Walk in NYC # 13, from East Harlem to Central Harlem, is a 3 miles self-guided tour to experience Latino culture then a gentrified and trendy area.
It will take you about 2 hours of strolling and taking photos, much more if you visit the galleries along the way.
You’ll see plenty of local restaurants, street art and graffities, small and colorful shops, impressive brownstones, art galleries, and a jazz museum.
This walk is now only available on Payhip in pdf format with a clickable map and updated descriptions.
In this pdf you will also find:
- the list of Highlights.
- the Metro stops to get there and back and infos for Buses.
- tips about restrooms, places to sit and eat.
- details about a particular place you will find on your route.
You can download it (or just the map of the walk) to your phone to help you in your discoveries.
This will allow you to live a unique experience of the city far from what you might find elsewhere.
If you purchased the Boston NYC book, this download will be free for you, just send me a note for an access code for this walk if you don’t have it already.
The description below, incomplete and with cropped photos, gives you an idea of this walk before you decide to buy it.
A: Your tour starts out of the ….
It immerses you right away in the ethnic diversity of the neighborhood and for about half of this trek, street life will be the main attraction.
Before you start, though, don’t miss the murals on …, on the right when you go to ..
Then take …on your left.
People are talking in front of small shops of all kinds; elderly men sitting on folding chairs, seem to guard their entrance; kids in uniforms are walking to or from their schools; small restaurants don’t bother to cater to nearly non-existent tourists; you imagine there could be some illegal activities going on here and there. In any case, you feel right away the underlying energy of the area.
B: After…., then at the corner of … you’ll see more murals worth a look.
A bit further, at the … you’ll find an art gallery open from Wed to Sat, 12-5pm.
It exhibits works often related to Latin America and the Caribbean, but it’s not always sure the guys at the front desk will know about it. Be persistent!
C: Once out, keep walking on… Take it on your left: you’ll pass in front of…, yet the art here is still scare, and it’s not easy to enter the park!
Then turn right on … and right again on ….
D: You’ll be next to the …, a problem solving court established quite a while ago. For you, it’s an imposing building with a Romanesque Revival façade and Victorian Gothic elements of decoration
E&F: Once back on …, take it left and keep walking until ….
… is the main Harlem artery. If you’ve heard of the …, a building full of reclaimed stuffs for the house, it is here, a bit further on your right. Go inside if you can, it looks like the Ali-Baba cave. Otherwise, look at its façade to have an idea of what can be inside.
A bit further, after you take … on the left and reach the end of …, you see the mural “Crak is Whack” on your right, in a handball court.
Painted illegally in 1986 by Keith Haring, it was then protected by the City. It’s now visible again after 4 years of work in the area and some renovation.
Next, take …. until .. Turn right until …. on your left.
Your destination, the … is a community garden and an historical landmark. It’s not often open, though, so it’s also mainly an excuse to go to .. as the street is always pretty with its trees on both side.
You’ll soon see a row of house with blue porches, a view more reminiscent of the South than NYC. A bit further, an imposing church: the garden will be on your left once you cross..
The neighborhood looks wealthy and quite gentrified compared to the 1st section of your trek. It looks like it has been invested by an often young and trendy crowd. You are now in Central Harlem.
G: The … will be on your right just before Malcolm X Blvd.
It celebrates …with exhibitions, photos and records. Yet inquire beforehand about its opening hours if you want to visit it.
H: To keep in the vein of Harlem history, the …, just before … once you take the ..on your right, offers exhibitions centered on Black Culture in at least two different galleries.
I: Next, you’ll want to go to…, rows of brownstone houses in Georgian, Colonial or Italian Revival Style depending where you are.
Built in the late 1900 and originally intended for upper-middle-class whites, they circle private courtyards. The signs “Walk Your Horses” at the entrance of their gated alleyways speaks of another time!
To reach this place, find …. and take it on your left.
J: At the end of the street, you’ll be on …
Turn right to reach your last stop, the…
It has a gallery whose exhibitions are often organized to challenge your perceptions or assumptions and it’s on this note that this Walk in East and Central Harlem will end.
Now, if you want to keep walking, you are also at the beginning of Walk in NYC # 14, from Hamilton Heights to Morningside Heights.
Convinced that this walk will be exceptional? Find it on Payhip.