Can my travel agent make arrangements with you on my behalf?
We work closely with travel agents and event consultants, and encourage you to use their services.
If you are a travel agent, please contact us for booking information.

How are the guides for A Friend in New York qualified?
All our guides are licensed by the City of New York and each has at least four years of experience in helping visitors to our city. In addition, each guide is a specialist in the subject to be explored, whether it is horticulture or history, art or architecture, and can provide a personalized insight that is often lacking in general tours.

If I do not want to visit one of the sites mentioned, could you provide an alternative?
Absolutely, yes. The specific sites mentioned in the catalogue are there to suggest the nature and scope of each tour. It is our practice to review carefully every tour plan to provide our visitors with the kind of experience they look forward to. A suggested itinerary will be provided well in advance for approval, and our guests will receive a final itinerary when all venues are reserved.

What are the costs and fees involved?
There is a planning fee of $100. Our professional, licensed guides accompany you and your party in a private van with driver for $200 per hour with a four-hour minimum. Walking tours start at $75 per hour and have a 2-hour minimum. Step-on guides (you provide the transportation) are $75 per hour. Theater, admissions and event tickets are charged to you at our cost, which may be higher than ticket face value if it is necessary to use a ticket agency for hard-to-obtain shows or events, plus a small handling fee. All admission fees for the guides, and meals when included in the tour plan, are taken care of by the client. Gratuities will be specified in the planning document. The cost of lunch or dinner for your group can be handled directly by the client or we can arrange for its payment in advance.

What does "appropriate lunch optional" mean?
By pre-arranging a restaurant lunch (or picnic lunch in some instances), we can avoid undue waits for service, maximize your time to enjoy New York, and ensure that you will receive a quality meal in your desired price range in almost any part of the city. An "appropriate" lunch may range from hamburgers or pizza for children to elegant continental cuisine at a four-star restaurant. We can also ensure arrangements for visitors who may have dietary restrictions or preferences, kosher or vegetarian meals and places where children and teenagers may enjoy both the food and the atmosphere. All lunch plans are coordinated with your group's decision-maker, who will receive our suggestions and sample menus.

Why is there a four-hour minimum?
Transportation requirements dictate that we reserve a van within the city for a four-hour minimum. Additionally, all our guides are professional specialists who have prepared and reviewed material carefully for your tour, have been in touch with their personal contacts who will wait your arrival at each venue, have committed themselves to being available exclusively for you for more than half their working day and have your enjoyment, comfort and safety paramount.