Self-Guided Audio Tour

The One with New York — A Fan's Guide to Friends

Self-guided audio tour · New York

Duration

41 min

Distance

18.7 km

Stops

Accessibility

Accessible

Best time

Morning, Afternoon

Languages

English, Español, Italiano, Português

Listen in the Tuggi app View the map

For Friends fans, New York City is an outdoor theme park. This itinerary takes you to the actual locations where the show was filmed externally: the iconic building at 90 Bedford Street, home to Monica's and Joey/Chandler's apartments, Phoebe's building on Morton Street, the American Museum of Natural History where Ross worked as a paleontologist, Bloomingdale's where Rachel had her job, Central Park featured in countless scenes, and much more. All confirmed – no fiction here. A walking tour through Greenwich Village and the West Side that will make any Friends fan go wild.

What you'll see and hear

The stops on this route, in order — with audio previews where available.

Grove Court
Grove Court is a charming enclave of six townhouses tucked away in the West Village. These homes were completed between 1853 and 1854. They were the idea of Samuel Cocks, a local businessman. He owned a grocery store nearby. Cocks wanted to attract more customers. So, he built these houses for tradesmen and laborers. They would then shop at his store. Originally, this alley was known as "Mixed Ale Alley." This was because of the drinks the residents consumed. Today, Grove Court is a very desirable and private place. It's even been featured in stories by O. Henry.
Audio preview
West Fourth Street Courts
West Fourth Street Courts, also known as "The Cage," is a legendary public basketball court in Greenwich Village. The land was designated to the Parks department in 1934 and the playground officially opened in 1935. Basketball hoops were first installed in the 1950s. The court is famous for its non-regulation size, which is about half of a standard court. This unique dimension makes for a very physical and fast-paced game. Many famous NBA players, like Dr. J and Stephon Marbury, honed their skills here. The court is so iconic that it has been featured in video games and commercials. It's said that if the 3-point lines were regulation distance, they would nearly touch the half-court circle.
Audio preview
Grove Court
Grove Court is a charming enclave of six townhouses tucked away in the West Village. These homes were completed between 1853 and 1854. They were the idea of Samuel Cocks, a local businessman. He owned a grocery store nearby. Cocks wanted to attract more customers. So, he built these houses for tradesmen and laborers. They would then shop at his store. Originally, this alley was known as "Mixed Ale Alley." This was because of the drinks the residents consumed. Today, Grove Court is a very desirable and private place. It's even been featured in stories by O. Henry.
Audio preview
Grove Court
Grove Court is a charming enclave of six townhouses tucked away in the West Village. These homes were completed between 1853 and 1854. They were the idea of Samuel Cocks, a local businessman. He owned a grocery store nearby. Cocks wanted to attract more customers. So, he built these houses for tradesmen and laborers. They would then shop at his store. Originally, this alley was known as "Mixed Ale Alley." This was because of the drinks the residents consumed. Today, Grove Court is a very desirable and private place. It's even been featured in stories by O. Henry.
Audio preview
Harper's Chelsea
Balto
Balto Statue. This statue honors a brave Siberian Husky named Balto. In 1925, Nome, Alaska faced a diphtheria outbreak. Sled dogs delivered life-saving medicine through a terrible blizzard. Balto led the final, dangerous leg of this journey. The statue was unveiled in Central Park in 1925, just months after the event. It was sculpted by Frederick George Richard Roth. A unique detail is that Balto himself was present at the statue's unveiling ceremony.
Audio preview
Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation
58th Street Library
The 58th Street Library opened its doors on May 10, 1907. It was originally funded by Andrew Carnegie. The library moved to its current location in 1969. Today, it occupies two floors of an office building. This branch offers public computers and free Wi-Fi. It also has a community space that local groups can reserve. Interestingly, the library no longer charges late fines for returned items.
Audio preview
The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree
The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is a world-famous holiday icon. The very first tree was put up by construction workers in 1931 during the Great Depression. It was a humble 20-foot balsam fir decorated with simple items like paper garlands and tin cans. The first official tree lighting ceremony happened in 1933 with a 50-foot tree and 700 lights. Over the years, the tree has grown in size and spectacle, becoming a symbol of hope and holiday cheer. In 1998, one tree even traveled to Rockefeller Center by being flown in on the world's second-largest transport plane at the time.
Audio preview
Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal is a truly iconic landmark. It first opened its doors in 1871 as Grand Central Depot. It was later rebuilt and renamed Grand Central Station. The current Grand Central Terminal we see today officially opened on February 2, 1913. This magnificent structure was designed by the architectural firms Reed and Stem and Warren and Wetmore. A fascinating detail is that the famous celestial mural on the Main Concourse ceiling is actually painted upside down, showing the constellations from a divine perspective.
Audio preview