RAARUP ADVENTURES
  • Home
  • Bucket List
  • Destinations
    • Asia
    • Australia & Oceania
    • Europe
    • North America >
      • Alaska
      • Hawaii
      • East Coast USA
      • Midwest USA
      • National Parks USA
  • Work With Us

A Complete Guide on How to Spend One Day in Harlem, New York

1/2/2023

Comments

 
We recently had the opportunity to house sit in Harlem, NYC, and if you haven't visited the area before - you'll want to after this post. As a large, vibrant community in Upper Manhattan, there are endless possibilities of exploration - parks, shopping, jazz, and soul food - to keep you in good spirits, which is exactly why we recommend spending a day in Harlem! Read on for a local's guide (thanks to our new friends who we house sat for) to the best places to eat, have a cocktail, and what to do when visiting Harlem. We recommend starting near 125th & Lenox (there is a huge train/subway station there) and exploring Harlem from there!
Picture
Picture
Our Essential Travel Resources :
​There are a lot of travel companies out there, but some are better than others. These are our favorite websites and resources to help you plan an incredible trip.

For flights, we recommend using WayAway or Hopper to compare the cheapest dates to travel to your destination.

Car rentals comparisons are best through Discover Cars - just make sure to bring your international driver's permit with you if you're heading somewhere international!

We always use AGODA for hotels. They have an easy-to-use platform where you can compare the best rates.

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

For fun things to do, we always recommend Viator to find the best tours in the area, otherwise Klook also does the trick, especially for tours in Asia.

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

Lastly, my packing list for your international or domestic travels.
Picture

Food, Drinks and Desserts in Harlem

Picture
Lucille's
Picture
Sylvia's
Picture
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
Picture
Red Rooster
Picture
Sylvia's
Picture
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
Picture
Street Vendors
Picture
Churches in Harlem
Picture
Apollo Theater
Picture
​Our Favorite Tours in New York City : 
- Empire State Building Entry
- NYC Helicopter Tour
- Statue of Liberty & Cruise
Picture

Best Things to Do in Harlem New York

With so much to do in Harlem, our first recommendation has to be to visit MoonLab 42, a cute boutique owned by our local friends (who gave us most of the recommendations on this list!). Check it out for accessories, clothing, and home decor. Other must do's when spending the day in Harlem include :​
  • Jazz Music - with many people visiting Harlem just for the Jazz scene, we highly recommend fitting this into your schedule if you're able to - try 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 by 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 - ok so this might not be the most exciting thing to do, but it's said that they have a secret gargoyle cemetery on campus that might be worth checking out
  • Columbia University - again, might not be the most exciting thing to do but also might be cool to visit the oldest institution of higher learning in NY and the 5th oldest in the US
Picture
Murals in Harlem
There are also plenty of parks in the Harlem area if you're looking to just relax and get some air, however our friends and other locals recommended avoiding them at night. Their best recommendations included :
  • 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!
Picture
Jackie Robinson Park
Watch our adventures in NYC!
Check out some of our other New York City Blogs!
  • ​​​Dyker Heights Christmas Lights, NYC​
  • Harlem, NYC
  • Koreatown Food Guide, NYC​​
  • 30 Epic Things to Do in NYC
Pin this post for later!
Picture
Picture
Comments
    Picture
    Picture
    ​We're Deborah & Tyler. After our move to Alaska, we decided to take a gap year and visited 30+ countries on a budget of $100 a day! This blog shares our best budget saving travel tips & international itineraries.
    Picture
    Picture

      Sign up & get our ULTIMATE Travel Planner & Packing List 
      FOR FREE!

    Join the Fam
    Picture
    Shop all our favorite gear!
    ---

    Our blog and all its content are free to you, however when you purchase through referral or affiliate links on our site we may earn a small commission. Learn more here about our affiliates and privacy policy. 
    ---
    ​Join Travel Payouts or Rock Porch to earn affiliates on your own sites!
    Picture

    Categories:

    All
    Asia
    Australia Oceania
    Bucketlist Adventures
    Bucketlist Stays
    Budget Travel
    City Guides
    Cruises
    Europe
    Food Guides
    Itineraries
    Minnesota
    National Parks
    North America
    Tour Reviews
    Usa
    Wildlife

    Picture
    Our other blogs :
    Your Alaskan Adventures
    Deborah in Korea
    Picture
Other Blogs by Us :
Deborah in Korea
Your Alaskan Adventures
Picture
© COPYRIGHT 2026. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
PRIVACY POLICY
  • Home
  • Bucket List
  • Destinations
    • Asia
    • Australia & Oceania
    • Europe
    • North America >
      • Alaska
      • Hawaii
      • East Coast USA
      • Midwest USA
      • National Parks USA
  • Work With Us