New York Adventure Club

https://www.nyadventureclub.com/event/1997717208949

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/1997717228006

While Alexander Hamilton is best known for establishing the First Bank of the United States, penning most of the Federalist Papers, and even founding the New York Post, one of his most visionary accomplishments is often overlooked — the creation of Paterson, New Jersey, America’s first planned city of industry and innovation. What began as a bold experiment in water-powered manufacturing became one of the largest and most productive economies in the world by the late 1800s. Now’s your chance to walk the streets of Hamilton’s forgotten city and see how his blueprint for American economic independence still echoes through Paterson’s historic raceways, roaring waterfalls, and industrial landmarks.

Join New York Adventure Club for a special exploration of Paterson, New Jersey — the "Silicon Valley" of the 19th and early 20th centuries — that became a leading global manufacturing hub for industries including locomotives, silk, and airplane engines.

Led by the Director of the Paterson Museum, our exclusive trip will include:

• A private walkthrough of the Paterson Museum (normally closed on weekends), with a look at the city’s industrial rise through textiles, locomotives, airplane engines, and the once-mighty silk industry
• A guided tour of Great Falls — one of the largest waterfalls in the U.S. — and its engineered raceways, where Hamilton’s vision of harnessing water power came to life and launched a new era of American manufacturing
• A visit to the newly restored Hinchliffe Stadium, one of the last surviving Negro League ballparks, and a powerful symbol of the city’s civic and cultural history
• A walk along one of Paterson’s original industrial raceways, exploring how its unique water channeling system powered factories and shaped the urban landscape
• Panoramic views of Paterson’s industrial past and present from the Hinchliffe Stadium's museum

See you there!

*Please bring water and comfortable shoes as we'll be on our feet for the duration of the experience. In addition, we'll be walking uphill and uneven terrain at times.
**Our experience will end back at the Paterson Museum, which is in walking distance of many great restaurants and eateries

Schedule of Events:
1-2pm: Museum Tour
2-3:30pm: Paterson Walking Tour

Transportation:
*Please double check train/bus departure times the day before as schedules can shift.

By Bus:
Take NJ Transit Bus 190 departing from Port Authority Gate 232 to the "Main St at Market St" stop (Zone 5) — the museum is a 10-minute walk from the bus stop. Bus 190 returns to NYC every 20 minutes.
OR
A small private bus company called Express Bus Service runs shuttle busses every five minutes directly between NYC and Paterson (final stop), which takes approximately one hour. Board on the east side of 8th Avenue between 41st and 42nd Streets. Fare is $7.50 cash each way. Note that while this bus is faster than the NJ Transit Bus, the seats are tighter and ride is bumpier.

By Train:
Take the NJ Transit Morris & Essex train from Penn Station and transfer at Frank R. Lautenberg Rail Station to the Main/Bergen County Line toward Ridgewood — disembark at Paterson — museum is 15-20 minute walk. Train returns roughly every hour.

By Car:
Parking is available at the Paterson Museum

Testimonials
"Loads of information! Enthusiastic guide! Our first in-person event. Certainly not the last!!" -David

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/1997717232018

When alcohol went underground in the 1920s, New York’s nightlife rose to legendary heights. How did secret bars, jazz joints, and after-hours haunts transform the city into a playground of rebellion, rhythm, and reinvention? And what traces of that world still remain today? Get ready to visit the iconic sites that thrived during Prohibition and gave rise to speakeasies and the vibrant after-dark culture we know today.

Join New York Adventure Club as we hit the streets for a guided exploration of midtown Manhattan’s electrifying nightlife history, where live jazz and flowing cocktails fueled a hidden cultural movement that redefined the city after dark.

Led by Andrew Neuman — an attorney, mixologist, and licensed New York tour guide — our unique experience will include:

• A stroll along famed Swing Street, where jazz legends like Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, and Billie Holiday once performed
• A look at former Prohibition-era speakeasy sites, with stories of concealed entrances, coded passwords, and secret operations
• A chance to peek inside one or two historic bars, highlighting the interiors and ambiance of New York’s nightlife past
• Stories of the city’s social elite and underworld figures, from gangsters to gossip columnists and entertainment icons
• An overview of classic cocktails and bartenders, and their role in shaping the era

Our experience will conclude just steps away from a hidden, speakeasy-style bar, offering those who wish to continue the experience a chance to raise a glass to NYC nightlife.
See you there!

*This tour concludes at Broadway and 50th Street
**This experience does not include any food or drinks

About Andrew
Andrew Neuman - a native New Yorker brings an insider’s knowledge and a performer’s spark to every step of the walking tour. A graduate of Fordham University and Fordham Law School, he’s worn many hats in his native city — attorney, actor, teacher, mixologist and storyteller — all of which inform his vivid, entertaining walks through the storied streets of New York. A former Assistant District Attorney and legal counsel to the NYPD, he’s also worked inside City Hall, giving him an up-close understanding of the inner workings of the city. Andrew is a New York City licensed guide and member of the Guide Association of New York City (GANYC). He is a former member of the Emmy Award-winning political satire group The News in Revue and a longtime performer with New York’s beloved Gilbert & Sullivan society, The Blue Hill Troupe.

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/1997717215970

New York City wasn’t just built on ambition — it was built on trash. While the city is famous for its race to the skies, its growth has always depended on what was buried or swept up below. From survival to scandal to unexpected innovation, it’s time to explore the city’s overlooked ecosystem of garbage and vermin — one that shares a story just as compelling as the skyline above.

Join New York Adventure Club as we hit the streets of Lower Manhattan to uncover how garbage, rats, and sanitation crises left their mark — not just on the city's physical landscape, but also its public health systems and political history.

Led by Suzanne Reisman — a NYC licensed tour guide, author of Off the Beaten Subway Track, and graduate of both the NYC Department of Health’s Rat Academy and Department of Sanitation’s Trash Academy — our unique experience will include:

• A walk along Wall Street to examine its origins as a colonial garbage dump and its troubling role in early New York history
• A stroll through the South Street Seaport area exploring landfill expansion, the former Fulton Fish Market, and notorious rat lore
• A visit to DeLury Square and surrounding alleys to unpack the 1968 sanitation strike, union power, and NYC’s garbage politics
• An exploration of Ann Street and Theatre Alley highlighting real rat incidents, rat reproduction, and why we can't kill our way out of the rat problem
• An overview of how modern sanitation systems evolved in response to garbage overload, vermin outbreaks, and civic pressure

If we're lucky, we'll see some rats in action...from a distance!
See you there!

*Please bring a water bottle and comfortable pair of shoes as we’ll be doing a lot of walking!
**This experience concludes at City Hall Park

About Suzanne
Suzanne Reisman specializes in unique, unusual tours of New York City. If you want to delve into the New York City that's off the beaten (subway) track, she literally wrote the book about it — Off the Beaten Subway Track: New York City's Best Unusual Attractions. A proudly foul-mouthed flâneuse who loves exploring the city, Suzanne brings humor, curiosity, and 30+ years of lived experience in her adopted hometown to every tour.
She is a NYC licensed tour guide, a graduate of the NYC Department of Health’s Rat Academy and the Sanitation Foundation’s Trash Academy, and a member of the NYC Rat Pack (New York’s elite squad of dedicated anti-rat activists). She holds an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from The New School, a Masters in Public Administration from Columbia University, and a BA from NYU. Suzanne currently lives in Manhattan with her husband, her teddy bear, and the ghost of her 13 lb. pet rabbit — and still insists on calling soda “pop” and sneakers “gym shoes.”

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