Notice: Some tour suppliers on this checklist might have restricted or ceased operations as a consequence of COVID-19. Examine together with your tour operator about availability earlier than you ebook.
With plenty of free sights and historic websites in a comparatively compact space, Washington, D.C., is a vacationer’s delight. Even so, there isn’t any higher technique to get to know the nation’s capital than with an skilled. U.S. Information gathered skilled suggestions and traveler opinions to create this checklist of the highest 14 excursions in Washington. Whether or not your pursuits embrace structure, historical past or meals, the next excursions allow you to get to know the town like a neighborhood.
D.C. By Foot – Nationwide Mall Tour
D.C. By Foot’s Nationwide Mall strolling tour is a two-hour, mile-long stroll that features tales about well-known landmarks just like the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Washington Monument. Vacationers reward the tour, saying it’s chock-full of knowledge and that the guides are participating. D.C. By Foot is a pay-what-you-want tour: it is free, although it’s assumed you’ll tip your licensed, freelance guides. Excursions depart Wednesdays at 10 a.m. and Fridays and Saturdays at 1:30 p.m.. The corporate additionally conducts a barely shorter Scavenger Hunt on the Mall tour, which is geared towards children, and a bevy of different excursions across the metropolis.
Outdated City Trolley Excursions of Washington D.C.
In keeping with reviewers, this trolley tour supplies an academic and enjoyable outing, because of informative commentary from onboard guides. The tour lasts about 90 minutes and has one 30-minute cease on the Lincoln Memorial so vacationers can stretch their legs and see monuments throughout the Nationwide Mall on their very own. Silver Cross tickets value roughly $45. Trollies run hourly from 10 a.m. to about 4 p.m. The Gold move (round $55) features a tour of Arlington Nationwide Cemetery. Outdated City Trolley Excursions additionally gives specialised Arlington Nationwide Cemetery excursions, in addition to the Monuments by Moonlight Tour, amongst others.
Bike and Roll DC – Monuments Bike Tour
An effective way to cowl a variety of floor in a brief period of time, the Monuments Bike Tour from Bike and Roll DC takes you on an roughly three-hour guided tour to see the primary monuments alongside the Nationwide Mall and the Tidal Basin. What’s extra, the complete tour takes place on sidewalks, paths and trails, so that you by no means have to fret about navigating metropolis streets. Plus, you possibly can hop off to take pictures and discover websites throughout the roughly 4-mile journey. Guests say the tour is ideal for households because of the participating guides and manageable tempo of the route. Tickets value roughly $45 for adults and $40 for teenagers ages 12 and youthful. The Monuments Bike Tour rides a few times day by day from March by means of mid-December. If you cannot get sufficient of the monuments, Bike and Roll D.C. additionally gives a Monuments @ Nite Bike Tour in addition to Segway excursions, amongst different choices.
This sandwich is likely one of the many tasty treats you might eat on Mangia D.C.’s Georgetown Meals Tour.(Reza Venegas/Courtesy of Mangia D.C.)
Mangia DC Meals Excursions – Georgetown Foodie Tour
Consuming your means by means of Georgetown, one in all D.C.’s toniest neighborhoods, with Mangia D.C Meals Excursions is a pleasant technique to get acquainted with the realm. On its roughly 3 1/2-hour Georgetown Foodie Tour, you may go to as much as 5 eating places for tasty samples, plus a wine or spritz pairing. Your information provides you with an summary of the realm’s cultural and political ties, in addition to level out historic landmarks. Foodies say the tour is each filling and academic. Mangia D.C. limits excursions to 14 individuals, which makes for an intimate group – one other level of reward for reviewers. Excursions run year-round Wednesday by means of Sunday within the afternoon. Tickets value roughly $70. Searching for extra native eats? Mangia additionally gives an Italian Meals Tour in Washington’s Dupont Circle neighborhood.
