North Manhattan and The Bronx Borough
The tour of North Manhattan and the Bronx borough is a slightly different taste from the skyscraper tours of South Manhattan. The northern part of Manhattan is characterized by low-rise buildings and is lush with greenery and views of the Hudson River. The Cloisters Museum in Washington Heights is one of New York's important museums and a draw for an area mostly dedicated to residential living. Across the Harlem River, the Bronx borough is primarily residential as well but offers some attractive attractions.
- The Bronx is home to the New York Yankees baseball team with its legendary stars.
- North of the stadium lies the Bronx Zoo, the Botanical Gardens, and the vast Cortlandt Park. These are great spots for family outings.
- City Island east of the Bronx offers a taste of New England, with exquisite seafood restaurants and views of sailboats crossing the Long Island Sound.
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How to get to Northern Manhattan Bronx?
You can reach Inwood and Washington Heights in northern Manhattan via the red line (1) and the blue line (A) on the subway. To get to the Bronx, you can take several lines that continue north from uptown Manhattan, such as the green line (4,5,6) which spreads throughout the borough, the orange line (D) that goes to Yankee Stadium, and the red line (2) that reaches the zoo, the botanical gardens, and Van Cortlandt Mansion.
8 Must-See and Do Things in Northern Manhattan and the Bronx
- Exquisite Medieval art at The Cloisters
- Fine French furniture at Morris-Jumel Mansion
- A taste of New England at City Island
- Feel the fame at a baseball game at Yankee Stadium
- Fun with the kids at the Bronx Zoo
- Then continue with them to the nearby Botanical Gardens
- Latin culture and literature in the historic Audubon Park district
- Travel back to the 18th century at the Van Cortlandt House Museum
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Map of the Bronx and Northern Manhattan
Everything to See and Do in Northern Manhattan
Fort Tryon Park
Fort Tryon Park is located in the southern part of the Inwood neighborhood and north of Washington Heights. This calm and secluded area at the tip of Manhattan offers a pastoral experience amidst the bustling city. The green park is built on a historic hill that was part of the US forces' defense system in the Revolutionary War.
The park was built in the 1930s on land purchased by John D. Rockefeller Jr., who gifted the park to the city. The park features beautiful trails and viewpoints over the Hudson River and towards Midtown. At the heart of the park lies the Met Cloisters museum, one of the significant museums in New York.
The Cloisters – The Met Cloisters
The northern branch of the Metropolitan, the Met Cloisters museum, is one of New York's important museums dedicated to art. The Cloisters focuses on European medieval art, showcasing some of the period's essential works. The museum opened in 1938 on land donated by Rockefeller Jr. in the northern part of Fort Tryon Park.
Rockefeller was also involved in acquiring paintings in collaboration with the Metropolitan Museum, and technically, the Cloisters is a branch of the Met. The museum's structure is based on European monastery buildings, with a charming central courtyard featuring a botanical garden with medieval plant species.
The Cloisters Museum Collection
- The museum's collection includes some of the most important works associated with the Middle Ages
- The masterpiece “Annunciation Triptych” by the Flemish artist Robert Campin is considered the highlight of the collection. This early work by Campin (believed to be the Master of Flemalle) marked the development of what we know as the Northern or Flemish Renaissance. Chronologically, this piece is among the later ones in the museum
- The collection is arranged by periods, starting from Romanesque works of the 10th century to the dawn of the Renaissance in the 15th century
- The collection also features the Beautiful Hours of the Duke of Berry, one of the most important illuminated books remaining from the late Middle Ages
Address: Margaret Corbin Dr. 99, New York
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George Washington Bridge
The George Washington Bridge is the only elevated connection between Manhattan and New Jersey and is part of the I-95 highway route. It stretches over the Hudson River at the western part of the Little Dominican Republic neighborhood (part of Washington Heights) and connects with Fort Lee, New Jersey. The bridge was built in 1931, it is almost one and a half kilometers long, and its towers rise about 184 meters above the river.
Originally, according to engineer Othmar Ammann's design, the bridge was supposed to be adorned with its towers, but due to lack of funding, they remained exposed. Nevertheless, it is one of the most impressive bridges on America's Atlantic coast and one of the most important connectivity functions in New York. Right under the eastern tower of the suspension bridge is The Little Red Lighthouse, a charming historic lighthouse.
The Audubon Park Historic District
What is known as the historic district of Audubon Park or Audubon Terrace is the area that was once the estate of artist John James Audubon in the northern part of Manhattan. Today's historic district is a collection of low neo-classical style houses, stretching between 155th – 157th West Streets, west of Broadway Avenue in the southern part of Washington Heights.
