Washington DC Tours &
Things to Do
Discover the best Washington, D.C. tours and things to do in the US capital: walk the monument-lined National Mall, tour the US Capitol and the Library of Congress, explore the world-class Smithsonian museums, pay your respects at Arlington National Cemetery, see the memorials glowing on an after-dark tour, and cruise the Potomac River. Compare top-rated experiences and plan your perfect capital trip.
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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.
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.
US Capitol
Seat of Congress.
Smithsonian
Air & Space.
Monuments by Night
Glowing marble.
Potomac River
Skyline cruises.
Arlington Cemetery
Changing of Guard.
Mount Vernon
Washington’s home.
Cherry Blossoms
Spring bike tours.
Washington, D.C. in 1 day
- 1Morning Mall
- 2Capitol & Archives
- 3A Smithsonian
- 4Monuments by night
Washington, D.C. in 2 days
- 1Day 1: Mall & monuments
- 2Day 2: Capitol & Arlington
- 3Smithsonian
- 4Potomac cruise
Washington, D.C. in 3 days
- 1Day 1: Mall & monuments
- 2Day 2: Capitol & Arlington
- 3Day 3: Mount Vernon
- 4Smithsonian & cruise
Washington, D.C. with kids
- 1Air & Space Museum
- 2Natural History
- 3Monuments by cart
- 4Potomac cruise
In city awayNational Mall
Monument row.
In city awayUS Capitol
Seat of Congress.
15 min awayArlington
Hallowed ground.
30 min awayMount Vernon
Washington’s home.
In city awayPotomac Cruise
River skyline.
In city awaySmithsonian
Free museums.
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.
Washington DC through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
- Best for
- Cherry blossoms.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Beautiful but busy.
- Best for
- Long museum days.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Hot & humid.
- Best for
- Crisp, golden, calm.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Ideal weather.
- Best for
- Quiet free museums.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Cold; bundle up.