Sewage, Sex, and Sickness in the Five Points
Overview
This two hour walking tour is a deep dive into the dirty history of the Five Points neighborhood in NYC, once called "the foul core of New York City's slums" and an area of "moral leprosy." In a way, it's also a ghost tour, as we'll be exploring a geography (streets and natural features) erased by development and redevelopment. We will uncover the lives of the people who lived in this area (now Chinatown) from 1800 - 1900, discussing how sewage, sex, and sickness pervaded a neighborhood filled with the "poorest of the poor" until it was razed and rebuilt starting in 1897. This is not a tour for the faint of heart!
Your guide for this tour is a graduate of the Sanitation Foundation's Trash Academy and has a Master's of Public Administration from Columbia University. This topic is her passion!
What's Included
- Walking tour
- Bottled water Please bring your own water and snacks.
Meeting Location
130 Leonard Street
New York, NY 10013, USA
Detailed check-in instructions, including the exact address, are provided with your booking confirmation.
169 Worth Street
New York, NY 10013, USA
We will end in Columbus Park on the corner of Baxter and Worth Streets.
What To Expect
Book Online
Safe & secure Easy breezy Hassle‑free
Collect Pond Park
15 minutes Admission Ticket Free
Columbus Park
15 minutes Admission Ticket Free
Chinatown
1 hour 30 minutes Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers
Frequently Asked Questions (8)
Q: What is the cancellation policy for the Sewage, Sex, and Sickness in the Five Points?
Cancellation Policy
Still have questions?
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Activity code: C-5559573P7
Traveler Photos
Reviews
Average 5.00 out of 5 stars based on 4 traveler reviews collected by Cool New York City and partner sites such as Cool Destinations and TripAdvisor
Additional Info
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Frequently Asked Questions (8)
The answers provided below were previously given in response to questions from Cool New York City customers.
Filter by:
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.
- Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (EST).
- Walking tour.
- Bottled water. Please bring your own water and snacks.
This tour requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
Apr 2025The minimum age to participate is 12. This tour requires at least one adult to accompany children..
Apr 2025If a date or time is not listed on the calendar, it’s sold out or unavailable for another reason. Support cannot assist further if a date or time is not on the calendar.
If you find a date and time that works for you, book it NOW because things always sell out at this time of year.
Apr 2025Accessibility information for the Sewage, Sex, and Sickness in the Five Points is as follows:
- Wheelchair accessible
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Detailed check-in instructions – including meeting point address, Google map, and parking information – for Sewage, Sex, and Sickness in the Five Points will be included in your confirmation email from Cool New York City. Please be sure to double and triple check your email address is correct at checkout so this important email makes its way to you!
Mar 2024Once your refund is processed, it usually shows on your card statement within 5–10 business days. The exact timing depends on your bank or card issuer.
Want it sooner? When you cancel, choose Receive a refund to my wallet instead. The credit is in your Wallet straight away and is applied automatically at checkout on your next booking when you’re signed in with the same email. You can see your balance any time in My Wallet.
If you paid part of your booking with Wallet credit, that part always goes back to your Wallet. Trip protection isn’t refundable.
Oct 2026What's Included
- Walking tour
- Bottled waterPlease bring your own water and snacks.
Additional Info
- Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers
