we were there on holiday in May from Scotland and went on the `blue` buses which is the NYCity tours, we found them to be not only reasonabley priced but their nighttime tour was amazing and if you only have time to do one open top hop on hop off bus tour it has to be that one in my opinion. we picked up the bus in Times square and went uptown first but didn t hop off at any stage of that tour, then we got off that bus and the guide told us exactly where to get the downtown tour, we used the same ticket and hopped off at several points on the downtown tour, but it was the nighttime tour that proved to be the most wonderful experience, we met the bus in Times square where the guide advised us to earlier on the downtown tour at roughly 7.30pm, it takes yoou back downtown but you cannot hop off at any stage of that tour, then it takes you across to Brooklyn and parks the bus and allows you to go into a cafe to use the toilets or get something to eat or drink, and you are directly under the Brooklyn bridge which is beautifully lit and you see the manhattan skyline all lit up in the dark, they allow you to walk about for a good wee while and take photos, etc and then it s back on the bus. it is freezing on that tour, so ensure you wrap up well. enjoy yourself when there. don t mind anyone saying the tours are naf or uncool, it is one of the quickest ways to see most of Manhattan, we found. if you tak the train, you ll be underground and miss lots of things. so go on them all and enjoy yourself.
Ok, yes, I admit it, I live in NYC and have taken the double decker bus when out of town friends came in to visit. I personally like Gray Lines, all the loops are very interesting, if you can afford it, I recommend the 72 hour pass - this way you can go on all the loops. However, if you have time for just one loop, the Downtown loop is probably the most interesting for out of towners.The tours themselves are actually very interesting and the guides are very knowledgeable. And, yes, I do recommend it - you ll see more this way than you ever will by walking or taking a self guided tour.
Either one of these 2 companies are goodhttp://www.citysightsny.com/http://www.newyorksightseeing.com/