Pay a visit to Harlem, the ethnically diverse borough of New York, on a Wednesday-morning guided tour. On your tour through one of New York City's most vital neighborhoods, you'll hear stories from Harlem's fascinating history and see its famous sights.
Once New York's most fashionable neighborhood, Harlem is home to the elegant enclave of Sugar Hill, a lovely area where famous musicians like Duke Ellington once lived. You'll drive along Strivers Row and Sylvan Terrace, see the legendary Apollo Theater and stop at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.
You'll then hear the beautiful a cappella voices of the ARC gospel choir as they sing songs of praise and share their experiences. ARC stands for Addicts Rehabilitation Center, the oldest drug-free treatment program center in New York State. The ARC gospel choir was formed to help finance drug-recovery treatments for people in the community.
You also have the option of enjoying a deliciously authentic soul food lunch at the end of the tour.
Tour guide was great. But we were there on the Wednesday after new year and I don’t think they had the whole singing group there. They didn’t do what the guide said they were going to do at the end. It al ended rather suddenly. A bit disappointing.
Review by: Barbara G, January 2018
Interesting tour. Enjoyable but being translated so many times was annoying. Otherwise the tour guide was very helpful.
Review by: JEANETTE P, December 2017
Fabulous, fabulous, didn't like the food at Silvia's though, blood in the chicken , could not eat it,
Review by: Robyn B, November 2017
A good experience but I felt it was a bit orchestrated and therefore didn't feel real to me. The choir was very good. I also went to the lunch but as I was the only English speaker in the group at my lunch table because several coach loads had been combined for the lunch I felt quite unwelcome which was uncomfortable.
Review by: Nerida C, May 2017
Great tour! The church service was so lovely and the singing excellent. Everyone in the church was feeling the vibe and dancing in their seats. Highly recommend this tour.
Review by: Susan H, May 2017
Only giving 4 stars for gospel tour as I found actual tour uninteresting could have been unenthusiastic guide ,as the Gospel singing was brilliant and worth the trip
Review by: Diane S, May 2017
What a fun and learning tour. Tour Harlem and seeing the change in that part of Manhatten. The Gospel singers are amazing, you learn music, cultural differences and how people overcome adversity. I took the optional Sylvia's restaurant and glad I did. The food was fabulous...it was like eating at my Southern Grandmother's home! Great down home cooking. Highly recommend this tour.
Review by: Carlene R, January 2017
Highly recommend this tour, great value for money and fantastic gospel singing
Review by: Lucia B, October 2016
Sheila was a fabulous guide - so knowledgeable and personable. We learned a great deal about the history of Manhattan including Harlem. And the choir was amazing. Each song was better than the one before. I definitely recommend this tour.
Review by: Monica, September 2016
Very interesting experience! Great choir! We ended up singing all together.
Review by: James G, September 2016
Fantastic. Everyone should do it. Guide Glen was exceptional.
Review by: John W, September 2016
This was a fantastic experience we had a really good guide who explained all the sites in Harlem. The ARC group that sang were fun and fantastic i have never seen such an enthusiastic group of people filled with the joy of the lord. We followed up with the soul food lunch where we were pretty much left to ourselves it would have been good to get some information on the origin of the food but that aside i would highly recommend the tour.
Review by: traveller, September 2016
This was a fabulous experience.. Lunch was great too.
Review by: Sandra, August 2016
Fabulous tour - great day out with history and amazing singing!
Review by: Kay J, July 2016
AMAZING. it was very special to me also because my Mum passed away the day prior to our Tour and the Minister 90, blind and a real character and his friend/guide were very kind. My husband was smiling, swaying and clapping, something I thought I'd never see him do in a Church. The local people were very welcoming. A memory that will stay with me forever.
Review by: charles m, July 2016
Guide great but gospel singers quite disappointing. No visability and singing not that good!!!!
Review by: Caitriona W, June 2016
I enjoyed the tour of Harlem and the church tour ._br/_ It wasn and #39;t made clear that if you didn and #39;t take optional lunch the coach would take you home after the church. So we booked the lunch . Waiters kept forgetting about us!_br/_ Very knowledgeable tour guide but irritated by constant mention of tips !
Review by: Jenny H, June 2016
Tour and music were wonderful. Upper Manhattan has so much going on. Highly recommend all ages.
Review by: Bev B, June 2016
FANTASTIC!!!!'_br/_ What a joyful, inspiring, experience. Just heavenly._br/_ Brunch at Sylvia's, was Soul Food at its best.
Review by: Roseanne H, June 2016
Very Enjoyable tour. Lunch was awesome.
Review by: Michaele H, May 2016
The trip was exactly as described and more. The guide on our bus was very informative, we saw quite a bit of Harlem, and the church people were very welcoming. I would recommend the tour.
