New York Sightseeing Tours

Sex and the City and TV & Movie Sites Bus Tours

Jul 18, 2009 Judith Glynn

Friends TV show, Carrie from Sex and the City and Ghostbusters are familiar names. See where popular shows and movies were filmed in New York City on a guided bus tour

The film industry in New York City is a $5-billion-dollar business. Countless and well-known locations featured on TV shows and in movies can be seen throughout the town. Star sightings are numerous, too, which makes the city a natural for film buffs and visitors wanting an up-close-and-personal fan experience. One tip before taking any tour listed below is to bring a street map if NYC neighborhoods are unfamiliar. At the end of each tour, a booklet is handed out that outlines the tour. Tipping is suggested but not mandatory. All tours are in English unless otherwise specified.

Sex and the City Bus Tour

On a recent Sex and the City bus tour, most of the passengers were thirty-something ladies (there were only three men) who gushed and giggled during the 3 1/2-hour tour that left Midtown and traveled south to Greenwich Village and SoHo. "This is an R-rated tour," said the guide. "Everything they talk about on the show, we talk about on this bus." First stop was The Pleasure Chest. The sexually explicit shop sells adult sex toys and complementing items where a 15% discount was given to the tour's participants.

The lively and knowledgeable guide asked numerous questions throughout the ride regarding specific Sex and the City episodes. Aidan, Carrie, Samantha, Big and other characters were talked about like close friends. Many riders knew exact dialogue and in which episode the words were spoken by cast members. Filming locations were pointed out, followed up with relevant clips shown on the overhead screens. Several stops were made, including one at Buddakan, the Asian-Fusion restaurant in the Meatpacking District. Photos were allowed but not of the downstairs room where Carrie and Big held their engagement party in the movie. Free cupcakes were provided by Magnolia Bakery at that stop and O'Neill's in SoHo sold Cosmopolitan drinks for $9.

The tour is offered daily at 11am and 3pm; Saturdays and Sundays at 10am, 11am, and 3pm. It's also available in German. Cost per person is $42. Pick-up and drop-off locations are in Midtown and near the City's official Tourist Office.

New York TV & Movie Sites On Location Tours

It helped to be a die-hard TV and movie fan on this tour since the guide rapidly rattled off their titles and stars' names as the bus rolled past countless locations. Even if not an on-location fan, the ride through New York's neighborhoods was worth the trip.

Central Park alone has had 200 films shot there; more than anywhere else in the world. Rounding Columbus Circle, the riders learned that Bruce Willis, Usher, Janet Jackson and Al Pacino live close by in multi-million-dollar apartments. It wasn't possible, however, to visit any filming studio but if a film was being shot on the street, the bus would stop nearby. But stops were made in SoHo at Ben's Pizza shop where the aliens shot the boss in the Men in Black II movie. Pizza can be purchased and eaten on the bus. Hook & Ladder Firehouse 8 in SoHo was a popular stop since the "ghostbusters" had their headquarters in the building.

Movie and/or TV series' clips were shown throughout the tour to coordinate with the tour guide's comments. But little introduction was needed when the bus stopped at Bill Cosby's TV home at 10 St. Luke's Place in the West Village. The best was saved for last, which is the facade of the apartment house seen in Friends and termed an "established shot," which means it shows for only a few seconds.The interior scenes were filmed entirely in Hollywood.

The New York Tour of TV & Movie Sites tour is offered daily at 11:00 a.m and starts from a Midtown location. It's also available in German. Price is $38 for a 3 1/2-hour tour.

The copyright of the article New York Sightseeing Tours in NE U.S. Travel is owned by Judith Glynn. Permission to republish New York Sightseeing Tours in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

On Location Tour Bus, NYC	Ghostbusters Hook & Ladder 8 Firehouse	Film Being Shot on a SoHo Street
Building Used for Friends TV Series Exterior Shot	Magnolia Bakery Cupcake - Sex and the City