Inwood

I've been living in Inwood for over 4 years and I'm very happy I found this quiet gem in Manhattan. Understand that there are 2 distinct sides of Inwood with Broadway dividing peaceful living with a not so nice side east of Broadway.
I work in midtown and commute everyday. It takes me exactly 45 mins on the A train door to door. Not bad. The #1 train is another option. Target is an easy walk up into the Bronx across the Harlem River.There is the Farmer's Market every Saturday on Isham St. Inwood Hill Park is absolutely beautiful and for the most part safe.
Rent is decent for being in Manhattan and the apartments are much larger than downtown.
Broadway between 207th Street and 218th Street has recently sprung up with some great, trendy eating spots, coffee houses and wine bars.
The west side of Broadway is great for young families, professionals and singles.

Inwood is a community at the northern tip of Manhattan with so many plusses going for it that it is easy to overlook the negatives...or at least consider living there until things get better. And things in Inwood are getting better; it’s slowly shedding its identity as a tough, drug-ridden war zone and being seen more as the perfect place to live for singles and families who want more space for less money.

The Hudson River (to the west) and the Harlem River (to the north and east) are three of Inwood’s borderlines. The southern boundary is Dyckman Street (the equivalent of West 200th Street). Like many neighborhoods that go river to river, the vibe of Inwood’s streets changes drastically whether you are east or west of Broadway.

To the west of Broadway, you’ll find stately pre-war apartment buildings where the units have not been broken up into smaller spaces. Many have sunken living rooms and river views, as well as original architectural details such as wainscoting and ceiling molding. Residents are primarily white collar workers who own, rather than rent their units.

East of Broadway, life is much tougher and gang violence is a problem, along with drug trafficking. There are more apartments for rent than for sale east of Broadway, making this a good choice for urban pioneers and people who feel comfortable in less than luxury areas.

You can still snag major bargains in Inwood, compared with other parts of Manhattan. One-bedrooms with square footage up to 750 feet are available for less than $90,000, a far cry from the million-dollar plus units on the Upper West Side, just a few miles to the South.

Inwood residents can get to midtown in about 30 minutes via the A express train on the IND line. Unfortunately, ongoing track work at night and on weekends often throws the A out of commission, leaving travelers no alternative but to take slow, crowded shuttle buses. The #1 IRT line also serves the area, but it is a long hike from the station to most of Inwood’s residential buildings...and it’s a hike through some of the area’s seediest sections.

Inwood is one of the northernmost neighborhoods of Manhattan, which means that most Manhattanites don't even think of it as part of the island. It "feels" like you're living in one of the outer boroughs if you live up there. I lived just three blocks south of Inwood for a while, and it was still like having a commute from midtown. On the plus side? It costs less to take a taxi home late at night than to Brooklyn, Queens, or the Bronx.

Inwood isn't bad, especially if you want a larger apartment that you can actually afford or if you have a family and need more space. There are more large apartments up there than in midtown where space is at such a premium. The shopping is also a bit cheaper (lots of discount stores), and Inwood Hill Park is pretty nice. In fact it's wooded enough that you'll occasionally see raccoons and possums.

The area has become a bit safer, in my experience, over the years, so I wouldn't hesitate to live there. It's definitely preferable to some of the areas south of Inwood in Washington Heights. Inwood is quite hilly, and if you have to walk up and down hills, you could get stuck during a snow. The subways in this neighborhood have elevators to get to the platform. One of them went out while I lived in the area, and it took 20 minutes to walk down the steps.

If you're a tourist, head up to this neighborhood to see the Cloisters, especially if you've become overloaded by the hustle and bustle of midtown. It's very peaceful.

Looking for a deal? Try Inwood.

If you're looking to rent or buy, Inwood apartments are without a doubt the most bang for your buck on the Island of Manhattan.

Why? Location, location, location...and Inwood is far away from everything.

But, really, it's not THAT far. For the money you'll save on rent, you can swing an extra 20 minutes on the subway. The apartments are decently sized and when you're home, you're HOME, away from the rest of the city.

Leafy Inwood is also one of the best places to raise a family. Tons of parks and historic sites, there's plenty of (free) weekend activity that's great for kids.

This maybe isn't the right neighborhood for young people that want to be downtown every night. But if you want to live like a civilized human being, with space and trees and light and natural beauty...consider Inwood. It has more than just the Cloisters (which are incredible), but room for you to carve out a home for yourself. And isn't that what you want for a neighborhood?

