Neighborhoods explored in Ward 2 include: Chinatown, Downtown, Dupont Circle, Foggy Bottom, Georgetown, Logan Circle, Mount Vernon Square, Mount Vernon Triangle, Penn Quarter, Shaw (Part of Shaw is also in Ward 1), and Sheridan Kalorama.

Saturday, October 1

9:30 am - 12 noon *FULL*
Spies of Georgetown Walking Tour
Meet at Wisconsin Ave. and R St., NW in front of Georgetown Public Library. End at Wisconsin Ave. and O St., NW.

Metro Start: Foggy Bottom-GWU, Georgetown-Union Station Circulator, exit Wisconsin Ave, NW and R St, NW
Metro End: Foggy Bottom-GWU, Georgetown-Union Station Circulator
Fitness: Moderate, 21 blocks
Reservations required: 9:30 am - 12 noon *FULL*
Subjects: Neighborhood History, Espionage

Georgetown is one of the most fashionable areas of Washington, and is associated with high-profile political figures, media moguls, and society leaders. However, there is another side of Georgetown: espionage and intrigue. This tour will highlight sites associated with spies and covert action, and will include personalities as diverse as Alger Hiss, “Wild Bill” Donovan, James Angleton, and the auburn-haired American beauty who "used her charm" during World War II.

Presented by Cultural Tourism DC member organization Spies of Washington® Tours and led by retired intelligence officer and Certified Master Tour Guide Carol Bessette.

10 am - 12 noon *FULL*
Embassy Row: Families and Fortunes
Meet outside Dupont Circle Metro station, South exit, located where Connecticut Ave. and 18th St., NW intersect the circle. End at the Phillips Collection, 1600 21st St., NW.

Metro Start: Dupont Circle, South exit
Metro End: Dupont Circle, Q Street exit
Fitness: Low, 3 miles
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Audio Enhancer
Reservations required: 10 am - 12 noon *FULL*
Subjects: Architecture, Historical Figure/Personality

The nouveau-riche crowd has made many an eyeball roll reflexively skyward. Call them robber barons or captains of industry, dub their heyday industrial or gilded, today we can revel in the Beaux-Arts grandeur of Washington’s Massachusetts Avenue, better known as Embassy Row. The tour will introduce you to the families who decided to showcase their fortunes in the nation’s capital: members of the first ranks of mining, railroads, banking, publishing, politicians, and speculators in the 1880s and 1890s. Spendthrift offspring, the Great Depression and other misfortune eventually drained the resources of many families. Only 50 years later, embassies, clubs, and other institutions were buying up their mansions for as little as 10 cents on the dollar. But in between, the high life and high architecture has made for some great stories. Alice Longworth Roosevelt delivered her famous line here - “If you don’t have anything nice to say, sit next to me” - and spirited chum Evalyn Walsh McLean lived a few doors up where she kept the Hope Diamond. The walk ends outside the magnificent Phillips Collection museum, former residence of steel heir and avid art collector Duncan Phillips.

Presented by Cultural Tourism DC member organization Washington Walks and led by Washington Walks tour guide Christine Zarr.

10 - 11:30 am
Historical Tour of St. Mary's Episcopal Church (founded 1867)
Meet outside Foggy Bottom-GWU Metro station entrance, 2301 I St., NW. End at St. Mary's Episcopal Church, 728 23rd St., NW.

Metro Start: Foggy Bottom-GWU
Metro End: Foggy Bottom-GWU
Fitness: Low
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Subjects: Ethnic Heritage, House of Worship/Religious

Tour the first Episcopal Church for African Americans in Washington, DC, which sits on land arranged for by President Lincoln's Secretary of War, Edwin M. Stanton. Architectural highlights of the current building designed by James Renwick, including magnificent stained glass windows from Lorin de Chartres, France and the Tiffany Co.

Presented by St. Mary's Episcopal Church and led by tour curator Dr. Richard English of Howard University and architect Marc Fetterman.

10 am - 12 noon
Rowdies, Madams, and Painted Women: An Adults-Only Tour of Hooker's Division
Meet and end outside Federal Triangle Metro, 302 12th St., NW.