There are two interesting museums here – the Hispanic Society Museum & Library and the American Academy of Arts and Letters. The first showcases artworks from private collections, including those of important Spanish artists like Francisco Goya and El Greco. The second displays manuscripts and first edition copies of some American masterpieces.
Address: W 155th St. 613, New York
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Morris-Jumel Mansion
The Morris Jumel Mansion is an impressive and historic estate. It's one of the only remaining mansions in all of New York from the pre-American Revolutionary War period. The house belonged to army commander Roger Morris and served as a headquarters for George Washington during the defense of New York. In the early 19th century, it was purchased by Stephen Jumel who invested heavily in both decoration and the importation of valuable French furniture. Today, the place is open to the public and showcases the affluent lifestyle of Jumel and his wife, as well as their extravagant acquisitions.
Address: Jumel Terrace, 65, New York
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Everything to see and do in the Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of New York City's five boroughs. It lies across the Harlem River separating it from the northern part of Manhattan, and across the East River Bay separating it from Queens. In the bay are a few small islands considered part of the Bronx, including the residential City Island. The borough is home to about one and a quarter million residents, mostly residential but with some important New York sites worth visiting.
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Yankee Stadium
The stadium of New York's legendary baseball team is one of the city's icons. It is located on the north bank of the Harlem River in the southern part of the Bronx and is well-connected with Manhattan. Legends of New York, including Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, Babe Ruth, Sandy Koufax, and more, have passed through this stadium.
For a meal from the set menu at the Hard Rock Cafe at Yankee Stadium, click here…
The stadium was for some time the workplace of George Costanza in the series “Seinfeld”, one of the most iconic New Yorker characters in American culture. Yankee Stadium has been the team's home since 1923 and can accommodate 54,000 people. Over the years, it has undergone several major renovations, the most significant of which was the expansion of the stands in 1976.
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Address: E 161 St. 1, Bronx, NY
Bronx Zoo
The Bronx Zoo is one of the largest and most important in New York. It's much bigger than the zoo in Central Park (although incomparable in terms of location). The zoo boasts an impressive array of animals housed in relatively large and open areas, organized by species and geographical regions. The Congo Gorilla Forest is the place to meet the huge and rare apes. Other areas include the African savanna, with all the area's wildlife, including lions, giraffes, zebras, and more. There's also an area with brown bears and many types of monkeys.
Address: Southern Blvd. 2300, Bronx, NY
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The New York Botanical Garden
North of the Bronx Zoo lies the beautiful New York Botanical Garden, featuring over 50 specialized gardens and a vast central expanse of woodlands. The Bronx Botanical Garden showcases an extensive collection of flora, organized into geographic sections.
The gardens house enormous greenhouses with a wide variety of plants from all over the world. There are also kids' activities, play areas, and amusements, making it a popular spot for family outings along with the zoo.
Address: 2900 Southern Blvd., Bronx, NY
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Van Cortlandt House Museum and Woodlawn Cemetery
North of the Bronx Botanical Gardens lies the expansive Van Cortlandt Park. The park is situated between the northern part of New York City in the Bronx and the city of Yonkers. North of Yonkers are the small towns of Westchester County, stretching all the way to the Connecticut border, where New England begins. Peaceful towns such as Scarsdale and White Plains, the county seat.
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The park spans the lands of the Van Cortlandt Manor, home of Frederick Van Cortlandt, a wealthy Dutch descendant. The house was built in the mid-18th century and is considered the oldest house remaining in the Bronx. Today, the house hosts a period museum that shares its history (it was also George Washington's headquarters during the Revolutionary War) and the lifestyle of mid-18th century America. East of the park lies the vast Woodlawn Cemetery, the resting place of many affluent city residents. Visitors can enter the cemetery and admire impressive mausoleum structures commemorating figures such as writer Herman Melville and Macy's founder Rowland Macy.
Address: Broadway, Van Cortlandt Park, 6036, Bronx, NY
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City Island
City Island is almost the official escape from New York towards the atmosphere of New England states. Although the island belongs to the city and the Bronx borough, it is practically part of the coastline of Connecticut towns stretching east from New Haven along the Long Island Sound. The island has low suburban buildings and a central avenue, City Island Ave., where a concentration of restaurants can be found, some of which serve seafood grown or harvested from the wide bay waters.
The island's large marina and yacht club are filled with sailboats and fishing boats. Access to the island is from Pelham Bay Park, where the stunning Orchard Beach is located, filled with bathers in the summer.
