The New York Greeters Program is a free program where locals show visitors around one of the New York City neighborhoods. A business traveler who finds themselves with a half day spare for sightseeing, will find this a great way to see a glimpse of New York beyond the tourist sites.

Signing Up
We went on a Big Apple Greeters tour. First of all we were asked to fill out an email form. This has to be submitted at least 3-4 weeks beforehand. There are a few stipulations. The maximum size of the party is 6, and you must be staying within one of the 5 New York boroughs for a minimum of 2 nights. Tours are not scheduled for arrival or departure days.

The five boroughs are Queens, Manhattan, Harlem, the Bronx and Staten Island. Allow half a day for each tour, including getting to and from the meeting venue. Tours vary from 2 to 4 hours.

A New York Greeter is Assigned
We chose Queens, and were advised about 2 weeks later that someone had been allocated. This is not guaranteed. I was a bit concerned when we had not heard from them, up to a few days before we left, But they are adamant that you only send the initial application and no follow up emails. The day before we left, we were emailed the name of the Big Apple Greeter and given a contact number. We were asked to phone him from our New York hotel when we arrived, to make more specific arrangements.

The Big Applie Greeters are all unpaid volunteers and choose which applicants they would like to host, depending on factors such as availability, common interests and geographic location. Jim (not his real name) told us to meet him at Grand Central Station. We were given a free subway pass to cover the period of the tour.

Visiting Queens
Jim took us on the subway to Queens. As we had only been on the subway once before, this was a useful experience. Going with a local who showed us the ropes gave us the confidence to do this on our own for future travels. Jim had researched where we were from, and pointed out things he thought would be of specific interest.

We soon found out that Jim was a keen walker and hiker. The reason he joined the New York Greeter Program was that he liked to meet people, and walk at the same time. He set a cracking pace, and we covered lots of ground.

Jim had to keep an appointment, so the whole thing seemed a bit rushed, and we didn't take time to potter or browse. A stop in a cafe for a cup of coffee would have been welcome. It seemed a bit like ticking off all the things he wanted to show us. He did take the time to show us a Gourmet deli store when we came back to Manhattan, as he was going in the same direction to his appointment.

Through A Local's Eyes
This was an excellent orientation to Queens, and an area we now feel confident to explore on our own, having had Jim's introductory Big Applie Greeter tour. This is an excellent service and very well organised. The volunteers who give up their time to make visitors welcome are great ambassadors for New York City and for the Big Apple Greeters Program. No tipping is allowed, and the program is totally free.

Equally as interesting as exploring a New York borough, is seeing New York through the eyes of a local. Jim was very happy to talk about his experiences and life in New York, and to answer our questions. When you are on business or as a tourist, these personal insights and sense of connection with a "real" person, are a welcome change from rushed perfunctory interactions with hotel personnel.

Verdict
I would definitely go on another New York Big Apple Greeters Tour, on my next New York visit, and can highly recommend the program. Think of it as more of an orientation, or brief glimpse, rather than an in depth tour. This program has now been emulated in a number of other cities, including Chicago and Melbourne, Australia.