U Street

Experience the renaissance of  Duke Ellington's neighborhood, the historic heart of the city's African-American community, where name entertainers, black-owned businesses, and grand movie theaters made U Street the place to be.

Today, with a new subway stop, a resurgence of nightclubs, and the renovation of many of its historic buildings underway, the neighborhood is seeing a renaissance. There are many ways to experience the U St./Shaw Neighborhood. The best way to get an insider's view during the tourist season is to check Tours & Trails for information about walking tours. Year round you can walk the new City Within a City: Greater U Street Heritage Trail. Also, explore our expanded African American Heritage Trail that extends the fascinating history of this neighborhood to the rest of the city.

The U Street Corridor is known now for its boutique shopping, fabulous little clubs and great historical landmarks such as Ben's Chili Bowl. 

Columbia Heights

This neighborhood is rich in history and extremely diverse.  After the Columbia Heights Metro Station opened in 1999, Washington, DC began to build up the entire area to provide DC residents with some of the conveniences of the outer suburbs.  Columbia Heights is now home to Target, Best Buy and underground parking for many more shops and restaurants.  This up and coming neighborhood boasts Tivoli Square, a shopping and dining destination that rents space to local merchants and restaurant owners and the Tivoli Theatre.