Telltale Tours: Bringing New York’s History to Life—One Drink at a Time

If you’re looking for a truly unique way to experience the pulse of New York City, Telltale Tours has the perfect blend of history, entertainment, and nightlife adventure. Founded by award-winning tour operator Rory Badeh Joko Lipede, Telltale Tours has been delighting locals and visitors alike for over a decade and continues to stand out as one of the most creative, customer-focused tour companies in the city.

 

A Theatrical Take on Tourism

Rory Lipede’s background in the performing arts sets the stage for Telltale Tours’ distinctive flavor. After years in New York pursuing acting, dancing, and voice-over work—along with stints in bartending—Rory discovered how seamlessly storytelling and hospitality can come together. She brings to each tour:

• Energetic narration informed by her theater and dance background
• Engaging anecdotes that span centuries of NYC history
• A “show must go on” ethos that ensures cancellations are almost non-existent

Many of Rory’s guides are working actors themselves. With auditions and shows always around the corner, Telltale Tours offers them a flexible yet fulfilling way to hone their performance skills while sharing their love of New York City. It’s a win-win that enables guides to keep tours fresh, entertaining, and interactive.

 

Filling a Vital Niche: Nightlife Tours

New York City is famous for its daytime sightseeing—from the Statue of Liberty and Central Park to museums and Broadway matinees—but what about after dark? Telltale Tours caters to those travelers (and locals!) who want more than the usual bar hopping or big-ticket musical when the sun goes down.

 

What Makes Telltale Tours Different?

1. Intimate Speakeasy Adventures
   Telltale Tours has garnered exclusive access to over 25 hidden bars and speakeasies in Midtown Manhattan—locations often off-limits to large tour groups. Whether you’re exploring secret Prohibition-era entrances or sampling craft cocktails, each stop combines living history with modern mixology.
2. Storytelling Meets Sipping
   The tours celebrate NYC’s vibrant past through tales of organized crime, cultural revolutions, and timeless legends. The tagline says it all: “Bringing history to life, one drink at a time.”
3. Entertainment-Driven Experience
   Because many guides are actors, you’re not just seeing landmarks; you’re getting a performance. Skits, reenactments, and interactive humor help illuminate the city’s stories in a way no standard “point and talk” tour can match.

 

Overcoming Challenges and Staying Accessible

Rory’s belief in keeping history accessible extends to Telltale Tours’ pricing and its welcoming atmosphere:

• Reasonable Ticket Pricing
  While similar experiences in NYC can run hundreds of dollars per person, Telltale Tours maintains moderate fees so more people can enjoy their unique offerings. Non-drinkers are welcome, too—no judgment if you skip the cocktails and simply savor the history.
• Discounts for Various Groups
  Seniors, students, or others who request a discount often receive one. “These are tough times,” Rory notes, “and a good time in New York should be for everyone.”
• Business with a Cause
  Rory and Telltale Tours regularly donate a portion of proceeds to combat child trafficking. It’s an issue that resonates deeply with Rory and her team, who strive to support safe communities locally and globally.

 

Building a Supportive Community

Rory has a drive to create a supportive, uplifting environment—both for guests and for her team of guides. She’s an active member of several tourism associations, including:

• Guides Association of New York (GANY), where fellow guides exchange best practices and support
• Women in Tourism, which recently nominated her for Best Tour Operator

Rory’s commitment to inclusivity, mentorship, and hospitality mirrors Telltale Tours’ ethos of treating everyone—guests and guides alike—like part of the family.

 

Looking Ahead

Having weathered the pandemic, Telltale Tours is steadily bouncing back. In the future, Rory envisions expanding into other major cities—she’d begun laying the groundwork for Florida, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles before worldwide shutdowns took hold. With a proven model of high-energy storytelling, deep historical insights, and the ability to make even the most exclusive speakeasies feel welcoming, Telltale Tours has every reason to dream bigger and bolder.

For now, New York visitors can still catch Rory herself giving tours—she proudly keeps her guide license active. “I love it. When you enjoy what you do, it doesn’t feel like work at all,” she says. One need only step onto a Telltale Tour to experience that passion firsthand.

 

Book Your Tour

Ready to discover the hidden side of New York City nightlife? Telltale Tours operates year-round and offers both public and private experiences, complete with entertaining guides, historical tidbits, and cocktails that will transport you back in time.

Visit: telltaletours.com
Follow on Facebook: @TelltaleToursNYC

Take a break from the ordinary and toast to New York’s storied past—one spirited sip at a time. Telltale Tours is here to ensure your next NYC evening becomes a memorable tale all its own.