“The best things in life are free … tours.” That’s the favorite quote of Brody Davis and Ben Hindman, entrepreneurs and founders of DC by Foot Tours. Their 90-minute “More than Monuments” tour is entirely tip-based.
Former Vanderbilt fraternity brothers Davis, a political science and history major from Sarasota, Fla., and Hindman, a human and organizational development major from Boston, combined their talents for a unique look at Washington and its eccentric history using quirky anecdotes, jokes, theatrics and trivia questions to tell America’s story—from why Abraham Lincoln wore a beard to why Benjamin Franklin electrocuted a turkey.
“So the colonies got to fightin’ / Thomas Jefferson got to writin’ / He wrote a declaration / Gave birth to a nation / His words, they struck like lightnin’,” raps Hindman as Davis provides the rhythm section.
Long hours of meticulous research and rehearsal were involved in bringing DC by Foot Tours to fruition. That, and the necessary licensing. Sunday’s 6 p.m. tours are known as “BenefacTOURS,” with all proceeds donated to a local DC charity. They also offer DC by Phone, which loners can access on the go. Check out their Web site at www.dcbyfoot.com.
—Nelson Bryan