Overview
Beloved American writer and journalist Joan Didion called Manhattan's Upper East Side home for most of her life. On this walking tour, we’ll scout out her former homes and haunts while exploring their connections to specific passages from her writing.
You’ll get a sense of the neighborhood where Didion lived and worked—first, as a young writer in the 1950s and ’60s, and then again, from 1988 until her death in 2021.
Along the way, you’ll have a chance to find out how the Barbizon Hotel became a home for Joan Didion and many other young women who "arrived in New York City alone from 'elsewhere' with a suitcase and a dream." Also, hear some gossip about a squabble between neighbors Nelson Rockefeller and Richard Nixon.
Among several other stops, pass by the building that remains one of the largest unobstructed spaces in the city (and also includes the oldest balloon shed in the United States). Let Didion's writing about her homes in this neighborhood fill your ears as we walk by them.
- Recommended by 98% of travelers
- Badge of Excellence
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
- Mobile ticket
What's included
All fees and/or taxes
Bottled water
Meeting and pickup
Travelers meet at the meeting point.
Meeting point
This walking tour is entirely self-guided. You download VoiceMap, a free app on your phone that uses GPS to play audio giving directions and telling stories, automatically at the right time and place.
The tour begins at East 62nd Street and 5th Avenue, on the Central Park side of 5th Avenue.
End point
The tour ends at East 76th Street and Madison Avenue, across from the Carlyle Hotel.
Please note that only a partial itinerary appears here on Viator or TripAdvisor; the full itinerary will be made available to you on VoiceMap.
Good to know
Please click on the link below to access your tour:
https://voicemap.me/joandidion
What to expect
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810 5th Ave
5 min
The tour begins outside the Knickerbocker Club, where Joan Didion liked to dine on Dover sole. Didion often met here with Bob Silvers, about her work under his editorship at the New York Review of Books.
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Park Avenue
5 min
The Colony Club is a women-only private social club in New York City founded in 1903.
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Barbizon Hotel
3 min
The Barbizon Hotel was once a residence hotel exclusively for women. Didion lived here in 1955, upon her arrival in Manhattan for an internship at Mademoiselle magazine.
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Park Avenue Armory
3 min
The Park Avenue Armory was once an armory for the U.S. Army National Guard opened in 1880. It remains "one of the largest unobstructed spaces in New York and the oldest balloon shed in the United States. The Armory is now a venue for cultural events and educational programming run by the Thompson Arts Center who offer regular public tours of the building." According to the New York Landmarks Conservancy: "The prominent landmark was built from 1877 to 1881 for the Seventh National Guard Regiment. The medieval-inspired building became a prototype for later armories in New York and throughout the country. The design came from Charles W. Clinton, a Seventh Regiment veteran. He included a large drill shed measuring 200 by 300 feet and 80 feet high. Designated a City Landmark in 1967 with interior spaces added in 1994, the Park Avenue Armory has been hailed as containing the single most important collection of 19th-century interiors to survive intact in one building.
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Shakespeare & Co
3 min
Shakespeare & Co. is an iconic Manhattan bookstore founded in 1983.
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Madison Avenue
5 min
Joan Didion's long-time residence, at 30 East 71st Street.
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Bemelman's Bar At The Carlyle
5 min
You’ll see the Carlyle Hotel, where Didion usually stayed when visiting New York from Los Angeles in the 1970s and '80s. Later in life, Didion liked to go to the hotel cafe here.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the start time.
Times are local to the experience (America/New York).
Additional Information
- Not recommended for travelers that are hearing impaired
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Up to 12 travelers per booking
FAQs about Joan Didion's New York: An Audio-Guided Walking Tour
Can I cancel Joan Didion's New York: An Audio-Guided Walking Tour for free?
Yes. For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the start time.
How long does it take?
It takes about 45–60 min.
What's not included?
- Bottled water
Which places does it visit?
It visits Park Avenue, Barbizon Hotel, Park Avenue Armory, Shakespeare & Co, Madison Avenue, Bemelman's Bar At The Carlyle.
Which languages is it offered in?
It is offered in English.
Operated by Brad Fraver
