Death Avenue to the High Line
Chelsea / MeatpackingHistory Tour

Death Avenue to the High Line

1h 30m9 stops~1.1 miles

How a railroad that killed five hundred people became a park that grows wildflowers. Walk the High Line from the Meatpacking District to Hudson Yards and discover the cowboys who rode through Manhattan for ninety years, the cookie factory that became a tech campus, and the twenty-five-billion-dollar development that qualified for poverty-area tax breaks by drawing a map through Central Park.

View in App — $9.99

What You'll Experience

1h 30m
Walking time
9
Audio stops
~1.1mi
Approx. route
Anytime
Self-guided schedule

Plan your walk

Know the route before you buy

Starts at
Introduction
Ends at
The Reveal
Walking plan
1h 30m · ~1.1 miles
Schedule
Start, pause, and resume anytime

Included in the app

  • Professional narration
  • GPS-triggered stops
  • Downloadable tour audio
  • Ask the Historian Q&A
  • Optional end-of-tour reveal
  • All 9 story stops

A taste of what you'll hear

9 stops, each with its own story. Here's a preview.

"You're standing on a street where cowboys rode horses through Manhattan for ninety years. Not metaphorical cowboys. Not a theme restaurant."

— Introduction

"The Tenth Avenue Square. Sit down — those are stadium bleachers, and they face a giant picture window framing Tenth Avenue below. Cars, taxis, pedestrians, bikes — all of it, from up here, looks like a movie. The designers built this on purpose."

— Tenth Avenue Square

"All right. Time to find out what's real and what I made up. Fair warning — the real stuff sounds fake too. Cowboys on horseback riding through Manhattan for ninety years, waving red flags ahead of freight trains? Real. Every word."

— The Reveal

Stories first

Every stop is built around people, conflict, ambition, and consequences—not a plaque read aloud.

Most of it is true. The extra mischief is just a wink at the end, but the story is what carries the walk.

Have questions? Just ask.

Curious about something you heard? Want to know more about a place? Ask us anything — we have a lot to say. It's more fun when it's a conversation.

Ready?

Download the app, head to the starting point, and press play. The stories start themselves.

Get the App

Before you go

Quick answers

How much is this tour?

$9.99 as a one-time purchase in the iOS app. The New York City city pack is $14.99 and includes every currently available tour in the city.

Can I use it with spotty cell service?

Download the tour audio on Wi-Fi before leaving. Cached narration plays without streaming; map tiles and other online features may still need a connection.

Do I have to start at a specific time?

No. Start when it suits you, pause for a detour or meal, and resume later. Check the opening hours of any venue you personally plan to enter.

Are admission tickets included?

The purchase covers the Bad Historian audio experience. Transportation, food, and admission to third-party attractions are not included.

One-time

$9.99

View in App