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“Great to get around Washington DC to the sites , staff very polite, friendly and helpful (especially for me due to my disability) well recommended”
A 15-stop hop-on hop-off trolley through Washington, DC’s biggest landmarks, with English narration or a seven-language app.
“Joe Moe was entertaining. Wish we would have seen more of the White House. Everything else was good.”
Big Bus Hop-on Hop-off in Washington DC covers the National Mall and top memorials with unlimited hops, audio commentary, and app tracking.
“Some of the bus stops were hard to identify as they didn't have a sign. other than that, great tour, the app is helpful for planning your day with the bus schedules”
A fixed route DC night bus tour with open-air views, audio narration, and quick photo stops at major memorials for first-time orientation.
“It was good. It would be nice if staff could encourage singles to double up in seats so others could have opp to sit with their party outside. We ended up inside due to singles ‘hogging’ two seats. Overall good but you can’t see everything from inside 😖”
Arlington hop-on trolley with live commentary, one full loop to JFK and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and easy pacing.
“Knowing that we didn’t have the time or energy to walk the tour of the cemetery, this was a no brainer for us. The guides were very knowledgeable giving a lot of information. This is a great way to see Arlington. Highly recommend!”
Old Town Trolley in Washington, DC with live narration, 100+ sights, unlimited hop-on hop-off stops, and an optional Arlington Cemetery tram upgrade.
“This was a really good tour. There are so many things to see in DC and it would be far too much walking to try and see them all by foot. The trolley bus came every 15mins. so you can hop on and off at the designated stops. The Washington Memorial is a fair walk…”
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.
“Really good to see the monuments at night, and good information about them on the audio guide too.”
Four-hour guided bus loop through DC’s top sights, from the Capitol and White House to WWII and Vietnam memorials, with live commentary.
“The tour guide, Reed and driver, Leonard were both AMAZING. Reed was exceptionally knowledgeable and even added a stop because the group was small and we had extra time!! An absolutely FANTASTIC experience!!!”
21-stop hop-on trolley with live DC narration plus Arlington Cemetery. Flexible routes, trolley transfers, and a $59.45 price.
“Fun hop on/off trolley with lots of stops at top attractions. Wish they had an app to see where/when the trolleys were picking up. But still a fun experience!”
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 was the perfect way to see every single moment and memorial in DC all in a 3 hour time period! The guide was amazing and had great commentary at every stop. We also got great pictures with everything being lit up at night.”
A 3-hour night minibus tour hitting DC’s top monuments and memorials, with free stops, guided stories, and time to photograph.
“We’ve done this tour before and love it. This time it was very rushed. Specifically looked for tour w/ a stop at FDR memorial. We had 18 min to use restroom, see MLK and FDR. We ran to FDR and skipped MLK And bathroom. 30 min At Vietnam/Korea/Lincoln.”
Air-conditioned 4-hour DC cherry blossom bus tour with Tidal Basin guided walk, Lincoln to WWII memorials, photo time. $59.
“Guide was knowledgeable and entertaining. Learned about DC and the stories behind some of the sights.”
DC monuments in 2 hours via a small open-air guided minibus, with photo stops, group photos, and expert local context.
“A great way to get a sense of the magnitude and significance of DC. Our guide was knowledgeable, informative and had a lively sense of humor. Thoroughly enjoyed by an 18 and an 80 year old, and everyone in between.”
Walk Arlington National Cemetery with a guide, catch the Unknown Soldier ceremony, then get quick photos at DC icons for $55.
“Very enjoyable tour! Spectacular scenery and grounds. The history is very amazing! Tyrone was great!”
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/guide was accommodating, lighthearted and friendly. I enjoyed the sites we visited. Although we did a tour earlier in the day this tour took us closer to the White House and Capital and offered different views of the sites that we hadn’t seen earlier. We also started and ended on time which I appreciated…”
Every corner of the capital, and every way to see it.
