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Get Local Sundays

New for 2010!   A series of Sunday afternoon walking tours that start at 3:00 p.m. and showcase D.C. neighborhoods, “off-the-Mall” historic sites, and locally-owned spots where you can eat, drink, and shop.  $5 discount with a student I.D.

AUGUST 1
CAPITOL HILL AND EASTERN MARKET
Although the outside world may associate the term Capitol Hill solely with the U.S. Congress, those who make Washington their home conjure up a very different image: a vibrant neighborhood spread across one of the largest historic districts in the country filled with quaint row houses, leafy parks, shops and cafes, churches and schools. A stroll through residential Capitol Hill is akin to visiting a small town. Pride of place is evident in the careful restoration and loving upkeep bestowed upon the 19th century homes, their postage stamp-sized gardens adorned with flower beds and shrubs. Although many of the stately row houses seen on this walk were not built until after the U.S. Civil War, Capitol Hill is nonetheless one of Washington’s oldest neighborhoods, first developed during the late 1790s just as the federal government prepared to locate here permanently. This exploration includes the remains of a 1795 estate, a watering hole famous for its jazz singers, an alley that once teemed with 100 residents and a park teeming with young children and dog lovers. We’ll finish at beloved Eastern Market, considered by many to be the heart and soul of “The Hill.” (Sponsored by Washington Walks and Cultural Tourism DC)

Led by David

Meets outside EASTERN MARKET METRO STATION

 

AUGUST 8
MOUNT PLEASANT
With its main street, town square, and distinct boundaries, Mount Pleasant still feels like the village it once was. As the city grew around it after the Civil War, Mount Pleasant evolved into a fashionable streetcar suburb, sprouting businesses, churches, and elegant apartment buildings. Later it became a working-class urban neighborhood, a haven for immigrants fleeing political turmoil, and the heart of DC’s Latino community.

Led by Amy

Meet in front of  Capital City Public Charter School(3047 15th Street, NW)  Closest Metro is Columbia Heights one block west.

AUGUST 15
DUPONT CIRCLE
Dupont Circle evolved from a hardscrabble “wilderness” to Washington’s most fashionable address at the close of the 19th-century. The mansions and elegant row houses remain, many as single family residences. Others house museums, bed and breakfasts, embassies or non-profit organizations. Start with a look at a brew master’s castle. Then it’s on to Dupont Circle itself, the crossroads of the neighborhood. A church that rose from the ashes to become a beacon of social activism is next. A block of stunning row houses designed by one of D.C’s most prolific architects leads to the city’s tallest building. The supreme head of a benevolent organization resides in a Beaux Arts beauty that seems to be sailing directly into Dupont Circle; an ornate mansion houses a church famous for its celebrity membership.

Led by Carolyn

Meets outside DUPONT CIRCLE METRO STATION’s Dupont South exit

This walk concludes at Hello Cupcake.

 

AUGUST 22
BEFORE HARLEM, THERE WAS U STREET
Explore the neighborhood that was shared by African American intellectuals, business leaders, and families of all economic levels. The businesses they owned and the houses they lived in are featured on this walk. U Street was dubbed “Black Broadway” for the numerous movie theaters, nightclubs and ballrooms frequented by jazz musicians like Cab Calloway, Pearl Bailey, Jelly Roll Morton, and Duke Ellington. You’ll see a theater and club where these performances took place. The first full service YMCA for African Americans; one of the few hotels that welcomed a black clientele; and the first memorial to African America soldiers who fought in the U.S. Civil War are also on the walk route. Homes occupied by the Ellington family as Duke grew up are included, as well as the corner where rioting broke out that ended the heyday of the area--but only temporarily. U Street has rebounded to become a must-see corridor for out-of-town visitors and locals alike. (Sponsored by Washington Walks and Cultural Tourism DC) 

Led by Charlene

Meets outside U STREET /CARDOZO METRO STATION’s 13th Street exit

All participants receive a discount at U Street's best women's boutique, Nana.

 

AUGUST 29
COLUMBIA HEIGHTS
The 14th Street corridor between Irving Street and Park Road was one of Washington’s most important shopping and entertainment destinations outside downtown. That is until April 4, 1968, when riots following the assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. sparked extensive looting and burning of commercial property. For decades afterwards, boarded-up businesses and empty lots marred the formerly vibrant Columbia Heights. Nearly 40 years later, change has swept the area once more: the opening of the Columbia Heights Metrorail station in 1999 spurred construction of apartment buildings, row houses, and the massive shopping complex D.C. USA.

Led by Brian Kraft, lead researcher, "Cultural Convergence: Columbia Heights Neighborhood Heritage Trail"

Meets outside COLUMBIA HEIGHTS METRO STATION’s north exit by the Columbia Heights Heritage Trail sign

 

SEPTEMBER 5
A TASTE OF D.C. (formerly "Moveable Feast")

This walk is $20 and lasts three hours. Cost of snacks not included in walk fee.

Come along on this three-hour nibble-and-nosh fest to D.C. phenomena that celebrates the locally grown and locally invented. We’ll stay on the move, serving up some of our favorite tales of gastronomic history along the way -- from the landmark to a tee-totaling dentist to Mrs. Terrell’s quiet milestone in civil rights. Our territory first covers the heart of downtown, where nary a suit in the lunch-hour crowd realizes he’s swarming in Washington’s former market neighborhood. These days think bubble tea, ginger scones, gourmet cupcakes, and Third Wave coffee specialists Bring along a subway fare card, as we’ll next be riding Metro to catch two D.C. eateries in the U Street neighborhood. 

