Hell Gate Guided Walking Tour in New York City

Overview

Delve into the treacherous Hell Gate portion of the East River (between Astoria, Queens, and Randall’s and Wards Islands).

Main features
Find out about Hell Gate’s ship-swallowing whirlpool and the fate of the HMS Hussar.
Learn about the foiled Nazi plot to blow up Hell Gate Bridge
Discover the passage of the Hell Gate islands from private properties to a fortress of psychiatric and detention facilities.
Hear about the Hell Gate Explosions and the General Slocum Disaster.
Peer at the jail complex of Rikers Island, the quarantine ruins of North Brother Island (once the home of Typhoid Mary), and the former pirate island of Mill Rock.

City: New York City

Sun 22 Dec

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $32.00

Make a reservation

Sun 22 Dec

Starting at $32.00

Make a reservation

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What's Included

All Fees and Taxes

Additional Info

Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

What To Expect

Wards Island Park

Vantage point to view Hell Gate, Mill Rock, and Roosevelt Island.

Randalls and Wards Islands

A vantage point to Astoria Park and the Triborough Bridge, and features of Wards Island.

Hell Gate Bridge

At the Wards Island end of Hell Gate Bridge, tour attendees will hear about the unusual engineering of an iconic bridge as well as the plot to blow it up.

Randall's Island Park

Tour attendees will see the remainder of Little Hell Gate that separated the islands, the truss bridge over the covered strait, and classic film locations. Will see the northern part of Hell Gate from Sunken Meadow, the former islands adjoined to Astoria, and the power plants of the East River. A vantage point of Rikers Island, North and South Brother Islands, and the biggest prison barge in the world.

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Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (5)

IzumiY

Nov 2022

I took the Hell Gate tour and the Psychiatric History of New York tour, both guided by K. Krombie, the BEST, FANTASTIC storyteller with amazing depth and breadth of knowledge based on her thorough research/investigations of the relevant history. Through her tours, I, a NYC resident, was totally mesmerized afresh by the richness of the city’s history behind both familiar and unfamiliar landscapes, buildings, architectural structures, murals, etc., including those which no longer exist or were buried under the ground. I highly recommend K. Krombie’s guided tours to anybody, NYC residents and tourists alike, who are drawn to the curious and unique history of NYC. I am looking forward to taking her Death in New York tour next.

366penelopef

Aug 2022

Krombie gave a comprehensive 2 hour tour of Randalls and Wards Islands and the Hell Gate strait with unflagging enthusiasm on one of the hottest days of the year.! While her tour was clearly thoroughly researched,, her tone was never once pedantic and we were rapt the entire time. Krombie is a treasure! I highly recommend any of her tours, but this one is particularly magical.

jonnydollar

Aug 2022

The tour was fascinating, informative, and highly entertaining. Amazing amount of history, humor, and intrigue told in that really kept my attention. Lots of information on the many NYC urban myths that are actual real events I have heard over the 30 years I have lived in New York City. Highly recommended.