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Experience the Whiskey Rebellion Trail in Washington, DC
The Mid-Atlantic region serves as the birthplace of American whiskey and its story is as complex as the distilled rye the area has produced. Whether you want to delve into George Washington’s role in the Whiskey Rebellion or mix it up with the District’s crop of craft distillers, the Whiskey Rebellion Trail in DC blazes the way. Whiskey Rebellion Trail Passports in DC One day, one neighborhood passport When it comes to spirit-making, the Ivy City neighborhood is DC’s distilling hub. Check out DC’s Ivy City One-Day Passport for a quartet of tastings, tours and cocktails, which you can comfortably pack into a day. For $39, you’ll get a tasting flight from Cotton and Reed, a cocktail from New Columbia Distillers, a tour and tasting at One Eight Distilling and a free cocktail from Republic Restoratives. The weekender or three-day passport The Taste of DC Three-Day Passport gives you a taste of history in addition to locally made spirits. Get access to George Washington’s Mount Vernon, where you learn about Washington’s rise from president to one of the largest rye whiskey producers in the late 1790s. In addition, you can explore free-to-visit sites such as Peirce Mill, a former distillery and site maintained by the National Park Service, and the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, where you can see the same sword and scabbard George Washington wore in 1794 when he led 13,000 troops to Western Pennsylvania to quell the rebellion. When it comes time to sampling, you’ll get access to everything in Ivy City from above, as well as a flight from Don Ciccio & Figli. The local-friendly, three-month-long passport If you live in the DC area or are visiting for an extended period of time, the All Inclusive DC & Beyond: 90-Day Passport is your ticket to soaking up distilled spirits and history in DC and nearby Baltimore. For $99, you can tip your glass to the end of the Whiskey Rebellion and the beginning of a new adventure with access to Ivy City’s five distilleries, and five noteworthy distilleries in Baltimore. The pass also comes with free access to George Washington’s Mount Vernon. Discover more about the Mid-Atlantic region’s Whiskey Rebellion Trail, from Pittsburgh and Philadelphia to Washington, DC and Baltimore.
Experiencing Your First Presidential Motorcade in Washington, DC
Hey, what’s that blocking the street? In Washington, DC, if you spot a bunch of police shutting down a major road, keeping pedestrians from crossing the street and helicopters circling overhead, chances are you’re about to encounter an official government motorcade, not spot Beyoncé. High-ranking cabinet members, the vice president, visiting heads of state and the president all merit these wheeled, high-security convoys organized and manned by the U.S. Secret Service. They range in size from a couple of SUVs to up to 45 vehicles for the president. Where can I spot a motorcade? You might see a motorcade anywhere around town, but the most likely zone to watch the president roll by is near Pennsylvania Avenue in Penn Quarter and downtown near the White House, where the motorcade commonly travels along – and stops traffic on – 16th Street NW or Connecticut Avenue NW. How can you tell if it's the President of the United States in the motorcade? POTUS travels in a specially fitted state car – currently a Cadillac limo-SUV hybrid nicknamed “The Beast.” The distinctive blocky shaped car has defensive, security and medical capabilities that are, well, secret. You’ll know it’s POTUS if the car is bearing twin American flags on either side of the hood. Why all those other cars and SUVs? Depending on the level of security the U.S. Secret Service deems is necessary (and again, they keep that mum), a presidential motorcade might have a couple of police cars, a high-tech ambulance, SUVs with anti-aircraft guns, cars for members of the press and more. It’s quite a spectacle, and a little intense (yes, those Secret Service agents have real weapons, and they’re trained to respond to threats in a split second). You can snap photos and wave at the president, but don’t run into the street or make sudden or threatening gestures: a motorcade might seem all pomp and circumstance, but security is its main function. Even if you don’t catch POTUS and his or her ride, explore the presidency in DC by checking out these presidential things to do and stately dining experiences, visiting the White House or the Woodrow Wilson House, where the 28th president lived (and died) after his time at the White House.
