"Uncle Sam's New York Creates A Gateway for Tourists"

The July/August 2009 edition of Packaged Travel Insider features Uncle Sam's New York as one of the must-do events in the state of New York. The magazine is the only publication servicing all the needs of packaged travel planners, including group and packaged travel planning. With over 10,000 active readers passionate about travel, Packaged Travel Insider makes sure everything they recommend is an enjoyable experience for all types of travelers. They capture what our company is all about in just a few short paragraphs, letting those traveling to the NYC know what they are in for.Packaged Travel Insider stresses the importance of learning the city from an insightful native and confirms that Uncle Sam's can live up to this. To quote the article directly "They [Uncle Sam's New York] create a gateway for tourists, helping them navigate the streets, showing them some fun places to eat, drink, and see the locals. It's a formula that's part education, part entertainment, and part social experiment." The brief article also highlights the uniqueness of our certified tour guides who all have different backgrounds with a different story to tell. "Some are writers, others are enthusiastic history buffs, and others just enjoy introducing new people to the city they love."

To read the article in its entirety, check out an online version of the issue here.

For more reviews, be sure to visit TripAdvisor where you'll get the run-down from tourists and locals who already experienced our tours.

NY SKYRIDE - "Feel the Sights"

Travmedia.com just posted a cool article on our tours with NY SKYRIDE so make sure you check it our here.

The NY SKYRIDE, which offers virtual New York sightseeing tours from the comfort of an Empire State Building theater, is a great way to see the attractions of the city and has been a hit for years. Unfortunately, many people are unaware that Uncle Sam's New York has teamed up with the company to create an even better for our guests. Visitors can enjoy the heights and sights with the “New York From Up Down and Sideways” tour, ideal for families. This tour runs Fridays & Sundays at 2pm and offers a comprehensive intro to New York City including the virtual tour of NY SKYRIDE, views from the cloud level observation deck of the Empire State Building and plenty escorted attractions of the city. For more information on this tour click here.

Uncle Sam's New York also offers the "Empire State Pub Crawl" 5:30pm every Saturday, where tourists are taken back in time to the1930s to explore the majestic art deco Empire State Building. The Pub Crawl includes the NY SKYRIDE and FAST TRACK express passage to the observation deck and guides of three historical bars where guests receive free drinks. For the full scoop click here.

With the NY SKYRIDE you don't just see the sights of New York City you "Feel them" so don't miss out!

The #1 Site for New York Visitors recaps the Empire State Pub Crawl

Kristopher Carpenter, a NYC official City Guide Magazine representative, recently took the Empire State Pub Crawl and we thought you should here about his experience.

Uncle Sam's New York - An Intoxicating Bit of History
May 31, 2009 - by Kristopher Carpenter

Welcome to New York -- you’ve survived the Disneyland-like taxi ride and found your way to the accommodations that you’ve provisioned for your trip. Perhaps you’re thinking of walking around Manhattan, planning on taking in a few of the sights, maybe stopping at a bar or two, and going to the top of the Empire State Building. With so many options and so much to see, why not kill a few birds with one stone? Uncle Sam’s New York Tours will take care of several of these desires at one time with their Empire State Pub Crawl -- offered every Saturday at 5:30pm. The meet up is Heartland Brewery’s fantastic location, actually in residence at 350 Fifth Avenue (better known as the Empire State Building). Heartland is a must for any visitor to NYC, especially if you enjoy good beer. Offering a great variety of signature and seasonal handcrafted ales -- from the award-winning Farmer John’s Oatmeal Stout to the Not Tonight Honey Porter -- and, in one of the funniest coincidences ever, upon reaching the bottom of the staircase, welcoming guests to the Empire State Bar Crawl is none other than Uncle Sam himself!Besides what will almost certainly prove to be a more rollicking experience than you might get on another tour, Uncle Sam’s also offers a significant value to their patrons. For the sticker price of $90, the Empire State Pub Crawl includes three cocktails, admission to the Empire State Building’s virtual rolle rcoaster -- NY SKYRIDE -- and fast-tracked access to the world famous observation deck, the highest land-bound vantage point in Manhattan. Individually, these components would set you back at least $70, so for an extra $20, spread out over 4.5 hours, you get your own private guide to the city and trust me: they know a lot about this town. Even a New Yorker can learn a slew of fun new facts about Manhattan. Here are a few that I picked up:

• Broadway is the oldest north-south thoroughfare in the city. So old, that it was in fact a trading route for Native Americans. It earned its nickname, “The Great White Way,” when nearly a mile of Broadway was illuminated in 1880 by Brush arc lamps, making it among the first electrically lighted streets in the United States.

• The Empire State Building commenced construction during the Great Depression, in 1929. Workers sometimes worked triple shifts with amazing efficiency, finishing the building in only 410 days, months ahead of schedule, and $5-$20 million under budget.

• In another odd coincidence, Henry Hudson, namesake of the Hudson River discovered Manhattan on September 11th, 1609 and made landfall within a mile of where the World Trade Centers stood.

