NYC Movie History Walking Tour with Smart Glasses
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September 2026
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Who is going?
Adults
Age 13 and over
Children
Age 12 and under
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Free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Same price on Viator, Outty earns a commission.
Traveler rating
5.0/5
Based on 7 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Quick answer
Is NYC Movie History Walking Tour with Smart Glasses worth booking?
NYC Movie History Walking Tour with Smart Glasses is a 2.5-hour experience in New York, United States, from $40 per person. It scores 64 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Solid Choice”, based on a 5/5 rating across 7 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.
- Outty Ranking
- 64 / 100
- Rating
- 5/5 (7)
- Duration
- 2.5 hours
- From
- $40 per person
Your smart glasses bring back what's gone: the V-J Day crowds of 1945 layered over today's Times Square. The exact black-and-white frames of North by Northwest inside Grand Central — and the Hollywood secret of which sho
What you get
About this experience
Your smart glasses bring back what's gone: the V-J Day crowds of 1945 layered over today's Times Square. The exact black-and-white frames of North by Northwest inside Grand Central — and the Hollywood secret of which shots were real. The $1 million morning in 2001 when a film crew emptied Times Square entirely. The moment Empire State of Mind bursts into color with Alicia Keys singing steps from where you stand. Lunch Atop a Skyscraper, photographed 850 feet above the sidewalk you'll be standing on. Your guide connects a century of it — cinema, television, music, news — from the ticker-tape era to the smartphone era, in the company of Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn, John Lennon, Will Smith and Jay-Z.
What's included
Included
- English Speaking Local Guide
What you'll see and do
Grand Central Terminal
Your tour begins under the Pershing Square viaduct on 42nd Street. Put on your smart glasses and watch the Battle of New York erupt exactly where Marvel filmed it in The Avengers (2012). See the same viaduct swallowed by weeds in I Am Legend, discover the tunnel where Superman's Lex Luthor built his lair, and witness Hitchcock's North by Northwest — with a side-by-side reveal of which shots were real and which were Hollywood sets. Bonus for families: the Madagascar penguins at Grand Central. Inside, see the iconic celestial ceiling and the Whispering Gallery — an acoustic phenomenon used in films from The Fisher King to The Untouchables.
15 minutes here
Chrysler Building
Look up at the Chrysler Building, NYC's Art Deco masterpiece (1930). This silver spire was the tallest building in the world for 11 months — until the Empire State topped it. Spider-Man clung to its gargoyles. Will Smith fought aliens in its shadow in Men in Black 3. An asteroid hit it in Armageddon. Godzilla swiped it. Even in animation, it's been destroyed dozens of times — and rebuilt every single frame. Your guide reveals the building that Hollywood can't stop destroying.
15 minutes here
New York Public Library - Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Stand on the steps of the New York Public Library and watch the tidal wave from The Day After Tomorrow (2004) crash down Fifth Avenue. Step into John Wick 3's opening fight, Carrie Bradshaw's wedding from Sex and the City (2008), and the post-apocalyptic vision of Oblivion (2013). Ghostbusters opened here — and Spider-Man proved you don't need powers to be a hero right on these steps. Bonus: Breakfast at Tiffany's and Escape from New York.
15 minutes here
Bryant Park
Stroll through Bryant Park, the beloved green space behind the library that doubles as one of NYC's most filmed locations. The Devil Wears Prada's fountain scene. Ghostbusters' eerie nighttime chases. Fashion Week tents every February and September. In winter, the ice rink appears — free skating in the shadow of skyscrapers. Generations of New Yorkers have written scripts on these benches and rehearsed lines on this lawn. This is where the city comes to breathe between takes.
15 minutes here
New Amsterdam Theater
Stop outside the New Amsterdam Theatre, a Beaux-Arts masterpiece built in 1903. This was the home of the Ziegfeld Follies, where Fanny Brice became a legend. By the 1970s, it was rotting — a symbol of 42nd Street's decay. Then Disney bought it in 1993, restored every gold leaf, and premiered The Lion King here in 1997 — the show that revived Broadway itself. The same stage that launched King Kong (1933) now hosts Aladdin. Hollywood calls it "the theater that saved 42nd Street."
15 minutes here
Times Square
Stand in the loudest square on Earth and watch it perfectly silent in your smart glasses: the legendary $1 million Vanilla Sky (2001) shot — a real film crew emptied Times Square for three hours, no CGI. Watch Captain America wake up after 70 years (2011), right where you're standing. I Am Legend counterpoint revealing what was actually shot at Kingsbridge Armory. Deep Impact's destruction. The V-J Day kiss crowds of 1945, the ball, the zipper. Finale: Empire State of Mind (2009) — Alicia Keys bursts into color at Times Square.
