Meet Your Guide
Welcome to New York! Whether it's your first time visiting or you're a regular New Yorker, deciding how to spend your limited time in such a vast city can be overwhelming. Luckily, I'm here to help. My name is Nicky Shapiro—
I’m a writer and longtime East Village resident with generations of family history in New York City.
After a lifetime spent living amongst city legend and lore, I served as a public school teacher in Harlem, backpacked around the world for a year with my surfboard, and became an officially licensed New York City tour guide after realizing the power of great local guides through my travels.
My endless curiosity for all things New York keeps me up to date with the city’s hottest restaurants, bars, and culture, and my boundless passion for history (I graduated with an Honors degree in history from UC Berkeley) connects me with the city’s deep roots.
Having taken dozens of tours all over the world myself, I know that there’s nothing more frustrating as a visitor than ending up with a guide more interested in reciting a laundry list of long, repetitive cliches than actually engaging with the group itself. I understand that the key to being a great guide is not overwhelming guests with scripted, predetermined monologues. Each of my tours is unique, specifically tailored to my audience—you—and my expertise is versatile enough to provide you with exactly the flexible tour you’re looking for. Interested in history? Architecture? Food? Culture? Nightlife? Sports? I've got you covered.
Despite all my travels, no place inspires me more than New York.
Take advantage of my insider knowledge to discover NYC's hidden gems, from the best slice of pizza in the city (take a tour to find out for yourself) to underground speakeasies dating to Prohibition. Follow me to the hippest and tastiest establishments in the city, and experience New York like a seasoned local. Discover the rich social histories of immigrants from all over the world on the Lower East Side, learn how some of the wealthiest people in history built their way up iconic Fifth Avenue, and walk the same streets as George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and the Founding Fathers in Historic Downtown. Learn about the intricate design choices which inspired city icons from the Empire State Building to the Statue of Liberty, and discover the jazz clubs keeping the ghosts of iconic venues like the Cotton Club alive.
I've been exploring New York City all my life, and I can't wait for you to join me on my next adventure.
FAQs
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Nicky Tours is the operation behind tour guide Nicky Shapiro’s private NYC tours. If you book a tour with Nicky Tours, you’re booking a tour with Nicky. Who the heck is Nicky? Find out here!
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Absolutely! I’ve planned multi-week itineraries for groups of all shapes and sizes visiting New York. Email me: nicky@nickytours.com
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If a date is blocked off on my booking calendar, it means I’m either already booked on another tour, writing, or surfing. But you can email me to make sure: nicky@nickytours.com.
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New York City is home to over 8 million people living across 350 neighborhoods. I’ve been to most of them. We can make something work. nicky@nickytours.com
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Yes! Every May, I lead a free Jane’s Walk in partnership with the Municipal Art Society of New York. I also occasionally lead community tours for local organizations, and I’m open to donating free or discounted tours to local school groups and charity organizations. Please contact nicky@nickytours.com for more information.
