The Dakota to Zabar's: An Upper West Side Walking Tour

By VoiceMap Audio Tours

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Free cancellation available
2h 30m
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Overview

The Upper West Side is one of Manhattan's most layered and cinematic neighborhoods, shaped by Gilded Age ambition, immigrant ingenuity, and a long tradition of attracting creative misfits. On this self-guided audio tour, you'll trace how a sparsely populated stretch of farmland north of the city became home to some of New York's most storied buildings, boldest personalities, and most enduring cultural institutions. The tour starts at Columbus Circle, where a monument to Christopher Columbus marks the gateway to the Upper West Side. Along the way, you'll hear how the Metropolitan Opera was founded out of Gilded Age spite, why the Ansonia once kept live seals in its lobby fountain and a farm on its roof, and how the fictional gang wars of West Side Story were filmed among the rubble of a real neighbourhood being demolished to build Lincoln Center. The tour ends at Zabar's on Broadway, the legendary New York culinary institution that has been feeding the Upper West Side since 1934.

Activity location

1813 Broadway
- 1813 Broadway
- 10023, New York, New York, United States

Meeting/Redemption Point

1813 Broadway
- 1813 Broadway
- 10023, New York, New York, United States

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The Dakota to Zabar's: An Upper West Side Walking Tour in English

2h 30m
Opening hours: Mon 0:00-23:59
English

Travellers

Language options: English

Price details

RM 61.24 x 1 AdultRM 61.24

Total

What's included, what's not

Lifetime access to this tour in English before your booking date and after it
Offline access to audio, maps, and geodata
Flexibility to explore at your own pace with a self-guided GPS tour
App for Android and iOS
Directions to the starting point so that when you’re in the right place, the tour will start
Smartphone and headphones
Transportation
Food and drink
Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour

Know before you book

- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Activity itinerary

Columbus Circle (Pass by)

Begin your tour at Columbus Circle, where a monument to Christopher Columbus marks the gateway to the Upper West Side. Discover how this landmark was funded by Italian immigrant communities in the 1890s, setting the tone for a neighbourhood built by ambition and immigrant ingenuity.

Maine Monument (Pass by)

Explore the USS Maine National Monument, where the likeness of Audrey Munson, America's first supermodel, appears twice. Learn the tragic story behind this once-celebrated figure whose image became a defining feature of early 20th-century American sculpture.

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (Pass by)

Walk through Lincoln Center's grand plaza, surrounded by the Metropolitan Opera House, David H. Koch Theater, and David Geffen Hall. Hear how the fictional gang wars of West Side Story were filmed among the rubble of the real neighbourhood demolished to build this extraordinary concentration of performance venues.

American Museum of Natural History (Pass by)

Pass the American Museum of Natural History, home to 32 million artefacts spread across more than twenty interconnected buildings. Take in the scale of one of the city's most iconic cultural institutions as you continue along the route.

The Dakota (Pass by)

Stop at the legendary Dakota, where John Lennon lived and died. Hear how even celebrities like Madonna and Cher were turned away by the building's notoriously selective co-op board.

The Ansonia Building (Pass by)

Discover why the Ansonia once kept live seals in its lobby fountain and a farm on its roof. Learn how this extraordinary building attracted residents as varied as Babe Ruth, Igor Stravinsky, Arturo Toscanini, and Bette Midler across very different eras.

Metropolitan Opera House (Pass by)

Learn how the Metropolitan Opera was founded out of Gilded Age spite, a rivalry that shaped one of the world's great opera houses. Take in its place at the heart of Lincoln Centre's plaza, alongside the David H. Koch Theatre and David Geffen Hall.

Tavern On the Green (Pass by)

Bear right toward the entrance of Tavern on the Green, a landmark destination set inside Central Park itself. Learn how it hosted regulars like Mayor Fiorello La Guardia, Grace Kelly, and Fay Wray, plus neighbour John Lennon, who celebrated his birthday here with Yoko Ono in 1979.

Zabar's (Pass by)

End your tour at Zabar's on Broadway, the legendary New York culinary institution that has been feeding the Upper West Side since 1934. Soak in the atmosphere of this beloved neighbourhood landmark, famous for its smoked fish and old-school charm.

Location

Activity location

1813 Broadway
- 1813 Broadway
- 10023, New York, New York, United States

Meeting/Redemption Point

1813 Broadway
- 1813 Broadway
- 10023, New York, New York, United States

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