[Updated February 14, 2024] Looking for a fun New York City neighborhood to explore? You’ll find tons of things to do in Washington Heights, located in northern Manhattan and loaded with cool small businesses, tranquil parks, historical landmarks, and so much more!
Washington Heights is as local as New York City gets. While several attractions should attract throngs of tourists, and while the 2021 film In the Heights brought national attention to the neighborhood, this uptown destination remains largely off the beaten path.
And even though it’s only a 25-minute subway ride from Times Square, the neighborhood vibe is a world apart from fast-paced midtown, making it one of those quintessentially New York neighborhoods.
Washington Heights extends from 155th Street in the south to Dyckman Street (aka 200th Street) in the north. Its southern border is Harlem while in the north, it meets Inwood.
Like Inwood, Washington Heights is largely defined by its Dominican culture. Spanish is spoken as much as English, Dominican restaurants are prevalent, and—on hot summer days—vendors selling flavored shaved ice (frio frio) are never far away.
Attractions in Washington Heights include a 200-foot tower with astounding views, the oldest house in Manhattan, two independent bookstores, and a 1930s grand movie palace that hosted the 2023 Tony Awards. You’ll also catch glimpses of the George Washington Bridge from various viewpoints.
Read on for the very best things to do in Washington Heights!
1. Sister’s Uptown Bookstore and Cultural Center
The intimate space at this family-owned bookstore is the perfect antidote to sterile chains that have become all too familiar over last 20 years.
As inspiration, owner Janifer Wilson recalls a childhood lacking in books by and about people she could identify with. She opened her own bookstore, which features a large selection of books by and about African American authors. Wilson runs the store with her daughter, Kori.
Over the past two decades, Sister’s Uptown Bookstore and Cultural Center has become a neighborhood hub, where the community can attend author signings, youth events, and events that feature poets, visual artists, and community organizations.
- Address: 1942 Amsterdam Ave., New York, NY
2. Morris-Jumel Mansion
There’s a mansion in Washington Heights that was built by enslaved individuals who were owned by a colonel in the British Army. Later, the country estate played a role in the American Revolution, and was subsequently owned by a wealthy but somewhat scandalous matron of New York Society.
And this is just a slice of the fascinating history of Morris-Jumel Mansion!
The home was built in 1765 as a country getaway for Colonel Roger Morris and his family. Morris fled to England when war broke out in 1775 and for several weeks in 1776, the mansion served as headquarters to General George Washington, as he planned the Battle of Harlem Heights.
French merchant Stephen Jumel purchased the home in 1810. He lived there with his wife Eliza, a woman who was born into a poverty-stricken childhood, at one time even living in a brothel where her mother worked.
Eliza had some business savvy and with it, helped her husband build his wealth. She lived another 30 years after Stephen died, and when she passed away in 1865, she was one of the richest women in the city. However, because of her unsavory origins, she was never fully accepted into New York society, even after she married (and quickly divorced) former vice-president Aaron Burr.
Morris-Jumel Mansion is the oldest house in Manhattan. It is now a house museum, open for guided and self-guided tours. They also host numerous lectures, art exhibits from local artists, paranormal investigations, and many more special events.
- Address: 65 Jumel Terrace, New York, NY
- Hours: Mansion: Thursday: 1-4 p.m. Friday-Sunday: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Roger Morris Park (the grounds outside the mansion): Daily 10 a.m.-5 pm.
- Admission: Tour options and prices vary.
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3. Sylvan Terrace
Sylvan Terrace lies just to the west of Morris-Jumel Mansion. The one-block cobblestone street is lined with 20 wooden row houses, giving it a notably different look compared to surrounding streets.
Sylvan Terrace was built in 1862 to provide horse-drawn carriages access to Morris-Jumel Mansion. The row houses were built in 1882 and housed middle-class New Yorkers.
As urbanization spread north, a neighborhood grew up around Sylvan Terrace. Homes on this tiny block are now coveted and expensive: in 2022, one row house was one the market for $1.75 million, or rentable at $6,500 per month.
Taking a stroll on Sylvan Terrace is one of the most unique things to do in Washington Heights. The brick-lined street leads directly to Morris-Jumel Mansion, providing a vista you’d never expect in Manhattan.
The streets adjacent to Morris-Jumel Mansion and Sylvan Terrace all deserve attention. Known as Jumel Terrace Historic District, the neighborhood contains quiet tree-lined streets and beautiful brownstones that once served as homes for some of the most famous luminaries of the Harlem Renaissance.
Don’t miss this uptown hidden gem!
