Roosevelt Island: An Audio Tour by a Filmmaker

Duration45m - 1h

Free cancellationFull refund up to 24 hours before

Instant confirmationYour booking is confirmed right away

TicketMobile or paper ticket accepted

LanguagesEnglish

Private tourOnly your group will participate

Overview

On this self-guided tour, you'll trace the history of this 'island of the unwanted' to a thriving community today. Experience the magic of GPS playback on this immersive stroll through Roosevelt Island.

Discover the fascinating history of Roosevelt Island, from a sliver of farmland off of Manhattan to the home of New York City’s unwanted: prisoners, the mentally ill, and those with contagious diseases. On this walking tour, I’ll show you the island’s southern end where I’ll unpack some of its complicated 400-year-long history.

Having grown up on Roosevelt Island, I love sharing the amazing history of this place and how it was transformed from the island of the unwanted into a thriving community. While you walk, you’ll see what’s left of its uncomfortable past and find out how hospitals and penitentiaries were replaced with the fabulous Southpoint Park, Cornell Tech facilities and Franklin D Roosevelt Four Freedoms State Park.

What's included

Get unlimited, lifetime use of this tour, before your booking date and after it
The virtual playback option, so you can listen to this tour like an audiobook from anywhere
Offline access to audio, maps, and geodata
Flexibility to explore at your own pace with a self-guided GPS tour
Directions to the starting point so that when you’re in the right place, the tour will start

Smartphone and headphones (please bring your own)
Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour
Transportation
Food and drinks

What to expect

Pass by

Gain a deeper understanding of Roosevelt Island's transformation from farmland to an area designated for the city’s unwanted populations, including prisoners and the mentally ill.
Pass by

Visit the tramway’s island station and learn about its significance in connecting the island to Manhattan and facilitating its development.
Pass by

Pass by Strecker Memorial Laboratory, once a cutting-edge medical research facility and now a symbol of the island’s medical history.
Pass by

Walk among the ruins of the Smallpox Memorial Hospital, the only ruin in the city listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and hear about its role in treating contagious diseases.
Pass by

Stroll through the expansive Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms State Park, dedicated to FDR's famous Four Freedoms speech, and take in the magnificent bronze sculpture of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
Pass by

Enjoy the scenic beauty of Southpoint Park, which represents the island's renewal and transformation into a community-friendly area with green spaces.
Pass by

Stop by the Roosevelt Island Visitor Center Kiosk for more information about the island’s history, current attractions, and future developments.
Pass by

End your tour at the FDR Hope Memorial, celebrating Franklin D. Roosevelt’s legacy and his message of hope and perseverance.

Meeting and pickup

Meeting point

Take the Roosevelt Island Tramway at 59th St. and 2nd Ave to the Island. The tour begins once you get off the tram on the Island. Or you can take the F Train to Roosevelt Island and walk south to the tramway station.

End point

The tour ends at Franklin Delano Roosevelt Statue.

Additional information

Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Cancellation policy

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

Reviews

5.0 (1)

From

$5.00 per person

Check availability & book

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts
Instant confirmation
You'll choose your date and travelers and pay on viator.com. Prices vary by date, group size and option.

Operated by VoiceMap Audio Tours · Booked through Viator

More activities in New York City