WASHINGTON, D.C.
The best way to spend a day in D.C.
The 15 best historical tours in Washington, with what each one covers, what it costs and how long to set aside. A shortlist for planning real days on and off the National Mall.
Guided African American history tour in Washington DC with bus commentary, Lincoln and MLK Memorial stops, and reserved museum entry.
Most Popular“Very knowledgeable tour guide. He was able to answer questions about obscure facts. It was very interesting!”
See DC’s biggest monuments in 2 hours on an open e-cart with a guide, photo stops, and winter blankets for $52.70.
“Faizie was a great guide. Very informative, kind, and funny. The only knock is on the cart. It shows a cover but ours was not covered. The blankets were helpful.”
A private, 2-hour highlights tour of the Smithsonian Natural History Museum, built around gems, mummies, wildlife, and Ocean Hall.
“Rebecca was knowledgeable, funny, and hit all of the major parts of the museum which is so large and hard to navigate on your own!”
Small-group DC African American history tour to the National Mall, ending with museum tickets for the African American History Museum.
“Must do it very informative 👍 and glad we did KB touring was worth every penny and I will do it again.”
Georgetown history with a licensed guide: canal locks, Old Stone House, and university spires on a 2-hour small-group walk for $49.
“Vicky was a wonderful tour guide Knowledgeable, personal, full of stories and history. Led a good pace and we felt we had a wonderful sense of Georgetown after our tour!”
4-hour African American history bus tour with timed Smithsonian entry. See key DC monuments, neighborhoods, and the stories behind them for $89.
“Dre was awesome. Very informative, I learned a lot.”
Walk U Street’s Black Broadway with a guide, sample standout DC favorites, and learn the neighborhood’s history in 3 hours.
“The guide was fabulous, and the history was outstanding. The food was so-so - 4 stops with one being a regular ice cream store. Interesting foods, but not always tasty.”
A 2.5-hour guided tour of Smithsonian American History in Washington, DC, covering iconic objects, with an English-speaking guide and free admission.
“We enjoyed a lot our tour with Ryan. Amazing guide! We spent 3 hours in the museum and hardly noticed how the time past. Ryan explained the history of the US very energetically, equally engaging for adults and elementary school kids. He accommodated narration for our interests and was extremely flexible in defining the touring…”
Small-group Georgetown food and history walk with multiple tastings, drinks, and local stories. 3 hours, mobile ticket.
“This experience and tour was amazing! Neka was very knowledgeable and personable. We enjoyed all four stops along our walk. I highly recommend this tour and appreciate this companies commitment to local restaurants.”
Small-group history pub crawl near the White House in Washington, DC. 4 bars, real stories, and drinks you buy along the way.
“Fabulous tour, courtesy of Michael! We learned a lot of really interesting stuff, had some tasty drinks, and had an overall great time…highly recommend! Thx Michael!”
Small-group 2-hour guided highlights at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum: Hope Diamond, mummies, and Ocean Hall’s Phoenix whale.
“The Smithsonian Museum is a fantastic place to visit, this is a must to visit. It is one of the best Museum's we have seen in our life. It is just brilliant throughout the whole museum. 100%”
A 2-hour guided sprint through the Smithsonian’s Natural History highlights, including dinosaurs, gems, mummies, and early humans. $75.
“Nur was amazing, very knowledgeable, very friendly and great at pointing out the things we just wouldn’t have seen if we’d toured by ourselves. It’s the first time we’ve used a museum guide and I’d definitely recommend it, we covered so much ground in the two hours we were there, more than we could have…”
A semi-private, up-to-8 Smithsonian American History tour in Washington DC, covering the anthem banner, Washington sword, Dorothy slippers, and more.
“Great tour amazes you with information and insights. Pace of tour was perfect for my bad knees. Intellectual excitement!”
DC monuments in 2 hours via a small open-air guided minibus, with photo stops, group photos, and expert local context.
“This was a fantastic tour! It covered ALL of the sites that I wanted to see. What really made the tour was our incredibly knowledgeable and friendly tour guide. He was so helpful and gave us so much insightful information about each and every location that we stopped at. The vehicles were clean and well…”
2-hour small-group van tour of Washington, D.C. with AC, guided stories, and photo stops at top monuments for $40.
“Took the tour with my family, including two kids, and everyone had a fantastic time. The guide kept the information interesting for all ages, and the comfortable ride made it easy to keep the kids engaged. Would definitely do it again!”
Every corner of the capital, and every way to see it.
