Manhattan NYC Self-Guided (GPS) Audio Driving Tour, New York - Upper East, West, Midtown and Downtown
Places: 51 POIs
Distance: 19.08 mi
Duration: 1h:48m
GPS-guided narration through
Your Smartphone
Apple CarPlay
Android Auto
Tour #2655
About this English self-guided 1h:48m driving tour in New York
Welcome to this UCPlaces tour of Manhattan! Our journey begins at the American Museum of Natural History, one of the world’s great scientific institutions, sitting along the western edge of Central Park. We’ll circle its treetops as we head toward Columbus Circle, the southwest gateway to the park and a natural crossroads of the city.
Continuing south, we’ll drive through some well-known neighborhoods and then explore Lower Manhattan’s Financial District, anchored by the New York Stock Exchange, Trinity Church, the Charging Bull, and the memorial pools at the World Trade Center. At Battery Park, we’ll catch views across the harbor toward the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.
From there, we’ll glide into Midtown, passing iconic landmarks including Grand Central Terminal, the Chrysler Building, Rockefeller Center, and Radio City Music Hall. Along 57th Street, you’ll see the dramatic high-rise towers of Billionaires’ Row framing Central Park’s skyline.
Our tour concludes along Museum Mile, home to the spiraling Guggenheim Museum, the elegant Neue Galerie, and our final destination — The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Are you ready? Let's go! Please follow your navigation.
- 1For the best experience, begin at the tour's recommended starting point and follow the stops in order.
- 2Want to start somewhere else? Simply use Start At on the tour screen, before tapping Start Tour, to begin from any stop.
- 3Need to detour or skip a stop along the way? Tap Tour Assistant (
![UCPlaces AI Bot Icon]()
) to use Force Play, Skip, and Back, for full flexibility.
) to use Force Play, Skip, and Back, for full flexibility.
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This tour is available in 1 more language:
Places (POIs) visited during this tour
Place #1
![Map Pin]()
Recommended Starting Point
Distance: 0.00mi
, Attraction : Museum
Central PK W & West 79 St, New York, NY 10024, USA
American Museum of Natural History
Here we go! First up is one of the greatest museums on Earth - the American Museum of Natural History. Founded in 1869, it’s home to over thirty million specimens, from ancient fossils and meteorites to massive dinosaur skeletons that tower overhead. Inside, you’ll find the Hayden Planetarium, the Hall of Ocean Life with its life-sized blue whale, and entire dioramas that transport visitors around the globe and across time. If you’ve ever seen Night at the Museum with Ben Stiller, this is where it all came to life — literally!
As we continue south down Central Park West, keep an eye out for the elegant pre-war buildings that line the park. These stately facades have been home to writers, musicians, and film stars for more than a century. Just ahead, on the corner of 72nd Street, sits one of New York’s most famous and storied residences — The Dakota.
As we continue south down Central Park West, keep an eye out for the elegant pre-war buildings that line the park. These stately facades have been home to writers, musicians, and film stars for more than a century. Just ahead, on the corner of 72nd Street, sits one of New York’s most famous and storied residences — The Dakota.
Place #2
![Map Pin]()
Distance: 0.36mi
, Attraction : Historic Building
121 Central Prk W, New York, NY 10023, USA
The Dakota
The Dakota is an icon of New York architecture. Completed in 1884, it was one of the city’s first luxury apartment buildings — and it still feels like a castle rising above Central Park West. Its most famous resident was John Lennon of The Beatles, who lived here with Yoko Ono. The entrance we’re passing now is where Lennon was tragically shot in 1980. Across the street, inside Central Park, you’ll find Strawberry Fields — the peaceful memorial dedicated to his life and music.
Just a few blocks south, you’ll spot another landmark for movie fans. At 55 Central Park West stands the building made world-famous by the 1984 film Ghostbusters. Stay tuned as we approach it — you’ll recognize it right away.
Just a few blocks south, you’ll spot another landmark for movie fans. At 55 Central Park West stands the building made world-famous by the 1984 film Ghostbusters. Stay tuned as we approach it — you’ll recognize it right away.
