Seeing Washington the Segway Way
By
Emily Donahue
There’s no shortage of ways to tour the nation’s capital—and the latest in guided fun is on two wheels. Segway tours have been popping up in the area over the past few years and producing mini-herds of PTs (personal transporters) maneuvering through pedestrian crowds and gliding down District sidewalks.
The machines—which President Bush notoriously tumbled off of—are quite stable and relatively easy to use. They move forward and backward when you shift the weight of your feet, although if you try to move backward for too long, the Seg thinks you’re sliding down a hill and shuts off. Turns are made by moving the left handle; this is probably the trickiest part to get used to. Because the mechanism is sensitive and requires only a slight movement to change directions, a quick flick of the wrist can send a rider into a jarring 90-degree turn.
Segs in the City, one of the area Segway tour companies, starts its tours—or safaris, as it calls them—with a brief training/practice session, and then groups take off on the streets. Guides lead the pack but are watchful and attentive to riders. A one-hour mini safari, the shortest available, costs $45 and begins with a ride down Pennsylvania Avenue: first stop, the National Archives. Other stops include both sides of the Capitol, the Library of Congress, and the Supreme Court. Tour guides offer up facts about the sights, but if you’re looking for in-depth information about the city, this isn’t the best way to get it. Instead of learning about what’s housed in the Archives, you may find yourself spinning in place or puttering around a giant potted plant—Segways are like a new toy you can’t help playing with. And they don’t blend into city surroundings: On a Segway, you’ll be stared at, you’ll be wearing a helmet, and “cool” is not necessarily the first description that comes to mind when riding. The Segways are capped at nine miles per hour, in accordance with DC law, but if you ask your tour guide, you may be able to have your speed capabilities increased. Overall, Segways are a unique, often hilarious, way to experience the city, but they’re not an easy joy ride—you have to use your feet a lot, and it takes a lot of concentration in the beginning before you start to feel comfortable. After you’ve completed a guided safari, Segs in the City offers unguided rentals by the hour. Other tour companies in the area are City Segway Tours and Capital Segway. Each offers different options—evening tours, Embassy Row tours, and more. Tours are also available in parts of Maryland and Virginia.
Category Tags : Miscellaneous
Post a comment
Feel free to leave a comment or ask a question. Because of the prevalence of spam, we ask that you fill out the code in the image below to help us eliminate spam comments. By posting here, you affirm that you are 13 years of age or older. Washingtonian.com reserves the right to remove or edit content once posted.
Art
(169 Entries)
Artini
(6 Entries)
Artini Video
(3 Entries)
Belly Up
(23 Entries)
Books
(72 Entries)
More
Buzzed
(43 Entries)
Culture Agenda
(25 Entries)
Culture Vulture
(28 Entries)
Dance
(63 Entries)
Date Night
(22 Entries)
Drinks
(189 Entries)
Film
(255 Entries)
Get Your Tickets
(14 Entries)
Guides
(330 Entries)
Inauguration
(5 Entries)
Interviews
(84 Entries)
Miscellaneous
(490 Entries)
Music
(622 Entries)
Nightlife
(739 Entries)
Open Bar
(5 Entries)
Shopping
(130 Entries)
Ten Under $10
(55 Entries)
Theater
(300 Entries)
Theater Review
(64 Entries)
WashingTelevision
(21 Entries)
Where & When Picks
(650 Entries)
February 2012
(27 Entries)
January 2012
(68 Entries)
December 2011
(61 Entries)
November 2011
(62 Entries)
October 2011
(78 Entries)
More
September 2011
(72 Entries)
August 2011
(47 Entries)
July 2011
(53 Entries)
June 2011
(64 Entries)
May 2011
(55 Entries)
April 2011
(47 Entries)
March 2011
(77 Entries)
February 2011
(65 Entries)
January 2011
(66 Entries)
December 2010
(61 Entries)
November 2010
(71 Entries)
October 2010
(70 Entries)
September 2010
(70 Entries)
August 2010
(50 Entries)
July 2010
(52 Entries)
June 2010
(37 Entries)
May 2010
(25 Entries)
April 2010
(22 Entries)
March 2010
(21 Entries)
February 2010
(13 Entries)
January 2010
(19 Entries)
December 2009
(22 Entries)
November 2009
(26 Entries)
October 2009
(34 Entries)
September 2009
(26 Entries)
August 2009
(22 Entries)
July 2009
(26 Entries)
June 2009
(30 Entries)
May 2009
(22 Entries)
April 2009
(32 Entries)
March 2009
(44 Entries)
February 2009
(43 Entries)
January 2009
(43 Entries)
December 2008
(34 Entries)
November 2008
(37 Entries)
October 2008
(49 Entries)
September 2008
(47 Entries)
August 2008
(28 Entries)
July 2008
(46 Entries)
June 2008
(49 Entries)
May 2008
(28 Entries)
April 2008
(52 Entries)
March 2008
(31 Entries)
February 2008
(31 Entries)
January 2008
(21 Entries)
December 2007
(24 Entries)
November 2007
(25 Entries)
October 2007
(31 Entries)
September 2007
(33 Entries)
August 2007
(20 Entries)
July 2007
(24 Entries)
June 2007
(31 Entries)
May 2007
(50 Entries)
April 2007
(61 Entries)
March 2007
(81 Entries)
February 2007
(14 Entries)
Find A Restaurant
Search by Name
Home, Restaurant, etc...
