New York! New York! New York!, and the 'OnBoard' Tour Bus Lines!

The 'OnBoard' Bus Tours is the way to go when in New York. After purchasing tour maps and striking out on my own I came to the realization that I was not capable of driving in New York City. Not only is there a size issue with my big truck, (all streets are made for horse and buggy sized vehicles), but also, the one-way streets are all going the wrong way! (That's a joke.)

Not even the convenience of my new Garmin, affectionately named "Matilda" could stop me from doing stupid stuff while driving. After looping around the same block probably 27 times, I found my way to 7^th Street, between 50 and 51^st and gave in to a bus tour. The 'OnBoard' tour bus lines was the answer to my awful, paint scraping, double parking, curb jumping driving phobia.

'OnBoard' Bus Tours of New York offers various tours to suite your personal time constraints and interests. There are combined bus, yacht, and walking tours, or foliage tours which are popular with "leaf peepers" during the autumn. A "See It All" tour covers anything and everything you might want to see, and has the added security of tour guides that get off the bus with you, not leaving you to wander around alone. New York can be intimidating if you've not been there before, streets are crowded, drivers are atrocious, and it's easy to wander a block off the beaten track and end up in a dangerous situation. Guides are good!

Another tour offered is a "New York See the Holiday Lights" tour that shows off the city during the Holiday Season. This tour is offered starting November 30th, and continues through January 5th, and will be on my list of future things to do as my first tour with "OnBoard" was spectacular!

My first tour choice was a 3 l/2 hour trip around the city (referred to 'New York Best Tour'), with stops by the Empire State Building, Times Square, Madison Square Gardens, and more. The price was reasonable at $45.00 for adults. Much less than the price of a traffic ticket! There is a 5 l/2 hour tour that covers everything in town with stops to look around, plus a harbor cruise which includes a pass by the Statue of Liberty. Priced at $79.00 for adults it's hard to beat. There are various times of departure from the 7^Th Street office, so it's best to check for reservations and information at www.OnBoardNewYorkTours.com.

Parking is available nearby for approximately $30.00 a 10 hour period, or you can take a train into the city from out lying areas, including New Jersey. Although the tour does not provide snacks there is ample time to hop off and pick up something. There is not room for strollers or wheel chairs at this time, but check ahead with the reservations for help with these matters.

Having never been a 'tour bus' person, I have to admit that I have now been converted! This 'OnBoard' Bus Tour changed a lot of things for me as far as traveling and touring new areas. Although there are many different tour bus companies available in New York, I recommend this one.

The only downside to this tour might be the wheel chair/stroller situation, but if you are able to work around that problem 'OnBoard' Bus Lines is a great choice. Next time you are in New York give 'OnBoard' Bus Tours a try; I think you will enjoy the experience.