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ich in history and culture, Georgetown is a charming and vibrant neighborhood, located in the Northwest quadrant of Washington, D.C. along the Potomac waterfront. Once a placid 18th century port, it is now a hip, action-packed town where you’re sure to find trendy restaurants, designer shops, ultra-cool bars, picturesque gardens, historic homes-turned museums, and a healthy dose of political intrigue.

Photo: Jason Hawkes

Georgetown was founded in 1751, and retained its separate municipality until 1871, when its 10-mile square boundaries were eventually assimilated into the city of Washington, D.C. Georgetown grew into a thriving port, facilitating the trade of tobacco and other goods from colonial Maryland along the Potomac River and C&O canal. As Georgetown was founded during the reign of King George II of Great Britain, some speculate that the town was named after him. Another theory is that the town was named after its founders, George Gordon and George Beall.

Georgetown is home to many historic landmarks including Dumbarton House, Tudor Place, and Old Stone House, the oldest original structure in Washington, D.C. On the west end of the neighborhood is the main campus of Georgetown University, founded as a Jesuit private university in 1789. The campus encompasses over 100 acres, accommodating student residences, athletic facilities and the medical school.

Surrounded by parkland and green spaces that serve as buffers from development in adjacent neighborhoods, Georgetown is situated on bluffs that overlook the Potomac. As a result, there are some rather steep grades running north to south, and for that reason, there is no metro station in Georgetown! The primary commercial corridors of Georgetown include M Street and Wisconsin Avenue, offering high fashion stores, outdoor bars, and restaurants with ringside views of local boat and crew races.