The New York Palace Hotel
First there was Sex and the City, then came Gossip Girl for the younger television viewers. Although the target audience of those series differed in age groups, they both presented the most fabulous side of New York and, because of that, fans of those shows go around the Big Apple looking for their characters' favorite hotspots. The highly successful Sex and the City Tour was an obvious inspiration for the Gossip Girl Tour, taking fans around the city and behind the scenes of the show.
One of the most famous sites is the New York Palace Hotel on 455 Madison Avenue, home to the Bass and Van der Woodsen families. Its courtyard, GiLT Bar, The Madison Room, and The Library have all been featured on the show, as well as one of the four Triplex Suites which was the home of Serena van der Woodsen (played by Blake Lively).
This hotel is the first stop on the official tour, and from there it continues up the Upper East Side of the rich and famous. It passes by the Synod of Bishops Russian Church (otherwise known as the Constance Billard/St. Jude courtyard), Blair Waldorf's apartment at 1136 5th Ave, and the Nightingale-Bamford School (the real private school on which "Gossip Girl" is based).
Fans of the show have their memories refreshed through clips showing those locations, and will remember the infamous "yogurt incident" of the series at the Museum of the City of New York.
The Archibald home at 4 East 74th Street is another stop, as is the Sherry Netherland Hotel (where Georgina stays when she's in town) and Grand Army Plaza (site of Blair and Serena's photo shoot in the stolen dresses).
Moving downtown, a shopping break at Henri Bendel (a favorite shop of Blair and Serena) is not to be missed, as well as a visit to the Campbell Apartment in Grand Central. Another stop is Chuck's burlesque club, Victrola, and Babycakes Bakery (the Humphrey's favorite) where most visitors take photos. In total the tour covers over 40 locations that no "Gossip Girl" fan will want to miss, and even those unfamiliar with the series will enjoy discovering. It takes about three hours, departing from midtown Manhattan and is led by a professional guide.
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