In the 18th century, the northern half of Manhattan Island served as a bucolic escape for New Yorkers with the cash to afford it and the horse and carriage to get them there. It’s easier to visit these days (the A train to Harlem being the most famous of many routes) and easier to get around, with the city’s newfangled green cabs in abundance in neighborhoods where yellow cabs have always been scarce. There’s also a whole lot more to do these days. Harlem, the Dutch settlement that became the black capital of America, is in the throes of gentrification: a mix of old and new, from gospel-filled black church services to fine cocktail bars abuzz with young professionals of all races. Meanwhile, farther north, between the island’s oldest surviving house and its largest swath of never developed land, is a Latino neighborhood the likes of which you can no longer find south of Central Park.

FRIDAY

1. In (the) Wood | 4 p.m.

Take the A train — but not to Harlem. Instead, head to the end of the line, the 207th Street station in the Inwood neighborhood. A few blocks west is a Manhattan you won’t recognize, although the Lenape people who once inhabited the island surely would. Inwood Hill Park is a vast expanse of Manhattan, most of which has never been built upon — 196 acres of ridges, caves and forest that occasionally break for vistas of the Hudson River and Spuyten Duyvil Creek. It’s also got Shorakkopoch Rock, where Peter Minuit’s purchase of Manhattan Island from the Lenape tribe supposedly took place. The paths are a loopy (and unmarked) tangle, so print out a PDF map from nycgovparks.org or you’ll be scavenging berries for dinner.

2. Chile Infusion | 7 p.m.

You don’t come to northern Manhattan for the Mexican food, even if La Condesa, a cozy, surprisingly upscale spot, can produce a heck of an enchilada. Instead, make a pre-dinner stop for the sophisticated margaritas (from $8.50), with several variations using house infusions, such as chipotle-infused mezcal with pineapple.