The Soul of Harlem Walking Tour in New York

Overview

Our 10,000-step journey will begin with a bird' s-eye view of 125th Street, Harlem's most popular street. The main themes we will discuss are the Harlem Renaissance and gentrification.

We walk by and discuss these famous places:
- The world's famous Apollo Theater
- Sylvia's Soul Food Restaurant
- The home of Langston Hughes
- Astor's Row
- Several iconic murals

This tour is based on a book I have written, "You Are Here: A Geographic History of Enslaved and Free Africans in Manhattan from 1613 to 1865." I will use my tour guide experience (I have given over 700 tours) to make this a fun-filled tour. Best of all, you will have a Harlem experience—see the friendly culture, people, and places of Harlem.

If you are behind schedule, please get in touch with me ASAP. I will have a 5-minute grace period. Afterward, I will proceed to our first stop—the Metro-North Railroad (above-ground train station) directly across the street from the Ginjan Cafe on Park Ave.

City: New York City

Tue 25 Mar

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $60.00

Make a reservation

Tue 25 Mar

Starting at $60.00

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Only when cake is available and time permitting, I buy a slice of red-velvet cake from the famous "Cake Man Raven" Bake Shop

Additional Info

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels

What To Expect

Harlem

Along with the listed attractions, We will see and discuss the history of the Metro-North train station, Astor's Row, The "White House" in Harlem, The YMCA, several famous murals in Harlem, Lenox Terrace, Harlem Hospital, Harlem State Office Building, and Blumsteins Department store - the place where MLK almost lost his life, walk the streets of Harlem to get a true sense of the culture and people in the neighborhoods.

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture

The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem, one of The New York Public Library’s renowned research libraries, is a world-leading cultural institution devoted to the research, preservation, and exhibition of materials focused on African American, African Diaspora, and African experiences.

Langston Hughes House

Langston Hughes House is a historic home located in Harlem. Mr. Hughes is an iconic figure in the Harlem Renaissance. Langston Hughes will be a major topic during the tour.

The National Jazz Museum in Harlem

The Museum is open only Thursday- Saturday. Review famous Jazz Musicians associated with the Harlem Renaissance, see current exhibits, vintage jazz photos, maps, books, etc.

Apollo Theater

The World Famous Apollo theater is a mainstay in Harlem. We will discuss the "Walk of Fame" in front of the theater, as well as the many stars that performed there.

Show 2 more stops

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (108)

Lisa_B

Mar 2025

Larry, our guide, is knowledgable, personable and engaging. We were lucky in that our tour included only myself, my daughter and my best friend, so there was a lot of dialogue with Larry. We all learned a lot in this first visit to Harlem, and I would highly recommend any tour with Larry as a guide.

Response from Host

Mar 2025

Thank you!

Erik_B

Mar 2025

Very personable, knowledgeable and engaging guide who had organized a great tour of Harlem. Larry made sure we all had a good time and that the atmosphere was good.

Response from Host

Mar 2025

Thank you :-)

Jocelyn_H

Mar 2025

Our experience was great! Larry was very knowledgeable and such a phenomenal tour guide. We learned so much about Harlem that we didn’t know! We loved the Harlem Planet mural and the Adam Clayton Powell statue, and we also had an opportunity to learn about the architecture, see Langston Hughes’s home, and say “hello” the creator of the play “Mama, I want to sing” walking down the street. It was a great day and when in NYC, we will definitely take his other tours. This tour is a must!

Response from Host

Mar 2025

Thank you :-)