A Review of The Super Tour of NYC with On Location Tours

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When my husband and I were offered the opportunity to take a tour with On Location Tours in New York City, I knew I couldn’t go without my son and his girlfriend. The Super Tour of NYC takes guests on a bus tour of New York City in search of the filming sites of movies and television based on DC and Marvel Comics.

Self-professed comic geeks, both the kids were ecstatic about the opportunity so the four of us, took a whirlwind overnight trip to the Big Apple. Our trip couldn’t have been busier! After walking miles and miles- to see Times Square, Central Park, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Empire State Building in less than 24-hours, we were eager to sit back and relax as someone else showed us around town.

What to expect on The Super Tour of NYC Tour

John, our tour guide, couldn’t have done a better job. He was knowledgeable, personable, and entertaining. We met him at Midtown Comics- which was a HUGE disappointment to my son who had planned on spending his paycheck in the store (okay, maybe that’s a slight exaggeration). Our tour was on a Sunday and the store didn’t open until after our tour started.

Everyone who goes on the tour receives a discount coupon for any of the locations in the city, we couldn’t stop due to our 8-hour drive home, so the guys could work Monday morning. Placing an order is an option, but he really looked forward to thumbing through those comics in a bona fide comic store.

Learn from our mistake and check the operating hours of Midtown Comics and plan accordingly if shopping is a priority.

We found our group easily in front of the store. It’s kind of hard to miss a guy donning a Super Hero cape and Mjolnir, which brings me to the first of many things I learned on the tour. Mjolnir is Thor’s hammer and according to Norse mythology, is capable of leveling mountains.

Our group followed our fearless guide as we made our way on foot to Times Square to catch our bus. We learned about several of the movies that have been filmed in Times Square and hopped on the bus.

The tour takes about 3 ½ to 4 hours due to traffic. On the day of our tour, there was a large parade that backed up some of the roads, so we spent more time in traffic than you would with normal NYC traffic.

Jason was prepared for the lag with Super Tour Trivia, which made me feel dumb but made my son shine because he knew the answers. He did share some of his Tootsie Pop winnings with his dad and me though. I trained him well.

I won’t share what we learned because I don’t want to spoil the tour, but I will share a few of the sites we saw.

• The Daily News Building used in Superman
• Where the Battle of New York took place in The Avengers
• The New York Stock Exchange where Batman fights Bane in The Dark Knight Rises
• Where Uncle Ben gives his famous catchphrase to Peter Parker in Spider-Man

You’re welcome to try on Jason’s cape and hold the sacred Mjolnir for a photo opp at any time during the tour.

My son lived it up under the Chrysler Building before we made our way into the Daily News Building, which you may better know as the Daily Planet in Superman films.

As a fan of roadside attractions and quirky stops, this large vintage globe in the Art Deco building appealed to me.

As our tour progressed, we made several other stops. In addition to all things Super Heroes, we also learned interesting tidbits about the history of NYC and America. Do you know how Wall Street got its name? I didn’t until this tour.

The tour takes you from Manhattan to Park Avenue to Union Square to the Lower East Side to City Hall and the Financial District before wrapping up at Battery Park with views of the Statue of Liberty.

If you have time after the tour, you can hop on the Staten Island Ferry to see both Lady Liberty and Ellis Island.

On-Location Tours’ The Super Tour of NYC leads you to over 40 NYC locations featured in comics, TV Shows, and movies. Because more movies and shows are filmed each year, the tour is constantly updating and changing. This is a tour you won’t want to take only one time. I promise you, you’ll learn something new each time you take the tour.

What did we think of The Super Tour of NYC?

So, time for the verdict. What did we think of the tour?

• My husband didn’t really care for it. But I should add that unless we’re touring a historic home, he hates tours. He’d much rather explore things on his own. But in doing so is likely to miss much of what we saw on our tour.
• The kids LOVED the tour and would happily take another. The only thing that could have made it better for them was if they saw Thor himself. They enjoyed the tour, the trivia and the sightseeing.
• Which leaves me. I thought the tour was great and I’m not a typical Super Hero fan. I’ve probably never opened a comic. I enjoyed the tour and would do it again. I liked that we saw a lot of the city and while we learned a ton of Super Hero trivia while seeing the filming sites, I also learned things about the city that I’d never known.

There you have it. This tour is perfect for those young and old and even those like me, who aren’t avid fans of comics and all things Superman, will find the tour enjoyable. Tour prices start at $66 per person and while it’s not mandatory, if you enjoy your tour, you may consider gifting your tour guide with a tip. It is much appreciated and the actors really put in the effort to make sure you have a great time.

Learn more about The Super Tour of NYC

You can learn more about On Location Tours’ Super Tour of NYC on their website. If Super Heroes really isn’t your thing, On Location Tours offer a wide range of options that include TCM Classic Film Tour, Sex in the City, Gossip Girls and more. You can check out all the tours offered in NYC here. You’ll also find On Location Tours in Boston. You can learn more here.

Have you taken an On Location Tour before? Is the Super Tour of NYC one that appeals to you?

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