WASHINGTON, D.C.
The best way to spend a day in D.C.
The 15 best 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.
DC Memorials night tour from US Navy Memorial Plaza with a glass-roof upgrade, photo stops, and guided stories of floodlit monuments.
Most Popular“Seeing the monuments at night put them in a different perspective than seeing them in the daytime. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and done an excellent job.”
A 3-hour National Mall night coach tour with 10+ photo stops, professional guide commentary, and optional museum upgrades for later visits.
“Great experience! Narration was better than other tours. Amazing nice driver & guide! Highly recommend”
Ride an open-air trolley by moonlight for a guided loop of DC’s top monuments, with live narration and timed stops for photos.
“Amazing guide. Very beautiful tour. Washington at night is another city. Very beautiful. Guide is very knowledgable. Thanks.”
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.
“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 6-hour Washington DC guided tour with bus-and-walk routing, seasonal Potomac cruise, and an optional glass-top upgrade from $89.
“The guide is a professional with vasr knowledge of DC history We visited the memorial next to the Pentagon and it was impressive.”
Small-group electric cart tour of DC’s National Mall and Capitol Hill with expert narration, photo stops, and easy pacing.
“Trip operator was very cordial and informative. The ride was very relaxing, and enough time given to walk to some events”
See Washington DC’s National Mall lit up on an open-air electric cart. Night narration, great photos, and stops at major memorials.
“It was a great experience with Sam! He was knowledgeable about the buildings and monuments we saw. The evening was cooler and the area was beautiful.”
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.”
Arlington National Cemetery walking tour with the Changing of the Guards at the Tomb of the Unknowns, plus JFK and other key memorials.
“My husband and I felt we thoroughly experienced and covered Arlington Cemetery, thanks to our guide. Not only was Christina friendly, but she was also deeply knowledgeable of the history of Arlington and the fallen service men and women, and respectful of the grounds we walked upon, especially when coming upon a funeral taking place.…”
Washington DC at night: a 3-hour bus tour with 10+ lit monument photo stops, guided narration, and optional museum upgrades.
“The tour guide is very knowledgeable and quite entertaining. The whole thing is very well organized and it was an enjoyable activity”
Big Bus Hop-on Hop-off in Washington DC covers the National Mall and top memorials with unlimited hops, audio commentary, and app tracking.
“We loved everything about the tour and buses where on time”
Guided Segway tour in Washington DC: 30-minute training, headset commentary, and fast stops at White House, memorials, and landmarks.
“Brandon was very knowledgeable and funny. Gave very interesting fun facts about the monuments and museums.”
Small-group tour inside the US Capitol plus Library of Congress or Supreme Court, with reserved entry and guided history for $67.
“I am not sure why we paid for this tour. We waited in line to get into the Capitol for over an hour and then we had a Capitol tour guide so Viator did nothing. Any one could go on this tour without paying. Part of our tour was to include the Library of Congress…”
See 10 Washington DC monuments by night on a small-group tour with a guided van ride, photo stops, and story-filled stops across the Mall.
“You might want to tell that it means a good amount of walking - 10 000 steps. If people cannot walk - it's not the tour for them.”
Washington DC monuments lit at night on a 150-minute trolley tour with guided stops at MLK/FDR and Lincoln areas. $48.
“Sooner Steve was a great tour guide! The tour covers a lot of ground and the monuments are beautiful in the dark. Highly recommend!”
Every corner of the capital, and every way to see it.