Review by: Marie F, May 2016
This tour is great if you want to experience gospel music but do not have a lot of time. I only had three days in New York and wanted to rake in as much as possible. _br/_ The guide was professional and have us a lot of background information. We also saw different areas as we drove through.
Review by: Gail B, May 2016
Fantastic experience. Highlight of our trip to NY. Voices of the gospel choir were magnificent.
Review by: Paul U, January 2016
Excellent trip great atmosphere !
Review by: Sarah G, December 2015
This was a great tour, may daughter and I had a fun time and would recommend it to all ages
Review by: Carol M, October 2015
My husband and I enjoyed our tour of Harlem, but were disappointed that one of the advertised Highlighted stops Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture was not included. This should be taken off the web-site, if it is not included. The ARC Gospel singers were wonderful and very uplifting. They were the HIGHLIGHT of the tour. _br/_ I would recommend this tour.
Review by: trudy, October 2015
The choir was fantastic.
Review by: johnbulk, June 2015
Good experience._br/_
The guide was excellent.
Review by: Robert H, May 2015
This tour was amazing!
Review by: Sarah K, March 2015
Absolutely fabulous tour - I would highly recommend it along with the 'soul food' lunch option!!
Review by: Nevalle, February 2015
This tour was amazing!
Review by: lisa m, December 2014
this was a great tour although i was dissapointed that they ran out of cd's as i would have bought one for my 82 year old mother.
Review by: Natalie R, December 2014
Brilliant - couldn't be better!
Review by: Cong S, November 2014
The Gospel performance was phantasmic!
Review by: Marie M, October 2014
This was a great day--we loved every moment of it. It was great to get out of"downtown' and into an ara with real people. It was great to see the work being done by people like Magic Johnson to put pride into the community. The church service and choir were uplifting and we felt privileged to be a part of it. Lunch at Sylvias's was fabulous and a must-do at the end of the trip.
Review by: Robyn W, October 2014
The Harlem Gospel Tour was excellent. The vibe inspiring, buzzing and lots of fun. I really appreciated the fact that the purpose of the choir was for drug rehabilitation and that the members were voluntary. It was truly an uplifting experience and the soul food at Sylivia's was definitely worth the extra money. I even bought her Soul food cookbook! Thoroughly enjoyed this tour.
Review by: Angelica C L, August 2014
Excellent guide and tour.
Review by: Janet C, August 2014
It was fantastic. Informative, interesting and inspiring. Thanks so much for a great time._br/_
Janet_br/_
Australia
Review by: Angelica C L, August 2014
Excellent guide and tour.
Review by: Angelica C L, August 2014
Excellent guide and tour.
Review by: Angelica C L, August 2014
Excellent guide and tour.
Review by: Elsie S, July 2014
Informative and interesting
Review by: Gillian N, July 2014
Our guide made many thought provoking comments during the tour and was very knowledgeable about the area and its history. The coach was comfortable and air-conditioned which was needed in July! As we were the last tour group to arrive at the church for the service our seats did not have a great view, however we moved upstairs which was much better. Being able to join in with the choir at the final hymn was a marvellous experience.
Review by: Elsie S, July 2014
Informative and interesting
Review by: drs A S, June 2014
The only thing that I regret was that it wasn't possible to make any pictures.
Review by: Marcus S, June 2014
This tour was amazing our guide (Glenn) was so knowledgeable as he grew up in Harlem and we walked around the neighbourhood and then attended a service. The Service was amazing and they included you all of us in it. It was fantastic, such amazing voices, we left on a high and enjoyed the lunch at Sivlia's for some soul fold. Would highly recommend.
Review by: brniteac, June 2014
my tour was all that i expected and more the tour guide was the most knowledgeable guide that I have every had on a tour, the tour itself was great, didn't see all of the stuff that was advertised but the tour i would recommend to anyone,
Review by: Francine, May 2014
I paid for the lunch option as well. It was expensive but the waiters were happy to bring more food if you wanted it. The singing was excellent. Hard to imagine that they are not professional singers. This gospel tour is different to the Sunday one. The session is specifically for tourists whereas the Sunday one is an actual Sunday service. I have been to both. My preference was the Sunday tour but this one was worth doing too.
Review by: Denise H, February 2014
Very informative, uplifting and enjoyable.
Review by: Marie, January 2014
Our tour guide Mahalia was very informative and very passionate about the history of the area it was impressive. Well what can I about the Gospel tour it was just like being in the movie Sister Act. The Pastor a little 89 year old man giving thanks to the Lord hat they have their church.Which started out as an addiction reform center but they need to pay the mortgage of the church so they started their choir. It gave us Goose bumps then we were invited up with the choir in front of the congregation to join in with the Song OH Happy Days. WOW it was so uplifting and inspiring.
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