Seeing all of Washington’s landmarks on foot is an formidable purpose, however when you swap strolling for driving a Segway, you can glide to most of them. Highlights on this roughly two-hour tour embrace the White Home, the Nationwide Archives, the Smithsonian, the Washington Monument and the Capitol. Each rider receives a radio headset, which makes it straightforward to listen to the information’s descriptions. Reviewers say the guides are nice and that the excursions present the proper overview of the town, which in flip helps guests determine the place they wish to spend extra time. Contributors have to be 16 or older and weigh a minimum of 100 kilos to experience. Tickets begin at $60. Excursions run year-round and are provided a number of occasions a day, climate allowing.
Stroll of the City – Monumental sTOURies
Stroll of the City is a one-man present run by “semiretired” former trainer Tim Stewart. On his Monumental sTOURies tour, Stewart walks vacationers to main websites, such because the White Home, President’s Park and the Lincoln Memorial, amongst different high sights. Over the four-hour tour, Stewart shares historic details and tales in regards to the space’s monuments. Stewart earns rave critiques from guests, who reward him for his huge data, humor and classes in historical past. Excursions are free; Stewart works for suggestions solely. Excursions begin at 10 a.m., although the schedule varies. You can too prepare personal, for-fee excursions with Stewart.
Blue Fern Journey – U Avenue Meals Tour
This U Avenue tour run by Blue Fern Journey (previously Carpe D.C. Meals Excursions) is purportedly the corporate’s hottest, which is smart as a result of the U Avenue neighborhood is likely one of the liveliest within the metropolis. In the course of the three-hour tour, your information will take you to severallocally-owned eating places for hearty samples. As you make your means alongside U Avenue, you may study in regards to the neighborhood’s historical past, structure and jazz heritage. Foodies discover the historical past classes shocking and informative; some love the knowledge nearly as a lot because the meals. Excursions, that are restricted to eight individuals, enterprise day by day (besides Tuesdays) at 11:30 a.m. or midday year-round. Tickets value roughly $90 per particular person. Blue Fern additionally gives meals excursions of Baltimore and Outdated City Alexandria.
Howard College is a traditionally Black college in northern D.C.Getty Photographs
USA Guided Excursions – African American Historical past and Tradition Tour
Vacationers heap reward on the guides who lead the African American Historical past and Tradition Tour, applauding their experience and storytelling. In the course of the 3 1/2 hour bus experience throughout D.C., vacationers will study of African American historical past and Black views of various D.C. monuments. Websites visited embrace Howard College (a traditionally Black college), the Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial and the U Avenue Hall, amongst different important areas. Journeys conclude on the Nationwide Museum of African American Historical past and Tradition, the place you should have reserved entry to the favored website. (Notice: Some stops are guided round monuments, whereas others are fast pauses for pictures.) Excursions value roughly $90 for adults and $80 for kids. They run Wednesday by means of Sunday at 10 a.m. This tour can be accessible as a non-public tour. USA Guided excursions operates quite a lot of bus and strolling excursions.
D.C. Design Excursions – Dupont Circle & Embassy Row Tour
D.C. Design Excursions focuses on Washington’s eclectic structure and design. On its roughly two-hour, 2-mile Dupont Circle & Embassy Row Tour, you may discover the realm whereas an skilled information identifies and describes important properties, such because the the Cosmos Membership, the Embassy of Indonesia (Walsh-McLean Home) and the Woodrow Wilson Home. You may additionally hear a great deal of historical past and a few juicy gossip about a number of the nation’s movers and shakers. Tour-takers rave in regards to the hidden gems and tales the guides share. Public excursions value about $35 per grownup and $20 per youngster. Excursions Design Excursions additionally guides guests by means of surrounding neighborhoods, similar to Capitol Hill and Georgetown.