Led by Carolyn

Meets outside ARCHIVES-NAVY MEMORIAL-PENN QUARTER METRO STATION

SEPTEMBER 12
CAPITOL HILL AND EASTERN MARKET
Although the outside world may associate the term Capitol Hill solely with the U.S. Congress, those who make Washington their home conjure up a very different image: a vibrant neighborhood spread across one of the largest historic districts in the country filled with quaint row houses, leafy parks, shops and cafes, churches and schools. A stroll through residential Capitol Hill is akin to visiting a small town. Pride of place is evident in the careful restoration and loving upkeep bestowed upon the 19th century homes, their postage stamp-sized gardens adorned with flower beds and shrubs. Although many of the stately row houses seen on this walk were not built until after the U.S. Civil War, Capitol Hill is nonetheless one of Washington’s oldest neighborhoods, first developed during the late 1790s just as the federal government prepared to locate here permanently. This exploration includes the remains of a 1795 estate, a watering hole famous for its jazz singers, an alley that once teemed with 100 residents and a park teeming with young children and dog lovers. We’ll finish at beloved Eastern Market, considered by many to be the heart and soul of “The Hill.” (Sponsored by Washington Walks and Cultural Tourism DC)

Led by David

Meets outside EASTERN MARKET METRO STATION

 

SEPTEMBER 19
GRAND HOTELS
They are more than just places to rest your head at night. Washington's historic downtown hotels represent both a vital link to the city's past and dazzling examples of au courant trends in architecture, design and dining. Each property has a tale to tell whether it is the role its lobby played in coining a new term for political negotiating, an open bank vault in the dining room or the pet gold fish available from the front desk. From the boarding houses of the District's early years to the mid-century palaces that spared no expense, hotels in the nation's capital have always been intriguing worlds unto themselves. Take an afternoon stroll unveiling cool elegance, unique history and all the comforts of a luxury home. We’ll provide tips on places for signature martinis, mint juleps and high tea. 

Led by Carolyn

Meet the guide outside ARCHIVES-NAVY MEMORIAL-PENN QUARTER METRO STATION

SEPTEMBER 26

Please join us for  Walkingtown DC Fall Edition.

 

OCTOBER 3
BEFORE HARLEM, THERE WAS U STREET
Explore the neighborhood that was shared by African American intellectuals, business leaders, and families of all economic levels. The businesses they owned and the houses they lived in are featured on this walk. U Street was dubbed “Black Broadway” for the numerous movie theaters, nightclubs and ballrooms frequented by jazz musicians like Cab Calloway, Pearl Bailey, Jelly Roll Morton, and Duke Ellington. You’ll see a theater and club where these performances took place. The first full service YMCA for African Americans; one of the few hotels that welcomed a black clientele; and the first memorial to African America soldiers who fought in the U.S. Civil War are also on the walk route. Homes occupied by the Ellington family as Duke grew up are included, as well as the corner where rioting broke out that ended the heyday of the area--but only temporarily. U Street has rebounded to become a must-see corridor for out-of-town visitors and locals alike. (Sponsored by Washington Walks and Cultural Tourism DC) 

Led by Charlene

Meets outside U STREET /CARDOZO METRO STATION’s 13th Street exit

All participants receive a discount at U Street's best women's boutique, Nana.

 

OCTOBER 10
A TASTE OF D.C. (formerly "Moveable Feast")

This walk is $20 and lasts three hours. Cost of snacks not included in walk fee.

Come along on this three-hour nibble-and-nosh fest to D.C. phenomena that celebrates the locally grown and locally invented. We’ll stay on the move, serving up some of our favorite tales of gastronomic history along the way -- from the landmark to a tee-totaling dentist to Mrs. Terrell’s quiet milestone in civil rights. Our territory first covers the heart of downtown, where nary a suit in the lunch-hour crowd realizes he’s swarming in Washington’s former market neighborhood. These days think bubble tea, ginger scones, gourmet cupcakes, and Third Wave coffee specialists Bring along a subway fare card, as we’ll next be riding Metro to catch two D.C. eateries in the U Street neighborhood. 

Led by Amy

Meets outside ARCHIVES-NAVY MEMORIAL-PENN QUARTER METRO STATION

OCTOBER 17
MOUNT PLEASANT
With its main street, town square, and distinct boundaries, Mount Pleasant still feels like the village it once was. As the city grew around it after the Civil War, Mount Pleasant evolved into a fashionable streetcar suburb, sprouting businesses, churches, and elegant apartment buildings. Later it became a working-class urban neighborhood, a haven for immigrants fleeing political turmoil, and the heart of DC’s Latino community.

Led by Amy

Meet in front of  Capital City Public Charter School(3047 15th Street, NW)  Closest Metro is Columbia Heights one block west.

OCTOBER 24
PENN QUARTER

This walk is $20 and includes admission to the Lillian and Albert Small Jewish Museum (Historic 1876 Synagogue)

”Penn Quarter” describes downtown's Seventh Street corridor, where the 19th-century meets the 21st. Hip hotels, restaurants and loft apartments continue to sprout up amidst attractions like the International Spy Museum, National Portrait Gallery, Shakespeare Theatre and National Building Museum. That most of these are housed in buildings constructed during the 1800s is what makes this walk an irresistible urban scavenger hunt to discover a bygone era--a time when Chinese, German and Italian immigrants lived and worked on and around Seventh Street. If you know where to look, you can find the old U.S. Patent Office where newcomer Emile Berliner filed applications for the first microphone and disk record ever invented, where Italian stone carvers once worshipped (and where their descendants still enjoy espresso after Sunday Mass), and the site that gave birth to D.C.’s Chinatown. The walk will conclude with a guided tour of a humble wooden synagogue that took an historic ride to avoid the wrecking ball. 

Led by Carolyn

Meets outside ARCHIVES-NAVY MEMORIAL-PENN QUARTER METRO STATION

OCTOBER 31

To be announced