Tour itinerary stops | Additional places you'll see on this self-guided tour
Place 1
American Museum of Natural History
Place 2
The Dakota
Place 3
Spook Central - Ghost Busters
Place 4
Columbus Circle/Time Warner
Place 5
Carnegie Hall
Place 6
Times Square
Place 7
Madison Square Gardens
Place 8
Garment District
Place 9
Chelsea
Place 10
Greenwich Village
Place 11
SoHo
Place 12
Tribeca
Place 13
Ghostbusters Firehouse
Place 14
One World Trade Center
Place 15
Woolworth Building/New York City Hall
Place 16
Trinity Church/New York Stock Exchange
Place 17
Charging Bull
Place 18
National Museum of the American Indian
Place 19
Statue of Liberty
Place 20
New York Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Place 21
Wall Street
Place 22
East River
Place 23
Columbus Park
Place 24
Chinatown
Place 25
Little Italy
Place 26
NoLita
Place 27
NoHo
Place 28
Ukranian Village
Place 29
Tompkins Square Park
Place 30
East 14th St
Place 31
Union Square
Place 32
Gramercy Park
Place 33
Madison Square Park
Place 34
Empire State Building
Place 35
Bryant Park and the New York Public Library
Place 36
Grand Central Terminal/MetLife Building/Chrysler Building
Place 37
Waldorf Astoria New York
Place 38
St. Patrick's Cathedral
Place 39
Rockefeller Center
Place 40
Sixth Avenue
Place 41
Radio City Music Hall
Place 42
The Museum of Modern Art
Place 43
Billionaires' Row
Place 44
Third Avenue
Place 45
Park Avenue
Place 46
Upper East Side
Place 47
Museum Mile
Place 48
Andrew Carnegie Mansion
Place 49
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
Place 50
The Neue Galerie
Place 51
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
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Have any questions about this tour? Or a general travel / self-guided tours question? That's completely natural
+ How long does this tour take?
Most travelers complete this tour in approximately 1.5 to 2 hours, depending on pace, time spent at each stop, and optional detours. Having said that, please remember that self-guided tours are extremly flexible (you can start, pause, continue anytime) and everyone has their own pace.
+ What does this tour include?
This self-guided driving tour includes 51 stops, covering top attractions such as American Museum of Natural History, The Dakota, Spook Central - Ghost Busters, Columbus Circle/Time Warner, Carnegie Hall.
+ Where does the tour start?
The tour starts at American Museum of Natural History (Address: Central PK W & West 79 St, New York, NY 10024, USA). You can begin the tour there or join from any stop along the route.
+ What type of tour is this?
This is a self-guided driving tour designed to be completed by car, covering scenic routes, city highlights and optional key stops.
+ Can I do this tour at my own pace?
Yes, this is a self-guided driving tour, so you can start anytime and explore at your own pace. You can pause, skip stops, or spend more time at places that interest you. You can even split it into multiple days. Explore however feels right for you. The only vaiables that might affect your pace are speed limits and traffic congestion.
+ Do I need a car for this tour?
Yes, this is a driving tour, designed to be completed by car, with stops spread across different locations connected by a driving route.
+ Do I need anything in order to take the tour?
There are two things that you need - 1. A mobile phone (with the UCPlaces app installed and active location services, and a cellular data plan with a decent signal for downloading the tour). 2. A car. Here are some recommendations for a great experience: 1. Make sure your phone is fully charged and bring a charging cable for your car. 2. Connect your phone to the car speaker system via bluetooth or use our CarPlay/Android Auto option for the best experience.
+ How will I navigate from point to point during the tour?
The tour uses GPS-based navigation through the UCPlaces app, with automatic audio playback and step-by-step directions between stops. This works great either directly from your phone, or while connected to your car's multimedia system and using our CarPlay or Android Auto options. Just follow the route and listen to the audio guide. Use the resume feature to continue from where you recently stopped (or closed the app). Easily skip or go back to stops.
+ Is this tour suitable for families or groups?
Yes, self-guided tours are ideal for families and small groups, allowing everyone to explore comfortably without being tied to a fixed schedule.
+ What makes a self-guided tour better than a guided tour?
Self-guided tours are more flexible, affordable, and personalized. You can avoid crowds, choose your pace, and focus on the stops that interest you most.
+ I installed the app and it's now asking for GPS and media access permissions, why?
The app is your tour-guide, it needs to know where you are located on the map to be able to trigger the points of interest. It also needs access to audio and media files to provide you with this experience.
+ What happens if there are unexpected roadblocks or navigation issues?
We have been working hard to deliver a great experience. Though you may run into unexpected obstacles (the world is constantly changing), our app has multiple features and mechanisms in place to help you overcome them, including: AI assistance, force play an audio if you can't reach the stop, skip or return to stops, automatic rerouting and more.
+ Can I take the tour in my language?
Though all of our tours are primarily in English, many tours are muyltilingual (including: Spanish, German, Portuguese, French, Japanese, Hebrew, French, Arabic and more...). The tour language options depend on the specific tour - You can easily check which languages are available in the tour screen!