New York Adventure Club

https://www.nyadventureclub.com/event/1985643030757

In the early 20th century, the Woolworth Building in downtown Manhattan not only dominated the NYC skyline, but also held the title of "tallest building in the world" for over 17 years. What secrets lie behind its towering limestone and terracotta façade? Now’s your chance to step inside one of New York’s most breathtaking interiors — a hidden architectural marvel that's been off-limits to the public since 2020 (until now).

Join New York Adventure Club for an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the Woolworth Building — commissioned by retail magnate Frank Woolworth in 1910 to house his company’s corporate headquarters, this neo-Gothic style skyscraper designed by architect Cass Gilbert laid claim to the world’s tallest building from its opening in 1913 until 1930.

Led by licensed NYC tour guides and Woolworth Building experts Bob Gelber or Ed Welter, this official experience — and the only way inside this private building — will include:

• The story behind the “Cathedral of Commerce,” from its creation by retail magnate F.W. Woolworth to its groundbreaking design by Cass Gilbert
• A look at the exterior’s intricate terracotta façade, rich with neo-Gothic ornamentation and symbolic details
• A private tour of the soaring lobby, with its marble-clad walls, vaulted ceilings, and hidden symbols embedded in the architecture
• A visit to the subterranean vault, where the building’s original safe deposit boxes are tucked beneath its towering frame
• A special trip to the mezzanine balcony, offering a close-up view of the vaulted mosaic ceiling, richly inspired by the opulence and patterns of the Byzantine Empire

See you there!

*There are no public restrooms on the tour, so please plan accordingly
**This tour is limited to the lobby and first sub-level
***Please refrain from wandering around the lobby before, during, or after the tour

About Bob
After retiring from the New York State Court System, Bob Gelber became a licensed New York City tour guide to share his deep knowledge and passion for his hometown. Over the past twelve years, he has led visitors through neighborhoods many tourists overlook, while also serving as a docent at the Woolworth Building and volunteering at both the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Open House New York. A longtime member of the Guides Association of New York City, Bob has served on its Board of Directors and several key committees. From Central Park to the Lower East Side — and even chocolate-themed walks through SoHo — Bob brings history to life with every step.

About Ed
With over four decades of experience in construction and nearly 15 years in the tourism world, Ed Welter brings a unique perspective to New York City's built environment. After starting his guiding career at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in 2010, Ed went on to become a senior docent and trainer at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, where he has been sharing the site’s powerful story since its earliest days. A licensed NYC tour guide since 2012, Ed also led Woolworth Building tours from 2014 until their pause in 2020 — and is excited to return as the tour program resumes with New York Adventure Club. His deep knowledge and passion have guided countless tours across Lower Manhattan, from the Brooklyn Bridge to City Hall Park, including topics like the Five Points, the African Burial Grounds, and the history of terrorism in New York.

Testimonials
"The tour of the lobby was full of secrets and mysteries and astonishing design. The lobby tour guide was kind, passionate, and extremely knowledgeable." -Simon
"Very informational. Knowledgeable lobby tour guide." -Jacqueline
"The guide was very knowledgeable and history interesting. My first with adventure club, not the last. I enjoyed it very much." -Judy
"...The guide was great… provided just enough information and stories, answered questions… and best of all really enjoyed seeing this iconic building up close! Wonderful event. Just the right amount of time." -Aimee
"A fascinating combination of history, architecture and biography in a magnificent building. The guide was exceptional." -Beth
"Informative on architecture, history, and history of Woolworth himself. Also notable comments on the strains between Woolworth and his architect, Cass Gilbert. Excellent speaker, humorous, personal, and interested in all facets of the building." -Margaret
"The history and love that went into building this magnificent building" -Jojo
"The information about Woolworth himself and the history of the 5 and 10 business was particularly good. Makes me want to learn more. Of course, just getting access was a treat. It's kind of a hidden treasure." -Leandro
"It was highly informative and the guide was engaging." -E
"Didn’t realize that this beautiful building was not open to the public so it was very special. Also the building was awesome. Guide was terrific." -Murray
"The guide was so knowledgeable, explained everything in an interesting way, was patient with questions and managed the group well. It was outstanding!!" -Betsy
"Tour guide's knowledge of the subject." -Lucien

