Lonely Planet Experiences: New York Craft Cocktail Tour
New York, USA
From USD 89.00
Office phone number: +1 (347) 878-8444
Lonely Planet Experiences: New York Craft Cocktail Tour
New York, USA
Culture shock rating
Worried we’re going to shock your senses? Relax! We believe part of the fun of travel is immersing yourself in the destination and its culture, meeting the people, and learning what makes the place tick. We’ve got a wide range of tours with something for everybody. The cultural shock rating ranks how different the experience is from most Western cultures. But no matter the level, don’t worry, you’ll have a local, in-the-know guide with you every step of the way.
Low
Consider these tours your 101 intro to a place. Transportation might be private or a very comfortable public option, and the activities are usually visits to iconic sites and locations that are familiar to most Western cultures – but that will still give you fantastic insight into a destination.
Medium
Expect to rough it for parts of this tour, whether that’s on a packed public bus or in a local market off the tourist trail. There might be a few language barriers or unfamiliar cultural customs, and you’ll get an experience different from what you're used to at home.
High
You're out there in the global community! We’re going to take you down streets you’d rarely explore on your own, introduce you to local customs and languages, and take you for a ride in whatever transport is available. Get ready to take it as it comes, whatever comes. There might be a shock, but oh man, it’s worth it.
Physical rating
Worried our tours are too tough? Relax! From leisurely strolls to muscle-burning treks, we’ve got a wide range of tours with something for everybody. The physical grading gives you an idea of how much huffing and puffing you can expect on the tour.
Low
Slow and steady is all you need here. These tours have very limited physical activity, such as walking relatively flat streets, sites, or markets, and climbing in and out of the transport provided.
Medium
Not too hard, not too soft, these tours are just right! You can expect a bit of physical activity, but nothing overly challenging – perhaps walking up and down hills, riding a bike for up to 30 kilometers along mostly flat terrain, or jumping in a kayak for a gentle paddle on flat water.
High
Get ready for a workout! These tours are our most challenging and involve intense walking, hiking, kayaking, swimming, or bike riding. You could be making steep climbs by foot or pedal, or working your core in the water. We recommend you have a good level of fitness to join this tour.
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Tour snapshot
This happy hour tour is taking you to the centre of New York’s booming cocktail culture as we visit some of the best bars in the city. Along the way, we’ll sample delicious libations, swap tales of speakeasies and gangsters, shop for new locally produced spirits, get tips on how to make your own craft cocktails, and discover some of the best places to grab a drink in the Big Apple.
Experience the best travel stories for yourself. Join a local expert and uncover hidden gems on this city adventure hand-picked by the world's leading travel publisher. Lonely Planet Experiences powered by Urban Adventures bring stories to life in the best-loved cities around the globe.
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Highlights
- Taste delicious craft cocktails at some of New York’s best bars
- Learn how prohibition shaped NYC, and the speakeasies and gangsters who influenced the city’s cocktail culture
- Discover new spirits from local micro-distilleries
- Find the best tucked-away places to grab a drink in New York’s East Village
- Learn how bartenders are revolutionising cocktails in America with fresh, artisanal ingredients
- Each Lonely Planet Experience comes with six-months free access to Lonely Planet’s Guides App which includes over 8,000 destinations guides and unbeatable discounts to Lonely Planet Guidebooks
Local Impact: How you will help the local community by joining this tour:
- On most tours you visit a restaurant and bar that follows sustainable practices, including being completely vegan and using paper straws.
- Your guide will discuss the New York Farm Distillery License which helps launch small spirit businesses and stimulates the local agriculture industry.
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Schedule details
- Duration: 2.5 hours
- Meeting point:
Corner of Avenue A and St. Mark’s Place at the entrance to Tompkins Square Park. Meet on the park side of the intersection (east side). You must bring government-issued photo ID as proof of age. Passports and/or driver’s licenses are acceptable.
- Find the exact meeting point with what3words:
- Starting time: 6.00 PM
- Ending point:
At a location in the East Village or the Lower East Side nearby many subway stations
Language: English
Inclusions: Local English-speaking guide, 3 cocktails
Exclusions: Food and additional drinks, bottles of spirits, souvenirs, tips and gratuities for the guide
Your NYC cocktail tour starts in Tompkins Square Park in the East Village, a site that’s famed for being the gathering place for political radicals and socialists, as well as the city’s immigrant poor — an appropriate place to begin since so much of NYC’s cocktail culture was invented by these very same people.
The East Village of New York was once an immigrant neighborhood, but today is one of the prime nightlife districts of the city, with great restaurants, bars, and theaters — and we’re taking you to discover the best local haunts and hidden corners.
We start out at a drinking fountain dedicated by a temperance advocate who extolled the virtues of water over whiskey. But don’t worry, we’re not going to listen to him. Instead, we’re taking you to visit three of New York City’s best cocktail bars, where we sample drinks, find out about the people behind the bars, and learn how their craft cocktails are made.
Along the way, hear stories of how the modern cocktail came to be, how prohibition in America affected the bar scene, and how cocktails are enjoying a resurgence as a result of the craft distilling and cocktail movement.
We keep the discussion going with visits to the sites of former speakeasies (hidden illegal bars that operated during the prohibition era) and share tales of the gangsters and politicians that kept the liquor flowing despite the 18th Amendment.
When possible, we also swing by New York’s premier wine and spirits store, Astor Wines, where our expert guides can help you pick out the perfect boozy souvenir to take home with you after the tour. We show you what to look for when buying different spirits and highlight the new local micro-distillers that have opened up over the last several years and are producing delicious whiskeys, rums, vodkas, and gins.
In between stops, you learn all about the East Village, its history, and what is happening there today, including where to eat, drink, and play.
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Additional information
Inclusions: Local English-speaking guide, 3 cocktails
Exclusions: Food and additional drinks, bottles of spirits, souvenirs, tips and gratuities for the guide
Dress standard: Dress should be appropriate for a night out. Please avoid wearing shorts, baseball hats, t-shirts, or flip-flop (thong) sandals.
Your Trip: For your Urban Adventure you will be in a small group of a maximum of 12 people.
Confirmation of booking: If you have your voucher, your booking is confirmed. We'll see you at the start point. In an effort to eliminate waste, we recommend that you upload your voucher on a mobile device. We do not need a physical copy of your voucher. Get in touch if you have any concerns or require more information via the email address or phone number (business hours only) on your voucher.
Child Policy: Travellers under 21 years of age are not permitted to join this tour.
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Local contact
Office phone number: +1 (347) 878-8444
Email address: info@newyorkcityurbanadventures.com
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