Cherie Davis

Cherie Davis - NYC Tour Guide

Meet Cherie Davis

I’m the founder and travel guide behind the "Best NYC Tour Guides" cooperative.

How did this cooperative start? Well, to answer that, let’s go back to the very beginning. 

In the the late 1980's, I made my first trip to NYC and totally fell in love with it. I felt at home.

Years later, I found I couldn't stop thinking about New York City. So one day I decided to take a leap of faith and move to the East Coast. A job offer certainly helped out A LOT. I packed all my belongings into one moving truck and never looked back. Since 1996, I am proud to be able to call myself a New Yorker.

Over the years, I have lived in three different Brooklyn neighborhoods, including Carroll Gardens, Clinton Hill and Bushwick and I’ve worked in various industries.

First, I worked in technology, including working on one of the first corporate websites for Hellman’s mayonnaise and Conde Nast, and I even co-owned my own web marketing company. However, after spending years in the corporate world, I found myself burnt out, and realized I needed a change.

So, I took a step back and asked myself - what do I love?

Answer: NYC, food and showing them to people. So I went for broke and co-own my own BBQ restaurant, ran ice cream parlors, and eventually in 2017 became a NY licensed Tour Guide.

New York City is my favorite place to be. I absolutely love being a tour guide because I get to share all the things I am most passionate about. This city is the perfect blend of history and innovation, and everyday there is always something new to discover and share - like the sights, sounds, public transportation, iconic locations, food, and of course the people.

I also am a firm believer in supporting small, independent businesses. When the pandemic hit, small businesses felt the biggest impact - including small tour operators like myself. I found in order for us to survive and thrive, we needed support. This is why I decided to create the Best NYC Tour Guides Cooperative, so travelers like yourself can find us and get real stories and experiences from the locals. And on my food and shopping tours, we always go small and independent - which are my favorite things to share with you. 

When I'm not tour guiding, I’m a voracious reader, lover of music, amateur NYC photographer, and avid quilter/fabric artist (using found materials for quilts, postcards, etc., to keep textiles out of landfills through reuse). My love of creativity also inspired me to make a "Garment District Tour" for fellow Makers.

If you're passionate about New York City, come with me on one of my tours and let me show you some of the things I love best about my favorite city in the world.