Booking choice: The NYPD mafia walk, from $79 per person. Check dates Compare the options below
Families book the New York Gangster Experience all the time, usually with teenagers who have seen the films. But the tour is not designed for children: the stories include strong language and graphic murders, there is no child price, and it is a long walk on city sidewalks.
Below: the age rules, what children actually get out of it, and alternatives that suit younger kids better.
The quick answer
Viator lists the NYPD tours for ages 9 and up and the operator for 8 and up, with no child price. Expect strong language, graphic descriptions of murders and about three hours on foot. Teens who like true crime tend to enjoy it; younger children may not know the names. For younger kids, the two-hour gangsters and ghosts tour is a better fit.
What is the minimum age for the mafia tour?
Viator lists the NYPD tours for ages 9 and up; the operator's own site says 8 and up.
Everyone pays the full price, so a family of four on the food tour pays four adult tickets. Under-18s are not served alcohol.
Bringing teens? The walk is the cheaper way in, at $79 with a cannoli at the end.
Check dates for the NYPD mafia walkIs the content suitable for children?
Mostly for teens: one of the listings warns of strong language and sometimes graphic descriptions of murders.
These are real killings told by police officers, not a costumed show. Guides adapt to their group, but they are telling the history of the mob, which is violent. If your child is upset by crime shows, skip it.
Will kids enjoy it?
Teens who know the names usually do; younger children often do not.
One grandmother wrote that she enjoyed it more than her 11-year-old grandson because he did not know who a lot of the people were, and suggested it may not be great for young children. Guests with older kids praise the guides' personal police stories, which land with any age.
How much walking is there?
About three hours on foot from 12th Street to Canal Street, roughly 1.5 miles, at a pace some guests call brisk.
The listings say the tours are not recommended for travellers with leg or walking problems. They are marked stroller accessible, but expect to stand on busy sidewalks for long stretches while the guide talks. The tours run in all weather.
Which version is best for a family?
The 11 AM walk: it is the cheaper ticket, the sidewalks are quieter in the morning, and pasta lunch is included.
The evening food tour is great if your kids will eat a big plate of spaghetti and meatballs, but it is 3.5 hours long and finishes later. Compare them in mafia walk vs food tour.
Want the shorter, cheaper version for the family? The walk has the same NYPD guides and ends with a cannoli.
Explore the NYPD mafia walkWhat is a better tour for younger kids?
The gangsters and ghosts walking tour: two hours, from $35, and described by its operator as family-friendly storytelling suitable for all ages.
It covers Five Points, Chinatown, Little Italy and the Village with ghost stories mixed in. One parent noted the pace could be slower for children, but it is still far shorter than the NYPD tour. Rated 5.0 from 145 reviews.
Want gangster stories without the gore? This two-hour walk mixes mobsters with ghosts and suits all ages.
Explore the gangsters and ghosts tourWhat about a food tour instead?
If your kids are more interested in eating than in mobsters, the Chinatown and Little Italy food tour has 8 tastings in three hours.
It runs in a small group, and vegetarian or gluten-free tastings are available with 48 hours' notice. It is $130 per person and the most reviewed food tour in the area.
Tips for doing the mafia tour with teens
Watch a mob film together first, stand at the front, and let them ask the guide questions.
- Watch The Godfather or a documentary first, so the names mean something
- Stand near the guide: groups can reach 35 people
- Bring water and snacks for the walk
- Comfortable shoes and an umbrella, since it runs in all weather
- Let them ask about the guide's police career: those stories are what guests remember
Teens already hooked on mob films? The walk takes them where the stories happened.
Check dates for the NYPD mafia walkFrequently asked questions
Is there a child price on the NYPD mafia tour?
No. Everyone pays the same price, and the minimum age is 9 on Viator, 8 on the operator's site.
Can I bring a stroller?
The listings say the tours are stroller accessible, but it is a three-hour walk on busy sidewalks, so it suits older children better than toddlers.
Is the mafia tour scary?
It is not designed to scare, but it describes real murders in graphic detail, with strong language.
Ready to book
Choose your tour
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Mafia Walk with a Retired NYPD Guide
- Walking tour led by a retired NYPD officer or detective
- John Gotti and Carlo Gambino stories, a Gambino hangout and Sopranos filming spots
- A full-size cannoli at La Bella Ferrara; pasta lunch on the 11 AM start only
Gangsters and Ghosts Walking Tour
The cheapest way to hear the gangland stories
