New York City Washington Heights

Even hillier than Brooklyn’s Park Slope, Washington Heights and its several parks form one of the greenest neighborhoods in the five boroughs. Some buildings peer down hundreds of feet at their next-door neighbors. Once predominantly Irish, Washington Heights’s collection of Dominican, African-American, Greek, Armenian, and Jewish communities make it one of upper Manhattan’s most diverse neighborhoods. North of Washington Heights, suburban-feeling Inwood (formerly “Tubby Hook”) is one-third parkland. Sights are listed from south to north. ( S C to 155th St./St. Nicholas Ave., 163rd St.; 1, A, C to 168th St./Broadway; A to 175th St., 181st St., 190th St.; 1 to 181st St./St. Nicholas Ave., 191st St.)

Morris-Jumel Mansion. The Morris-Jumel Mansion is Manhattan’s oldest free-standing house, built in 1765. When the Revolutionary War began, Loyalist owner Roger Morris abandoned it and fled to England. In 1776, George Washington stayed here while devising his battle plan for the Battle of Harlem Heights. Stephen Jumel purchased the house in 1810 for his wife Eliza, a former prostitute. Just a year after Stephen died, in 1832, Eliza married Aaron Burr (Vice President under Thomas Jefferson, and the person responsible for killing Alexander Hamilton in a duel) in the front room. The house has famous bedrooms, Napoleonic ornaments, and regal furniture. The slightly unkempt gardens afford a great view of the Harlem River. Ring the doorbell for admission, even if the museum looks closed. The small gift shop sells copies of Eliza’s obituary ($1), colonial currency ($2.75), mugs ($7), and t-shirts ($15). Across the street on Sylvan Terr., French colonial houses stretch down the narrow, cobbled street. (65 Jumel Terr., between 160th and 162nd St. S C to 163rd St. Follow 160th or 162nd St. east to the mansion. ☎212-923-8008; www.morrisjumel.org. Open W-Su 10am-4pm. $4, seniors and students $3, children under 12 free. 1hr. tours of the mansion and grounds every Sa at noon. $5, seniors and student $3.50. Groups of 10 or more can schedule tours any day of the week by calling ahead.)

Audubon Ballroom. On February 21, 1965, black leader Malcolm X was assassinated on the grounds of this building. Most of the ballroom has been swallowed by commercial space, but a memorial statue of Malcolm X stands in the main lobby. Unfortunately, the lobby is now closed to the public; visitors can only peer inside through the building’s glass doors. Formerly one of Harlem’s great theaters, the Audubon was built by William Fox (of 20th-Century Fox fame), and the Marx Brothers once appeared on its stage. The Audubon, partly restored in 1997, also houses a Columbia University medical research center, as well as the Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center. (3940 Broadway, between 165th and 166th St. S C to 163rd St. The Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center is open M-F 9am-4pm. ☎212-568-1341; www.theshabazzcenter.org.)

George Washington Bridge. The construction of this 14-lane, 3500 ft. suspension bridge coincided with the beginning of the Great Depression. Purse-tightening left the bridge’s two towers without the granite sheathing designer Othmar Amman had intended. During the long construction, neighborhood children would use the structural supports of the George Washington Bridge as diving boards into the Hudson River. Le Corbusier, who proclaimed it “the most beautiful bridge in the world,” was struck by the naked steelwork’s modernist aesthetic. The north sidewalk is for pedestrians only and the south sidewalk (reached via a steep ramp on the Manhattan side) is shared with bicycles that make motorists sitting in daily traffic jams a bit jealous. (Best views from the corner of 181st St. and Riverside Dr. and from Fort Tryon Park. S A to 181st St./Washington Ave. Great views of Manhattan from the walking path on the bridge itself; north entrance located at 179th St. and Cabrini Blvd., south entrance at 178th St. and Cabrini Blvd. Toll NJ to NY $6, NY to NJ free.)

Jeffrey’S Hook Lighthouse. Originally constructed in 1921 to steer barges away from Jeffrey’s Hook, this tiny lighthouse, directly below the GW Bridge, is featured in Hildegarde Hoyt Swift’s book The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Grey Bridge. When the lighthouse was decommissioned in 1947, Swift’s book played a major role in saving it from demolition. Millions of children spoke out when the US Coast Guard wanted to dismantle and sell the structure. The trail to the lighthouse can be a tad confusing and is rather steep, but it’s manageable. To the south of the lighthouse are tennis courts and some lovely grass areas with picnic tables. At some places you can get down to the water’s edge. (Fort Washington Park, 178th St. and Hudson River. S A to 181st St./Washington Ave. From Lafayette Pl. at W 181st St., take the footbridge over the highway, down to the park and south to the lighthouse. ☎212-304-2365; www.nyc.gov/parks. Tours available spring-fall; call for details.)

Yeshiva University. This 7000-student University traces its beginnings to 1886 on the Lower East Side. In 1929, the university moved its main campus to these pallid institutional buildings in the middle of a bustling Hispanic neighborhood. The rabbinical and men’s undergraduate programs are conducted here. The recently renamed David H. Zysman Hall is the campus’s Gothic centerpiece, featuring Romanesque windows and colorful minarets. (Amsterdam Ave., from 182nd to 186th St. S 1 to 181st St./St. Nicholas Ave. Administrative offices at 500 185th St. Administrative offices ☎212-960-5400, admissions and tours ☎212-960-5277; www.yu.edu.)

Fort Tryon Park. Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., son of the famed Central Park co-designer, landscaped this lovely park. In 1935, John D. Rockefeller Jr. donated the park to the city in exchange for permission to construct Rockefeller University. This is one of the most majestic and beautiful landscapes in the city. Inside are the crumbling remains of Fort Tryon, a Revolutionary War bulwark captured by the British in 1776, and the well-tended Heather Garden. Proceeds from the gourmet New Leaf Cafe (; 1 Margaret Corbin Dr.) support ongoing restoration work in the park. Outside are sensational views of the George Washington Bridge and the Palisades. The Cloisters , the Met’s palatial sanctuary for medieval art, overlooks the park from its northern perch. (Bounded by Broadway to the east, the Hudson River to the west, Riverside Dr. to the north, and Overlook Terr. to the south. S 1 to 191st St./St. Nicholas Ave.; A to 190th St./Fort Washington Ave. Garden walking tours, concerts, fitness activities, and other events; see www.nyc.gov/parks.)