Georgetown Heritage will resume its public boat rides along the C&O Canal on May 5.
That’s two years earlier than previously reported last fall, when it was still unclear whether a tentative multi-year restoration project along the canal would have to cancel this entire season. While that project, spearheaded by the National Park Service, is still anticipated to begin sometime this year—and will likely cut this boat season short—Georgetown Heritage is ready to have people aboard its green-and-white canal boat while it can. (This season will likely be your last chance to ride the boat until after construction wraps up a couple years from now.)
This will mark the second year that the 19th-century canal has a boat back on its waters since rides ceased in 2011 due to the previous vessel’s poor condition. Another recent multi-year renovation project and the purchase of a 80-foot-long, $1.5-million packet boat (funded by a grant from the city) made rides possible again last summer.
Last year’s tours proved more popular than expected, with more than 20,000 tickets purchased, according to the nonprofit Georgetown Heritage. Riders came from 52 U.S. territories and states as well as 48 countries.
“We are glad to build on last year’s success and offer new ways to connect people with this important milestone of American history,” said S. Rex Carnegie, director of education and partnerships for Georgetown Heritage in a press release.
Each hourlong tour takes passengers along a one-mile stretch of the canal where they can experience what it’s like to pass through a rising and falling lift lock. Along the way, enthusiastic (and historically dressed) guides share facts about life on the canal more than a century ago. “Every boat tour is a singular look into the past,” said Carnegie.
Rides depart four times a day on Wednesdays through Sundays. You can reserve tickets here.
Or, if you’re a Georgetown fanatic and have $300 to donate, you can kick off the 2023 season with Georgetown Heritage at its “All Aboard the Spring Soiree” event, featuring a catered reception and open bar, on May 4. People can also book the docked canal boat for private evening rentals by emailing info@georgetownheritage.org.