Metro Start: Federal Triangle
Metro End: Federal Triangle
Fitness: Low, 4 blocks
Wheelchair accessible
Reservations required: 10 am - 12 noon
Subjects: Historical Figure/Personality, Neighborhood History

"Hooker's Division," between 10th and 14th Streets south of Pennsylvania Avenue, was Washington's premier red-light district from the Civil War to the eve of World War I. This tour will trace the social and economic development of the area and highlight some of the most interesting places and dangerous people in this historic neighborhood.

Presented and led by local historian Mark Herlong.

10:30 - 11:15 am
U.S. Botanic Garden Tour of the National Garden
Meet and end in the Lawn Terrace inside the National Garden, U.S. Botanic Garden, 100 Maryland Ave., SW.

Metro Start: Federal Center SW
Metro End: Federal Center SW
Fitness: Low, .5 mile
Wheelchair accessible
Reservations required: 10:30 - 11:15 am
Subjects: Environment, Parks and Gardens , Museum

Stroll through the National Garden to see trees and shrubs of the Mid-Atlantic region. Enjoy stories surrounding them and learn which would grow well locally in your garden. Note: this is an outdoor tour with minimal shade. Dress accordingly. This tour will be cancelled in case of rain.

Presented by Cultural Tourism DC member organization U.S. Botanic Garden and led by U.S. Botanic Garden docent.

10:30 - 11:30 am
Georgetown Heights: Herring Hill, Cemeteries, Mansions, and Estates
Meet and end at Dumbarton House, corner of 27th and Q Sts., NW.

Metro Start: Dupont Circle, north exit
Metro End: Dupont Circle
Fitness: Low, 1 mile
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Reservations required: 10:30 - 11:30 am
Subjects: Architecture, Cemetery, Neighborhood History

Experience the immediate neighborhood surrounding Dumbarton House, including huge mansions and small servant homes in Herring Hill. Compare the large European-American to the small African-African cemeteries, the latter serving as part of the Underground Railroad. Hear tales of famous individuals that lived in the area as early as 1703. Outside tour only, no interiors.

Presented by Cultural Tourism DC member organization Dumbarton House and led by professional DC licensed tour guide Dwane Starlin.

10:30 am - 12 noon
Walter E. Washington Convention Center Art Collection Highlights
Meet and end inside Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Mount Vernon St. entrance between Seventh and Ninth Sts., NW.

Metro Start: Mt Vernon Sq 7th St-Convention Center
Metro End: Mt Vernon Sq 7th St-Convention Center
Fitness: Moderate, 2 city blocks wide and 2 city blocks deep
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Reservations required: 10:30 am - 12 noon
Subjects: Public Art

A world renowned art collection right at your door - literally! The Walter E. Washington Convention Center art collection is the best kept secret in the nation’s capital. In addition to being a state-of-the-art convention center, the building is home to the largest public art collection in Washington outside of museums, with 137 works by 93 artists. The sculptures, paintings, photography, mixed media, and works on paper are always on exhibition. It is the only venue where you can see a work by artist Sol LeWitt that spans two levels, Wall Drawing #1103. The artist used the inside and outside of the Convention Center's spiral staircase as a canvas, creating a one-of-kind masterpiece. The LeWitt can be viewed just steps away from another extraordinary site-specific installation, Untitled, by award winning artist Sarah Sze. Note: this tour requires going up and down either an escalator or elevator to cover two floors of art. There is a distance to walk between each piece of art.

Presented by Cultural Tourism DC partner Events DC (formerly Walter E. Washington Convention and Sports Authority) and led by Curator Joan Oshinsky.

11 am - 12:30 pm* *Updated Time Since Brochure Printing
Sacred Art and Architecture in Historic Downtown’s Places of Worship
Meet at Goethe-Institut, corner of Seventh and I Sts., NW. End at Judiciary Square Metro station, 450 F St., NW.