4. Hispanic Society Museum & Library
As you step inside this striking Upper Manhattan institution, prepare to be transported to different eras of Spanish-speaking cultures, from medieval Spain to Latin America. The museum features paintings, drawings, sculptures, textiles, and ceramics, some dating back to the Middle Ages. The pieces are exclusively from Spain, Portugal, Latin America, and the Philippines, and make up the largest collection of its kind outside of Spain.
Museum visitors can view masterpieces by Francisco de Goya, Diego Velazquez, and many more renowned artists. Don’t miss the Sorolla Vision of Spain Gallery, dedicated to 14 murals by artist Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida, which depict the diverse customs and traditions and Spain.
Researchers at The Hispanic Society Museum & Library can access the treasure trove of manuscripts, documents, letters, and rare books, including a first edition of Cervantes’ Don Quixote. This superb collection of art and papers is housed inside a stunning Beaux Arts/American Renaissance Building in the Audubon Terrace Historic District of Washington Heights.
Tours are offered every Friday and Saturday at 2 p.m. Tours are FREE but space is limited so reservations should be made in advance.
- Address: 613 W. 155th St., New York, NY
- Hours: Main Gallery: Thursday-Sunday 15-5 p.m. Outdoor Space: Daily 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
5. Word Up Community Bookshop
What opened as a pop-up bookstore in 2011 has evolved into an important, culturally rich community space for residents of Washington Heights and beyond. Word Up Community Bookshop is a paradise for avid readers, who will find books from various genres, written by authors from a multitude of cultural backgrounds. Expect a hearty selection of books written by Dominican authors, Upper Manhattan locals, and much more.
As a community space, Word Up hosts events such as art exhibits, book signings, workshops, and book clubs. They also run after-school events for local youths.
Word Up Community Bookshop is a multilingual, collectively business run by more than 60 local residents.
- Address: 2113 Amsterdam Ave., New York, NY
- Check business hours.
6. Salento Colombian Coffee & Kitchen
When you’re ready for a refreshment, stop in at this cute neighborhood spot for a coffee and a freshly baked Colombian pastry. Irresistible treats include pandebono (Colombian cheese bread), pan de yuca (Colombian Cassava bread), pastel de manzana (apple filled puff pastry), and savory selections like pastel de creme con maiz (ground beef and corn filled puff pastry).
Salento serves a full menu of breakfast and lunch—Colombian style—so not to worry if you arrive craving more than pastries! We try to stop in anytime we’re in the neighborhood, and we’re always greeted with friendly service and fantastic food.
Salento is just across the street from Word Up Community Bookshop so it’s the perfect place to lounge over coffee and snacks as you peruse your newly purchased books!
- Address: 2112 Amsterdam Ave., New York, NY
- Hours: Open Monday-Sunday: 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
7. Highbridge Water Tower
If you’re on the hunt for panoramic NYC views, this is among the best things to do in Washington Heights. Highbridge Water Tower, located in Highbridge Park, soars 200 feet above the Harlem River.
After climbing 179 steps to the top of the tower, you’ll find windows that look out onto stunning views of Manhattan, the Harlem River, and the Bronx. You can also get a clear view down to Highbridge Pool, the massive public swimming pool from In the Heights.
Highbridge Water Tower tower was built in 1872 as part of the Old Croton Aqueduct system. It once contained a 47,000-gallon water tank and from 1872-1949, it provided water pressure to the neighborhood.
A $5 million project to restore the landmark was completed in 2021 and the octagonal stone tower was opened to the public for the first time in more than decade.
Note that the spiral cast iron staircase that leads to the top is narrow. It’s a tight space if you have to pass by someone going in the opposite direction. It’s also an open stairway so as you climb, you can peer straight down into the depth from which you’ve come. Anyone with claustrophobia or a fear of heights may find the climb challenging.
Highbridge Water Tower is open on select days, when Urban Park Rangers are on the premises to give guided tours and answer questions.
- Location: Highbridge Park, W. 190th St. and Amsterdam Ave.
8. The High Bridge
Did you know that you can walk from Washington Heights to the Bronx via New York’s oldest standing bridge? And as you’re enjoying the panoramic views, know that just below the walkway lies the original pipe that water once passed through on its way from the Croton Aqueduct in Westchester to the citizens of New York City.
Spanning the Harlem River, The High Bridge was built as part of the Croton Aqueduct system in 1848. The walkway you see today was completed in 1864.
In its heyday, it served as a Victorian-era promenade, and hotels, restaurants, and an amusement park sprung up around it. The construction of the Major Deegan and Harlem River Drive in the 1950s and 1960s led to a decline in public waterfront use and in the 1970s, the bridge was closed to the public.
The High Bridge was restored and reopened to the public in 2015.
Like Highbridge Water Tower, the bridge is located in Highbridge Park. To access the walkway, enter the park at West 172nd St. and Amsterdam Ave. Pedestrians and bicyclists are welcome.
