Free cancellationFull refund up to 24 hours before
Instant confirmationYour booking is confirmed right away
TicketMobile or paper ticket accepted
LanguagesEnglish
Group sizeUp to 20 travelers
Overview
Fall 2026 Schedule: Tour is held the 2nd and 4th Sundays at 2pm.
Check out one of DC's most unique features! Less than a mile away from the National Mall lies a hidden historic district showcasing one of DC's mot interesting features.
The historic alleyways of DC served a distinct purpose as a city planning feature, but they also provided a hidden safe space where escaped enslaved people and the poor could find inexpensive housing and live their lives away from prying eyes. While city officials condemned life in the alleyways as dangerous, dirty and diseased, they were in fact a place where communities sustained each other and provided security.
Tour is 1.5 hours with a halfway stop at La Colombe Coffee.
What's included
Up to 2 hours of a unique walking tour experience by a knowledgeable guide.
Coffee and/or Tea
What to expect
30m
Blagden Alley is one of DC's most well-preserved historic alleyways. Once the subject of a study of DC alleyways, it is now the site of art galleries, hidden-away restaurants and coffee shops.
15m · Admission ticket not included
The tour makes a pit stop at this popular coffee spot.
5m
Beginning in 2015, a series of works were commissioned by artists with a history in the Shaw neighborhood and in Blagden Alley — They created a stunning display of new works painted directly on the garage doors of several buildings in Bladgen Alley.
30m
Naylor Court is a former site of alleyway stables, and later old fashioned garages. It is a part of the Blagden Alley - Naylor Court Historic District.
Meeting and pickup
Meeting point
The northwest corner of M Street and 9th Street NW
End point
Additional information
Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
