Prospect Park Tour

Overview

Explore Prospect Park on this 2-hour guided walking tour and learn about historic restoration and environmental preservation work in the Park, including cultural and recreation projects currently underway. This interactive experience explores how Prospect Park has changed over time, from the original vision of designers Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux to the ways in which the Park is used today. Tours begin at Grand Army Plaza and take visitors through many of the key natural and historic landmarks of the park, including the breathtaking Long Meadow, the innovatively-designed LeFrak Center at Lakeside, and the Ravine, the largest natural forest in Brooklyn. This tour also features a special behind-the-scenes visit to historic sites and features within the park.

These tours are offered by Turnstile Tours on behalf of Prospect Park Alliance, the non-profit organization that sustains, restores, and advances the Park in partnership with New York City.

City: Brooklyn

Sat 21 Sep

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $25.81

Make a reservation

Sat 21 Sep

Starting at $25.81

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Knowledgeable and engaging tour guide

Additional Info

Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Please wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather. This tour operates rain or shine and involves walking 2 miles/ 3.2 kilometers on foot with a few stops that have places to sit down.
A 10% gratuity for your tour guide is not included but is culturally appropriate and appreciated if you enjoy your tour experience.
With advance notice, this tour can accommodate a wheelchair- and stroller-friendly route. Please contact the company with at least one week's notice.
Face masks required for travellers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Gear/equipment sanitised between use
Guides required to regularly wash hands
Paid stay-at-home policy for staff with symptoms

What To Expect

Brooklyn Public Library Central Branch

Tours begin on the front steps of the Brooklyn Public Library Central Library, located at 10 Grand Army Plaza, Brooklyn, NY 11238. The nearest subway stations are at Grand Army Plaza (2,3) and 7th Av (B,Q).

Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial Arch

Our tour will begin at Grand Army Plaza where visitors will see and learn about architecture from the City Beautiful Movement that adorns this grand entrance to the park, including the Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial Arch.

Prospect Park

Visitors will explore features of the natural and built environments in Prospect Park, including Brooklyn's largest forest, the longest urban meadow in the United States, and various water features, including waterfalls, creeks, and Prospect Park Lake. We'll also see sculptures, memorials, and historic sites, including The Boathouse, Picnic House, and The Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial Arch.

Prospect Park Audubon Center at the Boathouse

This historic structure is home to one of multiple structures in the park that has Guastavino Tiles. Designed by architects Helmle, Huberty, and Hudswell, this 1905 structure was saved from the wrecking ball by activists in the 1960's. Today the Boathouse is home to the Prospect Park Audubon Center, the first audubon center in an urban park in the United States.

Lefrak Center at Lakeside

Our tour will end at the Lefrak Center at Lakeside, a sustainably designed skating rink and recreational center that faces out onto Prospect Park Lake and a newly restored natural habitat for turtles, fish, and waterfowl.

Show 2 more stops

Cancellation Policy

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

Traveler Photos

Reviews (22)

J9084PMdeborahm

Nov 2020

Our guide Doug was terrific. His environmental and architectural knowledge of the park and how it was initially built and then evolved over the years made this a very special tour. What a perfect way to spend an outdoor, socially distant morning during the pandemic! Extra bonus: we visited a red oak tree in the park planted by a women in our tour group in honor of her father.

caramia447

Nov 2020

As a 40-year Brooklyn resident, I thought I was pretty familiar with all the nooks and crannies of Prospect Park – well, not at all, as I found out yesterday on Turnstile Tour’s “hidden treasures of Prospect Park” walk. The level of information presented was perfect – not too much, not too little, all of it fascinating. I learned so much I didn’t know and saw places that were a revelation to me, all in my own backyard! I would recommend this tour for locals and visitors alike.

alouise11218

Nov 2020

I took a tour of the history of Prospect Park yesterday and the guide was very informative. It was a beautiful day to wander into parts of the park I have never seen before and to learn some interesting history of how the park was designed and changed.