Washington Dc · 2025

Washington DC Bus Tour

Washington DC Bus Tour

19 Free Smithsonian museums
3 Monuments & memorials
Free National Mall entry
Metro 6-line rail system
Bus Tours

Washington DC bus tour options offer plenty of versatility and choice in planning exactly how your day pans out. Washington DC guided tours are a fantastic way to get all the background history on DC's major attractions, travel in comfort, and miss all the unwanted hold-ups that occur throughout the city. In fact, Washington DC sightseeing tours and trolley tours are easily the top choice for sightseeing among travelers. These tours take you directly to the main attractions and do all the work for you.

Washington DC sightseeing tours are available from three major companies, one of which is the trolley tour option. Each of the options afford visitors the perk of getting on and off wherever they like, leaving the most convenient options open to choose. One popular Washington DC bus tour makes its rounds in the area of the National Mall and surrounding areas, which includes Arlington Cemetery, Capitol Hill, and the White House. The second bus tour option for Washington DC guided tours is aboard an open-air, double-decker bus, which is one of the really fun things to do in DC. Between the two major Washington DC guided tours, there are almost 30 stops at which to hop on and hop off.

Some vacation packages offer discounts on Washington DC sightseeing tours, while others may even throw in the tickets for free so be sure to inquire. Many attractions are found in and near various neighborhoods that include Georgetown, Dupont Circle, and Adams Morgan. A Washington bus tour could be another way to incorporate other, less-popular attractions in between visiting the major ones. The unlimited hop-on hop-off advantage means it's easy to take some extra time and pop in to interesting galleries and museums along the way. A Washington DC bus tour is one of the most convenient and pleasant ways to explore one the most prominent cities in the United States and a completely affordable one too.

Image: Destination DC

Washington DC is the only American city designed from scratch to project power — its boulevards are wider than Paris, its monuments are whiter than marble should be, and its museums are all free, which is either democracy in action or the most effective propaganda ever conceived. Possibly both.

Washington DC Bus Tour: Must-See Experiences

  • National Mall monuments (Lincoln, Vietnam, WWII, MLK)
  • Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (free)
  • Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum (free)
  • National Gallery of Art (free)
  • San Juan Islands kayaking & orcas
  • Georgetown waterfront & M Street
  • Arlington National Cemetery
  • National Zoo (free)
  • US Capitol building tour
  • Kennedy Center evening performance

Explore by Region

Frequently Asked Questions

Spring: cherry blossoms peak around Tidal Basin; Fall: mild temps, fewer crowds; Summer: peak season, long daylight; Winter: short lines, holiday monuments
1 day: hop-on hop-off full loop; 2 days: National Mall + Arlington + Capitol Hill; 3 days: add memorials, museums, White House exterior
National Mall, Capitol Hill, Arlington Cemetery, White House, Tidal Basin, Georgetown waterfront
National Mall (monument hub), Capitol Hill (bus loop anchor), Arlington (cemetery access), Penn Quarter (central boarding)
Day1 morning: National Mall loop, midday: Arlington Cemetery, afternoon: White House + Capitol Hill; Day2: Tidal Basin, Lincoln Memorial, Georgetown