Restaurant
Where & When / Event
Happy Hour
Spa
Home
Hotel
Select Neighborhood
All Neighborhoods
DC :
Adams Morgan
Brookland
Capitol Hill
Capitol Hill, National Mall
Capitol Hill, Northeast
Capitol Hill, Southeast
Capitol Hill, Southwest/Waterfront
Cleveland Park
Downtown
Dupont Circle
Foggy Bottom/West End
Georgetown
Georgia Ave./Petworth/Takoma DC
Glover Park
H Street NE
Logan Circle
Mt. Pleasant/Columbia Heights
Palisades
Penn Quarter/Chinatown
Petworth
Southeast
Tenleytown/Friendship Heights
Upper Northwest
U Street/Shaw
Woodley Park
MD :
Annapolis
Baltimore
Beltsville
Bethesda/Glen Echo
Bladensburg
Bowie
Brookeville
Bryan's Road
Burtonsville
Carroll County
Chevy Chase
Clinton
College Park
Columbia
Crownsville
Damascus
Easton
Ellicott City
Fort Washington
Frederick
Gaithersburg
Germantown
Glen Burnie
Grasonville
Greenbelt
Hagerstown
Hyattsville
Kensington/Garrett Park
Landover
Langley Park
La Plata
Largo
Laurel
Maple Lawn
Mitchellville
National Harbor
Northern Montgomery County
Olney
Potomac/Cabin John
Rockville
Seabrook
Silver Spring/Takoma Park
Southern PG County
Stevensville
Tenleytown/Friendship Heights
Waldorf
Wheaton
VA :
Alexandria
Alexandria, Del Ray
Alexandria, Old Town
Annandale
Arlington
Arlington, Ballston
Arlington, Clarendon/Courthouse
Arlington, Crystal City/Pentagon City
Arlington, Rosslyn
Arlington, Shirlington
Arlington, South
Ashburn
Baileys Crossroads
Barboursville
Bristow
Chantilly/Centreville/Clifton
Culpeper
Fairfax
Falls Church
Flint Hill
Fredericksburg
Front Royal
Great Falls
Leesburg
Leon
Little Washington
Lovettsville
Manassas
Mclean
McLean/Tysons Corner
Middleburg
Reston/Herndon
Round Hill
Shenandoah Valley
Springfield
Sterling
The Plains
Upperville
Vienna
Warrenton
Winchester-Frederick
Woodbridge
Select Price
All Price Ranges
Inexpensive
Moderate
Expensive
Very Expensive
Select Cuisine
All Cuisines
Afghan
American
Argentinian
Barbecue
Belgian
Breakfast
Burmese
Cajun/Creole
Cantonese
Caribbean
Chinese
Cuban
Deli/Quick Bites
Dim Sum
Diner
English/Irish/Scottish
Ethiopian
French
Fusion/Eclectic
German/Austrian
Greek/Mediterranean
Grocery Store/Market
Indian
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Lebanese
Malaysian/Indonesian
Mexican
Middle Eastern
Modern
Moroccan
Nuevo Latino
Pan-Asian
Peruvian
Pizza
Russian/E. European
Salvadoran
Sandwiches
Scandinavian
Seafood
Soul Food
South American
Southern
Spanish/Portuguese
Steaks
Sushi
Szechuan
Tapas/Small Plates
Tex-Mex
Thai
Turkish
Vegetarian/Vegan
Vietnamese
West African
Select Star Rating
All Star Ratings
1.0 Star
1.5 Stars
2.0 Stars
2.5 Stars
3.0 Stars
3.5 Stars
4.0 Stars
Sort By
Alphabetical
Location
Price
Top 100 Ranking
Only Show
Any
100 Best Restaurants (2010)
100 Best Restaurants (2011)
100 Best Restaurants 2012
Cheap Eats (2009)
Cheap Eats (2010)
Cheap Eats 2011
Dirt Cheap Eats (2008)
Dirt Cheap Eats (2009)
First Look
Great Bars 2011
Happy Hour
Only show Delivery
Only show Kid Friendly
Only show Late Night
Only show Party Space
Only show Weekend Brunch
Find A Happy Hour
Home, Restaurant, etc...
