Inside Out Tours

New York walking tours with a history focus

Inside Out Tours runs public and private walking tours, private bus tours and group programs in New York City. The About page calls it "an award-winning tour operator and a travel agency delivering high-quality, immersive experiences across New York and select destinations," and the homepage says it has "tours running seven days a week throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx." Its office is at 2329 Nostrand Avenue, Suite 100, Brooklyn, NY 11210. The services page adds that it is "an NYC-based Full-Service DMC and Receptive Tour Operator," and the homepage mentions trips to "other states" as well as all 5 boroughs.

The company describes itself as "a certified black and woman-owned business" whose social mission is "to provide inclusive tours that celebrate the diversity of the city and its residents," and as a certified Minority- and Woman-Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE). Press quotes on the site name Stacey Toussaint and Sheila Collins, "Two native Brooklynites," as the founders. The homepage claims "300,000+ Happy Customers Since 2009!" and the About page cites "more than 15 years of experience."

The tours

The featured public walking tours on the homepage are How Money Was Made: Wall Street Walking Tour, which traces "the financial and political roots of Wall Street"; the NYC Slavery & the Underground Rail Road Walking Tour, which visits "the site of the city's first slave market"; Secrets of the Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island Guided Walking Tour; the Brooklyn Bridge & DUMBO Neighborhood Tour; and the Harlem Gospel Experience Walking Tour, on how gospel music "influenced American culture and the music of the United States." The homepage also mentions hidden histories around Grand Central, Brooklyn Heights and Bryant Park.

The menu adds private walking or bus tours, cultural and heritage tours, group sightseeing tours, museum tours, multi-day tours, step-on guides, accessible tours, corporate team building, cultural training experiences and virtual tours. Reviews mention a Black Joy Tour, an Afro-Caribbean Brooklyn tour and a Bronx Renaissance Tour. The author Clint Smith is quoted on the homepage saying the slavery tour "is one of the tours featured in HOW THE WORD WAS PASSED."

The FAQ separates the Harlem Gospel Experience Tour from the NYC Gospel Walking Tour: guests who want to sit in the main sanctuary on the latter "must stay for the entire service (two hours)."

On the day

The FAQ answers most practical questions. "All of our tours are less than two miles long and are generally appropriate for all ages and fitness levels," it says, while "children will be expected to walk/stand for the duration of the tour." Tours "run rain or shine," but "In the case of severe inclement weather, tours will be canceled and a full refund will be provided." Starting points differ by tour and appear in the booking confirmation, and guests should arrive "at least 15 minutes before the departure time." Once a tour starts, it does not wait for latecomers.

The FAQ caps walking tours at 25 to 35 people per tour. One review on the homepage describes a Brooklyn Bridge group of "about 30-40 people." The homepage says guides are "licensed local tour guides with specialized backgrounds and awards in history and art," backed by "a team of historians."

On language, the homepage says "We conduct tours in English, Spanish, French and Italian," while the FAQ answers "We only do Spanish and French" beyond English. For accessibility, the FAQ asks guests to email salesinfo@insideouttours.com about "mobility accommodations, assisted listening devices, language support, and route considerations." Service animals are welcome with notice; pets are not. Gospel tours require appropriate dress, and the FAQ warns that guests turned away at a church for their clothing get no refund. Not every tour includes a restroom stop. Photos are encouraged, but video cameras and recorders need pre-approval and are not allowed in churches, and the FAQ notes that guests may themselves be photographed or filmed by staff, with the reservation serving as permission.

Booking, payment and rescheduling

Tickets must be bought in advance and "prepayment is required." The refund rule is strict: "we do not offer refunds or partial credit." Reschedule requests "must be made with a minimum of 48 hours' advance notice" in writing to sales@insideouttours.com, subject to availability. The FAQ counts ages 5 to 11 as children and says "Children under 5 do not pay," and that discounted tickets exist for children and seniors. Attraction pass holders, such as New York Pass users, book through a separate "Book with Pass" page. There is no formal wait list, though the company may add a departure on a sold-out day.

Tours run year-round except on the listed blackout dates: Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, the Friday after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. The office is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST, and the phone line is 1-800-258-7359.

Recognition, gaps and fit

The About page lists the Women in Tourism Award, the New York State Excellence Award, the Travelers' Choice Award and membership in the TripAdvisor Hall of Fame, and says the company has been featured by The New York Times, BBC, ABC, NBC, CBS and Netflix. The press page quotes the New York Times calling one tour "at once devastating and amazingly empowering," BBC News on "The Hidden links between slavery and wall street," and Group Tour Magazine saying the company lets groups "taste local food, hear music and see artisans at work."

The site does not show ticket prices in its overview pages or FAQ, and it gives two different lists of tour languages. The no-refund rule is firm, so the 48-hour reschedule window is the main flexibility.

What it does settle is a lot: group sizes, walking distance, child pricing, weather policy and dress codes. That suits visitors who want New York history told through Black history and neighborhood stories, school and corporate groups, and families with children old enough to walk for a whole tour. Travelers who need a flexible refund or a very small group will find the terms and 25 to 35 person walks less suited to them.