Disclaimer
By attending a New York Adventure Club experience, you accept our terms of service.
Categories: In-Person, Neighborhood Tours

https://www.nyadventureclub.com/event/1984400210448

New York runs on systems most of us never stop to think about — the barges hauling our trash, the tunnels moving wastewater, and the plants keeping it all flowing. With many of these sites clustered along the East River, what kinds of structures are hiding in plain sight along its banks? Step aboard an NYC ferry and get ready to explore the essential infrastructure that keeps the city clean, running, and (mostly) rat-free.

Join New York Adventure Club as we embark on a one-of-a-kind ferry trip along the East River to explore the vital water and waste systems that keep New York City running.

Led by licensed guide and urban planner Rayn Riel — who has worked on real-world infrastructure projects across sanitation, wastewater, and beyond — our unique experience from Lower Manhattan to the Bronx and back will include:

• A look at the journey of your trash and recyclables, spotting the barges that ferry them toward landfills, incinerators, or recycling facilities
• A glimpse of NYC’s 14 wastewater treatment plants and the century‑old sewer and utility tunnels beneath the river — some predating the subway
• A view of the Hell Gate Bridge’s three‑in‑one structure, explained so you’ll see what most miss
• A ride past hidden sites like North Brother Island, once home to NYC’s deadliest disaster
• A float past the Bronx River mouth, NYC’s only true freshwater river
• Unexpected sights along the way, including a decommissioned prison barge, the evolving Fulton Fish Market, and Roosevelt Island’s forgotten elevator (along with the site of its once-infamous sewage fountain)
• An earpiece for each guest to hear the guide over the sounds of the ferry

This experience is limited to only six guests.

See you there!

*This ticket includes roundtrip NYC Ferry service between Wall Street / Pier 11 & Soundview.
**Guests are free to disembark earlier on the return voyage at the East 34th Street or Stuyvesant Cove ferry landing as the tour content will be finished by then.
***Each NYC Ferry has food and snacks available for purchase, as well as a restroom.
****This experience will take place indoors on the trip up to Soundview, and outdoors on the return trip to Manhattan (weather permitting).

Tour Schedule

• (0m) Gather at Meeting Location
• (30m) Depart Pier 11 on Soundview Ferry
• (1hr 30m) Turnaround at Throgs Neck / Ferry Point Park
• (2hr - 2hr 30m) Disembark at Preferred Ferry Landing - East 34th Street, Stuyvesant Cove, or Pier 11

About Rayn Riel
Rayn is an urban planner and tour guide based in New York City. He’s worked on infrastructure projects across the five boroughs and is passionate about exploring how cities function.

Disclaimer
Event takes place rain or shine.
By attending a New York Adventure Club experience, you accept our terms of service.
Categories: In-Person, Neighborhood Tours

https://www.nyadventureclub.com/event/1984578266017

On August 27, 1776, the Battle of Brooklyn — also called the Battle of Long Island — raged across much of present-day Brooklyn in the first engagement of the American Revolution after independence was declared. What moments during this weeklong conflict helped General Washington and the rest of the Colonial Army miraculously escape from Brooklyn Ferry to Manhattan under cover of darkness and morning fog? It's time to walk through this former battlefield and uncover one of the most pivotal moments in American history.

Join New York Adventure Club as we explore the sights and stories of the Battle of Brooklyn, with a focus on the vital part played by the geography of Brooklyn in the conflict.