If it's your first visit to Manhattan, I don't suggest going straight to Inwood. But if you've made frequent visits and are looking for something new to see, Inwood presents a completely different feel from the rest of Manhattan and is worth the experience.

Inwood is the neighborhood most far north on the island of Manhattan, and it is really pretty far from the rest of Manhattan in terms of culture and neighborhood feel. Unlike lower Manhattan, which has a rich and layered history that goes back hundreds of years, Inwood was basically rural farmland right until the 1930's or so, when a lot of speculative developments suddenly sprang up. As a result, the area features a lot of impressive Art Deco buildings. There are a number of parks in the area, including Inwood Hill Park, Fort Tyron Park, and Isham Park. One of the most notable institutions in the area is the Cloisters, a special offshoot of the Metropolitan Museum, which houses a collection of Medieval art and is located within Fort Tyron Park. The population of Inwood is now predominantly Dominican, though it once had large enclaves of Irish and Jewish settlers. The Dyckman Houses are lower-income public residential developments. The area has become a somewhat desirable place for real estate lately to people who are otherwise priced out of Manhattan, though I wouldn't say gentrification is a major force here. It is green and serene, but by the standards of the rest of Manhattan, it resembles a sleepy little town.

Inwood which is located on the northern most tip of Manhattan is the last stop on the A train which stops at 207th street and Dyckman. Inwood which is bordered by the Hudson and Harlem Rivers is known for its many parks and green spaces like the verdant Inwood Hill Park which spreads over several acres and offers opportunities for walking, hiking, biking and pick nicking.
Inwood for decades has been the abode of Latin American immigrants but now it’s many affordable art-deco co-op buildings and individual single family homes are being occupied by those New Yorkers who don't wish to leave the city but have been priced out of Manhattan’s more expensive neighborhoods.
Inwood which has a distinct small community feel is well served by a large CTown super market which is located on Broadway between 204 and 207 streets and the newly opened Antillana Food Plaza which is located on 216 Street and Broadway. The neighborhood also has few good public schools like P.S. 152 Dyckman Valley School located on Nagle Avenue and the Amistad Dual Language school which offer dual language instruction to cater to the needs of the local community.
Inwood’s restaurant and dining scene is similarly dominated by several excellent Latin American restaurants like 809, Cachapas y Mas, El Rancho Jubilee, Indian Road Café and Mamajuana Cafe though the neighborhood also possesses some raucous Irish bars like Keenans and Piper’s Kilt.

Inwood is located at the northern tip of Manhattan and is bordered by the Hudson River and Harlem River. It is a close knit neighborhood that is home to one of the few places in New York City where you can sit and stargaze on a clear night. Inwood is a great location to take a walk, ride a bike, have a picnic, or just sit and read quietly. The neighborhood is also referred to as Sherman Creek and is known for the beautiful meadows, fields, and sports courts (particularly tennis and basketball), making Inwood a nice place to raise a family.

Nearby restaurants include Genesis (a tiny Ecuadorian place that service tasty meals and rock-bottom prices) and 809 Sangria Bar and Grill on Dyckman Street serving upscale Latin dishes. Bleu Evolution is an eccentric and elegant bar and restaurant combo, that serves drink and hearty plates to the local crowd (worth a visit, but try to blend as a local).

Shopping is varied, from wines to hardware to Russian groceries, Inwood has it all. If you want to be pampered, check out Sava Spa on Pinehurst Avenue. The down-to-earth charm and rigorous attention is sometimes just what we need to unwind. This spa attracts locals to celebrities from way uptown to relax at this intimate and cozy little spa.

If Manhattan is the world (like they seem to suggest on several episodes of Sex and the City), then the neighborhood of Inwood is at the top of it, at least geographically speaking. This is a residential area, and some of the streets here resemble those in Queens or the Bronx more than their fellow Manhattan streets. There is a definite separation from the rest of Manhattan in Inwood. This neighborhood displays the same sort of hilly terrain you start to see in Washington Heights, and you certainly feel like you’re not in Kansas (I mean Manhattan) anymore. Sometimes this neighborhood is actually identified as being part of the Bronx, and walking around, it’s not difficult to see why. If you’re a tourist, don’t bother. If you’re a future resident of the city, don’t even consider it unless you’re looking for public housing as far away from the bustle as possible.