NYC Bus ToursDyker Heights Bus Tour: Christmas Lights and Skyline
This Dyker heights bus tour runs 4 hours from Times Square to the Christmas lights of Dyker Heights in Brooklyn, with $69 buying a live guide, a sunset photo stop at Battery Park City and a skyline stop at Brooklyn Bridge Park on the way back. It is the most reviewed holiday tour in this comparison, with a 4.7 rating from 1,203 verified bookings, and Sir Paddy Inc. runs it on an enclosed coach. One thing matters before you book: the guide speaks German and English at the same time, so English speakers hear both languages throughout. This page walks through the route, the price and the alternatives among NYC bus tours so you can decide if it fits your evening. Compare it with the other NYC bus tour.
About This Tour
Sir Paddy Inc. meets at Junior's Restaurant and Bakery at 1626 Broadway at West 49th Street and takes an enclosed coach south to Battery Park City, then over to Dyker Heights in Brooklyn, then back along the East River. You get off three times: a 15-minute sunset and bathroom stop, about an hour on foot among the Dyker Heights lights with the guide, and a 15-minute photo stop at Brooklyn Bridge Park.
The guide speaks German and English at the same time at the same time, so every announcement comes in both languages. The tour does not return to Junior's: it finishes near the Winter Village at Bryant Park. Free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before the start.
$69 per person, booked on GetYourGuide
4 hours, single ride, no hop-on hop-off
Junior's Restaurant and Bakery, 1626 Broadway at W 49th St, near Times Square
Live guide speaking German and English at the same time
Three fixed stops: Battery Park City (15 min), Dyker Heights on foot (about 1 hour), Brooklyn Bridge Park (15 min)
Food, drinks, hot chocolate in Dyker Heights are not included, and neither is hotel pickup. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Check Dates and Availability
The listing gives no season dates, so check availability for your evening directly. Most Dyker Heights displays run from the weekend after Thanksgiving to the first week of January.
Quick answer Dyker Heights bus tour in short
This Dyker heights bus tour costs $69 per person, lasts 4 hours and ends at Bryant Park, not back at the meeting point. The live guide speaks German and English at once on every announcement.
Key takeaways
- You get about 1 hour on foot among the Dyker Heights lights plus a 15-minute Battery Park City sunset stop and a 15-minute Brooklyn Bridge Park photo stop, per the full route.
- Want an English or Spanish guide for less at $45? The Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights Christmas Lights Tour adds Bay Ridge.
- Want an English-only guide and a restroom on board? The Dyker Heights Christmas Lights Guided Bus Tour runs 3 hours 45 minutes at $63.
- See every holiday option on the NYC Christmas bus tour guide.
What the Ticket Actually Covers
The $69 buys the coach seat, the live bilingual guide and the three stops on the itinerary. Everything you might eat, drink or buy on the evening is outside the price.
Included and Not Included
The listing includes the bus or coach, the live guide speaking German and English, the Battery Park City stop with its bathroom break, the Dyker Heights walking hour and the Brooklyn Bridge Park skyline photo stop. Reserve now and pay later is available. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included, and the tour does not return to Junior's.
Food and drinks are not included either: hot chocolate is for sale in Dyker Heights, so bring cash or a card for that. No attraction entry, no meal, no boat ride and no tipping amount is stated in the listing.
| Line | In the price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Enclosed coach from Midtown and back to Bryant Park | Yes | Single ride, no hop-on hop-off |
| Live guide in German and English | Yes | Both languages at the same time, not separate guides |
| Battery Park City sunset and bathroom stop | Yes | 15 minutes |
| Dyker Heights lights walk | Yes | About 1 hour on foot with the guide |
| Brooklyn Bridge Park skyline photo stop | Yes | 15 minutes |
| Hot chocolate and food | No | For sale in Dyker Heights |
| Hotel pickup and drop-off | No | Meet at Junior's on Broadway and W 49th St |
A front yard in Dyker Heights. Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Route, Stop by Stop
The listing gives no clock times for the stops, only the order and the durations. The whole loop takes 4 hours and ends at Bryant Park.
