The NBC Studios Tour in New York City: Travel Review

There are many things to love about New York--its people, its culture, its unique big-city pace--but there's also something else: the attractions. From Ellis Island to Central Park, people travel the world to see the "touristy" sections of New York.

While the NBC Studios Tour is definitely touristy, it is also informative and just about perfect for anyone who loves TV. International visitors especially will get a kick out of seeing the work spaces of popular American icons up close.

Though ticket holders are unable to reserve which tour they'd like to be part of, NBC offers its tour guests two distinct touring options. Each tour covers a different set of studios, but the tours deliver the same information. Visitors are taken behind the scenes into the studios of some of the network's most popular shows. The Today Show, Saturday Night Live, and Late Night with Conan O'Brian are all shot on the NBC premises in New York. Tour guides lead guests to the shows' studio audience seating area, where they then give a brief background sketch of the big-name actors who appear in each show and secrets of the production work that goes into each show every night.

Highlights of the tour also include an interactive segment where volunteers can try their hand at news and weather reporting in front of a live audience. During this part of the tour, guests are also asked to pose for a picture behind a news desk. These pictures are later available for purchase at the end of the tour.

The tour ends in the NBC Studios gift shop. Here you can buy mugs, plates, key chains, and other NBC branded wares. Of course, it's not cheap, but if you're a really big fan of shows like Seinfeld or Law and Order, the NBC store may be the only place you'll find the quirky items like board games and trivia cards about the shows you love that you'll have difficulty finding anyplace else.

There is also a small section on the second floor of the store where all the discounted items are stored. This particular summer, many of the items on sale are of Donald Trump and his curiously successful reality show, The Apprentice. Some generic NBC items can also be found there as well.

Once the tour is over and your shopping is done, you can continue your bout of tours in New York with a visit to Radio City Music Hall, located just across the street from NBC. If lunch is more of what's on your mind, there are chain restaurants and specialty shops down on the lower level of the building. You can also connect to the New York City metro from here if your next destination is more than just a short walk away.