Historic Georgetown

Besides shopping and dining, Georgetown is rich in history. First, all the homes in Georgetown are locked in time — they cannot have the exteriors altered and must be maintained in their original appearance. You’ll notice that the homes don’t even have storm windows — historic preservation takes precedence over energy savings.

JFK’s Home. One of the neighborhood’s most prominent residents was Senator John F. Kennedy back in the 1950s. He and Jackie lived at 3307 N Street. Other residents include Madeleine Albright, John Kerry and George Stephanopoulos. Oh yes, and Francis Scott Key called Georgetown home in the 1700s.

You might want to visit the campus of Georgetown University, Dumbarton Oaks (where the U.N. got its start), Tudor Place, or the Kreeger Museum of art. You’ll find about 4,000 buildings in the Georgetown historic district. If you’re interested in the history of the Underground Railroad, you’ll want to visit Mt. Zion United Methodist Church which was a stop on that route.

Getting To and From Georgetown. Transportation options between Georgetown and Union Station include the DC Circulator bus. You’ll find Union Station just a couple of blocks from the Capitol and the National Mall. Besides being a famous railroad station, Union Station also offers shopping and dining. The Green Route on the Old Town Trolley Tour will get you to Georgetown as well. (You can tour the Washington area, getting on and off as much as you’d like for $32/day — or buy online in advance for a discount.)

NEXT: Options for getting around The National Mall and Memorials

Photo of DuPont Circle (near Georgetown) courtesy of William Geiger/Cultural Tourism DC .

Photo of Washington National Cathedral courtesy of cathedral.org

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