Travel Writer/Native New Yorker
Expertise:
- New York City Tourism, Current Events & History
- Budget Travel
- World Travel
- Solo Travel
- Foods of New York City
Highlights:
- Born and bred in New York
- World Traveler since 1983
- Member of Couchsurfing since 2007; hosted over 100 people from around the world
Education:
- BA from New York University
- MA from Long Island University
- JD from Brooklyn Law School
Courtney has worked with Free Tours By Foot since 2011. She has been with the content writing team since 2013, was a full-time NYC tour guide from 2011 to 2014, and still leads tours on a part-time basis.
About me:
I was born in Brooklyn and have lived in NYC for over 40 years. I’ve done nearly all there is to do here, but the exploration and adventure never stops. My earliest memories of NYC are going with my family to Rockaway Beach, Lincoln Center, the Bronx Zoo, and FAO Schwarz toy store.
My first encounter with New York City history was when I was 8 years old and learned about the Brooklyn Bridge with my 3rd grade class. My interest in my city’s history has never stopped.
My first NYC food memories are egg rolls in Chinatown, hot dogs at Nathan’s in Coney Island, pastrami at Katz’s Delicatessen, and pizza at Lombardi’s in Little Italy. I am still eating my way through New York City.
I began my world travels when I was ten years old with my family. Seeing the Colosseum in Rome at a young age sparked my interest in ancient history. Eating crepes in Paris started my love affair with the City of Lights.
I began to travel independently when I was 17, with a solo trip to London. I’ve since been to over 40 countries. My motto: "Have backpack, will travel!"
Some of my favorite travel moments are jumping off the cliffs into the Mediterranean in Dubrovnik, seeing Swan Lake at the Moscow ballet, riding on the back of a speeding bicycle in Amsterdam, getting lost in Tokyo, doing the Texas-Two Step in Austin…the list never ends.
As for my academic studies and careers, I worked in the film industry after college, became a public defender after law school, then a public school teacher after receiving a master's degree in education, and now a travel writer and part-time tour guide with Free Tours by Foot.
Posts I've written for Free Tours by Foot