landmark
Central Park
An 843-acre urban oasis in the heart of Manhattan, one of the most visited urban parks in the world with meadows, lakes, and iconic bridges.
3 km · about 5 min drive
North AmericaUnited StatesNew York
Harlem
New York, United States · North America
About Harlem
Harlem works well as a base: 3km from Central Park.
Harlem is in New York, United States, with about 120,000 people. You drive on the right here.
Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and 110th Street on the south. The greater Harlem area encompasses several other neighborhoods and extends west and north to 155thRead more
Street, east to the East River, and south to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Central Park, and East 96th Street.
Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands. Harlem's history has been defined by a series of economic boom-and-bust cycles, with significant population shifts accompanying each cycle. Harlem was predominantly occupied by Jewish and Italian Americans in the late 19th century, while African-American residents began to arrive in large numbers during the Great Migration in the early 20th century. In the 1920s and 1930s, Central and West Harlem were the center of the Harlem Renaissance, a major African-American cultural movement. With job losses during the Great Depression of the 1930s and the deindustrialization of New York City after World War II, rates of crime and poverty increased significantly. In the 21st century, crime rates decreased significantly, and Harlem started to gentrify.
The area is served by the New York City Subway and local bus routes. It contains several public elementary, middle, and high schools, and is close to several colleges, including Columbia University, the Manhattan School of Music, and the City College of New York. Central Harlem is part of Manhattan Community District 10. It is patrolled by the 28th and 32nd Precincts of the New York City Police Department. The greater Harlem area also includes Manhattan Community Districts 9 and 11 and several police precincts, while fire services are provided by four New York City Fire Department stations.
Where to Stay in Harlem
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Harlem?
Within an hour or so of Harlem: Central Park (3 km), Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (3 km), The Metropolitan Museum of Art (4 km), American Museum of Natural History (4 km).
Are there any good drives near Harlem?
The nearest famous roads are Hawk's Nest (Route 97).
Where is Harlem?
Harlem is in New York, United States.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 116,345
- Continent
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Region
- New York
- Timezone
- America/New_York
- Coordinates
- 40.8079, -73.9454
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in United States
AAA roadside assistance: 1-800-222-4357. Right turn on red is legal in most states unless signed otherwise.
Full driving guide for United StatesTags
Worth the detour from Harlem
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
museum
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
Frank Lloyd Wright's iconic spiral masterpiece housing an outstanding collection of Impressionist and modern art.
3 km · about 5 min drive
museum
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
America's largest art museum, with over two million works spanning 5,000 years of world culture.
4 km · about 5 min drive
museum
American Museum of Natural History
A beloved New York institution famous for its dinosaur halls, dioramas, and the Rose Center's spectacular planetarium.
4 km · about 5 min drive
landmark
Times Square
Dazzling commercial intersection in Midtown Manhattan known for its giant digital billboards and New Year's Eve ball drop.
6 km · about 10 min drive
museum
Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
The most influential modern art museum in the world, home to Starry Night, Campbell's Soup Cans, and Les Demoiselles d'Avignon.
6 km · about 10 min drive
landmark
Empire State Building
Legendary 102-storey Art Deco skyscraper that defined the New York City skyline when completed in 1931.
7 km · about 15 min drive
landmark
Bronx Zoo
One of the largest metropolitan zoos in the world spanning 265 acres in New York City with over 6,000 animals.
7 km · about 15 min drive
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