Exploring Washington, DC's Alleys & Offshoots
Blagden Alley & Naylor Court Shaw Neighborhood Shaw's neighboring alleyways were designated a historic district by the National Park Service. The photogenic and hip Blagden Alley is home to the outdoor DC Alley Museum – a series of colorful murals painted on garage doors and building walls that includes Lisa Marie Thalhammer's LOVE mural, a massive musical tribute to Sun Ra and Erykah Badu and mosaic images that pay homage to the working-class immigrants and Black families that once called the street home. There's even more to Blagden Alley than meets the eye – the redeveloped carriage homes hide some of the most revered culinary destinations in the city, the outlines of which are visible within revamped entryways, restaurant walls or decorative murals. La Colombe's first coffee-roasting outpost in the District maintained many of its original architectural features, making it a must-visit in this famous alley's lineup of hidden gems. Through contemporary farmhouse doors you'll find The Dabney's wood-fired Mid-Atlantic cuisine. Identify the black-and-white parakeet mural on the side of Causa/Amazonia, which touts award-winning Peruvian food and a low-key rooftop bar. Next door, the bar at Hong Kong-inspired Tiger Fork can be viewed through an octagonal window inserted into a former garage door. For a secret and sultry basement cocktail, you'll have to pass a loading dock and cross through a kitchen to Never Looked Better. For a secluded garden vibe with an antique greenhouse, pop in Calico. Architects’ studios and private homes are prevalent along Bladgen Alley’s tinier, U-shaped neighbor Naylor Court. Keep an eye out for a vestige of former inhabitant E.J. Adams & Co. Stables, and don't forget to stop by Sundevich, which transports customers to a different city of the world with each menu item. Cady's Alley & Blues Alley Georgetown Neighborhood If Blagden Alley and Naylor Court cater to food gurus and art lovers, Cady's Alley is for design aficionados and people-watching. This brick- and stone-lined pathway is the heart of Georgetown's Design District, where 20 showrooms and boutiques inhabit the skeletons of industrial properties. Antiques, jewelry, luxury clothing and DC-brand SCOUT bags are among the treasures you'll find. Cady's Alley also contains plenty of options to cap your shopping excursion. Step into the modern Kyojin for a high-end, sushi-sampling experience. Or, keep it quaint with the old-school Kafe Leopold, where you can spend a European afternoon sipping a specialty Austrian coffee on the courtyard. Visitors can access the walkway from 3300 M Street NW or from M and 33rd or 34th streets. The next alley over sees less foot traffic – and fewer designer shoes – but has hosted many of the greats at its namesake destination: Blues Alley Jazz Club. The other occupant of this small street is Hinckley Pottery, a locally owned and run ceramics studio and shop that lives in a 125-year-old horse stable. Bonus: just before you hit the busy intersection of Wisconsin and M, turn into the narrow alleyway beside the Abercrombie and Fitch for a Belgian beer at The Sovereign. Library Court NE+ Capitol Hill Neighborhood Take a walk through the Capitol Hill neighborhood to discover some of DC's historic alleyways, planned by Pierre L'Enfant to provide access points for working class citizens to discreetly enter the homes of their elite employers. In the shadow of the Library of Congress between 3rd and 4th Streets NE is one of the most notable – and narrow – residential streets in the area. Three courts (Library, Millers and Frederick Douglas) give way to each other, barely wide enough to fit a car and, in some spots, with just enough greenery to suggest a path less traveled. The residential homes along these passageways provide a window into life between the District's busy streets; keep wandering the quaint streets and you'll likely land on a street with landmark status. Morse Street Alley NoMa Neighborhood / Union Market Between 4th and 5th Streets NE at the center of the former wholesale hub, you'll find an easy-to-miss gem within the 200-year-old Union Market District. On first glance, there appears to be only back entrances, garage doors and overgrown walls covered in colorful graffiti. Upon closer inspection, you'll find a curly white arrow painted onto the brick that indicates the door to Bread Alley – the bakery responsible for the famous bread served at Le Diplomate. Pearl Street The Wharf Neighborhood While most of The Wharf's small streets are closed off to traffic, Pearl Street best captures the hidden gem-feel of some of DC's hippest alleyways. In the evenings, outdoor tables spill out onto the street under crisscrossing string lights and music can often be heard coming from the two venues that call the street home: Pearl Street Warehouse and Union Stage. People-watch with a Cuban sandwich or cocktail in hand at Colada Shop, which has folding tables and a covered patio. Continue your tour of DC's colorful street art and throw in some other photogenic spots while you're at it.