Washington, D.C. · USA
Things to Do in Washington, D.C.: Tours, Tickets & Day Trips
The best things to do in Washington, D.C., ranked by real traveller reviews: walk the National Mall from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial, tour the Capitol and the Library of Congress, spend a day in the free Smithsonian museums, see the Changing of the Guard at Arlington, watch the monuments glow on a night tour, then take a day trip to Mount Vernon, Old Town Alexandria or Gettysburg. Compare 740+ tours, tickets and day trips side by side — most with free cancellation.
763 experiences Free cancellation Top-rated tours Instant booking
Sunset tours in Washington DC
Departures that are under way when the sun sets in the coming weeks — start times checked against the local sunset.
Good for families in Washington DC
Children can join from a young age and pay less than adults — taken from each operator’s price list.
Washington Dc
DC Monuments Night Tour with 10+ Stops, National Mall, Tickets
from$63/ person
via Viator
Washington Dc
Smithsonian Museum of Natural History - Exclusive Guided Tour
from$105/ person
via Viator
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Explore Washington DC by interest
Whatever brings you to Washington DC — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
What to see
Top attractions in Washington DC
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
National Mall
Monument row.
250+ toursView tours
US Capitol
Seat of Congress.
90 toursView tours
Smithsonian
Air & Space.
70 toursView tours
Monuments by Night
Glowing marble.
120 toursView tours
Potomac River
Skyline cruises.
60 toursView tours
Arlington Cemetery
Changing of Guard.
50 toursView tours
Mount Vernon
Washington’s home.
40 toursView tours
Cherry Blossoms
Spring bike tours.
40 toursView tours
1 day
Washington, D.C. in 1 day
- 1Morning Mall
- 2Capitol & Archives
- 3A Smithsonian
- 4Monuments by night
2 days
Washington, D.C. in 2 days
- 1Day 1: Mall & monuments
- 2Day 2: Capitol & Arlington
- 3Smithsonian
- 4Potomac cruise
3 days
Washington, D.C. in 3 days
- 1Day 1: Mall & monuments
- 2Day 2: Capitol & Arlington
- 3Day 3: Mount Vernon
- 4Smithsonian & cruise
With kids
Washington, D.C. with kids
- 1Air & Space Museum
- 2Natural History
- 3Monuments by cart
- 4Potomac cruise
30 min awayMount Vernon
George Washington’s estate.
from $65View trips
20 min by Metro or water taxi awayOld Town Alexandria
Cobbled King Street & waterfront.
from $26View trips
~90 min awayGettysburg
Civil War battlefield tours.
from $38View trips
~45 min awayAnnapolis
Naval Academy & sailing capital.
from $31View trips
15 min by Metro awayArlington Cemetery
Changing of the Guard.
from $30View trips
From the Wharf awayPotomac Cruise
Monuments from the river.
from $40View trips
Practical guide
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every Washington DC visitor asks before booking.
The sweet-spot months
April–June and September–October bring mild, pleasant weather, ideal for the outdoor monuments and walking.
Spring (Mar–May)
The famous cherry blossoms peak in late March–early April; lovely but the busiest and most crowded time.
Summer (Jun–Aug)
Hot, humid and busy with families; start early and use shaded cart or trolley tours to beat the heat.
Autumn (Sep–Nov)
Crisp, comfortable and golden — one of the best and least crowded times to visit.
Winter (Dec–Feb)
Cold but quiet, with smaller crowds at the free museums and the occasional dusting of snow.
Cherry blossom tip
For the blossoms, book early and visit at sunrise to enjoy the Tidal Basin before the crowds.
One day
The Mall, monuments and a museum.
Two days
Add the Capitol and Arlington.
Three days
Add Mount Vernon and more museums.
Museum lovers
Add days for more Smithsonian museums.
Relaxed
Add a Potomac cruise and Georgetown.
With kids
Mix free museums and cart tours.
Metro
The clean, efficient Metrorail reaches the Mall, Arlington and most sights; buy a SmarTrip card.
Hop-on trolleys
Hop-on-hop-off trolleys and double-deckers link the spread-out monuments with commentary.
On foot
The central National Mall is walkable, though it is longer than it looks — wear comfy shoes.
Carts & bikes
Electric-cart, Segway and bike tours cover the monuments quickly and are great in the heat.
Capital Bikeshare
The bikeshare network is handy for zipping along the Mall and to Georgetown.
Getting there
Reagan National (DCA) is closest and Metro-connected; Dulles and BWI are further out.
Many sights are free
The Smithsonian museums, monuments and memorials are free; tours add a guide, transport and reserved entry.
Reserve timed passes
The Air and Space Museum and Washington Monument need free timed passes — book ahead as they go fast.
Capitol tours
Reserve US Capitol and White House tours well in advance; guided tours simplify reserved entry.
See monuments by night
The illuminated memorials are stunning and less crowded after dark — a night tour is well worth it.
Beat the heat
In summer, start early or take an evening or cart tour to avoid the midday humidity.
