Top Washington DC Half-day Tours

Maximize your time and sightseeing in Washington DC on this shared or private tour of the city's memorials and major landmarks. Setting out from the United States Navy Memorial, admire DC highlights from the White House to the Lincoln Memorial, Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Travel in the comfort of a luxury tour bus, with photo stops and a guide to share the stories behind each destination.

Explore Washington DC's iconic landmarks and monuments on a full-day coach tour. Stop at the White House, U.S. Capitol, Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, and more. Depending on the season, you'll be invited to enjoy a Potomac River cruise or extra memorial stops and Pentagon Mall lunch. Upgrade options include admission to the Washington Monument, National Air and Space Museum, African American Museum, or a guided Capitol Hill walk with U.S. Capitol entry.

With the sheer size of the Smithsonian museums, it can be tough to know where to start, let alone how to see all the most interesting exhibits. This small-group walking tour of the National Air and Space Museum, Museum of National History, and Museum of American History lets you squeeze the most out of your time in the city.

Discover the best of Washington DC all in one day on this time-saving, multi-stop tour. Drop by the city’s top landmarks and monuments, from the White House and the US Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial and beyond. Explore on foot and by comfortable bus, or upgrade to travel by glass-topped vehicle for unimpeded views. This tour also includes a seasonal Potomac River cruise for a new perspective on the nation's capital.

Explore the heart of American democracy on Capitol Hill with reserved timed-entry tickets and a guide who knows these halls inside and out. We reserve every ticket in advance, so you skip the planning and go straight to the history. Choose your option: US Capitol & Library of Congress (3 hrs, up to 15): Tour the Jefferson Building's Main Reading Room, Gutenberg Bible, and Jefferson's library, then the Capitol Rotunda, crypt, and Statuary Hall. US Capitol & Supreme Court (2.5–3 hrs, up to 15): Start at the Supreme Court, then the Capitol Visitor Center, film, and docent-led Capitol tour. BIG 3 Capitol Hill Landmarks (4 hrs, up to 10): All three landmarks on one guided tour, Tuesday–Friday. Upgrade any tour to PRIVATE for just your group (the 45-minute Capitol docent portion is shared). Note: the Library of Congress is closed Mondays and the Supreme Court is closed weekends. Perfect for first-time DC visitors, history buffs, families, and school groups.

Experience Washington DC from a different perspective on this evening coach tour. Visit multiple sites when the crowds are lower and the atmosphere is a little more relaxed. Discover the highlights of the National Mall, including the White House, the US Capitol, and Lincoln Memorial. Make stops along the way for an up-close look, and learn more from your guide's commentary. Additionally, upgrade to include admission tickets to DC museums (for later, independent sightseeing).

See Washington DC’s historic monuments and memorials in a light that most travelers miss on this evening half-day small-group tour. Witness the Lincoln Memorial, the White House, the US Capitol Building, and much more illuminated beneath the night sky while enjoying audio link insights from your guide at each location.

Explore Washington, DC’s landmarks and Capitol Hill on a small-group electric cart tour, offering a sustainable and relaxed way to see the city. Enjoy narrated stops at highlights like the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, and Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, with photo opportunities along the way. Led by a local guide, this tour provides fascinating insights and stunning views of the nation’s capital—without hours spent walking.

Deepen your understanding of the legislative branch of the US government on a small-group tour of Capitol Hill that explores the US Capitol and your choice of the Supreme Court, the Library of Congress, or both (along with the Folger Shakespeare Library). This tour goes inside each destination for a guided tour, and highlights include reserved entry at the US Capitol with a guide to help bring Capitol Hill's fascinating politics and history to life.

Enjoy a more personalized way to explore the best of Washington DC—and see the city at its most atmospheric (and least crowded)—on this nighttime sightseeing tour. Meet your driver-guide directly at your hotel; after hopping aboard your vehicle, set off with just a small group of fellow travelers for company. Look forward to spotting the White House, seeing the monuments of the National Mall, and more, all lit up after dark.

Step back in time—and learn about American history in a more immersive way than many other tours—on this half-day visit to Mount Vernon from Washington DC. Explore George Washington’s home, wander through its restored gardens and farmland, and learn about the life and legacy of the country’s first president. As a bonus for the following day, a self-guided ticket to the National Air and Space Museum is included.

