The USA’s guided tour scene is built on its two iconic bookends - New York City and the American Southwest - but extends to the French Quarter food tradition of New Orleans, the sky over Manhattan from a helicopter, and one of the most celebrated river valleys in the world. These five tours cover the experiences most visitors come to the country for.
All are bookable through GetYourGuide with verified reviews.
1. New York City: Brooklyn Bridge, Statue of Liberty, and Manhattan Tour
NYC: Brooklyn Bridge, Statue of Liberty and Manhattan Tour (from $65 per person)
A full overview of Manhattan’s most recognisable landmarks: the Brooklyn Bridge (pedestrian crossing from Manhattan to DUMBO in Brooklyn with views over the harbour), Statue of Liberty by ferry with time on Liberty Island, and a guided tour through Lower Manhattan covering Wall Street, the Financial District, and Battery Park. The combination covers New York’s historical arc from colonial port to financial capital in a single day without requiring multiple separate ticket purchases.
Duration: 6–7 hours | Difficulty: Moderate - significant walking on varied terrain
Best time: Weekdays to avoid weekend ferry queues; book 1–2 weeks ahead in summer
Includes: Licensed guide, ferry tickets, Brooklyn Bridge walk, Manhattan walking tour
The multi-landmark format handles the logistics of what is otherwise a complex day of transport across the harbour.
2. NYC: Wall Street, 9/11 Memorial, Statue of Liberty, and Ellis Island Tour
NYC: Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and 9/11 Memorial Tour (from $55 per person)
A history-focused version of the lower Manhattan circuit: the 9/11 Memorial (the twin reflecting pools and the surrounding oak grove that replaced the World Trade Center footprints), a walking tour through the Financial District, then ferry across to Ellis Island - the immigration processing centre through which approximately 12 million people passed between 1892 and 1954. The Ellis Island Museum’s Great Hall and the American Immigrant Wall of Honor have no equivalent in the country for understanding mass migration.
Duration: 5–6 hours | Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Includes: Guide, ferry tickets, 9/11 Memorial access, Ellis Island Museum
Ellis Island is underrated relative to the Statue of Liberty. The museum is exceptional and the story of the entry process - medical inspections, name changes, family separations - is more affecting than most visitors expect.
3. New York City: Manhattan and Statue of Liberty Helicopter Tour
NYC: Manhattan and Statue of Liberty Helicopter Tour (from $250 per person)
A 12–15 minute helicopter flight over the Hudson River, Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, and the Manhattan skyline - the view that defines New York from above. Departures are from the downtown Manhattan heliport. The helicopter carries four to six passengers and provides a genuinely different perspective on a city seen from the ground by most visitors.
Duration: 15–20 minutes total (flight time approximately 12–15 minutes) | Difficulty: Easy
Best time: Golden hour (late afternoon) for the best light on the skyline
Includes: Pilot commentary, safety briefing, all safety equipment
The price is high for the flight duration, but the aerial view of Manhattan is not replicable from any ground-level vantage. Useful context: a sunset flight from the southern heliport shows the full Manhattan grid lit from the west.
4. From Las Vegas: Grand Canyon South Rim Tour
From Las Vegas: Grand Canyon National Park South Rim Tour (from $90 per person)
The Grand Canyon South Rim - a 277-mile gorge carved by the Colorado River to a depth of 1,800 metres over six million years - is the defining natural landmark of the American Southwest. From Las Vegas, it is a 4.5-hour drive each way. This tour handles the transport and includes a guided rim walk covering Mather Point, Yavapai Point, and Desert View Watchtower (a 1932 stone tower designed by Mary Colter with panoramic views over the canyon and Colorado River below). Lunch is included.
Duration: 14–15 hours (long day from Las Vegas) | Difficulty: Easy - rim walks on paved paths
Includes: Air-conditioned coach, licensed guide, canyon rim walks, lunch, park entry fee
The early departure and late return are inherent in the Las Vegas-to-canyon distance. An alternative is to fly or drive to Flagstaff and stay near the South Rim for a more relaxed experience - but for a single day trip, this guided coach tour is the practical option.
5. New Orleans: French Quarter Food History Walking Tour
New Orleans: French Quarter Food History Walking Tour (from $40 per person)
New Orleans has one of the most distinctive food cultures in North America - a Creole tradition built on French, Spanish, West African, and Caribbean influences that has no direct equivalent elsewhere in the country. This walking tour of the French Quarter covers the history of that food culture through stops at institutions: beignets at Café Du Monde, gumbo at a Creole kitchen, po’ boys, red beans and rice, and pralines. The guide explains the ingredient origins (file powder from Choctaw tradition, okra from West Africa, the French roux technique) that make New Orleans cuisine impossible to replicate.
Duration: 3 hours | Difficulty: Easy - flat French Quarter walking
Includes: Licensed food guide, all tastings at multiple stops
New Orleans is one of the few US cities where a food tour adds context that genuinely changes how you eat for the rest of the trip.
How to Choose
| Tour | Duration | Best for | From Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| NYC Brooklyn Bridge + Statue of Liberty | 6–7 hrs | Full NYC harbour day | $65 |
| NYC 9/11 Memorial + Ellis Island | 5–6 hrs | History and immigration focus | $55 |
| NYC Helicopter Tour | 15–20 mins | Aerial Manhattan view | $250 |
| Grand Canyon from Las Vegas | 14–15 hrs | Southwest natural wonder | $90 |
| New Orleans Food Tour | 3 hrs | Creole cuisine and culture | $40 |
Prices are per person, in USD, as of 2026. Most tours offer free cancellation; check individual listings. Browse all USA tours on GetYourGuide.