8 Fabulous Tours for a Girlfriend Getaway in NYC

Hey, ladies: Here’s a sassy roundup of NYC’s top 8 tours for you and your gal pals, from cupcakes to chocolate to chick flicks — with plenty of wine along the way

 

by Jessica Colley

 

When girlfriends get away, it’s time to do all the things you never get the chance to do at home. Whether that means raising a glass of wine in the middle of the afternoon, splurging on chocolates and cupcakes or spending all the time you please going shopping, New York has a tour for that.

Leave the planning in the hands of an expert and allow a local guide to lead you to the best sweets, treats, cocktails and boutiques. Here, our favorite tours for a girlfriend getaway to NYC, whether your group of gals loves classic films, jazz, designer shopping, swing dancing — or anything in between.

 

Sex and the City Hotspots Tour
You watched Carrie Bradshaw search for love on TV — now follow in the footsteps of the fabulous foursome during a trip to NYC. The Sex and the City Hotspots Tour tour will bring your favorite episodes to life, whisking you from the Plaza Hotel (where Carrie talks to Mr. Big after his engagement party) to the charming brownstone in the West Village that was the exterior of Carrie’s apartment. There will be cupcakes, shopping, cocktails, shoes and trivia during this 3.5-hour bus tour that allows plenty of time for exploring neighborhoods depicted in the show (the Meatpacking District, Soho, the West Village) on foot. Your favorite Sex and the City scenes will also be playing on screens in the bus. Departs from 57th St. and 5th Ave., from $39pp, get tickets

 

Soho and Nolita Chic Boutique Shopping Tour
Beyond the department stores and brand names, there are many indie boutiques where New York style is alive and thriving. Experts lead a small group through the chic streets of Soho and Nolita on the 2.5-hour Soho and Nolita Chic Boutique Shopping Tour that visits tiny side-street gems where you can pick up one-of-a-kind clothing and accessories. Guides offer individual tips on wardrobe styling and current trends, and also divulge secrets about the historic neighborhoods (and the celebrities that call them home) along the way. Departs from 81 Spring St., from $36pp, get tickets

 

Chocolate, Dessert & Wine Tour of the UWS & Downtown
When girlfriends gather for a weekend getaway, it’s time to indulge. The 2.5-hour Chocolate, Dessert & Wine Tour of the UWS & Downtown is the ultimate splurge — spend an entire afternoon sipping wine, nibbling on chocolate and sipping more wine. Choose your location first, either the charming Upper West Side or buzzing Downtown. Then follow your guide along the pretty sidewalks to the best of each neighborhood’s chocolate shops, gourmet grocery stores and wine bars. This food-focused tour will also reveal local landmarks, such as the Dakota, where John Lennon once lived on the Upper West Side. Departs from Kee’s Chocolates, 80 Thompson St., from $48pp, get tickets

 

Hornblower Sunday Brunch Jazz Cruise
The tradition of Sunday brunch gets a New York makeover with the 2-hour Hornblower Jazz Cruise. Kick off your Sunday by sipping mimosas on this 210-foot yacht as it sails past landmarks like the George Washington Bridge and the Statue of Liberty. There is a brunch buffet, a live jazz band and a dessert station that’ll satisfy a voracious sweet tooth. After climbing to the Skydeck, a remarkable 65 feet above the water, and snapping photos of the skyline, your group of girlfriends will probably be lured to the dance floor by the resident DJ — and the promise of more champagne. Departs from Pier 40, 353 West St., from $63pp, get tickets

 

Swing Night Tour
A proper girlfriend’s getaway should provide the opportunity to cut loose. On the 3.5-hourSwing Night Tour, you’ll get plenty of chances to do just that. This lively tour will take you back to a time when men wore fedoras and women were called dames. Leave your inhibitions behind, and get wild on the dance floor to the sounds of Big Band Jazz performed by Grammy Award-winning musicians. Toast the night with a hearty three-course meal and generously flowing cocktails. Departs from 811 7th Ave., from $148pp, get tickets

 

Cupcake Tour of New York
The cupcake craze in New York began with the gals of Sex and the City, and continues with the city’s talented bakers who create these adorable goodies in a dizzying array of flavors, from peanut butter and jelly to pistachio. The Cupcake Tour of New York showcases the best of the best bakeries, from the famous Magnolia Bakery (try the Red Velvet) to Baked by Melissa to Molly’s Cupcakes. This tour also offers the chance to get creative, as you can build your own custom cupcake by selecting the cake flavor, frosting and toppings. Departs from southwest corner of Union Square, from $40pp, get tickets

 

Garment Center Insider Shopping Tour
Get the inside scoop on this 3-hour shopping tour of the Garment District, where the usually closed doors of appointment-only designer showrooms are flung open for your shopping pleasure. On the Garment Center Insider Shopping Tour, clothes and accessories from the current season will be on offer at 50% to 70% off retail prices. These showrooms are the same ones that fashion editors and boutique buyers visit to select from collections of both emerging and established designers — this is the ultimate behind-the-scenes experience. The tour will also include one of New York’s legendary sample sales (should one be scheduled that day) or you’ll receive a list of upcoming sample sales to explore on your own. Departs from Pacific Trimming, 220 W. 38th St., from $60pp, get tickets

 

TCM Classic Film Tour
You’ve seen New York on the silver screen — now it’s time to bring your favorite films to life. On the 3-hour TCM Classic Film Tour, you and your gal pals can visit the locales that played a starring role in beloved romantic films from Breakfast at Tiffany’s to You’ve Got Mail. View Manhattan through the lens of film history, as you see everything from the subway grate where Marilyn Monroe’s skirt famously blew up in The Seven-Year Itch to the Manhattan Bridge where Woody Allen and Diane Keaton discussed life, love and everything in between inManhattan. Departs from 51st St. and Broadway, from $34.50pp, get tickets