Georgetown History, Shopping and Culture

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Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 2.8 miles / 4.5 km
Duration: Half day

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Overview: From a history lesson to plenty of shopping, this walking tour of Georgetown has a little something for everyone. Start at Washington Harbour, where you can take in waterfront views of the Potomac and surrounding landmarks, and then head past the C&O Canal to the Old Stone House, the oldest surviving building in Washington, D.C. Make your way down the trendy, fashionable M Street and then take a detour at the Exorcist Stairs for a fun photo opportunity. Next, find the gates to Georgetown and next the former home of President John F. Kennedy before you circle back around to M Street.

Tips: What to wear: Be sure to wear comfortable shoes and bring plenty of sun screen, as the sun can be particularly harsh here in the spring and summer.

Don't forget: Your credit card. There are tons of shopping and eating opportunities along this trail and chances are you'll want to indulge.

Getting there by Metro: There are no Metro stops in Georgetown. The closest Metro stop is Foggy Bottom, where you can take the Blue Bus to Georgetown. If you'd prefer to walk, make a U-turn upon exiting the Metro escalator and then take a pedestrian walkway to 24th Street and turn right. Follow 24th Street to Pennsylvania Avenue and then turn left on K Street. Walk for about 15 minutes and you should be able to see the Washington Harbour on your left.

Getting there by bus: Shuttle buses to Georgetown are available from Foggy Bottom, Roslynn and Du Pont Circle.

Points of Interest

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Washington Harbour

Start your tour of Georgetown at the Washington Harbour, where you can watch boats go by on the Potomac River as you take in views of surrounding landmarks such as the Kennedy Center (to the left if you're looking at the water), Roosevelt Island (straight ahead) and the Key Bridge (to the right). Along the public boardwalk are a handful of restaurants that are extremely popular during the summer months, so be prepared to wait if you want to eat here at peak times. This is also a popular launch point for cruises along the Potomac River, so check about reservations and loop back here after you finish the tour of Georgetown. If the restaurants are packed or you simply don't see something you'd like to try, there will be plenty more stops along this tour where you can grab some grub.

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Chesapeake & Ohio Canal

Two blocks away from Washington Harbour is the towpath for the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, once the city's primary shipping route during the 19th century. At the time, Georgetown flourished as a tobacco port; a 185-mile canal with 74 locks led from the Potomac River to western Maryland. If you'd like to do more, from this point you can either take a walking tour or ride a reproduction canal boat pulled by mules that is led by park rangers in historical dress. Bikers, joggers and kayakers also frequent the park.
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1057 Thomas Jefferson St., NW
202-653-5190
http://www.nps.gov/choh/planyourvisit/georgetownvisitorcenter.htm
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Hours
Wednesday-Sunday 9am-4:30pm

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Old Stone House

Built in 1765, the Old Stone House is the oldest standing building in Washington, D.C. Constructed out of locally quarried blue granite and a surviving example of pre-Revolutionary American vernacular architecture, the house was used dually as a residence and shop until the U.S. government purchased it in 1953.

Today the modest building is about 85 percent original to its 18th century construction and is valued at more than $7 million. Inside, there are several rooms furnished as they would have been in the late 18th century that are open for viewing as well as a gift shop.

Stop and rest for awhile in the garden, which is open every day from dawn until dusk, before you make the long walk down M Street, Georgetown's main thoroughfare that is composed of several blocks of tempting stores and restaurants. Depending on how much shopping you have to do, walking this way could end up taking hours!
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3051 M St., NW
202-426-6851
http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/wash/dc17.htm
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Wednesday-Sunday Noon-5pm
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Admission: Free

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Riggs Bank Building

As you make your way through the high-end shopping and dining strip that is M Street, it would be hard not to notice this imposing gold-domed building. This is the former Riggs Bank Building, which is now a PNC Bank.

If you'd like to make a small detour and head up steep Wisconsin Avenue, there are several more shops and restaurants that way. You also can hit this section up at the end of the tour if you'd prefer to walk downhill. If you end up walking far up Wisconsin, stop by Dolcezza Artisanal Gelato for a locally sourced frozen treat. The ice cream shop is located at 1560 Wisconsin Ave., NW. Although it is a bit of a hike, every lick is worth it.

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MacNeil House and 'Exorcist' Stairs

Now that we've learned some of the history of Georgetown and gotten some shopping done, it's time for some pop culture fun. The flight of stairs that appears in William Friedkin's 1973 horror film "The Exorcist" is not far away. The stop is so popular that it actually appears as a landmark on some GPS units.

The MacNeil House (3600 Prospect St., NW), which was used for the exterior shots for the movie (with an extension added on so that the house appeared to have an attic) is also nearby. The house is not open for viewing, but the stairs are open to the public. Just watch out for joggers, as the set of 75 stairs prove to be a challenge for some athletes.

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Georgetown University

The main gate of Georgetown University, a prestigious institution that has been around since 1789, is the next stop on our tour. The "Healy Gates," named for a former school president, mark the entrance to the 104-acre campus with 54 buildings if you'd like to take a detour and explore.
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37th and O Streets, NW

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Cox's Row

Next, turn left onto N Street where you will find Cox's Row, a group of five Federal-style town houses between 33rd and 34th streets. Built by future Georgetown Mayor John Cox in 1817, the homes are unique because they are set back from the street, creating "door yards" and leaving little space for rear gardens.
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3327-39 N St., NW

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JFK's Former Home

The final stop on our tour is the home where John F. Kennedy and Jackie Onassis lived as senator and wife from 1958 to 1960. JFK bought the home as a gift to Jackie after she gave birth to their daughter, Caroline, in 1957. The family lived here when JFK started his campaign for president and stayed in the home until he was elected president and moved into the White House.

From here, you can continue east for a few blocks until you get to Wisconsin Avenue. Turn right on Wisconsin to get back to M Street.
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3307 N. St., NW

Pictures in this guide taken by: H-Tiemens, wdhorner, fodors-guides, Bernt Rostad, Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/brostad/4607547908/sizes/m/in/photostream/), Ivy Dawned, Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ivydawned/4012175157/sizes/m/in/photostream/), Dameetch, Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/dameetch/409266370/sizes/m/in/photostream/)

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