Grand Atlas Excursions – Night time on the Nationwide Mall
Visiting main Washington websites after the solar units is a particular deal with. Grand Atlas Excursions’ Night time on the Nationwide Mall Tour helps guests expertise the mall in a singular and totally VIP style. Excursions, which begin at a time you select at a location of your alternative, embrace a non-public information and transportation with a driver. Alongside the three- to four-hour journey, you may go to landmarks just like the Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Capitol and every other spots you want to see as you possibly can customise your itinerary. Guests worth the educated guides and wonderful service. Costs begin at $600 for 2 individuals in a luxurious sedan. For 12 vacationers in a luxurious van, tickets begin at $800. Grand Atlas gives quite a lot of personal excursions, together with a day tour of Washington must-sees in addition to an Uncommon DC Tour that takes guests to off-the-beaten-path locations within the metropolis.
D.C. Metro Meals Excursions – Georgetown Meals Tour
In the course of the 3 1/2-hour Georgetown Meals Tour, you may go to as much as 5 native spots on this upscale neighborhood. However you will not simply be stopping in for a fast chunk. As a substitute, tour-takers will sit down and be served a specialty of the home – a component foodies love in regards to the tour. Eating highlights would possibly embrace pie from a family-owned bakery, a Korean dish and Italian-American fare. Along with tasty delicacies, guides will regale you with tales about native websites and landmarks as you stroll between stops. Tickets value about $70 per particular person. Excursions function Thursday by means of Sunday at 3 p.m. D.C. Metro Meals Excursions gives meals excursions of different space neighborhoods, together with Dupont Circle and Virginia’s Outdated City Alexandria.
This brewery is a favourite with locals and is likely one of the locations you might go to on the D.C. Authentic Brew Tour.(Jacob Wagner/Courtesy of Port Metropolis Brewing Firm)
Metropolis Brew Excursions – D.C. Authentic Brew Tour
With a motto of “You Drink, We Drive,” D.C. Brew Excursions units the stage for a protected, but beer-filled day on its Authentic Brew Tour. In the course of the five-hour outing, you may be chauffeured across the metropolis in a cushty van, go to 4 breweries, get behind-the-scenes excursions and luxuriate in as much as 16 totally different native craft beers. This tour additionally features a beer-pairing lunch. Contributors champion the skilled guides and wonderful beers. Get your beer repair throughout one in all 4 excursions on Saturday or at 11 a.m. on Sunday (excursions may run at choose occasions throughout the week). D.C. Brew Excursions limits its excursions to 14 individuals. Tickets value roughly $100. Crunched for time? The corporate additionally gives a shorter Sip of D.C. Tour.
Nonpartisan Pedicab – Smithsonian Museums and Pennsylvania Avenue
Being chauffeured round city in a non-public pedicab with Nonpartisan Pedicab is a novel and comfy technique to see the sights in D.C. You’ll be able to sit again and calm down whereas an skilled information provides you a personalised tour and does the biking for you. On the corporate’s Smithsonian Museums and Pennsylvania Avenue tour, you may comply with the inaugural route from the Capitol to the White Home, passing 24 landmarks alongside the way in which. Tour-takers say the guides are wonderful and share loads of enjoyable details and historical past throughout the two-hour journey. Charges begin at $150 per hour.Nonpartisan Pedicab gives quite a lot of excursions across the metropolis, together with a twilight tour of the monuments and an Embassy Row and Georgetown tour, amongst others.
Potomac Riverboat Firm – Monuments Sightseeing Tour
After you have toured the monuments by foot, bike or bus, why not admire them from the water? The Potomac Riverboat Firm gives one-way and round-trip departures from Alexandria and Georgetown. Alongside the way in which, you may see the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, the John F. Kennedy Middle for the Performing Arts, the Washington Monument, the Arlington Memorial Bridge and extra, all whereas having fun with prerecorded commentary describing the monuments. Guests respect the narration, however word that engine noise typically drowns out the recording. Spherical-trip tickets value about $30 for adults and seniors and $20 for teenagers ages 2 to 11. One-way journeys final 45 minutes; round-trip journeys span 90 minutes. The corporate gives a number of different sightseeing cruises, together with one which drops off guests at Mount Vernon.
