Historic Harlem in New York City
Lying between the East River and the Hudson River, the New York neighborhood of Harlem is adjacent to Washington Heights and Central Park, and is made up of numerous smaller neighborhoods such as Hamilton Heights, Sugar Hill, Manhattanville, and Spanish Harlem, the latter of which is the best known.
Although it became world famous in the twentieth century as the Mecca for African-American arts, when Harlem was founded it was a Dutch village, named after the Old World city Haarlem in the Netherlands. When annexed by New York in 1873, Harlem was but an area of declining farm lands, but the extension of the elevated railroads in the late 1880s, and later the subway system, brought rapid urban development to the neighborhood. Within 40 years, Harlem burgeoned with apartment buildings and brownstone townhomes; sports teams such as the New York Giants called Harlem “home”; and Harlem had become the scene of the African-American literary movement known as the Harlem Renaissance.
The decades of the 1920s and ‘30s defined Harlem as a literary center. Writers such as Ralph Ellison and Langston Hughes gave voice to the African-American experience as not only a distinct literary genre, but as an important platform for the Civil Rights Movement of the 50s and 60s.
The most famous Harlem landmark of the Golden Age of Jazz was the Cotton Club, where jazz greats such as Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, and Billie Holiday performed regularly. During the Great Depression of the 1930s, beat poets gathered in local venues to perform their latest creations. Today, a tour through the streets of Harlem takes one past some of the most significant music and literary historic landmarks in the country. Today, the historic Apollo Theater continues Harlem’s legacy as a Mecca for African-American music.
There are a number of tours you can take to see historic Harlem. Contact our customer service ambassadors, and they will help you plan your visit.
NY See The Best! Tour
The NY See The Best! Tour is here! This three hour tour shows you the best attractions in New York City. See the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, Wall Street, and more. Book your tickets today.
Spring in NYC
Spring is the best time to take a sightseeing tour of New York City. The weather this time of year is fantastic. After you take your tour to get the lay of the land, here are some things you can do in the city to enjoy the weather: (1) go hang out in Central Park; (2) Visit Bryant Park (a great place to have lunch outside); (3) visit one of New York’s rooftop bars; (4) walk — anywhere; (5) take a boat cruise (you can do this for free on the NY See It All! Tour); (6) ride the Staten Island Ferry (it’s free); (7) visit Chinatown or Little Italy and walk around.
New York City
What’s the best way to check out New York City? On a sightseeing tour, of course. We recommend the NY See It All! Tour, which includes a five-hour bus and walking tour, as well as a one-hour yacht cruise on the Zephyr to see the Statue of Liberty and Empire State Building from the water.
Get a VIP Luxury Private Tour
Our Luxury SUVs and Limousines make fantastic private tour vehicles. We recommend our Mercedes SUV as the perfect vehicle for groups of four. We’ll give you your own driver and tour guide, so you won’t have to worry about parking. Select your own itinerary. Want to stop for a nice lunch? No problem. Want to stop and shop on 5th Avenue or in Chinatown? No problem. You decide what you’ll see and for how long, or we can recommend an itinerary based on your preferences. Includes hotel pickup and dropoff.
