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The Best Things to Do in Washington Heights

The best things to do in Washington Heights: medieval art at The Cloisters, hilltop parks, the High Bridge, a landmark theater, and a Malcolm X memorial.

Updated

The Romanesque-style tower and stone walls of The Met Cloisters in Fort Tryon Park, framed by bare branches against a blue sky.
GK tramrunner RU (opens in a new tab)CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab)

Washington Heights has more to see than many visitors expect, from a medieval museum inside a hilltop park to a pedestrian bridge over the Harlem River. This guide is for visitors, new residents, and locals looking for a good afternoon.

We picked from the landmark listings on Washington Heights Guide, which cover parks, museums, historic buildings, and public spaces, and ranked them by how well each works as a destination in itself. Picks are editorial: the order is our judgment, not star ratings, review counts, or any scoring system, and every place is a listing on Washington Heights Guide with its own page, sources, and verdict.

Several of these have limited hours or are closed on certain days, so each blurb notes what to check first.

  1. 01

    Entrance to the Met Cloisters in Fort Tryon Park
    Ron Cogswell from Arlington, Virginia, USA (opens in a new tab)CC BY 2.0 (opens in a new tab)

    Best museum

    Landmark

    The Met Cloisters

    The Metropolitan Museum's branch for medieval art inside Fort Tryon Park. NYC Parks says it houses nearly 5,000 medieval works, and the Met lists hours of 10am to 5pm every day except Wednesday, when it is closed.

  2. 02

    A paved path winding through the flowering shrubs of the Heather Garden in Fort Tryon Park.
    Beyond My Ken (opens in a new tab)CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab)

    Best walk

    Landmark

    Fort Tryon Park

    A 67-acre park with Hudson River views, the Heather Garden, and eight miles of pathways, according to NYC Parks. It is steeply hilly, so wear good shoes.

  3. 03

    The High Bridge, a pedestrian bridge with stone piers and an arched span, crossing the Harlem River, seen from Highbridge Park.
    Jim.henderson (opens in a new tab)Public domain

    Best short walk with a view

    Landmark

    The High Bridge

    The city's oldest standing bridge, opened in 1848 and reopened to walkers and cyclists in 2015, according to NYC Parks. It is 1,450 feet long and crosses the Harlem River to the Bronx; check hours before an evening walk.

  4. 04

    The Broadway facade and marquee of the United Palace, a 1930 theater building at W 175th St in Washington Heights.
    Beyond My Ken (opens in a new tab)Public domain

    Best building

    Landmark

    United Palace

    A landmarked 1930 theater built as Loew's 175th Street Theatre. The best way to see the interior is a ticketed event or tour, and the venue keeps a calendar of both.

  5. 05

    The arched glass and green terra-cotta facade of the former Audubon Ballroom on Broadway, which houses the Malcolm X & Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center.
    ajay_suresh (opens in a new tab)CC BY 2.0 (opens in a new tab)

    Best for a serious visit

    Landmark

    Malcolm X & Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center

    A memorial and museum in the restored Audubon Ballroom, where Malcolm X was assassinated in 1965. Advance ticket purchase is required, and its listed hours are Tuesday to Friday.

  6. 06

    The red Little Red Lighthouse (Jeffrey's Hook Light) on rocks beside the Hudson River in Fort Washington Park, with a George Washington Bridge tower behind it.
    Billie Grace Ward (opens in a new tab)CC BY 2.0 (opens in a new tab)

    Best riverside stop

    Landmark

    Little Red Lighthouse

    A small 1917 lighthouse beneath the George Washington Bridge, reached by the Hudson River Greenway. Interior tours are only held on special days, so go for the setting.

Sources