Thirsty yet? I hope so boys and girls, because after the observation deck it’s just a stroll across 33rd Street to Jack Dempsey’s. In yet another interesting bit of NYC history, Jack Dempsey was a boxing legend, and from 1919-1926 he was the reigning world heavyweight champ before he opened his own restaurant and bar in 1935. After a few Guinness or maybe a spot of Jameson, head south under the banner of Uncle Sam’s as your tour guide entertains with amusing anecdotes, answers questions and leads everyone to the front of one of the best rooftop bars in town named, simply, 230 5th which happens to be the address. Jump in the elevator and take it to the top where a lounge and upstairs rooftop awaits. Be sure to look up while stepping onto the plush rooftop patio for one of the best, free views of the Empire State Building to be had. This is the decompression part of the evening, so gather round and socialize or huddle up with your tour guide for a few more history lessons. This trip is a one-of-a-kind journey covering about a mile amidst the imbibing of cocktails in exciting, historic, and exclusive locales.
The Empire Pub Crawl isn't the only option. For the theater buff, the Hell’s Kitchen Bar Crawl takes you through the Theatre District, to bars where famous stars and playwrights used to relax and talk shop. From there you’ll head west to the infamous headquarters of the Westies gang members. Discover the hidden stories that lurk beyond the pristine confines of Times Square in this classic Irish immigrant that earned this neighborhood the moniker "Hell's Kitchen." Or, if it’s the glam nightlife of the Meatpacking District that you’re craving, take the Marilyn Monroe Nightclub Tour with VIP admission and no lines included in the price of the tour. If you’re looking to really tear-up the town in style then it’s time for the good life with Frank Sinatra’s Limousine Tour. It's a 10-hour cruise in the lap of luxury like “Old Blue Eyes” used to do for just $160.

In addition to bar crawls and nightlife, Uncle Sam’s offers several walking tours sans alcohol daily. So if it’s a family vacation, take the kids on the Edgar Allen Poe Greenwich Village Tour and discover the myriad stories within the winding streets of New York’s hotbed for art and poetry. There are several other walking tour options, all priced at just $20 for adults and $16 for children. Private tours are also available for parties of ten or more, as are multilingual tour guides.

As their slogan says “Uncle Sam wants you to see the real New York” and not only do they deliver it in a unique and exciting way – the options are suited to serve every appetite and price range so take a look at www.unclesamsnewyork.com and book your way into the heart and soul of the city with good ol’ Uncle Sam.

Click here to check out the original article in the magazine and

Click here to book the Empire State Pub Crawl.

Don't take our word for it, listen to the experts!

Expert Traveler Gives Her Insight on Pub Crawl

Carly Blatt recently posted her descriptions and thoughts on our West Village pub crawl on JohnnyJet. Check it out!

Uncle Sam's New York West Village pub crawl
Explore New York's West Village through a historical pub crawl. By Carly Blatt

If you're looking to join a pub crawl with a dash of history, an Uncle Sam's New York tour might be just the right fit. Offering walking tours, pub crawls and nightlife tours throughout various neighborhoods in Manhattan, Uncle Sam's fits a niche for people looking for an enjoyable alternative to the double-decker bus tour experience.

Because the West Village is one of my favorite neighborhoods in the city, I decided to check out Uncle Sam's New York West Village pub crawl. Our tour began at the White Horse Tavern and consisted of a mixed group, comprised of both tourists and locals. Four of the guys were from England and had joined the tour simply because the word "pub" was in the name, while a couple from Queens signed up for the tour since they'd always been curious to know more about the West Village and thought it'd be a good way to play tourist in their own city.

WHITE HORSE TAVERN
Once everyone in the group had introduced themselves, Sam gave us a brief history of the White Horse Tavern, including how it began as a longshoreman's bar and later became a hangout for writers in the 50s. He talked about how the tavern played into the rumors surrounding Dylan Thomas' death and shared a few stories about Jack Kerouac's time at the famed bar.

After a few minutes of history, our group went inside to explore the tavern, see the white horse decorations inside and check out the old photographs adorning the walls. Sam bought beers for everyone and shared a few more stories about the pub and how his passion for history had gotten him into this business. He'd been in the army and lived all over the world and his enthusiasm for exploring cities has clearly spilled over into his tours.

Unlike many walking tours in which participants blindly follow a leader and rarely interact with each other, this experience was different: socializing with our fellow pub crawl members was as much a part of the tour as learning the history. Our group quickly transformed from an anonymous cluster of people into a collection of new friends who just happened to be on a pub crawl tour together.

KETTLE OF FISH
After about 40 minutes at the White Horse Tavern, Sam led us to our next stop: Kettle of Fish, another bar rich with literary history. Along the way, he talked about why the streets in the Village were so haphazardly placed and pointed out where the Stonewall Riots took place as well as how the Stonewall Inn got its name.


KENNY'S CASTAWAYS
The third and final stop was Kenny's Castaways on Bleecker Street, a venue that's hosted such artists as Bruce Springsteen, Aerosmith and Blues Traveler. Sam arranged for our group to skip the cover charge and we were able to catch one of the musical acts. By the end of the tour, our group was having so much fun that we all ended up staying for another drink and listening to a few extra sets.

Uncle Sam's New York pub crawls are a good fit for history-loving visitors looking for a casual but organized way to check out some of New York's bars. Although you could easily go to each of the bars on your own, the fun of the tour lies in hearing the history and meeting new like-minded people.

The West Village pub crawl is $50 per person and includes three drinks. Uncle Sam's New York also offers an Empire State Pub Crawl, a Hell's Kitchen Pub Crawl and an East Village Pub Crawl. If you prefer a regular walking tour, check out the Alexander Hamilton Financial District Tour, the Edgar Allan Poe Greenwich Village Tour or the George M. Cohan Theater District Tour. Nightlife fans can try the Chelsea Night Club Tour. Walking tours are $20 per person and nightlife tours range from $35 to $45.

If you have a New York Pass, you'll receive $20 off the cost of a pub crawl and you can attend any of the walking tours for free.

Carly really enjoyed our historic pub crawl and was able to meet some really cool people in the process. Not a bad way to spend your evening!
Click here to reserve your spot on the next West Village pub crawl.