• People walking past a NYC sewer manhole cover.

    Strange & Sensational Stories: Midtown Walking Tour

  • Tour guide recounting a story to guests in front of the Morgan Library.

    "This was such a great tour, I loved the stories!"

  • High angle view of a tour guide presenting information to tour guests.

    "Sensational headlines was such a fun theme."

  • Close up of the New York Public Library's stone lion, Fortitude.

    "I'm a New Yorker and didn't know most of these stories."

  • Tour guide with small group of interested guests.

    "I loved the group vibe Kat created!"

  • Tour guide with small group in front of the New York Public Library.

    "This was such a lovely, interesting, fun tour and such riveting and diverse stories."

Strange & Sensational Stories: Midtown Walking Tour

Discover a side of Midtown Manhattan you’ve never heard on this story-driven walking tour filled with sensational and strange true tales once splashed across New York’s newspapers. Perfect for visitors and locals alike, this tour brings to life headline-worthy stories including alligators in the sewers, eccentric celebrities with unexpected obsessions, death-defying survival stories, and the mystery of “The Missingest Man in America.”

Blending famous Midtown locations with bizarre history and expert storytelling, this engaging walk offers a fresh and entertaining perspective on one of New York City’s most iconic neighborhoods.

Duration: 2 hours

Itinerary

  • Start the tour with one of New York’s most famous urban legends. Hear how stories of alligators living in the city’s sewers slithered into newspapers and became part of NYC folklore.

  • Discover the strange story of a powerful newspaper magnate whose obsession with owls was as unusual as it was unforgettable.

  • At the flagship store of Macy's Herald Square, hear about the parade balloon mishap that turned a beloved holiday tradition into headline news.

  • Learn about an astonishing survival story involving a fall at one of the tallest buildings in the world.

  • Appreciate the unusual photo of financier J. P. Morgan that changed public opinion and the life of a Barnum & Bailey Circus star.

  • Stroll along Park Avenue and hear the famous story of one of the most vilified women in American History.

  • Hear how this beloved landmark once served as a backdrop for Cold War espionage, secrets, and betrayal.

  • At Tesla Corner, learn about inventor Nikola Tesla and his surprisingly devoted love for the park’s pigeons.

  • Wrap up with the true crime mystery of a judge who vanished from the Crossroads of the World and became one of the most baffling missing persons cases in American history.