Junior's to Battery Park City
You meet at Junior's Restaurant and Bakery at 1626 Broadway at W 49th Street, in the Times Square district. The bus heads south through Manhattan to Battery Park City for the first stop, 15 minutes for a sunset photo over the Hudson River toward the Statue of Liberty and a bathroom break. You only pass the Statue of Liberty from a distance on this stop, there is no boat.
Dyker Heights on Foot
The coach then crosses into Brooklyn to Dyker Heights, where the main displays sit on the 80s streets around 11th to 13th Avenues. This is the reason to book: about 1 hour on foot with the guide among the decorated houses. Time Out says the best window is mid-December through New Year's Eve and warns that most houses switch off after 9 pm, and the listing gives no departure time, so confirm it when you book.
Hot chocolate is for sale on the streets during the walk.
Brooklyn Bridge Park and the Ride Home
On the way back the bus stops at Brooklyn Bridge Park for 15 minutes of photos of the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan skyline. From there the bus runs along the East River past Williamsburg and Long Island City, with views toward the Queensboro Bridge, and finishes near the Winter Village at Bryant Park. The Winter Village has free skating and 180 vendors, so you can stay out afterwards rather than heading straight home.
If You Would Rather Go Without a Tour
Time Out says to take the D train to 79th Street and New Utrecht Avenue and walk about 15 minutes to the lights, on hilly terrain. It also warns that parking and traffic in Dyker Heights are generally bad and bathrooms are hard to find, which is the argument for doing it by bus. The tour solves both problems for $69 and keeps the group moving.
Sources: Time Out on Dyker Heights, NYC DOT on Brooklyn Bridge lighting
Who This Tour Rules Out
The listing states few hard limits, but a few of its terms will push some travellers to a different bus.
Bilingual Commentary Is the Whole Ride
The guide speaks German and English at the same time on every announcement, so English speakers hear every announcement in both languages. If that bothers you, the Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights Christmas Lights Tour has a Spanish and English guide at $45, or the Dyker Heights Christmas Lights Guided Bus Tour runs English only at $63 with a restroom on board.
Comfort and Pace
The bus is an enclosed coach, so cold December air is not the problem an open top would be, but one reviewer found the bus hot and others found the pace rushed, wanting more time in Dyker Heights. The listing recommends comfortable shoes for the walk. There is no stated minimum age and no stated wheelchair access, so travellers with mobility needs should confirm with the operator before booking.
Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start for a full refund.
No Dates Printed on the Listing
The listing states the holiday season but gives no dates. Most displays run from the weekend after Thanksgiving to the first week of January, so check the calendar for your specific evening before paying.
Getting to the Start and What to Add
The meeting point is Junior's Restaurant and Bakery at 1626 Broadway at W 49th Street, inside the Times Square district, which runs from 40th to 53rd Street between 6th and 8th Avenues and averages about 330,000 daily visitors.
Arriving at Junior's
Junior's sits on Broadway at West 49th Street in Midtown. The listing states no pickup window and no departure time, so arrive early enough to find the group in the crowds around Times Square. No specific subway lines for this corner are stated in the sources, so check a transit map for your route.
Allow extra time, the district is busy in the evening during the holiday season.
Before and After the Tour
The tour ends near the Winter Village at Bryant Park, which has free skating and 180 vendors, so you can finish the night with a skate instead of a second subway ride. In Dyker Heights, hot chocolate is for sale during the walk. If you want more of the holiday lights without a second tour, Time Out's route to Dyker Heights by the D train to 79th Street and New Utrecht Avenue is the do-it-yourself option on another evening, and parking there is generally bad.
The free Staten Island Ferry is another no-cost skyline option to plan on a separate day. For a second night out, see the NYC night bus tour guide.
| Add-on | Cost | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Hot chocolate in Dyker Heights | Not stated | On the walk, for sale locally |
| Skating at Bryant Park Winter Village | Free | At the tour's end point |
| Staten Island Ferry | Free | Separate day, Lower Manhattan |
| D train to Dyker Heights on your own | MTA fare applies | 79th St and New Utrecht Ave, 15-min walk |
Evening Step by Step
The listing gives durations but no clock times, so the steps below use phases. The full run lasts 4 hours.
