Each neighborhood in New York City has its own vibe. Some are obvious. Want to see theater – go to the Theater District. Want to see Wall Street – head to the Financial District. Others you need to explore and spend quality time to really get a feel for it…or just get a native New Yorker to tell you about it.
Here’s our Homeworkpeople native New Yorker’s quick and easy vibe guide on each neighborhood.
HARLEM
Where it is: 110th Street to 155th Street (south to north) and Hudson River to East River/Harlem River (west to east)
What tourists know it for: The Apollo Theater
What locals know it for: Great music, great food, and iconic history.
Harlem, or “Uptown” as locals call it, is the neighborhood north of Central Park and one of the rare neighborhoods that stretches from the East River to the Hudson River. This historical neighborhood led the iconic Harlem Renaissance that brought African-American art and culture to the world with luminaries like Louis Armstrong, Josephine Baker, Langston Hughes, and Duke Ellington. Walking the streets today, you’ll see the renaissance is alive and well in Harlem. From Columbia University’s new 17-acre Manhattanville campus to great new restaurants and shops that line its streets, Harlem shows why locals love going uptown.
Feel like a reliving a little history?
Head to the Apollo Theater. It’s one of the rare venues that locals love as much as tourists. Whether watching amateur night every Wednesday or catching a world-class show, visiting the iconic theater brings a taste of history with a modern twist. https://www.apollotheater.org/
Enjoy bringing the past to life by reading the personal papers and letters from Maya Angelou, Malcolm X, or James Baldwin at the New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center. https://www.nypl.org/locations/schomburg
Prefer a little culture?
Celebrate the artwork of local and international black artists at the Studio Museum of Harlem. http://www.studiomuseum.org/
Or revel in the masters of jazz past and present at the National Jazz Museum in Harlem. http://jazzmuseuminharlem.org/
Favor shopping?
Grab great bargains and unique finds at The Malcolm Shabazz Harlem Market.
https://www.facebook.com/malcolmshabazzharlem/
Harlem also features the only Costco in Manhattan. http://www.costco.com/warehouse-locations/manhattan-new-york-ny-1062.html
Hungry?
No stop in Harlem is complete without a bite from the “Queen of Soulfood” at the legendary Sylvia’s Restaurant. http://sylviasrestaurant.com/
Or grab some comfort food at Marcus Samuelsson’s Red Rooster Harlem. http://redroosterharlem.com/
Stop by Harlem Shambles Butcher for their locally farm-sourced goodies. Don’t have time to stop by; they deliver! http://harlemshambles.com/
So, what is Harlem’s vibe? For us, Harlem is the Rhythm and Soul of the City.
[OR: For us, Harlem is the city’s Rhythm and Soul.]