Metro Start: Gallery Pl-Chinatown
Metro End: Judiciary Square
Fitness: Low, 1 mile
Subjects: Architecture, Ethnic Heritage, House of Worship/Religious

Washington's Old Downtown was home for many immigrants: people of various ethnicities, races and faiths. Fortunately, many houses of worship still exist that perpetuate those individuals’ traditions. This tour will present the history and aspects of the art and architecture of the Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, the Chinese Community Church, St. Mary's Catholic Church, the original Adas Israel, and Holy Rosary Catholic Church, and, time permitting, First Trinity Lutheran Church. A tour of the beautiful interior of St. Mary’s is also planned.

Presented by Cultural Tourism DC member organization Goethe-Institut Washington and led by local historian and tour guide Alice Stewart.

12 noon - 3 pm
Temperance Tour
Meet at Temperance Fountain, east side of Seventh St. and Pennsylvania Ave., NW near the Starbucks. End at Woodrow Wilson House, 2340 S St., NW.

Metro Start: Archives-Navy Memorial-Penn Quarter
Metro End: Dupont Circle
Fitness: Moderate, 1.5 miles
Stroller accessible
Reservations required: 12 noon - 3 pm
Subjects: Architecture, Historical Figure/Personality, House of Worship/Religious, Museum, Neighborhood History

The Temperance Tour visits Prohibition-related sites in Washington, DC. Starting at the Cogswell Temperance Fountain, funded by a California dentist who protested alcohol in the nation's capital; it continues to Calvary Baptist Church in Chinatown, where the Anti-Saloon League had its first national convention in 1895. The tour concludes at President Woodrow Wilson’s house in Dupont Circle, president at the start of Prohibition. Those with time (and thirst) afterward may toast the end of Prohibition at a nearby establishment. Note: Participants should bring a Metro card.

Presented and led by long-time resident and author of Prohibition in Washington, DC: How Dry We Weren't Garrett Peck.

12 noon - 3:00 pm
Spanish Stroll (Bilingual)
Meet outside the Organization of American States building, located on 17th St., NW between Constitution Ave. and C St., NW. End at Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F St., NW.

Metro Start: Farragut West, 18th Street exit
Metro End: Foggy Bottom-GWU
Fitness: Moderate, 9 blocks
Reservations required: 12 noon - 3:00 pm
Subjects: Ethnic Heritage, Historical Figure/Personality

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, take a bilingual (Spanish and English) stroll through memorials and sculptures that commemorate Hispanic history and influence in the New World. This tour includes the gardens of the Organization of the American States, love sonnets by Pablo Neruda, and Virginia Avenue statuaries. The tour concludes at the Kennedy Center statue of Don Quixote, the most prominent mythical figure in Spanish literature, better known to theater-goers as the title character in The Man of La Mancha.

Presented by Cultural Tourism DC member organization WashingTours & Events and led by tour guides Natasha Dombrovskaya, Marcelo Villa, and Deirdre Magner.

1 - 3 pm
16th Street: Avenue of the Presidents
Meet in front of the Australian Embassy, 1601 Massachusetts Ave. End at Columbia Heights Metro, 14th and Irving Sts., NW.

Metro Start: Dupont Circle or McPherson Square
Metro End: Columbia Heights
Fitness: Moderate, 2 miles
Stroller accessible
Reservations required: 1 - 3 pm
Subjects: Architecture, Development, Environment, Parks and Gardens ,
Historical Figure/Personality, House of Worship/Religious, Neighborhood History, Public Art

Stroll through 200 years of history along the stately boulevard that gives the White House its address. 16th Street is home to the Scottish Rite Temple, scores of Gilded Age mansions and embassies, peculiar outdoor statuary, a plethora of churches, and the cascading fountains of Meridian Hill Park. Hear stories of the colorful characters that have resided here.

Presented and led by professional tour guide and DC native Nathan Harrington.

Sunday, October 2

8:30 - 11 am
Fitness Walk of DC's Circles and Squares
Meet at Thomas Circle Park where 14th and M Sts., Vermont and Massachusetts Aves., NW. meet. End at Logan Circle, 13th and P Sts. and Rhode Island and Vermont Aves., NW.

