Really excellent guided walks. (I should know. I've done many.)
They use a bunch of funny stories to tell you how things got to be the way they are. You'll learn about philandering architects and crooked politicians and crazy Europeans who believed beaver oil could cure disease. (Don't scoff. New York wouldn't exist without the beaver trade.)
It's sort of like going on a walk with the author Bill Bryson, which is about the highest compliment that I can offer.
One more plus: You don't have to reserve in advance. Just read the schedule and turn up.
One minus: They don't take credit cards, so make sure you have cash.
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