Hell Gate Walking Tour

Hell Gate Walking Tour

Delve into the history of Hell Gate, the notoriously perilous one-mile stretch of the East River between Manhattan and Queens!

By Purefinder New York

Select date and time

Saturday, May 3 · 3 - 5:30pm EDT

Location

Wards Island

Ward's Island Bridge New York, NY 10035

Refund Policy

Refunds up to 1 day before event

About this event

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.

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

Frequently asked questions

WHAT IS YOUR REFUND POLICY?

Tickets are fully refundable up to 24 hours before the tour begins. All customers have the option to reschedule for any other tour on any date—subject to availability—at no extra cost.

WHAT IS YOUR WEATHER POLICY?

Purefinder New York tours will go ahead rain or shine, except in the event of extreme weather conditions. In the latter case, customers will have the option to receive a full refund or to reschedule for any available tour.

WILL I RECEIVE CONFIRMATION AFTER BOOKING?

An email will be sent ahead of each tour to all ticket purchasers with the precise meet-up details, the endpoint, and the phone number of the guide.

ARE PUREFINDER NEW YORK TOURS SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN?

Purefinder New York tours are designed around adult topics. However, children and teenagers are not prohibited from attending. It is advisable for parents, guardians, and educators to assess the suitability of each tour by reading the description.

Organized by

Purefinder New York

Available tours:

Death in New York

Based on the book Death in New York (The History Press) by K. Krombie, the author’s tour explores the history and current affairs of death in New York City, including the first cemeteries in Manhattan, forgotten potter’s fields, capital punishment, death in wartime, the Office of Chief Medical Examiner, science and sanitation, religious burial, and the origins of modern embalming. This outdoor tour of Lower Manhattan is approximately 2.5 hours long.

The Psychiatric History of New York

The Psychiatric History of New York follows the journey of psychiatry from Central Europe to America, and the psychoanalytic explosion that occurred in New York City. This tour of the Upper East Side focuses on psychiatric history from the madhouses of the metropolis to breakthroughs in biological psychiatry; from hospitalization to deinstitutionalization; and from Freud’s psychoanalysis to the Sackler family’s beginnings in “valiumania.”

30% off applied
$23.80