Delve into off-the-beaten-path New York history on the Hell Gate walking tour. Hell Gate is the one-mile stretch of the East River between Manhattan and Queens where countless ships were sunk or destroyed by the terrifying rocks, reefs, and whirlpools. Discover the islands in and around Hell Gate’Wards, Roosevelt, Rikers, North & South Brother’as seen from Randall’s Island (accessible on foot, by car, or by bicycle via the RFK Bridge’from East Harlem, Astoria, and Port Morris’or the Wards Island Bridge/103rd Street Footbridge from Manhattan). Main features: Find out about Hell Gate’s ship-swallowing whirlpools. Learn about the plot to blow up the Hell Gate Bridge. Discover the river pirates of the Hell Gate islands. Hear about the Hell Gate Explosions and the General Slocum Disaster. Peer at the jail complex of Rikers Island and the quarantine ruins of North Brother Island.

Learn about iconic landmarks from your guide
Enjoy on-demand stops and set your own pace
See several key monuments and memorials
A private tour means a personalized experience

What To Expect

Wards Island Park

Vantage point to view Hell Gate, Mill Rock, and Roosevelt Island.
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Randalls and Wards Islands

A vantage point to Astoria Park and the Triborough Bridge, and features of Wards Island.
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

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.
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

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.
35 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Highlight

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Service animals allowed
Near public transportation
Not recommended for travelers with back problems
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers

Include

All Fees and Taxes

Exclude

Coffee and/or Tea