Metro Start: Mt Vernon Sq/7th St-Convention Center or McPherson Square
Metro End: Dupont Circle
Fitness: Moderate, 4.5 miles
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Reservations required: 8:30 - 11 am
Please Note: Dog-friendly tour
Subjects: Architecture, Civil War, Environment, Parks and Gardens , Historical Figure/Personality, Neighborhood History

This tour will explore the history of DC's unusual parks while participants engage in a fitness walk to each location. Learn the meaning behind DC’s equestrian statues, explore the location of duels, see the residence of Alexander Graham Bell, admire the statue designed by a 13-year old, and discover the location of Pacific Circle. This is an outside tour only. No interiors. Dog friendly. Note: dogs must be vaccinated and remain on leash.

Presented and led by resident and Get Fit group fitness instructor George Kassouf.

10 am - 12 noon *FULL*
Georgetown
Meet in the park at 28th St. and Pennsylvania Ave., NW, next to the gas station. End near M and 34th Sts., NW.

Metro Start: Foggy Bottom or Georgetown-Union Station Circulator Bus
Metro End: Foggy Bottom or Georgetown-Union Station Circulator Bus
Fitness: Moderate, 1.3 miles
Reservations required: 10 am - 12 noon *FULL*
Subjects: Neighborhood History

To put it simply, a walk through Washington’s tony Georgetown neighborhood is a venture through time -- of 200-year-old mansions and their eccentric owners, of fortunes in trade won and lost, of marvelous architecture from Federal to Victorian, of the once-bustling freedman community Herring Hill, of political intrigue, of green preservation and urban renewal. And, of course, no one can mention Georgetown without the Kennedys. In the 1950s John F. Kennedy and his wife Jacqueline almost single-handedly turned the neighborhood into the city’s politically fashionable place to live. We’ll point out the houses of the movers and shakers, as well as the remarkable historic properties here that are open to the public (and, yes, The Exorcist steps!). This two-hour, two-mile tour winds up in Georgetown’s shopping and restaurant district just in time for lunch. Or if you’re on a roll, we can point you to the C&O Canal, a historic and bucolic waterway.

Presented by Cultural Tourism DC member organization Washington Walks and led by Washington Walks tour guide Amy Kunz.

10 am - 12:30 pm 
Shaw: Where DC Comes Together, Part 1 *Updated Ward Since Brochure Printing
Meet at The Historical Society of Washington, DC, 801 K St., NW. End at Azi's Cafe, 1336 Ninth St., NW.

Metro Start: Mt Vernon Sq 7th St-Convention Center
Metro End: Mt Vernon Sq 7th St-Convention Center; Gallery Pl-Chinatown
Fitness: Low, 18 blocks
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Audio Enhancer
Neighborhood Heritage Trail
Subjects: Architecture, Neighborhood History, Development

Shaw has always been the crossroads of Washington, DC. Today, the Washington Convention Center dominates Shaw’s southern half, which once consisted of woods and a few farms. Notable historic figures who have lived and worked in lower central Shaw include explorer John Wesley Powell, African American U.S. Senator Blanche K. Bruce, and historian Carter G. Woodson. This tour includes visits to view selected building interiors.

Presented by Shaw Main Streets and led by Shaw Main Streets Executive Director Alexander M. Padro.

10:30 am - 12 noon
Walter E. Washington Convention Center Art Collection Highlights
Meet and end inside Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Mount Vernon St. entrance between Seventh and Ninth Sts., NW.

Metro Start: Mt Vernon Sq 7th St-Convention Center
Metro End: Mt Vernon Sq 7th St-Convention Center
Fitness: Moderate, 2 city blocks wide and 2 city blocks deep
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Reservations required: 10:30 am - 12 noon
Subjects: Public Art

A world renowned art collection right at your door - literally! The Walter E. Washington Convention Center art collection is the best kept secret in the nation’s capital. In addition to being a state-of-the-art convention center, the building is home to the largest public art collection in Washington outside of museums, with 137 works by 93 artists. The sculptures, paintings, photography, mixed media, and works on paper are always on exhibition. It is the only venue where you can see a work by artist Sol LeWitt that spans two levels, Wall Drawing #1103. The artist used the inside and outside of the Convention Center's spiral staircase as a canvas, creating a one-of-kind masterpiece. The LeWitt can be viewed just steps away from another extraordinary site-specific installation, Untitled, by award winning artist Sarah Sze. Note: Tour requires going up and down either an escalator or elevator to cover two floors of art. There is a distance to walk between each piece of art.

