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Big Apple Greeters

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Aveline Thu 21-Nov-24 06:18:50

I forgot to tell some young friends about this excellent organisation so thought I'd put it on Gransnet in case anyone is going to New York. A friend had told me about this and, boy, it really made our trip.
After 911 this organisation was formed to co ordinate local people as volunteer guides for visitors to New York. You contact them before a visit and say what sort of thing you're interested in.
In our case a lovely man, a retired singer, came to our hotel and took us on a wonderful tour of the sorts of places ordinary tourists wouldn't know to visit. It was great. We ended up with coffee and pastries at the oldest bakery in NY. This was after an afternoon wandering around Greenwich village and Tribeca. We went to more places than I can recall and included a subway trip where we were serenaded by a local choir fundraising. All in all it was a terrific service provided and they wouldn't take a penny. We weren't even allowed to buy our guide a coffee. Please tell anyone you know to check out Big Apple Greeters if they're going to NY.

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NotSpaghetti Thu 21-Nov-24 08:54:56

How interesting.
How is it funded then if you can't even buy a coffee for them?

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NotSpaghetti Thu 21-Nov-24 09:08:56

Sounds like a great idea BTW.

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Redhead56 Thu 21-Nov-24 09:10:00

I have been there twice last time was 9/11 before the attack. Hopefully going back in two years so will look up this service Thank you.

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Aveline Thu 21-Nov-24 09:30:51

It's really well worth contacting them. I found their website but not sure how to share the link.

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LucyAnna2 Thu 21-Nov-24 09:54:25

Some info here -
www.nyctourism.com/articles/big-apple-greeter-helps-visitors-explore-nyc/

Some friends of ours used this service a few years ago.

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pensionpat Thu 21-Nov-24 12:56:02

I’m happy to hear that this service is still available. I read of it in a magazine and arranged it for our trip to celebrate my 50th birthday. The guides are volunteers. Ours met us at our hotel. He looked like Dustin Hoffman, wearing a long overcoat with a long scarf, and clogs. It was a brilliant few hours. And although it was against the rules, we had lunch together.

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Grandmadinosaur Thu 21-Nov-24 14:35:15

I have heard of this before but having never been it had slipped my mind. It sounds a wonderful idea.
I’d love to go but as my energy levels aren’t brilliant I think I may have left it too late.

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Pinkcam101 Sat 23-Nov-24 11:12:46

I have used them twice on trips to NY and it's a great service. It's a great way to explore the city - with someone who knows it. They can take you to places that you may not know about and help you to buy tickets and navigate your way round the subway system, pretty much anything you want to do or see there 😊 Glad to hear that Big Apple Greeters are still going as the last time I used them was about 10 years ago.

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Momac55 Sat 23-Nov-24 14:25:52

I used a brilliant big apple greeter in 2003. Highly recommend this wonderful service. Our greeter wouldn’t take any money but I think you can donate to the organisation to help them continue their voluntary work

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Bea65 Sat 23-Nov-24 18:49:46

Great idea ..can’t wait to visit NYC again it’s been more than 40 years😀

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