no other,

Great time with KESSIA for the visit to the Christmas markets and New York under Christmas lights! Perfect knowledge of the history of New York with a captivating and very friendly guide!

Tour was amazing!! Our guide Kevin was great !! Great infos from our guide !!! Cool places amazing looks

Lovely host. Lots of history and information about the areas as well as seeing a lot of the lights and getting to do a little shopping at the Christmas markets. The only downside was how busy it was around Rockerfeller and Saks. We couldn't get on the sidewalk after crossing the road! That was no fault of our host though, just the time of year.

This was a great walk with our guide Charles. It was unbelievably cold (night of the big cold snap) but Charles remained professional throughout. Not only was the walk informative but I am certain we would not have discovered the markets, lights etc if we had tried to navigate ourselves around NY and get into the Christmas spirit!

This is was such a good tour to start off the nyc trip! Very knowledgeable guides and also so fun and upbeat! Highly recommend!

Our guide was wonderful and she knew so many interesting things, we had an amazing time and I will for sure recommend this tour to my friends!!

Great tour with our experienced tour guide Kathrin we learned learned a lot. Was a great pleasure to join.

Charles was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Really enjoyed the tour. It was extremely busy but Charles managed to keep us altogether and on time. Thank you

The Christmas Holiday Lights and Markets Walking Tour was the best experience ever! I mean seriously. I could not have asked for a better experience and tour guide. Not only was she very knowledgeable and patient but she was so warm and pleasant. It made the experience so much more memorable. For tours, I always love when the guide checks in to make sure that everyone understands and is following along and this definitely happened several times. I felt that I was in great hands. I would use this tourism company again and again. In fact, I'm going to plan out an experience for the students at my school. I can't wait! Just remember to dress warm and bring some snacks along with you so you can fully enjoy your experience and be 100% present.

Kaissa was very knowledgeable, patient, pleasurable, understanding to the need of her customers. Attentive, always asked if anyone had any questions. Was happy, cheerful and showed a great love and interest for the city that she was talking about. We all walked away with the best experience. I believe she made our trip so much better.

Store windows on fifth avenue and Saks music/light show were great. Kathryn’s sharing of various pictures of the mansions and other historical sites were interesting.

The guide walked very fast. the streets were crowded, so it was hard to see him and keep up at the same time, guide was walking across streets with not enough time for everyone to make across, thousands of people on the rockefeller center to see tree trying guider a group through that was a big mistake and 6 of lost the tour and was unable to find t hem again. we missed out on half the tour. very disappointing i do no recommend. Good Luck.

The tour started off fine, but then in front of the Saks display the guide said we'd wait for it to start again and in the meantime we should take a look at the window displays. While we were doing that he crossed the street without any notification. We ran across trying to follow just as the display began again but our guide and the rest of the group were nowhere to be found. We called the tour emergency number and asked if they could help us with a meeting point later in the tour. We were put on hold, told he probably wouldn't answer his phone and despite having our phone number they never bothered to call us back. Never again will we book with Inside Out Tours. A complete disappointment!

My 9yo son and I went on this tour last week, and we had a fantastic time seeing the holiday lights and checking out the markets. This was a fantastic way to see Rockefeller Center, the Saks display, and what few remaining Christmas windows are in the city. Russell was incredibly knowledgeable and I appreciated how he engaged us in what we wanted more or less of as part of our tour. Things to know: - Wear good, waterproof walking shoes - you will be racking up the steps. - Dress for the weather. Hats and gloves made us much happier. - You will have enough time to grab bites of food at the markets or to shop - but not really both. We used it to figure out which markets we wanted to go back and spend more time at, and got doughnuts at one market and terrific dumplings at the second. - If you go with kids, plan to give them snacks. The dumplings are one of the main reasons we had such a great time. My highlights were seeing Grand Central Station, walking past the NYLibrary at night and down literary row, and the amazing holiday market at Grand Central Station. Extra special kudos to Russell, who gave us great information and local stories about New York, who staged us perfectly to watch the whole Saks' display, who very patiently chatted with my son who wanted to talk all about video games with him, and who did a fantastic job of reading his crowd and adjusting to give us a personalized experience. Definitely a winner over the holidays!

First, be warned, there is a lot of walking, so wear comfy shoes. Totally worth the walking! It's not just shopping and lights, but Christmas movie sites as well. Katherine knows her stuff!! Despite the crowds she navigated us perfectly to the best spot for a photo opp in front of the Rockefeller Tree and views of the Saks fifth avenue light show. She gives you roughly 15- 30 minutes at each market (depending on the size). Do not miss, just watch the weather and prepare! Don't tour the mid-town until you book with her, you'll see a lot!!!

Great guide, the tour had lots of information, unfortunately it was bang in the middle of a storm so we had to leave early, would thoroughly recommend.

I went with my parents and brother who came to NY to spend the holidays. The experience was amazing and we enjoyed every part of the tour and what NY has to offer during Christmas season. The tour guide was very attentive and always have us a time for pictures and explanations when necessary.

Great tour! Really got to see the magic of New York City during Christmas time. 10/10 Highly recommend.

I went on this tour last week with a friend. This tour was a great way to see all the holiday markets in the city (there were a lot more than I thought!) and Russell, the tour guide, was great with fun facts and leading the group. NYC winter festivities can be overwhelming, so this tour was a enjoyable way to navigate.