Take one of the original Georgetown Walking Tours!
Georgetown's shady lanes and cobblestone (fun fact: they aren't cobblestones) streets reflect another side of the capital. Learn about the neighborhood that is older than DC itself and see the picturesque architecture.
It is Washington's genteel, southern side, where presidents lived when they were just congressmen.
It's where the Founding Fathers laid out the plans for the city on a tavern bar top and where historic churches still offer services.
Georgetown has a diverse history—from the Nacotchtank tribe to a prosperous free Black community to Cold War Spies—and has many stories to share.
Not to be confused with our Ghosts of Georgetown Tour, our Historic Georgetown tour focuses on the houses and sites of a town that still invokes the image of refinement and class after 300 years.
TOUR SITES:
Our tour focuses on the stories of the people who lived here and the architecture of the houses and industrial buildings you'll see along the way.
- Chesapeake & Ohio Canal - a waterway through the industrial part of the neighborhood.
- Old Stone House - the oldest residential building in the district, is now a national park site.
- Homes of Jackie & John F. Kennedy - hear about their time in Georgetown before and after his assassination
- 18th and 19th-Century Homes - learn about the diverse, historic architecture of the houses and the stories of those who have lived here. Look for original firemarks, coal chutes, ironworks, and gas lanterns.
- Hear stories of the Black Georgetown community, immigrants who shaped the neighborhood, and women who bucked social norms.
- Cobblestone Streets— officially, they aren't cobblestoned! Learn the difference and why train tracks run down certain streets in Georgetown.
- Old Civil War Hospital - hear about a boarding school turned hospital and the female doctor who may have been a spy during the American Civil War.
- Martin's Tavern - the oldest family-run restaurant in the city and site of important meals
- Georgetown University - see the famous campus and learn how the neighborhood influenced it.
- Exorcist Steps—We don't walk down these haunted stairs (you can do that on our Ghost tour!), but we'd be remiss if we didn't point them out for you to experience.
We will discuss the history and development of this neighborhood, along with some of its secrets!
Note: We will view the above sites and homes from the street and will not be entering any residences.
TOUR INFORMATION FOR GEORGETOWN ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORY TOUR:
- The tour begins at the C&O Canal at Lock 3, between 30th and Thomas Jefferson NW (map) Purchase a guaranteed parking spot in advance near the tour’s starting point with SpotHero.
- End your tour in the vicinity of Georgetown University, near 37th and O Streets NW.
- The tour lasts approx. 2 hours. Total walking is about 1.5 miles.
- Offered Daily at 10:30 AM
Cost: This is a small group (10-12 people) ticketed tour with rates from $75.00. While you may see more spots available, we sometimes run this tour with multiple guides.
CANCELLATION POLICY: Tours are rain or shine. In the event of adverse weather, we will email and text with alternative options or offer a refund.
If you need to cancel, please reply to your confirmation email. We hope you don't have to, but if you cannot attend the tour, we can only offer a refund with 24 hours' notice before the start of the tour.
We offer a flexible rescheduling option and are often able to accommodate you on another tour with even short notice if a comparable tour is running during your visit!
What Should I Bring?
- This is a ticketed tour, so payment is made at the time of booking! Guides can accept cash or Venmo for optional gratuity, however.
- Comfortable walking shoes
- A water bottle
- Camera
- Appropriate clothing / umbrella - tours are rain or shine!
What's Included
- Professional Historian/Tour Guide
- Recommendations for the best food, music and museums
- Advice on must-do experiences
GPS-Enabled Self-Guided Tour of Georgetown
Can't make one of our guided tours? No problem, we have recorded some of our best tour guides giving their tours and put them on a GPS-enabled app.
Each tour offers an offline option to view the map and hear the audio of each walk so that you don't need to have GPS maps running with the app.
Here is how it works:
- Book an Audio Tour on our Booking Page
- Receive a confirmation email with a .mp3, .pdf, and embeddable Google Map
- Enjoy the tour(s)!
Even if you don't download any tours, you will still have access to valuable information on sightseeing.
Listen to a sample of the tour.
We also offer GPS-led audio tours of:
- The National Mall
- Arlington National Cemetery
- Embassy Row
- Old Town Alexandria
- Georgetown University Campus
- East Georgetown
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