Explore the famous and overlooked sites of Riverside Drive, enjoy coffee drinks from New York City’s oldest cafes, visit the fanciest Gilded Age mansions of 5th Avenue, and find more ways to explore this week with Untapped New York! Don’t forget, Untapped New York Insiders get $5 off any Untapped New York public walking tours!
Wednesday, November 8th – Architect-Led Tour of Penn Station’s LIRR Concourse
The renovations the LIRR Concourse at Penn Station has undergone since 2012 have significantly expanded its concourses, opened its underground spaces to the sky, and both widened and heightened existing corridors. Join architects Peter Fajak, AIA, Senior Associate Principal, and Manuel Schmidt, AIA, Associate Principal for a tour of the space where they’ll point out new hidden features of the high-tech concourse, reveal historic remnants you may not be aware of, and explain the thought process behind the innovative design choices made. This tour is sold out, but check back for any openings!
This tour is free for Untapped New York Insiders! Not an Insider yet? Become a member today to gain access to member-exclusive in-person and online events. Use code JOINUS for your first month free!
Thursday, November 9th – Explore NYC’s Underground Subway System
Use a subway car as your own personal time machine as you travel through abandoned stations and trace the evolution of the transit system from its earliest days to the present. Along the way, uncover hidden art installations, forgotten passageways, and quirky historical anecdotes.
This tour is offered every Monday through Saturday!
Friday, November 10th – Explore the Hidden Gems of Grand Central Terminal
Peer into hidden tennis courts, find out what’s hiding beneath the iconic clock at the center of the main concourse, locate remnants of a lost movie theater, visit an office-turned-speakeasy, and uncover more secrets of this historic train terminal!
Saturday, November 11th – Explore the Underground Brooklyn Subway
Peek into abandoned stations from the subway system’s early days, walk beneath a floating art installation hidden in plain sight within an original 1908 control house, and learn more fascinating facts about the Brooklyn subway system! You’ll even get to practice your moonwalk (if you want to) where Michael Jackson filmed the music video, Bad!
Saturday, November 11th – Botanical Tasting at Brooklyn’s Hydroponic Farm
Image Courtesy of Farm.One
Sample fresh rare herbs and salad greens from an indoor hydroponic farm in Brooklyn, Farm.One! On this special tour, you’ll learn all about the latest urban farming techniques and learn about the science of plant growth from your expert guide.
This tour is free for Untapped New York Insiders! All spots are currently sold out, but check the listing for any openings.
Sunday, November 12th – Greenwich Village Coffee Tour & Tasting
Get your caffeine fix inside the oldest cafes and coffee shops in New York City! As you learn about the origin and evolution of the city’s coffee industry, you’ll uncover surprising hidden gems like Manhattan’s first espresso machine, a landmark cafe that launched the off-off-Broadway theater movement, and more. You’ll also get to enjoy multiple hot beverages and coffee-centric snacks!
Sunday, November 12th – Secrets of Riverside Drive Tour
Visit the Upper West Side residences of famous real and fictional characters, see the first statue in NYC dedicated to a female historical figure, uncover quirky architecture, and learn more about the evolution of this famous street!
This tour is part of our Rediscover Your City series, a series of limited-run tours crafted specifically for local New Yorkers.
Sunday, November 12th – Explore the Gilded Age Mansions
Step into the world of HBO’s period drama The Gilded Age and see homes that were once occupied by the real life figures who inspired the show characters like the old money Van Rhijns and nuevo riche Russells. On this tour, you’ll see which manions still stand, check out photos of those that are lost, and even get to step inside a former mansion that now serves a new purpose. This tour will run on Friday and Sunday this week!
Wednesday, November 15th – Secrets of Rockefeller Center Tour
See the very last bolt driven into the historic Art Deco complex by Rockefeller himself, decode the symbols hidden in the famous works of art, and locate a silver model plane crafted by luxury jeweler Cartier on this tour of the lesser-known side of one of NYC’s most famous and recognizable sites!
Do you have photos from an Untapped New York tour? Send them to us at contact@untappedcities.com and you may be featured on our website or social media channels! You can also tag us @untappedny on Instagram.
Nicole Saraniero is the Insider-in-Chief at Untapped New York, leading our Untapped New York Insiders membership program. Nicole graduated from Hofstra University with a Bachelor of Science in Televis