- Location: Highbridge Park, W. 190th St. and Amsterdam Ave.
9. J. Hood Wright Park
The parks in Washington Heights are typically situated on high ground, so there’s always a view to be found. J. Hood Wright Park is one of the best parks to get a view of the George Washington Bridge. The park was also famously featured in the 2021 film In the Heights.
J. Hood Wright Park was named after a wealthy 19th century business magnate and philanthropist whose donations helped turn the local library into a free lending library. Wright also once resided in a mansion on 174th Street and later donated land for the park that would be named after him.
J. Hood Wright Park has seasonal exercise classes, a playground, basketball, volleyball, and handball courts, walking paths, and a dog run.
- Location: Between 173rd and 176th Streets, from Fort Washington Ave. to Haven Ave.
10. United Palace
Washington Heights is home to one of the grandest movie palaces in all of New York City. Even more exciting is the fact that you can get a look inside by attending author events, live concerts, movies, and guided tours. In 2023, United Palace hosted to the 76th Tony Awards.
One of the best events offered here is Movies at the United Palace, an annual series that features films from a variety of genres. Courtesy of the Miranda Family Fund (with support from New York-Presbyterian Hospital) the movies are FREE. Better yet, after each screening, Lin-Manuel Miranda leads talk backs with film makers.
In past years, Movies at the United Palace have featured the film Black Swan, followed by a talk back with Miranda and the film’s director, Darren Aronofsky. A couple of years ago, we saw The Greatest Showman followed by a talk back with Miranda and Hugh Jackman, and Raiders of the Lost Ark, followed by a post-movie conversation with the great Steven Spielberg. I can tell you from personal experience that these events are community-building, fantastically fun events.
United Palace was built in 1930 and at the time, they featured vaudeville shows and movies. The building drew on a number of architectural styles, resulting in a movie palace so resplendent, you’ll want to spend time just taking in all the magnificent details, which include carved elephants, Hindu deities, Moroccan chandeliers, and endless more, one more ornate than the next.
To take your time looking around the theater without the crowds, I highly recommend booking a guided tour, which is available approximately every month or so.
The theater seats more than 3,000 people, but note that events often sell out quickly, especially the free movies. Tickets must be obtained online in advance and are usually available one week before the performance.
- Address: 4140 Broadway, New York, NY
11. Malecon
If you want an authentic Dominican meal, uptown restaurants are the way to go and Malecon is well-known to be among the very best!
Select from a long list of mofongos (mashed green plantains mixed with pork, chicken, cheese, or fish), seafood dishes in rich sauces, steak fresh off the grill, and some of the best rotisserie chicken you’ll ever eat.
Be sure to leave room for tres leches, pastel de chocolate, flan de coco, and more fabulous desserts. Malecon is at Broadway and 175th St., just across from the United Palace. There’s also an Upper West Side location at Amsterdam and 97th St.
- Address: 4141 Broadway, New York, NY
12. Little Red Lighthouse
Tucked underneath the George Washington Bridge is the last lighthouse in Manhattan. It was put in place in 1921 for the purpose of aiding the navigation of Hudson River barges. When the George Washington Bridge opened in 1931, the bridge lights were so bright that the lighthouse was no longer necessary.
Authors Hildegarde Swift and Lynd Ward wrote a children’s book about the plight of the no-longer-wanted lighthouse. That book, The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge, gave the lighthouse a sort of hero’s status and when the Coast Guard made plans to remove it, the public rallied in protest and it was saved. In 1951, ownership was transferred to NYC Parks and the Little Red Lighthouse was eventually added to the National Register of Historic Places.
The 40-foot lighthouse is part of Fort Washington Park and the Hudson River Greenway. If you’re already uptown, a convenient way to get there is to grab a Citibike at Dyckman Marina and bike there, or walk from the same location. On public transportation, take the 1 train or the A train to 181 Street Station. Depending on which you take, you’ll still have to walk approximately 20 minutes to reach the lighthouse.
Keep an eye on Fort Washington Park events for the annual Little Red Lighthouse Festival in October.
- Location: Fort Washington Park (Hudson River Greenway at 179th St.)
13. Northend Food Hall
Food halls have become all the rage in New York City and Upper Manhattan is no exception. Northend Food Hall is a standout for a few reasons. It’s much further north than many midtown food halls, making it an off-the-beaten path destination as far as tourism goes.
And the tight-knit neighborhood vibe that exists in Washington Heights is here, too. It feels like more of a regular hangout space than a one-and-done destination. We’ve been many times now and it’s as much of a space for couples and friend groups as it is for families with kids.
