WASHINGTON, D.C.
The best way to spend a day in D.C.
The 15 best hop-on hop-off & bus 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.
Hop-on hop-off open-top bus in Washington DC with 18 stops, audio-guided sights, and optional Arlington and sunset add-ons from $49.
Most Popular“We had a great time. I grew up in D.C., but saw places I'd never seen before. It was a great way to see a lot of the sights in a relatively short period of time. The drivers were SO nice!”
A 15-stop hop-on hop-off trolley through Washington, DC’s biggest landmarks, with English narration or a seven-language app.
“Very informative and definitely a great way to travel and see all the sites without being on foot the entire time”
Big Bus Hop-on Hop-off in Washington DC covers the National Mall and top memorials with unlimited hops, audio commentary, and app tracking.
“It was a wonderful experience with lot of meaningful places to sightseeing. Thank you!”
A fixed route DC night bus tour with open-air views, audio narration, and quick photo stops at major memorials for first-time orientation.
“do not take when days are long, i.e. in June, July the daylight makes it so no monuments are seen lite up”
Arlington hop-on trolley with live commentary, one full loop to JFK and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and easy pacing.
“Hop on hop off trolly so you can spend a much or as little time as required at each stop before jumping on the next one. Informative”
Old Town Trolley in Washington, DC with live narration, 100+ sights, unlimited hop-on hop-off stops, and an optional Arlington Cemetery tram upgrade.
“Good experience overall but a couple of long waits.”
DC monuments at night on a 2-hour open-top Big Bus sunset tour with a live guide, multilingual audio, and a Lincoln Memorial photo stop.
“A little late getting started, but other than that it was a very fun experience.”
Four-hour guided bus loop through DC’s top sights, from the Capitol and White House to WWII and Vietnam memorials, with live commentary.
“Lovely serene and place for reflection. Tours around are incredibly well organised.”
21-stop hop-on trolley with live DC narration plus Arlington Cemetery. Flexible routes, trolley transfers, and a $59.45 price.
“2nd time doing Old Town trolley- so worth it. Amazing guide named Rooster made it EVEN BETTER than the last time. He had a great personality and was throwing out amazing and interesting facts we didn’t get the previous time. We added Arlington this time and it was an amazing and emotional experience. A bit…”
See Washington DC monuments lit at night on a 3-hour National Mall bus tour with live English commentary, photo stops, and comfortable buses.
“This tour exceeded my expectations!! I’m visiting DC with a tour group and we saw many of the same sites as we did on this night BUT our tour guide Sam and bus driver Lisa made a huge difference. I decided to take this tour because I really wanted to go to the Jefferson and…”
A 3-hour night minibus tour hitting DC’s top monuments and memorials, with free stops, guided stories, and time to photograph.
“Waiting in the hotel parking lot for tour operators. They were supposed to pick us up ,but refused Very unhappy”
Air-conditioned 4-hour DC cherry blossom bus tour with Tidal Basin guided walk, Lincoln to WWII memorials, photo time. $59.
“Guide was very knowledgeable, funny and caring. Viator never disappoints. I would recommend it be plainly stated how much walking is part of the tour. I hate to see people staying on the bus instead of taking in everything the tour offers. The bus was nice as well.”
DC monuments in 2 hours via a small open-air guided minibus, with photo stops, group photos, and expert local context.
“It was a lovely time, Lorenzo was a great guide and really knew his stuff. I was a little late and they were kind enough to wait about 10 minutes for me. It was cold and he offered balankets too. 10/10 experience”
Walk Arlington National Cemetery with a guide, catch the Unknown Soldier ceremony, then get quick photos at DC icons for $55.
“It's something that everyone should experience. Especially for those who don't understand what patriotism really is.”
A comfy night bus tour through Washington DC’s lit monuments, with key photo stops and optional Mount Vernon upgrade for a full-day mix.
“The driver took us to all of the cities highlights, he shared lots of information. The van was clean and cool on a hot day. The driver went out of his way to make sure we all got safely where we needed to be.”
Every corner of the capital, and every way to see it.
