A Complete One Day Guide to Harlem, New York City

We recently had the opportunity to house sit in Harlem, New York City, and if you haven't visited the area before - you'll want to after this post. This large, vibrant community in Upper Manhattan has endless possibilities and things to do - think local parks, shopping, live jazz, and soul food - everything you need to spend a perfect day in Harlem! If you're planning a one day trip to Harlem, we recommend starting near the 125th & Lenox subway station, and exploring Harlem by walking from there!

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For flights, we recommend Hopper to compare the cheapest travel dates.
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Car rentals comparisons are best through Discover Cars - just make sure to bring your international driver's permit with you!

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To keep cell service while traveling internationally, we always use Airalo’s easy eSIM’s (no installation required), and NordVPN to stay safe while connecting to different wifi.

For fun things to do, we always recommend Viator to find the best tours in the area, otherwise Get Your Guide also does the trick.

Just in case, Safetywing is the insurance I always use for travel insurance.

Lastly, my packing list for any international or domestic travels.

Where to Eat in Harlem

Lucille's

Sylvia's

Bo's Bagels

Harlem is known for being a melting pot of different cultures and foods, and you'll see that in our food list as well. We absolutely loved the following restaurants in Harlem :

• Lucille's Pizza - we had their Grandma Pie (square slices)
• Sylvia’s - self proclaimed as the Queen of Soul Food, their Chicken & Waffles were amazing PLUS Barack Obama ate there!
• Red Rooster - ultimate spot for comfort food, we would love to go back for their Sunday Gospel Brunch (currently $12 per person to enter)
• Bo's Bagels - Google rates Bo's as the BEST bagels in NYC, so visiting is a must! we tried the Rick Reuben and Uptown Vegan and highly recommend both!

If you're looking for something a bit different, our local Harlem friends recommend :​​

• Benyam - Ethiopian cuisine
• The Edge - Caribbean cuisine
• Clove - Indian cuisine
• Fumo - Italian cuisine
• Oso - Mexican cuisine (owned by the same owners of Lucille's Pizza)
• ROKC - Ramen and Cocktails
• The Chick-Inn - Chicken, Greens and Grains
• Bono Trattoria - Italian cuisine

Red Rooster

Sylvia's

Harlem Shake

If you're looking to have some cocktails or drinks around Harlem, our friends recommend checking out :

• ​The Honey Well - a 70's themed cocktail bar
• Beer Run - beer haha and right next to The Honey Well
• L'Artista - wine (according to our friends apparently the food is no good...)
• Harlem Hops - beer but also Harlems 1st 100% African American owned craft bar!
• Lucille's - they also have Jazz nights every Thursday at 8pm!

Lastly, if you have a sweet tooth you're looking to fix here are their best recommendations :

• ​Sweet Chef - apparently they have the best pies in town!
• Sugar Hill Creamery - ice cream
• Harlem Shakes - great shakes & burgers

Street Vendors

Churches in Harlem

Apollo Theater

​Our Favorite Tours in New York City : 
- Empire State Building Entry
- NYC Helicopter Tour
- Statue of Liberty & Cruise

Best Things to Do in Harlem

Murals in Harlem

There's lots to do in Harlem, and even if you're only visiting for one day chances are you'll still be able to do all or most of these.

• Jazz Music - with many people visiting Harlem just for the Jazz scene, if you're wanting to experience live jazz we recommend trying Minton's Playhouse, Shrine World Music Venue or The Red Rooster
• Gospel Tour - with certain etiquette and dress codes to follow, we recommend this experience via a tour which can be done on Sundays or Wednesday mornings (check out this Sunday morning tour or Wednesday morning tour)
• Apollo Theater - now a "not-for-profit" community outreach center, this iconic theater opened its doors in 1914 and were where many jazz, R&B, gospel and blues artists like Sammy Davis Jr., Gladys Night, Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald started their careers
• Murals - we weren't able to check out as many as we'd like ourselves, however we found this awesome article that covers beautiful murals in Harlem and exactly where to find them!
• Morris-Jumel Mansion - you'll have to book a ticket to see Manhattan's oldest surviving residence located near Coogan's Bluff, if you're there we also recommend checking out Sylvan Terrace across the street. Known as one of the most desirable townhomes this row of wooden houses has been preserved since the 19th century and go for upwards of $1.5 million each!
• MET Cloisters - this branch of the MET specializes in European medieval art & architecture, and is FREE with your MET admission ticket (if you're a local New York resident it is also "pay what you wish") 
• City College - apparently they have a secret gargoyle cemetery on campus that might be worth checking out
• Columbia University - Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in New York, and the 5th oldest in the entire US

Jackie Robinson Park

There are also plenty of parks in the Harlem area if you're looking to just relax and get some air on a walk, however we would recommended avoiding them at night.

• Jackie Robinson Park - at 10 blocks long this park has it all (basketball & tennis courts, playground, splash pad, recreation center, pool, etc.)
• Denny Farrell Riverbank State Park - this 28 acre park overlooks the Hudson River, and we're even told it has a tiny red lighthouse near the George Washington Bridge, however there are no pets allowed
• Morningside Park - a narrow park that goes for 13 blocks, it even has a small lake with turtles :)
• Fort Tyron Park - this 67 acre park is great for dogs and is known for having Manhattan's largest dog run!

Watch our Adventures in NYC!

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Other New York City Blogs :
-> Koreatown Food Guide
-> Dyker Heights Christmas Lights Guide
-> Complete New Years Eve in Times Square Guide

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