Northend Food Hall currently has three vendors. Harlem Public serves their unique version of classic American pub fare. La Chula has fantastic Mexican food, and Wahizza Pizza offers artisan pizza and Dominican-Italian fusion food. They’re most famous for their Chimi Pizza, a mash-up of pizza and a Dominican Chimichurri burger. Northend Food Hall also has full bar, operated by Harlem Public.
When you’ve exhausted your itinerary of things to do in Washington Heights, this is the perfect place to rest and refresh!
- Address: 4300 Broadway, New York, NY
14. Le Chéile
Add some luck of the Irish to your life at this cheerful bar and restaurant in Washington Heights! Pop in for a pint of Guinness and a plate of fish & chips, corned beef & cabbage, Dublin chicken curry, and more Irish fare.
Le Chéile also hosts regular monthly events including live Irish music and jazz, comedy shows, and tarot card readings. And don’t miss the weekday Happy Hour, with pints starting at $4, house wine at $5, and mixed well drinks at $6.
- Address: 839 W. 181st St., New York, NY
15. Art at the 191st Street Subway Station
Pass by the entrance to the 191st Street Subway Station and you’ll see it’s bursting with color, but don’t stop there! Even if you’re not catching the 1 train, it’s worth your time to duck into the station and wander down the tunnel to view the colorful street art that covers the arched walls.
In 2023, six New York City artists were selected to paint murals that represent the spirit of Washington Heights. The result is community-based art at its best! Note that the subway turnstyle is at the end of the tunnel, so it is not necessary to pay subway fare to see the artwork.
- Location: 191st Street and Broadway
16. Fort Tryon Park
This 67-acre public park is one of Manhattan’s true hidden gems. Stretching across 67 acres of Upper Manhattan, Fort Tryon Park features eight miles of pathways, some of which overlook the Hudson River, the George Washington Bridge, and the New Jersey Palisades. The view at sunset is especially stunning, so if you’re looking for a little New York romance, I recommend timing your visit sunset.
The park, which sits on land that was donated by John D. Rockefeller, is composed of meandering pathways, steep uphill climbs, lawns perfect for leisurely picnics, a Heather Garden, an Alpine Garden, and the largest dog run in Manhattan.
You might also glimpse the ruins of mansion once owned by the wealthy Cornelius King Garrison Billings. Completed in 1907, the Billings estate included a bowling alley and a heated indoor swimming pool. The Met Cloisters also calls the park home.
- Location: Between Riverside Dr. and Broadway and Dyckman and W. 192nd Streets.
17. The Met Cloisters
You might catch a glimpse of a Medieval-looking tower high above the trees in Fort Tryon Park. That’s The Met Cloisters, Upper Manhattan’s branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
I highly recommend a visit to The Cloisters, the sole museum in the U.S. dedicated to Medieval art and architecture. Because portions of actual Medieval cloisters were used to construct the museum, the building itself resembles something out of the Middle Ages.
Inside, see the Unicorn Tapestries, a series of elaborately woven artworks. The tapestries were created around the year 1500 and retell the story of the hunt for a unicorn, which is thought to possibly be an allegory for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
Other fascinatingly ancient artifacts include an 11th century Spanish crucifix, a 12th century Bust of the Virgin, elaborate stained-glass panels depicting religious scenes, and much, much more.
The architecture alone is worth a walk-though. Covered walkways known as cloisters come together in the center of the museum to form a courtyard, where a vibrant garden of herbs and plants grow.
- Address: 99 Margaret Corbin Dr., New York, NY
- Hours: Thursday-Tuesday 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
18. Carrot Top Pastries
A steaming cup of coffee alongside a hefty slice of carrot cake is in order if you’re out and about in Washington Heights. Carrot Top Pastries has been a neighborhood staple since 1985, beloved by locals, tourists, and even celebrities like Stevie Wonder. The carrot cake is perfectly spiced and if that’s not your thing, worry not. The display case is packed with fresh pastries and baked goods that all look equally mouthwatering.
And if you need to fuel up on something heartier, dessert isn’t all they do. The full menu offers breakfast, sandwiches, salads, and much more.
- Address: 3931 Broadway, New York, NY
Final Thoughts on Things to do in Washington Heights
We’ve lived in Inwood in Upper Manhattan since 2009 and since Washington Heights is just south of Inwood, it’s probably the neighborhood we know second best! So I may be biased when I say this, but I truly believe Washington Heights is one of the most interesting and unique neighborhoods in New York City. I love that I can climb the Highbridge Water Tower for incredible Manhattan views, and that I can see Medieval art at The Cloisters and then wander around beautiful Fort Tryon Park.
Northend Food Hall has become one of our regular places, and I’ll never get over the ornate beauty of United Palace, no matter how many times I visit.
If you haven’t been yet, come on uptown and discover the all of the awesomely unique things to do in Washington Heights!
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