There are many exciting things to do and see in Washington DC, and a wide variety of DC tours to help you take it all in. No DC trip would be complete, however, without a Washington DC monument tour to guide you through this city's history, which is, itself, America's heritage. The most romantic and perhaps pensive way to see the monuments is by night, when they are lit up in all their glory, and when there are fewer crowds to detract from the pensive nature of our national monuments. Some tour operators offer moonlit Washington DC tours that are quite powerful.
There are several quality Washington DC monument tours operating during the day, narrated and escorted, for those visitors who prefer to use their evenings for nightlife and dining. Tourmobile offers daily, regular bus transportation and narrated information on over 20 major historical sights, allowing you to use a day pass to hop on and off at the sites you prefer to see in depth. You simply pick up the next Tourmobile to continue the circuit when you've had your fill of one location. Tourmobile passes can take you to the Smithsonian museums, Arlington National Cemetery, the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials, the Washington Monument and the White House, the US Capitol Building and the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, to name a few highlights.
If you are a real history buff, you might enjoy one of the comprehensive Washington DC tours offered by Old Town Trolley. They offer historic trolley tours with the same on-and-off privileges, giving you some freedom on your itinerary. You can purchase your trolley ticket at Union Station, or simply board the trolley and purchase a ticket at one of its destination monuments.
Another great way to organize your DC trip is around arts and culture. There are so many museums to take in, both artistic and historic, and a wealth of major performance venues to enjoy. Many tour operators include two and three-day arts tours that take in the National Gallery of Art and its Outdoor Sculpture Garden, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, the Seventh Street Arts District, the Shakespeare Theatre, The Phillips Collection, Hillwood Museum and Gardens, Tudor Place, the Kennedy Center and the National Museum of Women in the Arts, capped off with a performance at Ford's Theater.
Washington historically revolved around the Potomac
River, so many tours of Washington DC include at least
one boating experience. There are many elegant dinner
cruises on the river, some with live entertainment, winding
through the spectacularly lit city at night. By day, you
can take a canal trip on a boat drawn by a mule, led by
park rangers in period dress. Or a tour with the Potomac
Riverboat Company, which runs a 90-minute tour aboard
the Matthew Hayes going through the memorials. For more
modern fun, you can take tours of Washington DC with DC
Ducks, aboard an amphibious vehicle that guides you on
land and sea alike. Whether you choose to enjoy your DC
trip by train, by bus, by foot, or by boat, there is a
wealth of history and guidance
available to you, and an endless variety of exciting things
to see and do.
