I arrived for the Taste of Harlem tour at 12 pm only to be told by Neal Schumacher, the owner, that the tour was not happening since he had no one signed up for the tour. I said I was there and that someone from Harlem Heritage had confirmed my reservation by telephone some 3 days earlier. I was upset... more

Having traveled to NYC for the primary purpose of experiencing Harlem, I want Neal (who guided my tour) to know this: That tour was the highlight of my trip, justifying the monumental effort it took to get to New York. Following a glitchy beginning that involved minor personnel issues and a group cancellation, Neal and I met at the designated... more

The best part of my NYC trip was the Gospel Walking Tour in Harlem. The Gospel Church service including the choir was excellent. The walking portion of the tour was very informative and indepth. The tour guide being born and raised in Harlem was very knowledgeable about the history of Harlem, other events, and factors which made the tour personal.... more

What better way to experience Harlem than to take a tour with someone who has grown up and continues to lives in Harlem and knows the people, places and history of the area. Our group constitued of people from California, Iowa, Georga and New York. We were a diverse group and received an excellent appreciation of Harlem from our "local'... more

We did a walking tour through Harlem with Harlem Heritage tours and it was great. Our guide was very knowledgable about Harlem, he was born there! One of the highlights of the tour was a visit to a gospel church service, an experience that was one of our priorities for visiting New York. We also thought about doing the tour... more

After three years of being a neighbor, we finally had a chance to go on the historic Harlem tour. I don't think anyone loves Harlem more than Neal. A true gentleman, historian and soulful voyager; he took us on a private tour from the Islamic Mosque 116th past the old Eastern European Jewish temples to the Apollo on 125th with... more

We traveled to New York on June 26, 2008 on a Historical Tour with high hopes of exposing our youth group, Griot Leadership Project, to the legacy of achievement and triumph that Harlem has provided to the world. Our hopes were met beyond our expectation. The tour guide took time to understand the goals of our group prior to our... more

My husband and I took the Harlem Renaissance walking tour on our last day in New York City and wished we stayed longer to take the other tours available! The tour leader, Neil Shoemaker, grew up in Harlem and his passion and pride for his neighbourhood shines through on this tour. There was never the impression that he was just... more

If you want the story of Harlem--then book a tour with Neal Shoemaker at Harlem Heritage Tours. Neal takes time to find out what each participant wants/expects from his tour, and then blends these threads together. He's enthusiastic, has tremendous knowledge of the area, civil rights, and history dating back to the Dutch, and is a natural storyteller. I went... more