15 minutes here
TKTS Times Square
Climb the iconic red glass steps above the TKTS booth — the most famous meeting point in New York City. Filmed in hundreds of movies and TV shows (from Sex and the City to Modern Family), these steps offer the perfect panoramic view of Times Square. It's where locals meet before shows, where tourists catch their breath, and where you'll frame the ultimate NYC photo — the canyon of lights stretching north and south as far as the eye can see.
15 minutes here
Rockefeller Center
Watch Lunch Atop a Skyscraper (1932) recalibrated toward the RCA Building. Step into 30 Rock and 50 years of "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!" Pass Radio City Music Hall, home of the Rockettes since 1932, the Grammys, Tonys, and MTV VMAs. The Christmas tree (since 1933) and ice rink — Home Alone 2 finale. The Today Show plaza. A century of broadcast history, in the complex that invented it.
15 minutes here
St. Patrick's Cathedral
St. Patrick's Cathedral is Hollywood's favorite church — and for good reason. This neo-Gothic masterpiece (1878) has hosted film scenes for decades: Spider-Man's graduation and later his rooftop confession. The Godfather Part III's baptism montage. Mr. Deeds' final scene. Ocean's 8. The stained glass, the twin spires, the 7,000-pipe organ — it's one of the most recognizable religious buildings in the world, contrasting 19th-century stone against 21st-century glass towers. A moment of silence and awe before the tour's grand finale.
15 minutes here
Ed Sullivan Theater
The final stop. February 9, 1964: 73 million Americans watched the Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show. Crime stopped. Water usage dropped. The entire country sat still for 2 minutes and 16 seconds. This theater also hosted Elvis (in 1956, from the waist up), the Jackson 5's TV debut, and decades of David Letterman and Stephen Colbert. Closing: the century arc from ticker-tape to television to streaming — to the smart glasses you're wearing right now.
15 minutes here
Where it starts and ends
Meeting point
New York
We will meet in the Main Concourse, under the four-faced clock
Hotel pickup
No pickup: everyone meets at the start point.
Ends at
Returns to the starting point
Options you can book
Smart Glasses Provided — just bring your phone
Bring Your Own Smart Glasses
Classic Tour — Watch on Phone or Tablet
Before you book
- Cancellation
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- Languages
- en
- Ticket
- Mobile Only
- Runs on
- Every day
- Group size
- Up to 8 travelers per booking
- Operated by
- City Layer Tours
Know before you go
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Photos
What travelers are saying
Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 7 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.
Knowledge and storytelling
7 mentionsReviewers describe the commentary as informative rather than scripted.
Photo opportunities
5 mentionsThe views and photo stops come up again and again.
The guide
3 mentionsTravelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
Traveler reviews
7 verified traveler reviews for NYC Movie History Walking Tour with Smart Glasses. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Not your typical walking tour!
Took this on a random Saturday afternoon because I had a few hours to kill before dinner plans. Did not expect to like it as much as I did. So the whole thing is basically Mark walking you around and telling you what got filmed where, but it's not like a boring history tour thing. He'll stop at some random corner and just start telling you a whole story about a scene that was shot there, stuff you'd never know just walking by. Like he'd go off on these little tangents about how a shot actually got made, and you could tell he wasn't just reciting facts, he actually knows this world. Made me want to ask him more questions than I probably had time for. The glasses honestly caught me off guard. I wasn't sure what to expect there but you're standing on the actual sidewalk and there's footage popping up right where it happened. Kept forgetting to take my phone out for pictures because I was too busy looking at it lol. Went by faster than I thought, felt like maybe an hour. If you're at all into movies or just want something different than the usual double decker bus thing, worth doing. Would do again with friends honestly.
via Tripadvisor
Wonderful experience
Eloi is a wonderful guide - full of knowledge, energy, humour, and great stories! I really enjoyed the tour and would recommend it to anyone visiting NYC.
via Tripadvisor
Amazing Immersive experience at the Hotel Biltmore!
What a great experience! I’ve been living in LA for many years and yet I learned a lot on Eloi’s tour at the hotel Biltmore. Thanks to his knowledge and they fact that you wear Smartglasses, he really immersed me into the history of the biltmore hotel with lots of historical anecdotes, pictures of before/after and footages of the many movies that were filmed there. Eloi’s knowledge is broad and you definitely learn a lot about the rich history of the hotel but also Downtown Los Angeles! I highly recommend!
