This was an interesting tour with a difference, learning about the Gilded Age Mansions of yesteryear along 5th Ave, built by the city's ultra-rich founding fathers, many of which no longer exist. Rhiannon, our guide, did a great job and knew her subject very well. We walked from site to site where the mansions used to be, where she'd explain the history, but rather than a building to look at, she would show us period photos on her tablet. The photo selections were good and brought the topic to life.
Having done similar tours in other cities where what you went to see was still there, this felt a little odd to begin with.
However, Rhiannon was very engaging, made the topic intriguing and interesting, and soon the whole group was hanging on every word.
Fortunately, there were several buildings still in existence that gave us a great sense of what has been lost in the others. We were able to enter two, which are now repurposed, and the small inside glimpse we got helped us appreciate the grandeur that once existed in these amazing homes.
Rhiannon supplied each of us with an earpiece so we could hear her, and that made a big difference, given the noisy New York traffic.
My wife and I and another couple attended this tour, along with about six other people. We all enjoyed it, and judging by the number of questions Rhiannon received at the end, people were keen to know more.
I would heartily recommend this tour to anyone interested in the city's earlier history.