Discover Harlem

Harlem combines local history and film culture with opportunities to enjoy nature and recreation. When choosing a hotel for your stay, you can consider whether historic sites, the Laurel & Hardy theme, wildlife watching, or an event date should be the focus of your trip.

History and Film Culture

The historic “Famous Indian Trail” marker in Harlem notes that U.S. Highway 278 follows the route of the Upper Trading Path for its final 20 miles. The monument thus records a specific connection between a named historic trail and a precisely defined stretch of highway.

The Harlem Museum and Welcome Center presents the history of Harlem as well as part of the history of Columbia County. Its historical scope therefore ranges from the town’s history to a portion of the county’s history. If you are interested in both perspectives, you can find them brought together at this center.

Harlem’s historic districts also point to different aspects of the townscape: the Central Historic District includes the historic downtown, while the Sanders Historic District includes Harlem’s historic cemetery. These two references lead to different subjects—the historic center and cemetery history.

The Laurel & Hardy Museum of Harlem contains artifacts and memorabilia related to Laurel & Hardy. It also has a screening room where films by the duo can be watched. This combination of collection items and film screenings offers a different focus from the local and county history presented at the Harlem Museum and Welcome Center.

Nature, Wildlife, and Outdoor Recreation

The Certified Monarch Butterfly Garden is an interactive educational garden. The time of year is a key consideration for butterfly watching: the garden is in full bloom in spring and summer, when butterflies can be observed in their natural habitat. If you want to make this a focus, the seasonal timing is important when planning your stay.

Feathered Friends Forever is located on a 13-acre property in Harlem, Georgia, and provides a safe haven for parrots in need. Several times a year, the organization holds various open-house fundraising events that are open to the public. The offerings thus differ: the butterfly garden combines education with seasonal nature watching, while Feathered Friends Forever provides a sanctuary for parrots and opens its doors during public fundraising events.

Harlem City Park has a tennis court and a playground with picnic areas. This adds other ways to spend time outdoors to the nature and wildlife attractions. When choosing among the places mentioned, you can focus on what interests you: butterfly watching in the garden, the parrot sanctuary at Feathered Friends Forever, or the tennis court, playground, and picnic areas in the park.

Oliver Hardy Festival

The Oliver Hardy Festival offers two specific points of interest for visitors: it has 120 vendor spaces, intended primarily for artists and craftspeople, and a parade makes its way through the festival grounds at 10:00 a.m.

Discover more destinations: Grovetown, Evans.

For the broader travel overview: Columbia.