Presented by Cultural Tourism DC partner Events DC (formerly Walter E. Washington Convention and Sports Authority) and led by Curator Joan Oshinsky.

12:30 - 2 pm
Modern Public Landscaping: The George Washington University
Meet and end outside Foggy Bottom-GWU Metro, 2301 I St., NW.

Metro Start: Foggy Bottom-GWU
Metro End: Foggy Bottom-GWU
Fitness: Low, 1.5 miles
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Subjects: Architecture, Environment, Parks and Gardens , Neighborhood History

In the last decade the George Washington University has been unifying its urban campus with a collection of wonderful pocket-parks, which now fill almost every large and small space between its buildings. These parks have had a positive impact on the school’s sense of community. This tour will stroll through all of these little gems as well as some nearby recent parks. This walk is a companion tour to Modern Public Landscaping: SW DC.

Presented and led by DC tour guide and preservationist Hayden Wetzel.

1 - 3:30 pm 
Shaw: Where DC Comes Together, Part 2 *Updated Ward Since Brochure Printing
Meet at the Northwest corner of Seventh and R Sts., NW. End at Nellie's Sports Bar, 900 U St., NW.

Metro Start: Shaw-Howard U
Metro End: U Street/African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo
Fitness: Low, 18 blocks
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Audio Enhancer
Neighborhood Heritage Trail
Subjects: Architecture, Neighborhood History, Development

Entertainment has long been the focus of central Shaw’s northern half – from the Howard Theater, where every star in the black entertainment performed, to the pool hall where Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington decided to become a musician, to the two sites that hosted baseball teams. Highlights include a renovated movie theater building and the city’s first African American YWCA.

Presented by Shaw Main Streets and led by Shaw Main Streets Executive Director Alexander M. Padro.

1:30 - 3:30 pm  *FULL*
Oak Hill Cemetery
Meet and end at Oak Hill Cemetery gate, 30th and R Sts., NW.

Metro Start: Dupont Circle; G2 bus, exit 30th and P Sts., NW
Fitness: High, 1.5 miles
Reservations required: 1:30 - 3:30 pm *FULL*
Subjects: Cemetery, Civil War, Historical Figure/Personality

Oak Hill Cemetery at the eastern edge of Georgetown overlooking Rock Creek is a shining example of the Rural Cemetery movement of the mid-19th century. On this walking tour through one of Washington’s most scenic and historic cemeteries, particiapants will visit the graves of dozens of locally and nationally prominent leaders, including media figures, Cabinet Secretaries, Civil War notables, and the first Secretary of the Smithsonian, Joseph Henry. Expect steep and rugged but short sections along the roads and pathways. Wear sturdy shoes. Note: tour will be cancelled in case of rain due to terrain.

Presented and led by native Washingtonian and lifelong Civil War buff Craig Howell.

2 - 4 pm
Spanish Stroll
Meet outside the Organization of American States building, located on 17th St., NW between Constitution Ave. and C St., NW. End at Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F St., NW.

Metro Start: Farragut West, 18th Street exit
Metro End: Foggy Bottom-GWU
Fitness: Moderate, 9 blocks
Reservations required: 2 - 4 pm
Subjects: Ethnic Heritage, Historical Figure/Personality

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month take a nine-block stroll through memorials and sculptures that commemorate Hispanic history and influence in the New World. This tour tells the story of Spain in the Americas through a stroll up Washington’s monumental “Avenue of the Americas” (Virginia Avenue) from the Organization of the American States to the Pan-American Health Organization and concluding outside the Kennedy Center. Figures visited range from the famous, Simon Bolivar, liberator of Latin America; to the forgotten Bernardo de Galvez, the Spanish Lafayette; to the fanciful, Don Quixote. The tour features the Poets Garden at the Organization of the American States and the Art Museum of the Americas.

Presented by Cultural Tourism DC member organization WashingTours & Events and led by tour manager Sherry Jones-Quashie and tour guide K. W. James Rochow.