About Tour Guide Luke P.

I am a tour guide, historian, and conservationist in Washington D.C. I have been fascinated by American history and biography for my entire adult life. As a guide, I weave together stories of the American experience, how it shapes who we are today, and what it means for our own civic duties as Americans.

I've been a licensed guide for seven years. I give walking tours around the National Mall and Tidal Basin, the White House area, Capitol Hill, DuPont Circle, Arlington National Cemetery, and Georgetown. My favorite ones are the Cherry Peak Bloom Tour on the Tidal Basin, the Presidents and Cabinets Tour around the White House, and the Lives of the Roosevelts Tour in DuPont Circle. I do hybrid walking/driving tours for those interested in seeing multiple areas of DC in a single day. Additionally, I do conservation-focused tours in rich and under-appreciated natural areas around DC like Rock Creek Park and Theodore Roosevelt Island.

I have done many tours for family and friend groups, as well as corporate and nonprofit groups. My specialty is young professional and student groups, especially those in programs oriented toward public service. I manage the historical site tours program for Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Heritage Area.

Beyond guiding, I have spent many years in DC working for nonprofits doing civil discourse and civic work, and advocacy groups and think tanks in various areas of public policy. I am a political writer, and have facilitated many workshops, panels, podcasts, and debates on subjects ranging from policy to history to political ethics. I portray Alexander Hamilton as a historical reenactor, and do outdoor guiding work. I host a conservation podcast called "Match My Mountains." Beyond DC, I volunteer at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. I studied International Relations at the University of Southern California, where I performed for several years in the Trojan Marching Band.