-
Start
Meet at Junior's Restaurant
Gather at 1626 Broadway at W 49th Street near Times Square and board the enclosed coach.
-
Next
Ride south to Battery Park City
The bus travels down Manhattan to the waterfront at Battery Park City, where the Hudson River and the Statue of Liberty come into view.
-
15 minutes
Sunset photo and bathroom stop
Get off for photos over the Hudson toward the Statue of Liberty and use the bathroom. No boat, the statue is seen from a distance.
-
Next
Cross to Dyker Heights
The coach drives into Brooklyn to the decorated blocks of Dyker Heights.
-
About 1 hour
Walk the lights with the guide
Get off and walk among the houses with the live guide. Hot chocolate is for sale on the streets.
-
15 minutes
Brooklyn Bridge Park skyline stop
A photo stop for the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan skyline before the ride north.
-
Last
East River to Bryant Park
The bus runs back along the East River past Williamsburg and Long Island City and finishes near the Winter Village at Bryant Park, not at the meeting point.
Pros and Cons
An honest read of the listing, the stated terms and what reviewers reported.
What we genuinely like
- The most reviewed holiday tour in this comparison, 4.7 from 1,203 verified bookings
- About 1 hour on foot in Dyker Heights with a live guide, not just a drive-by
- Two skyline bonuses built in: Battery Park City at sunset and Brooklyn Bridge Park on the way back
- Enclosed coach in December cold, no open deck to freeze on
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before, and reserve now pay later is available
The honest downsides
- The guide speaks German and English at the same time, so English speakers hear both on every announcement
- The listing prints no season dates, no departure time and no pickup window
- Reviewers reported the bus running hot and a rushed pace in Dyker Heights
- Food, drinks and hot chocolate are extra and hotel pickup is not offered
- It ends at Bryant Park, a ride or walk from the meeting point at Junior's
Who it's NOT for: Not for travellers who want an English-only guide, who would rather pay $45 for a Spanish and English alternative, or who need a coach restroom on board.
Dyker Heights Bus Tour Questions
How much does this Dyker Heights bus tour cost?
It is $69 per person on GetYourGuide, which covers the coach, the live bilingual guide and all three stops. For a cheaper holiday bus, the Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights Christmas Lights Tour runs at $45 (see the full listing).
How long does the tour last and where does it end?
It runs 4 hours and finishes near the Winter Village at Bryant Park, not back at Junior's on Broadway. That end point is handy for a free skate, as covered in the route section.
What language does the guide speak?
The live guide speaks German and English at the same time, so every announcement comes in both languages. If you want English only, the Dyker Heights Christmas Lights Guided Bus Tour has an English-speaking guide with a restroom on board (details here).
When do the Dyker Heights lights go up and come down?
Most displays go up the weekend after Thanksgiving and stay until the end of the first week of January, and Time Out says mid-December through New Year's Eve is the best window. The listing itself gives no dates, so check availability for your evening on the booking card.
Can I visit Dyker Heights without a tour?
Yes. Time Out suggests the D train to 79th Street and New Utrecht Avenue and a 15-minute walk, but warns that parking and traffic are bad and bathrooms are hard to find. A bus solves both, and the options are compared in the NYC Christmas bus tour guide.
Is the tour in an open-top bus?
No, it runs on an enclosed coach, so December cold is not an issue. One reviewer found the coach hot inside, so dress in layers. If you want an open deck for skyline views instead, see the NYC bus tour for night buses.
Can I cancel the booking?
Yes, free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before the start for a full refund, and reserve now pay later is offered. Inside 24 hours no full refund is stated, as covered in the terms summary.
What Travelers Said
We loved the tour, really nice way to see another part of NYC. Beautiful houses and decorations, lots of fun! We would do this tour again.
Great tour! Fun stops along the way. Glen was a fabulous guide - very knowledgeable. Dyker Heights certainly was a highlight of my trip!
Fantastic! Guide really welcoming and clear. Good stops for photos. Christmas decorations were superb. Just could have done with 90 mins walk round the Dyker Heights houses rather than 60mins
Prices, availability and terms are set by the operator and confirmed at checkout.
We may earn a commission if you book through one of our links, at no extra cost to you. Full affiliate disclosure