• Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site - Blanche K. Bruce was the first African American to complete a full term as a Senator, achieving this milestone during the Reconstruction era following the Civil War. The tour begins at the site of his residence during his senatorial service.
• Blagden Alley Northwest - Blagden Alley is one of Washington, DC’s best-preserved historic alleyways. Once the focus of a study on DC alleyways, it now hosts art galleries, hidden restaurants, and coffee shops.
• La Colombe Coffee Roasters - The tour includes a stop at this well-loved coffee establishment.
• D.C. Alley Museum - Starting in 2015, artists with ties to the Shaw neighborhood and Blagden Alley were commissioned to create a remarkable collection of new artworks painted directly on the garage doors of several buildings in Blagden Alley.
• Naylor Court Northwest - Naylor Court, once home to alleyway stables and later vintage garages, is part of the Blagden Alley - Naylor Court Historic District.

• Up to 2 hours of a unique walking tour experience
• Knowledgeable guide

• Tea and coffee

2025 Schedule - Tours are available on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month at 2pm.

Discover one of Washington DC’s most distinctive features, located less than a mile from the National Mall in the historic Shaw neighborhood, close to the Convention Center.

The Alleyways of DC were originally designed as a city planning element, but they also offered a concealed refuge where escaped enslaved individuals and the impoverished could find affordable housing and live their lives away from public scrutiny. Although city officials criticized life in the alleyways as hazardous, unsanitary, and unhealthy, they were actually places where communities supported one another and provided safety.

The tour lasts 1.5 hours and includes a midway stop at La Colombe Coffee.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.