My second day in New York City is dedicated to the best Gossip Girl Tour. I booked it through On Location Tours. With my New York City Explorer Pass I had seven attractions to enjoy for $160. The Gossip Girl Tour cost $56 so it made sense to get a pass.
If you read about day one in New York City, you would know that my dummy run did not go according to plan. I missed my subway stop (thank you for distracting me, talented musicians). Thankfully, I stumbled upon Sephora and Madame Tussauds so it worked out in the end 🙂
Lotte New York Palace Hotel
”I’m going to have to tell my parents, that the hotel they just bought is serving minors” – Season 1 Episode 1 Where Serena drinks cocktails on an empty stomach after her heart to heart with Blair.
Lotte New York Palace Hotel served as the meeting point for the Gossip Girl Tour. It’s a real hotel and where the van der Woodsens live before moving into their permanent residence. If you want to stay here it will cost you £229 per night. However, if you want the full Gossip Girl experience you can book directly with The Palace and save 25% off the tour price, enjoy two cocktails, macarons and a night’s stay for $297.
Fun scenes shot here include:
- Chuck and Dan nearly coming to blows – ”Any time pal, that black eye looks a little lonely”.
- Dan eavesdropping on Lily and Bart during their secret courtship
- Jenny crashing Lily and Bart’s party with her guerrilla fashion show
We didn’t spend a lot of time at The Palace. Once everyone was ticked off we left on the tour bus which was nearly full. Some people paid an extra $10 for priority seats but once on the tour bus I could see that it wasn’t necessary. We had a great tour guide; she was full of energy and kept everyone happy and excited throughout the tour.
Our first stop was the location used for the fictitious Constance Billard School for Girls where Blair, Serena and co. matriculate. It was used in the first season of Gossip Girl before the show creators began using the Museum of the City of New York.
The Museum of the City of New York
”Who said you need a silver spoon to dole out just desserts?” Season 1 Episode 14
Fun scenes shot here. For example:
- Georgina Sparks terrorising Serena with a crate of champagne.
- Jenny dumping yoghurt on Blair’s head.
- Blair plotting to punish Miss Carr for her B grade.
The Met Steps
”Consider yourself dethroned, Queen B” Season 1 Episode 13
Any Gossip Girl fan knows how iconic The Met Steps are. This is where the Gossip Girls lunch, plot their evil schemes and fight for queendom. Inside is the beautiful and intricate Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is world-famous and houses over 2 million pieces of art spanning 5,000 years. It’s normally $25 for admission if you’re from out of town but with my pass I was sorted 🙂 Also, if you love fashion, this is where the Met Gala is held every year on the first Monday in May.
Fun scenes shot here:
- Blair dons a cubic zirconia tiara and meets her adoring fans
- Eric gets yoghurt dumped on his head for daring to challenge Queen Jenny
- Serena and Blair face-off in the pilot for Constance sovereignty
Dylan’s Candy Bar
”Dating Nate Archibald after striking out with Dan Humphrey? Talk about failing upwards” – Season 2 Episode 15
This is where Dan and Vanessa discuss Lily’s secret child. It smells divine inside – no joke. Dylan’s Candy Bar is Dylan Lauren’s (daughter of Ralph Lauren) confectionery empire. She started it in 2001 and it boasts over 7,000 types of sugary goodness. Check out my mini video where I show you a little bit inside. We got to spend a good amount of time in here and I made sure to pick up some sweet goodies before we moved on.
I’d fly back just for the sea salt candy bar.
Chuck’s Empire
”Why settle for some club in a hotel, when you can just buy the hotel?” Season 3 Episode 3
Yes, The Empire Hotel is real too! Located on the Upper West Side, The Empire Hotel is luxury accommodation and more affordable than it’s Midtown cousin discussed earlier.
Fun scenes shot here:
- Blair discovers Brandeis is a working girl
- Jack and Blair barter for the hotel in secret
- Chuck hosts his ”Saints and Sinners” party where Serena is drugged
Henri Bendel’s and the Celebrity Dog
Lord knows I do not have Henri Bendel’s money but I enjoyed this stop on the Gossip Girl Tour. A sales associate complimented my eye makeup and I met a celebrity dog. This dog was so cute it was unreal. She performed tricks and had loads of people transfixed. So transfixed that I forgot the 20 minute time limit and the coach nearly left without me!
So cute you could die
Someone saw Serena getting off the train at Grand Central
Grand Central Terminal is our last stop. This is a stunning MTA Metro-North Railroad and a subway station. Opened in 1913, it is over 100 years old and a famous New York City landmark. The ceiling decorated with constellations is beautiful to look at and the terminal is vast.
Fun scenes filmed here:
- Serena returning from boarding school
- Jenny leaving for Hudson
- The Sheppard divorce party
- Rufus confronting Lily
The pretty ceiling
Other sights to note on the tour are the following:
Harry Winston
Chuck buys Blair’s engagement ring here but he also abandons it on these very steps.
Laduree
Blair loves macarons. This is the Soho Manhattan branch. We briefly saw the Madison Ave branch on the tour.
I had a blast on the Gossip Girl Tour with On Location Tours. My New York City Explorer Pass was a great way to save money and squeeze in as many attractions and activities as possible on a budget. The best thing about this tour was being able to get around Manhattan and make a note of places I wanted to visit later without a time limit. The tour guide was great and a Tisch alum (impressive).
If you’re a Gossip Girl fan then this tour is a must. Come back to read my review of Laduree, in Soho, Manhattan.
NYC Solo Series:
Part 1 – the flight, hotel, subway, Madame Tussauds and cheap eats
Part 3 – Dining in Laduree for the first time
Part 5 – The Empire State Building
Love black pistachio x
Omg yay that you made this! All of these are must see sights for a GG lover like me!
– Laura || afinnontheloose.com
Thanks Laura 😊😊
I think I would maybe cry with glee if I got to go on this tour. I love Gossip Girl so very much, and seeing all these iconic places would have me in a tizzy. How fun!
Hi Stephanie 😊 Me too! I’ve lost count how many times I’ve rewatched the entire series. I want to go to NYC again and would happily redo the door. It’s a great way to see all of Manhattan 😊
I’ve to NY a few times but never found the time to do this tour. I’m going to make a point of it next time I go. I love Gossip Girl and watched through about 3 times. I’m not too sure about the new one they are planning on creating. It won’t be the same without the original cast. Thanks for sharing another great post x
Yay! The replay value is unparalleled. How many times have you been and where did you visit? Dude, I know! I heard Leighton won’t be in it 🙁 x
I’ve been 3 times and pretty much done all the main touristy things. I love the Empire State Building because it’s just so iconic. I will visit it every time I go x
Great post! Very detailed and loved the pictures 😀
Thanks dude! x
This looks so fun, even to someone who’s not a Gossip Girl fan! And oh my gosh, that dog is sooo cute. It’s a good thing you didn’t get left behind though! 🙂
You’re not a GG fan? *mock gasp!* I’m glad I got across how much fun it was! Duuuuude, it was such a close call. The coach was pulling away from the curb!!
This looks like such a fun trip! How cool to get to see so many iconic places! It looks like you had a great time!