OUTDOORS Tours & Hikes ADVENTURE ON A SHOESTRING "Charming Chelsea," Sat. at 10; ...

ADVENTURE ON A SHOESTRING

"Charming Chelsea," Sat. at 10; "Splendid Grand Central Terminal," Sat. at 2:45; "Terrific Turtle Bay," Sat. at 4:20; "Beekman Place," Sun. at 10; "Haunted Greenwich Village," Sun. at 1:30; "200th Anniversary of George Washington's Death," Sun. at 3:30; 265-2663 for res. & meeting place; $5.

 

BIG ONION WALKING TOURS

This week: "The Bowery: I'll Never Go There Anymore," Sat. at 1; "Revolutionary New York" tour commemorates George Washington, Sat. at 1; "Immigrant New York," Sun. at 1; 439-1090 for info & meeting place; $10, $8 st.

 

B'WAY GHOSTS & SCANDALS

Blood, Sweat & Pairs expose Broadway's secrets during tour of theaters along B'way?G version for kids & adult-version offered; Call 946-6375 for res. & meeting place; Sat. & Sun. at 4, $10.

 

CENTRAL PARK TOURS

Visualize Central Park during early 19th-century during "Views From the Past," Sat at 1; 794-6564 for res. & meeting place; free [through 12/18].

 

DR. PHIL'S NY WALKS & TALKS

Licensed guide Philip Schoenberg's tours of Brooklyn & Manhattan. Tours $12 unless noted, 888-377-4455 for meeting place & info. This week, "Child-friendly Ramble: Chinatown & Children," Sat. at 11; "The Hidden Treasures of Chinatown," Sat. at 4:15; "Yiddish Theatrical Row," Sun. at 10:30; "Jewish LES Talk & Walk" with free wine, Sun. at 2.

 

FOODS OF NEW YORK

"A Walking & Eating Tour" explores restaurants & specialty shops; 732-636-4650 or foodtours@aol.com for res. & meeting place; Weds.-Tues. 11:30-1:30, $20 incl. lunch.

 

JOYCE GOLD TOURS

Weekend tours cond. by Joyce Gold, a prof. of Manhattan history. This week: "A Downtown Christmas," 242-5762 for res. & meeting place, $12.

 

GREENWICH VILLAGE LITERARY PUB CRAWL

Visit pubs with rich literary histories & read from associated works. Stops incl. Chumley's, Cornelia St. Cafe, McBell's & Cedar Tavern; meet at White Horse Tavern, 567 Hudson St. (11th St.); 613-5796; Sat. at 2, $12, $9 st./s.c.

 

i'll take manhattan

This week, explore the culture, architecture & history of "Gentle Gramercy Park;" 732-270-5277 for res. & meeting place; Sun. at 1, $10.

 

LAUREN'S WALKING TOURS

"Singles' Greenwich Village," tour ends at a pub for a beer, Fri. at 4; "Harlem Auf Deutsch" incl. Gospel church service & snack, Sun. at 10 a.m.; 718-204-5133 for res. & meeting place, $15 & $20, respectively.

 

LES SHOPPING TOUR

Ninety-minute shopping tour of Orchard St. district; meet at Katz's Deli, 205 E. Houston St. (Ludlow St.); 226-9010; Sun. at 11, free [through 12/26].

 

lower east side CONSERVANCY

Tours incl. "19th-century Tenement" (Weds.-Fri. & Tues.) "The Confino Family Apartment" (Sat. & Sun.) & "The Streets Where We Lived" (Sat. & Sun.); meet at 90 Orchard St. (betw. Broome & Delancey Sts.), 431-0233; call for times, $20, $14 st./s.c.

 

MUNICIPAL ART SOCIETY

"Chelsea," Fri. at 11; "The Upper West Side," Fri. at 12:30; Hit midtown for a shopping tour of "5th Avenue: 42nd-59th Sts.," Sat. at 11; "Money Matters: The Interiors of Wall St.," Tues. at 12:30; 935-3960 for res. & location; $10-$15.

 

NYC CULTURAL WALKING TOUR

"The Midtown Architectural Walking Tour" highlights past & present Manhattan with stops at The Waldorf Astoria & Trump's Tower; 979-2388 for res. & meeting place; Sun. at 2, $10 [through 12/26].

 

nyc discovery tours

"Origins of Christmas Traditions," Sat. & Sun. at 12; "A Victorian Christmas," Sat. at 11 & Sun. at 2:15; "Historic Taverns at Christmas," Sat. & Sun. at 5:15; 465-3331 for res. & location; $12.

 

NY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

"Times Sq. & It's Signs Through Time;" meet outside Hanson's Brewery, 42nd St. (7th Ave.), 873-3400 ext.263, res. req.; Weds. at 6-7:30, $12, $10 st./s.c.

south street seaport tours

"Holiday Seaport District Walking Tour;" South St. Seaport Museum, 207 Front St. (South St.), 748-8786; Fri.-Sun. at 3, call for price [through 12/19].

 

STREET SMARTS NY

"The East Village," Sat. at 2; "Christmas on 5th Ave.," Sat. at 2; "Ghostly Greenwich Village," Sun. at 6; "Elegance & Ale: A Gaslight Era Pub Crawl," Sat. at 6; "A Village Christmas," Sun. at 2; 969-8262 for meeting place; $10.

 

URBAN EXPLORATIONS

Sat. & Sun. tours & hikes. This weekend, explore holiday decorated buildings during "Best Decked Halls of the Holidays" tour; 718-721-5254; Sat. at 11, call for meeting place, $12.

 

Holiday Events

CANDLE LIGHT VIGIL & MARCH

International Human Rights Day helps end child labor & sweatshop abuse?live music, giant puppets, customs & march at 6; meet at 57th St. (betw. 5th & Madison Aves.), 242-3002; Thurs. at 5, free.

 

HOLIDAY TREE LIGHTING

A.R.C. Gospel choir joins Central Park Conservatory for their annual tree lighting at Dana Discovery Center, Harlem Meer in Central Park, 110th St. (5th Ave.), 860-1370; Thurs. 4:30-6:30, free.

 

menorah lighting

The Educational Alliance pres. a LES Menorah Lighting with the UJC Boys Choir & Co-op Nursery Torah Tots; 208-212 E. B'way (Jefferson St.), 780-2300 ext.304; Weds. at 5:30, free.

 

the 1999 BROADWAY TREE

Broadway actors Sandy Duncan (Chicago) & Brian Stokes Mitchell (Kiss Me Kate) flip the switch in Duffy Sq., B'way (46th St.), Weds. at 5:15, free.

 

Parades & Outdoor Sporting Events

FAST & FABULOUS CYCLING CLUB

December bike rides for gay & lesbian New Yorkers. This week, travel 55 miles to Nyack via routes 505, 303 & 340?road bikes only; meet at the Boathouse in Central Park, 567-7160; Sun. at 9 a.m., call for price.