Restaurant
Where & When / Event
Happy Hour
Spa
Home
Hotel
Search by Name
Neighborhood
All Neighborhoods
DC
Adams Morgan
Brookland
Capitol Hill
Capitol Hill, National Mall
Capitol Hill, Northeast
Capitol Hill, Southeast
Capitol Hill, Southwest/Waterfront
Cleveland Park
Downtown
Dupont Circle
Foggy Bottom/West End
Georgetown
Georgia Ave./Petworth/Takoma DC
Glover Park
H Street NE
Logan Circle
Mt. Pleasant/Columbia Heights
Palisades
Penn Quarter/Chinatown
Petworth
Southeast
Tenleytown/Friendship Heights
Upper Northwest
U Street/Shaw
Woodley Park
MD
Annapolis
Baltimore
Beltsville
Bethesda/Glen Echo
Bladensburg
Bowie
Brookeville
Bryan's Road
Burtonsville
Carroll County
Chevy Chase
Clinton
College Park
Columbia
Crownsville
Damascus
Easton
Ellicott City
Fort Washington
Frederick
Gaithersburg
Germantown
Glen Burnie
Grasonville
Greenbelt
Hagerstown
Hyattsville
Kensington/Garrett Park
Landover
Langley Park
La Plata
Largo
Laurel
Maple Lawn
Mitchellville
National Harbor
Northern Montgomery County
Olney
Potomac/Cabin John
Rockville
Seabrook
Silver Spring/Takoma Park
Southern PG County
Stevensville
Tenleytown/Friendship Heights
Waldorf
Wheaton
VA
Alexandria
Alexandria, Del Ray
Alexandria, Old Town
Annandale
Arlington
Arlington, Ballston
Arlington, Clarendon/Courthouse
Arlington, Crystal City/Pentagon City
Arlington, Rosslyn
Arlington, Shirlington
Arlington, South
Ashburn
Baileys Crossroads
Barboursville
Bristow
Chantilly/Centreville/Clifton
Culpeper
Fairfax
Falls Church
Flint Hill
Fredericksburg
Front Royal
Great Falls
Leesburg
Leon
Little Washington
Lovettsville
Manassas
Mclean
McLean/Tysons Corner
Middleburg
Reston/Herndon
Round Hill
Shenandoah Valley
Springfield
Sterling
The Plains
Upperville
Vienna
Warrenton
Winchester-Frederick
Woodbridge
Scene
All Scenes
Billiards
Food Specials
Low-key
Outdoor Seating
Sportsbar
Upscale
Day of the Week
All Days
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Sort By
Alphabetical
Neighborhood
Editor's Picks
Find a Home
Home, Restaurant, etc...
Restaurant
Where & When / Event
Happy Hour
Spa
Home
Hotel
Location
Bedrooms
Select
1 Bedroom
2 Bedrooms
3 Bedrooms
4 Bedrooms
5 Bedrooms
6 Bedrooms
Bathrooms
Select
1 Bathroom
2 Bathrooms
3 Bathrooms
4 Bathrooms
5 Bathrooms
6 Bathrooms
Min. Price:
Select
100,000
125,000
150,000
175,000
200,000
225,000
250,000
275,000
300,000
325,000
350,000
375,000
400,000
425,000
450,000
475,000
500,000
550,000
600,000
650,000
700,000
750,000
800,000
850,000
900,000
950,000
1,000,000
1,250,000
1,500,000
1,750,000
2,000,000
2,250,000
2,500,000
2,750,000
3,000,000
3,250,000
3,500,000
3,750,000
4,000,000
4,250,000
4,500,000
4,750,000
5,000,000
6,000,000
7,000,000
8,000,000
9,000,000
10,000,000
Max. Price:
Select
100,000
125,000
150,000
175,000
200,000
225,000
250,000
275,000
300,000
325,000
350,000
375,000
400,000
425,000
450,000
475,000
500,000
550,000
600,000
650,000
700,000
750,000
800,000
850,000
900,000
950,000
1,000,000
1,250,000
1,500,000
1,750,000
2,000,000
2,250,000
2,500,000
2,750,000
3,000,000
3,250,000
3,500,000
3,750,000
4,000,000
4,250,000
4,500,000
4,750,000
5,000,000
6,000,000
7,000,000
8,000,000
9,000,000
10,000,000
Powered by
Woo at the Zoo, the opening of “Genesis Robot” at Synetic Theater, and the Washington DC International Wine & Food Festival.
more
Our recommendations for the best in live music over the next seven days.
more