Response from the operator: Thank you so much for this thoughtful review Mathieu ;-) ! It’s especially meaningful coming from a longtime Angeleno—I’m thrilled the tour helped you see the Biltmore and Downtown LA in a new light. The smartglasses really do open a window into the past, and I’m glad you enjoyed the mix of history, film, and architecture. Hope to welcome you back on another immersive adventure soon!
via Tripadvisor
A time-travel experience through LA and Hollywood history
I wasn’t sure what to expect from an AR tour of the Biltmore, but it completely blew me away. I wore augmented reality glasses that overlaid historical events, scenes, and classic movie clips directly into the spaces where they were filmed. It was like stepping into the past without ever leaving the room. The guide, Mark, was both knowledgeable and entertaining, and the whole experience felt truly one-of-a-kind. It gave me a deeper appreciation for LA history and made me realize how much of the city—especially iconic spots like the Biltmore, which has stood for over a century—is woven into the fabric of Hollywood storytelling. I had never done an AR tour before, and it was a great experience. The AR glasses brought the hotel’s past to life—scenes of Oscars ceremonies, behind-the-scenes glimpses into Prohibition-era secrets, and overlays showing how the spaces have been the setting of everything from Ghostbusters to a Taylor Swift video. For anyone who loves history and wants an up-close view of dozens of famous movie sets (and settings for historical events), this is highly recommended!
Response from the operator: Thank you for this fantastic review! I’m so glad the AR experience exceeded your expectations—it’s exactly what I hoped to create: a way to step into LA’s cinematic and cultural past without leaving the room. From Oscars glitz to Prohibition secrets, the Biltmore truly is a living film set, and I’m thrilled you felt the magic of it all. Your appreciation means a lot, and I hope you’ll join us again to explore even more of the city’s hidden stories!
via Tripadvisor
Immersive AR History Lesson of the Biltmore!
If you've not experienced augmented reality (AR) before, this tour offers a unique and immersive way to learn about the history of the Biltmore and its critical role in film and Hollywood in Los Angeles history. While wearing the AR glasses, you can experience what the hotel and Los Angeles looked and felt like in the 1920s, during the silent film era and prohibition while standing in its actual setting. It was such an interesting experience to see the historic photos and hear and watch historic footage superimposed in the real-life setting of the current hotel. During the tour, I got to stand in the same ballroom and watch the footage of the 1960 DNC nominating JFK for president. For fans of current pop culture, you'll also see the scenes from Ghostbusters, Beverly Hills Cop, and Taylor Swift's music video. What an immersive way to learn history!
Response from the operator: Thank you so much for your thoughtful and detailed review! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the AR tour and that the immersive elements helped bring the Biltmore’s rich history to life. Standing in the same ballroom where JFK was nominated or seeing iconic movie moments in their original settings is exactly the kind of time-traveling experience I hoped to create. Your appreciation means a lot, and I hope to welcome you back soon for another journey into LA’s fascinating past!
via Tripadvisor
Good to know
- Duration
- 2.5 hours
- Free cancellation
- Up to 24h before
- Minimum age to book
- All ages
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Runs on
- Every day
- Price range
- $40 to $85
- Hotel pickup
- No pickup, meet at start point
- Booked in 30 days
- 2
- Verdict
- Solid Choice
Why this scores 64
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
NYC Movie History Walking Tour with Smart Glasses: questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for New York.
How much does NYC Movie History Walking Tour with Smart Glasses cost?
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Prices start at $40 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in New York usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.
How long does NYC Movie History Walking Tour with Smart Glasses take?
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Plan for about 2.5 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in New York is not rushed.
Is NYC Movie History Walking Tour with Smart Glasses worth it?
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It holds an Outty Ranking of 64 out of 100, which we label "Solid Choice". That score blends traveler sentiment (5/5 across 7 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable last minute in New York, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.
Can I cancel or reschedule NYC Movie History Walking Tour with Smart Glasses?
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Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.
Is NYC Movie History Walking Tour with Smart Glasses suitable for kids and families?
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Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 2.5-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.
How far in advance should I book NYC Movie History Walking Tour with Smart Glasses?
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Around 2 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in New York can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.
What should I bring or wear?
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Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in New York and add a light layer if any part of the 2.5-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.
Where does NYC Movie History Walking Tour with Smart Glasses start and how do I get there?
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The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central New York within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.
What are the best things to do in New York?
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New York has more bookable experiences than any other city on Outty, and the quality spread is brutal. Observation decks are commoditised, so we score them on timed-entry reliability and sunset slots. Food tours and borough walks are where the ranking really separates operators, and the top scores in the city all come from small-group guides. On Outty we rank every New York experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include Grand Canyon VIP Helicopter Tour, Half-Day Bus Tour of NYC Top Highlights, NYC Bus Tour of Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens: Art, Food & Sports. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.
When is the best time to visit New York?
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September to early November, and late April through June. Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.
How many days do you need in New York?
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Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.
Do I book through Outty or through the operator?
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Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.
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