Uptown Manhattan: The Neighborhoods You Shouldn’t Miss

In Uptown Manhattan you'll find major New York attractions you have to visit: Central Park , Columbia University, the Apollo Theater (where Michael Jackson got his start) and museums like the Met, the Guggenheim and the American Museum of Natural History.

Uptown Manhattan neighborhoods

Uptown, or Upper Manhattan, sits at the northern end of the island and is one of the least visited parts of Manhattan because it's mostly residential.

The truth is there are plenty of things to see in the Upper Manhattan neighborhoods, as you'll read below:

Upper East Side

The Upper East Side is one of the most upscale neighborhoods in New York.

For visitors, the key stop is Museum Mile, home to the Met and the Guggenheim, among other institutions.

Plenty of luxury hotels are here too, adding to the polished feel.

Upper West Side

The Upper West Side is separated from the Upper East Side by Central Park.

They look similar architecturally, but culturally they're very different. The west side of Upper Manhattan is much more liberal.

The highlights here are the American Museum of Natural History, Lincoln Center, the Dakota building (where John Lennon lived and died) and plenty of buildings that are Art Deco gems, Belle Époque and prewar neo-Gothic.

Harlem

Harlem is best known for its jazz clubs and Baptist churches, where you can hear live gospel.

Don't miss the Apollo Theater, where Ella Fitzgerald, James Brown, the Jackson Five and Stevie Wonder all took their first steps.

East Harlem

East Harlem, also known as Spanish Harlem or «El Barrio,» is the heart of New York's Puerto Rican community.

Plenty of famous artists lived or worked in the neighborhood: Tito Puente, Marc Anthony, Ray Barretto and Al Pacino, to name a few.

 Washington Heights

The main attraction in Washington Heights is The Cloisters, the branch of the Met devoted to medieval art.

This beautiful building sits at the top of Fort Tryon Park, worth a visit on its own for the spectacular views of the Hudson River, especially at sunset.

Morningside Heights

Morningside Heights is New York's academic acropolis: Columbia University, Barnard College and the Manhattan School of Music are all here.

Other draws: the Seinfeld restaurant, several Ghostbusters filming locations, and plenty of bars and restaurants.

Other Manhattan neighborhoods

To round out your visit, check out the neighborhoods of Downtown Manhattan and Midtown Manhattan.

Address

Located between 59th Street to the south and 155th Street to the north.

Several subway lines will get you to Uptown. For each attraction we'll tell you the closest station.

Map of Uptown Manhattan