A Promenade through Gilded Age New York
Take a stroll through the Gilded Age
In the final decades of the 19th century, America became the world’s richest industrial nation — and New York was its epicenter. The city lured ambitious Americans, millions of immigrants, and wealthy industrialists. Gilded Age New York was home to the greatest concentration of wealth in history.
On this tour, we’ll visit historic remnants of Gilded Age New York. We’ll explore the haunts of the wealthy — opulent mansions, posh hotels, and private clubs. Through detailed commentary and historic photos, we’ll explore life behind the grand facades, learn the intricate etiquette of “society,” and reveal shocking scandals of the era.
Upcoming Dates:
Check back for future dates
Walking Tour Highlights
- Visit sites of the Gilded Age elite, including lavish hotels, exclusive clubs, and grand gathering places.
- Explore opulent mansions, marvel at their sumptuous decor, and hear about life inside — both upstairs and down.
- Learn the complex manners and mores of the “smart set.”
- Discover the people and places that inspired the HBO series, “The Gilded Age.”
- Learn how the innovations of the era transformed the city and created modern New York.
- Reveal scandals beneath the gilded veneer — the shocking life of America’s richest woman, misfortunes of wealthy “Dollar Princesses,” and schemes of New York’s most notorious social climber.
- Visit landmarks like Central Park, The Plaza Hotel, and Fifth Avenue
Lotos Club at 5 East 66th 
The Plaza
Virtual Tour Highlights
On the virtual tour, we will…
- Visit glittering haunts of Gilded Age society — lavish hotels, private clubs, retail emporiums, and restaurants like Delmonico’s.
- Enter the opulent mansions of millionaires, uncover their sumptuous interiors and learn about life upstairs and down.
- While breaking into “society,” we’ll learn the strict manners and mores of the “smart set.”
- Visit the era’s immigrant enclaves to explore the decrepit living and working conditions of the city’s poor.
- Explore New York’s African American communities and learn about extraordinary Black New Yorkers.
- Reveal scandals beneath the gilded veneer — the shocking past of one of America’s richest women, the industry of “Dollar Princesses,” and the love triangle that led to the murder of a notorious robber baron.
- Learn how the innovations of the era transformed the city and created modern New York.
Duration
Walking Tour: 2 hours (we will send you the meet up location when you sign up)
Virtual Tour: 1.5 hours (we will send you the Zoom link after you sign up)
Rates
Person
Walking tour: $40.00
Virtual Tour: $20.00
(Best suited for ages 12+)
Private Tours available!
Book a private walking tour or a live online experience that makes a fun socially distanced event for your family, organization, or group of friends.
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Your guide
Study up for our tour by listening to the Bowery Boys episodes about the Gilded Age and The Gilded Gentleman history podcast.