Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
WALK INTO THE PAST
Walking tours of historic centers are an excellent way to get the buzz about a neigh-
borhood's past. Here are some popular ones:
Joyce Gold History Tours of New
York.
Walk the streets of New York with fascinating historian Joyce Gold, who
offers such diverse tours as “Gangs of New York and the Bloody Five Points,”
“Harlem—Keystone of African America,” “Fifth Avenue Gold Coast,” and “Cen-
tral Park: The Big Back Yard of the City.” Tours last 2.5 hours and cost $15 per
person. Rain or shine.
Joyce Gold History Tours of New York, 141 West 17th Street,
New York, New York 10011, 212-242-5762, www.nyctours.com.
Original Charleston Walks.
Explore the Old and Historic District, getting the low-
down on King Charles, the Merry Monarch; pirate attacks; and the invasion of
the Union army during the Civil War. Tours include “Ghosts and Legends” (led
in the evening, of course), “Slavery and Freedom,” and “Pirates and Buccaneers.”
Tickets between $18.50 and $29.50.
Original Charleston Walks, 866-550-8939,
www.charlestonwalks.com.
San Francisco History Guides.
Free history and architectural walking tours led by
volunteers, including “1906 Earthquake & Fire,” “Art Deco Marina,” “Coit Tower
Murals,” which takes in some of the city's famous (and sometimes controversial)
Depression-era murals; “Gold Rush City,” which explores the haunts of the origin-
al 49ers; and “Landmark Victorians of Alamo Square,” showcasing the beautifully
restored Painted Ladies on the world-famous Postcard Row. Walks last between 1.5
to 2 hours.
San Francisco History Guides, 415-557-4266 www.sfcityguides.org.
Washington Walks.
A plethora of walking tours includes a hike through Arlington
National Cemetery, the “White House 'Un-Tour,'” a one-hour walk
around
the na-
tion's most famous residence; a nighttime exploration of the National Mall's monu-
ments; and the “Blossom Secret Stroll,” which delves into the history and lore be-
hind the Tidal Basin's fabled Japanese cherry trees. The Washington Walks sea-
son runs April 1 through October 31. Most walks last an hour, begin near a Metro
station, and cost (most walks) $10 per person.
Washington Walks, 202-484-1565,
www.washingtonwalks.com.
“Some people take every tour a particular guide offers,” says Georgia O'Connor, one of
the new owners who bought HistoryAmerica Tours from Pete and Julia Brown. “Yesterday
while writing a confirmation, I checked the computer on this guy and figured I'd made a mis-
take. It said he'd signed up for four tours last year. But sure enough, I checked the roster and
he'd taken every one.”
