CitySights NY

07/01/2008 Posted by 9yards

My sister and I recently had visitors from overseas and decided City Sights would be the best way to give them a quick overview on New York. The whole thing was the biggest waste of time and money. We only made it onto 2 buses because the guides went from bad to worse. The first guide focused only on places to shop. My personal favorite was pointing out where to buy fake Louis Vuittons in Chinatown and telling us we could then sell them on Ebay to make money. The thing that really got me was that he was making things up. My 2 personal favorites: 1. He actually said New York tap water was not safe to drink and would make you sick. Bottled water is better but I'm not sure when NYC became a 3rd world country. 2. When the bus was on Houston, he did manage to point out Soho stands for "South of Houston" and Noho is "North of Houston." He then said there are areas called Eho and Woho for East and West of Houston. Um...that would be the East and Hudson Rivers. The second bus was even worse. We caught it up from the Staten Island ferry and my sister's description of this guide was that he had suicidal enthusiasm. The guide never said anything about the history of the area, which is the oldest part of New York. He did point out a Duane Reade and told us that's where we could buy toothbrushes. After that, we decided to do the rest of the city on our own. If you do decide to take one of the City Sights tours, the nicest thing I can say is that it's a good way to see the city. Don't rely on the guides on the bus though. The lack of information and complete misinformation was stunning. Get a good guide book, read it in advance or take it with you when you get off the bus.

Pros: Good way to get around besides the subway

Cons: False information, rude guides

05/30/2008 Posted by outny

It's astounding how gullible tourists can be...and how much money they are willing to waste! To get scammed by (at best) sketchy hustlers to part with a great deal of cash, just to ride around Manhattan in a dirty open-air FUEL GUZZLING (read: MOST environmentally unfriendly) bus, driven by operators who violate traffic laws and create traffic havoc block by block, is not my idea of the best way to see New York. Apart from walking, which is the healthiest, cheapest and most interactive way to experience the city, visitors and residents alike can get the exact same tours for the $2 price of a MetroCard on the local city buses. The routes and destinations are exactly the same as the over-priced CitySights Tour buses, as roomy and comfortable (more or less), and most buses arrive every 10 to 30 minutes...and you can take all the pictures you want and hop on or hop off anywhere along the line that peaks your curiosity. Not sure of your bearings? Ask the driver (most are far more friendly than the tour bus operators). Not sure of a sight? Ask another passenger; contrary to popular belief, New Yorkers are more than willing to offer help, advice or recommendations. Never ever fails. For example, take the M6 local bus from 57th Street & 7th Avenue; travels right through the heart of Times Square, all the way down Broadway (past Herald, Madison, Union, Washington Square Parks) all the way to the tip of Lower Manhattan. Cost: $2 (MetroCard obtained at any subway station in the city; and exact change accepted as well on all buses!). Two thumbs down to the CitySights (and shame on them)! If you can't walk the city, see the city the way the locals do...and save that money for a boat ride around the island or lunch at any number of fantastic eateries along the way. Or maybe a really good pair of walking shoes! Hope this helps.

Pros: none

Cons: Damage to the environment, traffic violations, COST!, lack concern for safety, and on....