Wear comfortable shoes
The Mall covers a lot of ground — comfortable footwear makes all the difference.
Capitol & White House
Government tours need advance reservations — book early.
Air & Space passes
Free timed entry passes go quickly — reserve ahead.
Cherry blossom tours
Spring bike and walking tours sell out — book well ahead.
Dinner cruises
Potomac dinner and brunch cruises are popular — reserve early.
Arlington tours
Guided cemetery tours have set times — book ahead.
Holiday weekends
July 4th and spring are extremely busy — plan early.
Monuments tour
Around $30–70 for a guided trolley or cart monuments tour.
Night tour
About $30–60 for an illuminated memorials evening tour.
Potomac cruise
Roughly $40–100 for sightseeing to dinner cruises.
Hop-on-hop-off
Around $45–65 for a day pass with multiple stops.
Mount Vernon trip
About $60–110 for a half-day estate tour with transport.
How to save
Lean on the free museums and monuments, and pick a single hop-on pass.
When to visit
Washington DC through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
Spring (Mar–May)
Mar–May
- Best for
- Cherry blossoms.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Beautiful but busy.
Summer (Jun–Aug)
Jun–Aug
- Best for
- Long museum days.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Hot & humid.
Autumn (Sep–Nov)
Sep–Nov
- Best for
- Crisp, golden, calm.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Ideal weather.
Winter (Dec–Feb)
Dec–Feb
- Best for
- Quiet free museums.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Cold; bundle up.
People also ask
Washington DC travel FAQ
What are the top 10 things to do in Washington, D.C.?
Ranked by traveller reviews: 1) a National Mall monuments tour by trolley, bike or electric cart, 2) the monuments by night, 3) the US Capitol and Library of Congress, 4) the National Air and Space Museum, 5) the Natural History Museum with the Hope Diamond, 6) the National Archives, 7) Arlington National Cemetery and the Changing of the Guard, 8) a Potomac River cruise, 9) Georgetown and its waterfront, 10) a Mount Vernon and Old Town Alexandria day trip.
How many days do you need in Washington, D.C.?
Three days: the Mall and monuments (return after dark) on day one, the Capitol, the Archives and two Smithsonian museums on day two, Arlington, Georgetown and a river cruise on day three. Add a fourth for Mount Vernon and Alexandria, or a fifth for Gettysburg or Annapolis. Museum lovers can stay a week.
What to do in Washington, D.C. for free?
Every Smithsonian museum (17 of them, including Air and Space and Natural History), the National Zoo, the National Gallery of Art, all the monuments and memorials, the US Capitol (free timed passes), the Library of Congress, the National Archives, Arlington National Cemetery, the Botanic Garden, the Kennedy Center’s daily free 6 p.m. performance, the Tidal Basin cherry blossoms in spring and the Georgetown waterfront. Guided tours cost money; the sights themselves almost never do.
What are the best day trips from Washington, D.C.?
Mount Vernon and Old Town Alexandria (30 minutes, the classic half-day combo), Annapolis and the Naval Academy (45 minutes), Gettysburg battlefield (90 minutes), Harpers Ferry (75 minutes), Shenandoah National Park’s Skyline Drive (90 minutes) and Baltimore’s Inner Harbor (an hour by train). See our day trips page for bookable tours.
What to do in Washington, D.C. at night?
A monuments-by-night tour is the single best evening in the city — the Lincoln, Jefferson, MLK and war memorials are lit, open 24 hours and far emptier. Also: the Kennedy Center’s free 6 p.m. Millennium Stage show and rooftop terrace, a dinner cruise on the Potomac, jazz at Blues Alley in Georgetown, the Wharf’s waterfront bars, a ghost tour of Lafayette Square, and Nationals baseball in summer.
What is there to do in Washington, D.C. in winter?
Museum season — the Smithsonian, the Archives, the Spy Museum and the Holocaust Museum are all indoor and quietest in January and February. Ice skate at the National Gallery Sculpture Garden, see the National Christmas Tree and Capitol tree in December, the ZooLights at the National Zoo (late November to early January) and the monuments under snow. Hotel prices are at their lowest.
What are the best things to do in Washington, D.C. with kids?
The Air and Space Museum, the Natural History Museum’s dinosaurs and Hope Diamond, the National Zoo (free, with pandas), the International Spy Museum, a Big Bus or trolley loop of the monuments, the Lincoln Memorial steps, the carousel on the Mall, a Duck-style Potomac cruise, the Museum of American History’s Star-Spangled Banner and a paddle boat on the Tidal Basin in spring.
When is the best time to visit Washington, D.C.?
Late March to early April for the cherry blossoms (beautiful but packed), April to May and September to October for the best weather. Summer is hot, humid and busy with school groups; winter is cold but cheap and quiet. Book Capitol and Air and Space passes ahead in any season.
Is a guided monuments tour worth it in D.C.?
Yes — the Mall is two miles long and the memorials are spread across it, so a trolley, bike or electric-cart tour saves hours of walking and adds the stories. Do it once in daylight and once after dark; night tours are the top-rated experience in the city.
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