Come and relive the high-stepping, fun-loving nights of the 1920's!
Tour the neighborhood with one of our professional city guides and learn about Harlem's role in the history of jazz and the roles of its noted jazz musicians in giving New York its musical edge. See the site of the original Cotton Club, where Duke Ellington and Lena Horne spent hours wowing crowds from around the world. Drive past the site of the Savoy Ballroom where Benny Goodman and Chick Webb fought it out during their "Battle of the Bands," and where the "Charleston," "Lindy Hop" and the "Big Apple" dances were firmly cemented into American culture. See the world-famous Apollo Theater, where Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald won the popular "Amateur Night", which still boasts standing room only audiences every Wednesday night. Pass by the Lincoln Theater, where Fats Waller passion underscored Vaudeville shows, and Minton's Playhouse, where bebop was born and where Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, and Thelonious Monk started the tradition of jam sessions.
On Monday, Thursdays and Saturdays, discover Harlem's hottest bebop spot, where jam sessions and musical intrigue go on into the wee hours of the morning. Enjoy the easy-going, convivial atmosphere as you mingle freely with the locals and experience the shared essence of Harlem. (We pick up the tab for your first two cocktails!)
On the way to the music, you'll dine at Sylvia's legendary restaurant---famous for its soul-shattering "soul food". So forget the A Train. Join us for a great night out in Harlem.
What is "Soul Food"?
Soul Food is traditional African American cuisine that originated in the South in the United States. Today it has become a highly sought after cuisine. It consists of spicy ribs, collard greens, fried fish and chicken, freshly cooked corn bread, and a few side dishes like black eye peas, okra, or macaroni and cheese to mention a few.
Tour Information
Days: Mondays, Thursdays, Saturdays
Time: 7:00 pm to 12:00 pm
Meeting Time: 6:45pm (english), 6:45pm (all other languages)
Starting point: 690 Eighth Avenue between 43rd and 44th Streets
Open to children ages 5 years and above.
Harlem Spirituals
For over twenty years, the Harlem Spirituals-New York Visions Group, has created unique programs that capture the excitement and flavor of New York. Long a leader in the specialty tour and travel industry, we offer tours of cultural value that expose thousands of visitors to Harlem and the many neighborhoods of New York. Tours are offered in a variety of languages, including English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish.
All tours include a guided visit of the various neighborhoods, and a stroll through one or more of the residential or commercial areas. Each tour focuses on the history and development of the area visited as well as life today.
Some tours also cover specific topics or musical genre;the Gospel tours cover the origins of Gospel as well as the Black Church in America; the Jazz Tour covers Jazz history...
Departure
Our tours depart from our ticket office located at 690 Eighth Avenue between 43rd & 44th Street. We meet 15 minutes prior to tour departure.
Location
Subway: 1, 9, 2, 3, 7, A, C, E, N, R to Times Square/42nd Street station
Or take the F, B, D, or Q to 42nd Street and Sixth Avenue and walk 2 blocks
Buses: M104, M10 to 42nd Street
Pick-ups and Drop-offs
Only groups of ten or more can be picked up from their hotel within Manhattan at no additional charge.
Complimentary drop-offs are offered on all late night tours and most daytime tours from uptown, down to 34th Street. The drop-offs are made along Columbus Avenue, Broadway, and Seventh Avenue.
Handicapped Seating
With advance knowledge, wheelchair bound customers can be seated in the front row of the tour bus with their wheelchairs folded away in the luggage compartment of the bus. It is mandatory that someone accompany customers with special needs. A maximum of one person in a wheelchair can be accommodated per bus. Private services with wheelchair accessible transportation is available.
www.harlemspirituals.com