4-Hour Bus Tour, Hotel Pickup

Dyker Heights Brooklyn Christmas Lights Tour. Rated 4.4 across 670 reviews. Runs 4 hours. From $45.

Overview

The bus gathers at the McDonalds at 1651 Broadway, on the corner of West 51st Street and Broadway, and hotel pickup is included as detailed at booking. From there it runs south into Brooklyn, to the Dyker Heights and Bay Ridge blocks where homeowners take holiday decorating to another level. A licensed New York guide rides along, and the tour is offered in English and Spanish.

The heart of the trip is an hour on foot among the lit houses of Dyker Heights, with the guide pointing out the standout displays and telling the stories behind the tradition that a solo visitor would miss. On the way back the bus stops for fifteen minutes at the Brooklyn Bridge and fifteen minutes for views of the lit Manhattan skyline, then drops everyone in the greater Times Square area.

It suits travelers who can manage the walking, since the listing says the tour is not recommended for travelers unable to ambulate. The group can run to fifty people, the vehicle is climate controlled, and the tour goes out in all weather, so warm layers matter. Food and gratuities are not included, though hot chocolate is usually for sale near the houses.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet near Times SquareHotel pickup is included as detailed at booking; otherwise the departure point is the McDonalds at 1651 Broadway, on the corner of West 51st Street and Broadway. The tour runs daily from December 1 to January 3.
2. Ride to BrooklynThe climate-controlled vehicle carries the group south into Brooklyn.
3. Dyker Heights, 1 hourAn hour on foot among the decorated houses, admission free. Reviewers warn the streets get very crowded in season.
4. Brooklyn Bridge, 15 minutesA fifteen-minute stop at the Brooklyn Bridge, admission free.
5. Manhattan Skyline, 15 minutesFifteen minutes for views of the lit-up Manhattan skyline, admission free.
6. Return to Times SquareThe tour ends in the greater Times Square area.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points come up again and again in the listing and in traveller reviews.

• Dress for cold. The tour operates in all weather conditions and the listing asks travelers to dress appropriately. Reviews repeatedly mention cold, wind, and even snow, so warm layers and solid shoes matter.
• Plan for walking. This is a bus tour with real walking attached. Reviewers describe a good bit of walking, and one mentioned slightly inclined roads with no benches to rest on. The listing adds that it is not recommended for travelers unable to ambulate.
• It gets crowded. Dyker Heights draws a lot of tours in season. Reviewers say the streets get very busy, and guides hold up a lit Santa so the group can spot them; keeping an eye on the guide is the standard advice.
• Food is extra. No food is included and gratuities are separate. Reviewers say hot chocolate and snacks are usually sold near the houses, often by the owners themselves.
• Bring a camera. The tour builds in time for pictures, and reviewers say guides give advice on getting the best shots.
• Group size and pace. The tour caps at fifty travelers and runs on a climate-controlled bus. Several reviewers call the outing efficient and well run, though the time at each stop is fixed.

Common issues. Several reviewers describe the Dyker Heights streets as very crowded in season, and one said it was hard to keep track of the group. One reviewer was surprised that some homes had few or no lights. The listing confirms the tour is not wheelchair accessible, food and gratuities are not included, and the group can reach fifty travelers.

Decisions To Make Before You Book