Rolling Thunder roars into town this weekend for the annual Memorial Day ride through the District's most historic and monumental areas.
But motorcyclists arrive well before the 6 a.m. Sunday line-up in the Pentagon's parking lots. Accordingly, the Huffington Post's D.C. local site suggests several options for cruising around the city before Rolling Thunder.
Among the 11 suggested routes, two are in or around Georgetown:
Whitehurst Freeway and Canal Road: These two roadways are on the D.C. side of the Potomac and offer a nice route in and out of town. The Whitehurst, a relatively short elevated highway above the Georgetown waterfront, has great views of the Key Bridge, the Potomac River and the Kennedy Center. Canal Road, which starts at the Key Bridge, follows the course of the C&O Canal at the foot of a heavily wooded ridge. You won't even feel like you're in the city.
Rock Creek Parkway and Beach Drive: Independence Avenue conveniently curves into Rock Creek Parkway near the Lincoln Memorial. Continuing northward into Rock Creek Park, there are few traffic lights to deal with. The scenic valley is traversed by interesting bridges, including the Q Street Bridge, Massachusetts Avenue's Glover Bridge, Connecticut Avenue's Taft Bridge and Calvert Street's Duke Ellington Bridge. Continuing northward, Rock Creek Parkway turns into Beach Drive, which follows the creek's path into the heart of Rock Creek Park. The northern section of Beach Drive, beyond Broad Branch Road, is closed to motorized traffic. (Bicyclists are welcome though.)
If you are traveling downtown or out to Virginia Sunday, be prepared for road closures surrounding the annual motorcycle event.
The Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Ride will take place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The ride will proceed along the following route:
- Beginning in the North Pentagon parking lot (Virginia)
- Crossing the Arlington Memorial Bridge into DC to 23rd Street, NW
- North on 23rd Street to Constitution Avenue, NW
- East on Constitution Avenue to Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
- East on Pennsylvania Avenue to 3rd Street, NW
- South on 3rd Street to Independence Avenue, NW
- West on Independence Avenue to West Basin Drive, NW
- Southwest on West Basin Drive to Ohio Drive, NW
- Northwest on Ohio Drive to Franklin D. Roosevelt Park, NW, where the ride will end.