Explore 10 iconic Washington DC landmarks in just four hours with a professional guide! Travel comfortably in a 12-passenger van, stopping outside historic sites like the US Capitol, White House, and Lincoln Memorial. Enjoy expert commentary, photo opportunities, and learn the rich history of each location. Convenient pickup and drop-off at the Washington Grand Hyatt.

Follow in the footsteps of the nation's first president on this half-day history tour. Travel to Mount Vernon, George Washington's home in Virginia and one of the nation’s most beloved historic sites. Also enjoy a bus trip around Old Town Alexandria, where you see 17th- and 18th-century homes and discover little-known facts about the landmarks. Upgrade to add a Washington DC night tour to your itinerary, if you wish.

Learn about American history and culture—and explore a solemn landmark in a respectful way—on this tour of Arlington National Cemetery. Visit key monuments, including the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the President John F. Kennedy Gravesite, and the Robert E. Lee Memorial, hear more about the service members and national figures laid to rest here, and watch the Changing of the Guard ceremony.

See Washington DC's highlights, whilst beating the crowds, on this customised, private sightseeing tour. Pick a departure time that works best for you, meet your guide at your preferred location, and hop aboard a luxury SUV or Sprinter van. Options of where to visit include the White House, US Capitol, Lincoln Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery, and much more—and will learn the stories behind the sights from your guide.

See the best of Washington DC—and discover a new side of the city’s major monuments—on this nighttime tour. After sundown, meet your guide, hop aboard your vehicle, and set off to see highlights like the US Capitol, Washington Monument, Supreme Court, and more. You have the opportunity to stop for photo breaks and learn about the landmarks’ history from your guide.

Explore the delightful neighborhood of Georgetown while sating your hunger pangs on this small-group food walking tour. Enjoy seasonal delights and local favorites like Philly cheesesteak egg rolls and Old Bay crab pressed sushi while your guide leads you to some of Washington DC’s best culinary hotspots. Take in landmarks like the Washington Harbour and the Francis Scott Key Bridge, before sampling the tour’s mysterious ‘secret dish’.

Experience the grandeur of Washington DC’s architecture and memorials at night on this moonlight small-group tour. Avoid the crowds and traffic, and explore with just a small group for company. Travel in a climate-controlled van with hotel pickup and drop off included, discovering famous sights like the White House, the Capitol Building, and the Lincoln Memorial. A great way to get your bearings in a new place for the first time.

The US Capitol, the Supreme Court, and the Library of Congress are some of the most popular sights in DC, but that can also mean long lines to get inside. On this small-group half-day guided tour, spend more time exploring rather than waiting around with reserved access. Learn about the historic importance of each landmark as you spend time navigating them on foot.

Vigilance Tours is unlike other tours With 25 years of working knowledge of Arlington National Cemetery, the Pentagon, Congress, and DC – Eric Hommel (Lt Col, USAF (retired)) is the only Cemetery guide who goes beyond the facts and figures and discusses the stories behind the facts and figures The tour is interactive – by getting to know you, Eric strives to make the tour meaningful while maintaining the reverence of Arlington National Cemetery In order to get to know each other, we limit the size of the tour group to a max of 12 visitors No subject is totally off limits – Eric is happy to discuss most topics (history, politics, military decisions, treatment of veterans, etc.) defining those interred at Arlington National Cemetery We will not rush you; the tour is scheduled for at least 3 hours, if you have less than 3 hours to visit the Cemetery we recommend shorter tours with other companies Eric is the author of: THE LOSING GAME: HOW TO LOSE A WAR AND FAIL VETERANS (Amazon)

Discover many of Washington DC’s most significant African-American historical and cultural landmarks on this small-group, half-day driving tour. Meet your guide in the morning at the US Navy Memorial Plaza, hop aboard your vehicle, and set off: you’ll pass highlights ranging from the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial to the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site. At tour’s end, head to the National Museum of African American History and Culture to explore independently.

Tick off the highlights of Washington D.C. during this private, half-day tour. Customize your own itinerary, selecting a range of local sights to visit. Optional stops include the White House, Arlington National Cemetery, Lincoln Memorial, or the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian. Air-conditioned vehicle transfers with hotel pickup and drop-off are provided.

Washington, DC’s rich and storied history runs the gamut of political intrigue, scandals, murders, and some of the greatest moments in U.S. history. This fully narrated tour combines walking and driving to major sites like the White House, the Pentagon FBI building, and the National Archives. Guides narrate the stops as you travel, and the tour is available in Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese.