14 Things to Do in Harlem NYC

If you’re in New York, you simply must visit the neighbourhood that inspired the popular Harlem Shake dance a few years ago. Home to the Harlem Globetrotters, great jazz, hip hop and soul food.

Harlem’s diversity, history and eclectic atmosphere make it a truly unique experience. Highly recommended!

The Apollo Theater is more than just a major stage. It was the centre of the movement known as the Harlem cultural renaissance. It has hosted figures such as Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Ray Charles, Marvin Gaye, James Brown and Jimi Hendrix. Book an African-American cultural tour of Harlem and discover its full history.

Located at 253 125th Street, the theatre is also a meeting place. As well as hosting the legendary Amateur Nights and the NY Comedy Festival, it runs a series of cultural programmes focused on education, family and the community. With an emphasis on the contribution of African-American culture to the development of the United States and global culture.

• Address: 253 West Dr Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard (125th Street).
• Opening hours: guided tours every day at 11 am and 1 pm (Wednesdays at 1 pm only).
• Price of guided tours: $16 (approx. €14.70).

The musical revival, stemming from the aforementioned renaissance, was an extraordinary phenomenon in Harlem. Gospel and jazz dominated the streets of New York. And even today, they largely define the character of this charismatic place.

If you’d like to explore this phenomenon further, I recommend taking a gospel tour and attending a service. You’ll have the chance to connect with the neighbourhood’s spirituality and its most authentic values. Plus, with a tour guide, you’ll make the most of your time. Expect busy venues, a service lasting around two hours, and a request for a donation. Always remember that a service is a time for religious communion; be respectful and follow the venue’s rules.

Here are several options that will allow you to gain a deeper understanding of their way of life, customs and history:

• Harlem tour with a gospel mass (Sunday), from €73
• Sunday gospel mass with the locals in Harlem, from €51

If you want to discover the place where Billie Holiday ’s career began, you must visit Bill’s Place. This club was a genuine speakeasy during Prohibition in 1920 and still retains its spirit.

Run by Dr Theda Palmer and Bill Saxton, ‘the king of Harlem jazz’, the venue promises visitors a night of the purest jazz. You can enjoy a jam session with exceptional musicians. The venue is small, intimate and lively. It offers an unforgettable experience for those who love live music. This will be one of the venues you’ll visit if you book a tour of Harlem’s jazz clubs.

• Address: 148 West 133rd Street (between Seventh and Lenox Avenues).
• Opening hours: Friday and Saturday from 6.30 pm to 11 pm.
• Price: $30 (approx. €27.50).

Continuing with this musical tour, you must make a mandatory stop at 656 125th Street, the Cotton Club. This legendary jazz club opens its doors every Monday and Saturday at 8 pm. Here you can order dinner and drinks whilst enjoying a jazz or blues performance. There is also a Brunch & Gospel option on Saturdays and Sundays, from 12 noon to 2.30 pm.

Although this is not the historic club – as the original building no longer exists – it retains the charm of the era when stars such as Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Slappy White, Chuck Jackson, Art Blakey and Count Basie performed there. If this sounds like your sort of thing, I recommend booking a tour of Harlem’s jazz venues.

• Address: 178 South 7th Avenue (between Perry Street and Waverly Place in the West Village).
• Opening hours: Mondays and Thursdays from 8 pm to 11.30 pm, Saturdays from 12.30 pm to 2 pm and from 9 pm to midnight, and Sundays from 12.30 pm to 5 pm.
• Price: from $20 (approx. €18.30).

It’s very easy to get to the Columbia University campus from Central Harlem. In fact, there is some debate over the boundaries defining one area and the other. If you’re interested in educational tourism, you can plan a stop on your tour of Harlem to visit the University.

You’ll notice that the differences between the two areas are striking. You can also book a ‘contrasts’ tour, which are quite popular.

Harlem is known for its cuisine, soul food, with its nods to Southern cooking. Fried chicken with waffles, burgers and BBQ, chocolate cake or banana pudding. All delicious dishes that will make you feel right at home, and at affordable prices. Here are three recommendations for places to enjoy the soul food experience in Harlem. Don’t hesitate to book a guided tour of Harlem with food tastings and try the best dishes, and if you prefer to eat at a specific place, I recommend several options:

Sylvia’s Restaurant

Sylvia’s Restaurant Sylvia’s Restaurant, founded in 1962 by Sylvia Woods, ‘the queen of soul food’. It is located on Malcolm X Boulevard. This is probably the best-known of Harlem’s restaurants. It will soon celebrate its 60th anniversary and is still run by the Woods family.

Amy Ruth’s

Amy Ruth’s opened its doors in 1999. A charming place serving dishes named after prominent African-American figures. So you can enjoy dishes called: President Barack Obama (chicken), Michelle Obama (fish), Gabrielle Union (pork chops), Judge George B. Daniels (prawns) and C. Virginia Fields (carrot cake).

The house speciality is waffles. On the menu you’ll find waffles topped with chicken, bacon and chorizo, strawberries, blueberries, cinnamon, bananas and walnuts, amongst others.

Red Rooster Harlem

Red Rooster Harlem is a favourite among locals. Conceived by Marcus Samuelsson, the renowned Ethiopian-Swedish chef, it opened on Lenox Avenue in 2010. In its own words, the restaurant “celebrates the roots of American cuisine and the diversity of the neighbourhood’s culinary traditions”.

Head downstairs and you’ll be surprised by Ginny’s Supper Club. A club that emulates the spirit of the speakeasies of the 1920s. Here you can enjoy live jazz and a private dinner.

New York is a city of irresistible museums, and Harlem is no exception. The Studio Museum, opened in 1968 at 144 West 125th Street, was the first art gallery in the area. Due to refurbishment, it is now located at 429 West 127th Street.

However, you can keep up to date with the latest news via the website and its social media (@studiomuseum). Check the calendar for the programme and get actively involved in the life of the institution.

The museum exhibits the work of over 400 artists of African descent, Afro-Latinos or from the diaspora. In addition to the collections and events, it runs the Artist-in-Residence programme. This offers an 11-month residency to three local, national or international artists. I also recommend booking a tour of African-American culture.

• Address: 144 W 125th St, New York.
• Opening hours: Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays from 12 noon to 9 pm and Saturdays from 10 am to 6 pm.
• Price: from $20 (approx. €18.30).

If you’re looking for somewhere to have a drink in Harlem, there’s no shortage of trendy little bars. You’ll find everything from beers, margaritas and mojitos to the most exotic cocktails.

Accompanied by snacks, music and entertainment. You can enjoy them with your friends, family or partner. Or you can take the opportunity to go out on your own and meet new people.

Here’s a list of some suggestions for a great night out. The best-rated bars, cocktail bars, pubs and clubs on Google:

• Room 623 Harlem’s Speakeasy (Jazz Club).
• Lucille’s Coffee and Cocktails (Bar).
• Harlem Hops (Brewery).
• The Honey Well (Cocktail Bar).
• Sugar Monk (Cocktail Bar).

Harlem is a living work of art. Tradition and modernity blend together in its streets. The 19th century meets skyscrapers, brownstones and graffiti. So, taking the metro and wandering aimlessly to appreciate the local architecture can be a very enjoyable experience in itself.

A unique attraction is the Langston Hughes House, located on 5th Avenue and 127th Street. The poet lived here between 1947 and 1967. The house is a brownstone, as the brown-toned buildings with steps leading down to the pavement that we so often see in films are known. These picturesque buildings adorn the Harlem landscape, becoming a hallmark of the area.

The Latino community is one of the largest in New York. Spanish Harlem is home to the city’s largest concentration of people of Puerto Rican, Cuban and Dominican origin.

• The Graffiti Hall of Fame is a thrilling showcase of street art. It emerged in the 1980s, when graffiti wasn’t even considered a serious art form. Its promoter was Ray Rodríguez, a New York graffiti artist known as Sting Ray. Today it is regarded as a dedicated space for public art. The murals invite artists and enthusiasts from all over to take part and admire the results. This iconic spot has become an open-air travelling gallery.
• Another key spot in Spanish Harlem is La Marqueta. The market, open since 1936, is located at 1590 Park Avenue. Here you can buy food, fabrics, flowers and other goods. Mostly organic and local produce is sold. La Marqueta also functions as a cultural hub, bringing Latinos together around food and community.

The part of Central Park near Harlem is an area rarely visited by tourists. If you’d like to take a moment to connect with nature, head to the Central Park Conservatory Garden or Harlem Meer.

• The Central Park Conservatory Garden will transport you to a little piece of Europe. Surrounded by the beauty of its gardens and its Italian, French and English-style statues.
• Harlem Meer offers incredible views of the lake. You can even take an audio-guided tour.

At both locations, you’ll be able to enjoy a less-visited part of the park, offering a more peaceful and private experience. It’s also a great chance to take a break from exploring Harlem. Furthermore, if you’d like to explore Central Park in more depth, sign up for one of the many tours available:

• Central Park tour, from €38
• Central Park bike taxi tour with a driver, from €42
• Electric scooter tour of Central Park, from €75
• Central Park tour featuring film locations, from €39
• Horse-drawn carriage tour of Central Park, from €98
• Horse-drawn carriage tour of Central Park and Times Square, from €242
• Photography tour of Central Park, from €89
• Bicycle tour of Central Park, from €40
• Two-hour bike tour of Central Park, from €51
• Private bike tour of Central Park, from €77

The same applies to Museo del Barrio. Founded in 1969, it is located at 1230 5th Avenue and 104th Street.

With over 8,000 items, its mission is to preserve Latin American culture in the United States. The museum produces bilingual publications and programmes. It organises exhibitions, educational activities and festivals. And it promotes the work of artists from the Caribbean and Latin America.

You can explore the range of activities on offer via its online platform. The museum recommends booking tickets in advance. And please note that certain health and safety measures are in place. Among these, you must be vaccinated against COVID-19 to enter the premises.

• Address: 1230 5th Ave, New York.
• Opening hours: Friday to Sunday, 11am to 5pm.
• Price: $8 (approx. €7.40).

The Theresa Hotel is a symbolic place. Not only was it one of the first establishments to admit Black people, but it also became a cultural hub linked to the civil rights struggle in the United States. An interesting fact is that among its most famous guests were Fidel Castro, Nikita Khrushchev, Gamal Abdel Nasser, Jawaharlal Nehru and Patrice Lumumba. It also hosted intellectuals such as Allen Ginsberg and C. Wright Mills.

For history lovers, Harlem is a special destination. Districts such as the Mount Morris Historic District and the St. Nicholas Historic District retain the area’s original character. Other major buildings of public interest are linked to the founding fathers of the United States, namely:

• The Morris-Jumel Mansion, located in Washington Heights, where George Washington stayed in 1776.
• The Hamilton Grange National Memorial, the last home where Alexander Hamilton lived.

Between the 1970s and 1990s, Harlem experienced serious social unrest caused by drug trafficking. However, today it is a safe and prosperous place. It is also a multicultural hub where cultures as diverse as those of Puerto Rico and Senegal come together.

Another thing to see and do in New York and Harlem is to visit the George Washington Bridge, a suspension bridge. It is the only bridge that crosses the River Hudson and connects New York and New Jersey. The structure is 94 years old and 1,451 metres long.

For many people, walking across the bridge whilst taking in the views of the river is a very rewarding experience. You can also cross it, or cycle along part of it. However, you must pay close attention to the information issued by the authorities for pedestrians and cyclists.