Led by licensed New York City Tour Guide Ann McDermott, this unique experience of the first and most consequential battle of the American Revolution will include:

• An overview of the broad battlefield across modern-day Brooklyn, with discussions about the strategic sites and commanders from both sides who won, lost, or were captured
• A walk through portions of Prospect Park, including Battle Pass, where the Americans led by General John Sullivan were surrounded by English and Hessian troops and ultimately forced to surrender
• A discussion of key locations tied to the conflict, including Battle Hill in Green-Wood Cemetery — the highest point in Brooklyn and the site of some of the bloodiest fighting — and Fort Defiance in Red Hook, where American artillery bombarded the British navy and temporarily neutralized its strategic advantage
• A final stop at the Old Stone House, where the heroic Maryland 400 — led by Major Mordecai Gist and General William Alexander (Lord Stirling) — made a heroic stand against Cornwallis and Howe's onslaught during one of the battle’s most dramatic moments

See you there!

*Please bring a water bottle and comfortable pair of shoes as we’ll be on our feet for the duration of the experience
**This tour concludes at the Old Stone House in Washington Park on 4th Avenue between 3rd and 4th Streets

About Ann
Ann McDermott, a native Brooklynite, was born up the block from where the tour ends and spent her early years playing on this battlefield. She knows the neighborhood and area extremely well and will tell you how to visit each site seen from afar on the tour, if you wish to go there.

Testimonials
"Ann was very knowledgeable and open to questions and chatting. And a fun way to think about this important battle right in my own backyard." -Cynthia
"Very interesting." -Shalom

Disclaimer
Event takes place rain or shine.
By attending a New York Adventure Club experience, you accept our terms of service.
Categories: In-Person, Neighborhood Tours

https://www.nyadventureclub.com/event/1984576563926

What do an old Dutchman, a world-famous mystery writer, a Seattle punk rocker, and Jack the Ripper all have in common? Their ghosts might be lurking about lower Manhattan...if you know where to look. Venturing through the East Village and ending in the West Village, it's time to explore the macabre side of New York history, ghost stories, and historical rumors that are too fun not to repeat.

Join New York Adventure Club as we take a walk through the East Village to visit reportedly haunted, musical, art, and historical sites throughout the neighborhood, ranging from the legendary to way-off-the-beaten-path.

Led by Nora Cronin, an adjunct professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, our ghostly adventure through the East Village and ending in the West Village will include stops at:

• Tompkins Square Park to hear about its role as an East Village gathering spot for artists on their way up (and down)
• The General Slocum memorial, which marks the second deadliest event in New York City history
• St. Mark’s Church, a three-centuries old Church that has connections to New Amsterdam governor Peter Stuyvesant, which some say can still be seen on the Church grounds
• The Boys Club, which closed in 2019 after over 121 years of school programming for boys and young men — some say the voices of children playing can still be heard around the building even though it's completely empty
• The former Pyramid Club, a once legendary musical spot on Avenue A that was the site of Nirvana’s first New York City gig in 1989
• New York Marble Cemetery, New York’s first non-sectarian burial place — learn the frightening reason outside its gates why the marble vaults were built ten feet underground
• The former homes of Halloween’s patron saint, Edgar Allan Poe

Our experience will conclude at Peculiar Pub in the West Village, which will have food and drinks available for purchase!
See you there!

*Please bring water and comfortable shoes as we’ll be on our feet for the entire experience
**This event takes place in rain or shine
***This tour concludes at Peculiar Pub at 145 Bleecker Street

About Nora
Nora Cronin is an adjunct professor at the City University of New York, John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Her interest in history and crime naturally leads her to investigate the macabre side of New York history. She has previously led ghost walks in the civil war town of Fredericksburg, Virginia, and is excited to bring this storytelling tradition to New York Adventure Club.

Testimonials
" The history. Guide is very knowledgable." -Brenda
" Nora was genuinely passionate about the topics discussed and clearly knew what she was talking about. It was perfect." -Anna
" Guide was wonderful" -Linda

Disclaimer
Event takes place rain or shine.
By attending a New York Adventure Club experience, you accept our terms of service.
Categories: In-Person, Neighborhood Tours