5 places to start in Harlem
Apollo Theater
It has been on 125th Street since 1934 and is the home of Amateur Night, where the audience decides who stays on stage.
Official site →Photo: Ajay Suresh, CC BY 2.0
The Studio Museum in Harlem
The museum is devoted to artists of African descent, and it's in a new building on 125th Street.
Official site →Photo: 19h00s, CC BY 4.0
Sylvia's
You can still order the fried chicken, collard greens and cornbread that Sylvia's has served on Malcolm X Boulevard since 1962. Sunday has a gospel brunch.
Official site →Photo: Americasroof, CC BY-SA 3.0
Schomburg Center
A branch of the New York Public Library on Malcolm X Boulevard at 135th Street, with free exhibitions on Black history and culture.
Official site →Photo: Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0
Marcus Garvey Park
Climb to the old fire watchtower at the top of the hill, or check what's on at the amphitheater, which hosts free concerts in summer.
Official site →Photo: Momos, Public domainHotels in Harlem
Staying over? These are the picks from our guide, Highly rated hotels in Harlem, New York City, and Dyme members see private rates on each. You can also browse every New York hotel guide or search hotels on Dyme.
Harlem Grand
343 West 122nd Street
8.9204 reviews
6 min walk to 125th Street (2/3)With a guest score of 8.9 across 204 reviews, Harlem Grand earns the top position among Harlem's genuine hotels. Its location on West 122nd Street places guests in a residential block of Central Harlem, three blocks south of the 125th Street commercial corridor and six minutes from the 2 and 3 trains.
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Aloft by Marriott Harlem
2296 Frederick Douglass Boulevard
8.2703 reviews
4 min walk to 116th Street (B/C)Aloft Harlem is the neighborhood's only major branded chain hotel at the 4-star tier, giving Marriott Bonvoy members a points-earning option in Central Harlem. The Frederick Douglass Boulevard address puts guests four minutes from the B and C trains at 116th Street and within walking distance of Marcus Samuelsson's Red Rooster.
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Renaissance New York Harlem Hotel
233 West 125th Street
8.02,156 reviews
3 min walk to 125th Street (A/B/C/D)The Renaissance is on West 125th Street, Harlem's main commercial corridor, three minutes from the A, B, C, and D trains and steps from the Apollo Theater. For travelers who want to be at the center of Harlem's cultural and dining activity without renting a car or taking a long subway ride, this address is the most practical on the list.
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The Gallery House
West 137th Street & Frederick Douglass Blvd
9.0323 reviews
3 min walk to 135th Street (B/C)A guest score of 9.0 from 323 reviews makes The Gallery House the highest-rated property on this list despite its 2-star classification. Small independents in Harlem rarely survive as genuine hotels rather than converting to short-term rentals, so this property fills a mid-neighborhood gap between the 125th Street cluster and the upper reaches of Harlem.
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This weekend in Harlem: October 2–4
163 things on: 41 exhibitions, 12 gigs, 4 shows and 5 free. Listed by day and start time.
Friday, October 2
Textiles that Travel: Nomadic Living in AfricaCommunity art & heritage.Art2073 Adam Clayton Powell Jr BlvdView listing →Saturday, October 3
Textiles that Travel: Nomadic Living in AfricaCommunity art & heritage.Art2073 Adam Clayton Powell Jr BlvdView listing →Sunday, October 4
Textiles that Travel: Nomadic Living in AfricaCommunity art & heritage.Art2073 Adam Clayton Powell Jr BlvdView listing →On all weekend
No set start time for these, so go when it suits you.
To Be a PlaceMuseum reopening celebration.Art144 W 125th StView listing →Mark Bradford, Untitled (A–Z), 2010Alphabet from street ads.Art144 W 125th StView listing →Kapwani Kiwanga: BLEEDQuilt codes as sculpture.Art144 W 125th StView listing →Through Motion and Repose: Expanding the Walls 2026Teen photographers capture NYC.Art144 W 125th StView listing →Listings by Outgoing, refreshed twice a day. Times and prices can change, so check the listing before you go.