The Ground Zero Memorial Walk, Close Up
The Ground Zero 9/11 Memorial Tour is a guided walk of 1.5 to 2.5 hours through the free zone of the World Trade Center site, led by a local guide the listing describes as having personal connections to 9/11. It starts at L’Arte del Gelato, a short walk from the memorial, and offers the museum as an option, either self-guided or with a museum docent. It is wheelchair accessible.
What happens, stop by stop
The walk runs rain or shine. There is no printout; the guide takes names at the meeting point, and the listing asks for arrival 15 minutes early. The Ground Zero page explains what the name means and what stands on the site today.
- Meet at L’Arte del Gelato, give a name to the guide.
- The Oculus, about 15 minutes: the World Trade Center Transportation Hub by Santiago Calatrava, opened in 2016, free to walk through.
- The 9/11 Memorial pools and the Survivor Tree, about 75 minutes: the two pools in the tower footprints, the 2,983 names on the bronze parapets, and the Callery pear that was found alive in the rubble.
- The museum, about 1 hour, on the two museum options. The guide does not lead inside; visitors go through on their own or with a museum docent.
- The walk ends at one of two drop-off points near the memorial.
Museum visitors pass the security checkpoint, and large bags must be checked. The museum’s timed windows must be kept, so the guide’s schedule and the slot are tied together. Visitor rules lists the bag dimensions and what is prohibited.
Where it starts
L’Arte del Gelato is named on the listing as the meeting point, a short walk from the memorial. The exact spot comes with the booking confirmation. The nearest subway stops are WTC Cortlandt on the 1, World Trade Center on the E and Fulton Street on the A, C, J, Z, 2, 3, 4 and 5. Two drop-off points at the end are both by the memorial.
The options
Memorial Tour Only is the walk alone: the Oculus, the pools and the Survivor Tree, with nothing ticketed. Memorial Tour with museum entry adds a timed museum ticket for a self-guided visit after the walk. Memorial Tour with VIP guided museum tour adds the ticket and a museum docent for the hour underground. The guided or self-guided page explains what a docent covers that the audio guide does not.
Included
- A local guide for the outdoor walk, in English
- The Oculus, the memorial pools and the Survivor Tree
- A timed museum ticket on the two museum options
- A museum docent on the VIP option
Not included
- One World Observatory
- A guide inside the museum on the self-guided museum option
- The audio guide
- Room for large bags at the museum checkpoint
Who it suits, and who it does not
It suits a first visit where the plaza and the Oculus need explaining, and where the museum is wanted but not necessarily with a guide. It suits wheelchair users, since the route is accessible and the museum is fully accessible. The Memorial Tour Only option suits visitors who have already booked the museum ticket for another day.
It does not offer the observatory; the walk with museum and observatory runs the same route from the same meeting point with that third layer. A group that wants a capped size has the small-group walk, which is not wheelchair accessible. The walk is in English only.
What reviewers mention
Janet from the UK found the guide very informative. James from the US says the guide “spoke with sincere heartache” and calls the walk very emotional. Heather from the UK found the guide knowledgeable and says the guide made it interesting. Lee, also from the UK, describes an outstanding guide.
Sarah from the UK mentions that the guide kept the group’s attention throughout. Stephanie from the US uses the words knowledgeable and heartfelt. Jonathan from the UK calls it informative.
In its favour
- A guide for the free outdoor part of the site
- The museum as an option, self-guided or with a docent
- Wheelchair accessible throughout
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Worth knowing
- No observatory option
- English only
- About 75 minutes outdoors at the pools, rain or shine
- Museum slots must be kept, so the timing is fixed once booked
The pools are quietest early in the morning, and the museum’s first slot is quieter than midday. A morning departure puts both ahead of the crowds; the one-day itinerary builds the rest of the day around it.
Two alternatives
Museum ticketNYC: 9/11 Memorial & Museum Timed Ticket with Tour Options
Max 20 people9/11 Memorial & Ground Zero Tour with Optional Museum Entry
Frequently asked questions
Does the guide lead the group inside the museum?
No. On the museum options the guide brings the group to the pavilion; inside, visitors go through on their own, or with a museum docent on the VIP option. What is inside describes the three exhibitions.
Is a printed ticket needed?
No. The listing asks for a name at the meeting point, given to the guide, and for arrival 15 minutes early. The walk runs rain or shine.
How long does the whole thing take?
The walk is 1.5 to 2.5 hours. The museum option adds about an hour. How long it takes compares the six products.
Is this the tour for a wheelchair user?
It is one of five accessible products. The route is wheelchair accessible and the museum has elevators, ramps and free manual wheelchairs. The small-group walk is the one product that is not.