Top Washington DC Historical Tours

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 famous monuments and memorials of Washington DC by night on this small-group (or private) sightseeing tour. Hop aboard an open-air, electric vehicle and enjoy an educational and entertaining narrated history of the nation’s capital. Travel by the wealth of famous attractions, with views of the Washington Monument, the White House, and many other landmarks lit up after dark, and don't forget to bring your camera to capture this magical time of day.

Scoring tickets to enter the Washington Monument can be a hassle involving an early wake-up, waiting on the ticket line, and then returning later in the day for your assigned entry time. These tickets allow you to skip the wait and walk straight in at your assigned time. Enjoy the epic city views from top and learn about this iconic monument.

Go to the heart of the United States government on a small-group tour of Capitol Hill that explores the US Capitol and either the Library of Congress or the Supreme Court. 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.

Discover the US Government’s storied history with this half-day guided walking tour of Capitol Hill and the Library of Congress. Visit the US Capitol’s Rotunda, Crypt, and Old House Chamber before exploring the world’s largest public display of knowledge in the Library of Congress and stopping off at the Supreme Court. All while your guide shares the detailed history of one of the US’s most prestigious locations.

Step into one of history's most dramatic nights—tracing Lincoln's final hours through Civil War-era D.C. Unlike rushed, generic museum visits, this guided tour takes you inside Ford's Theatre and the Petersen House with reserved access, revealing hidden details and untold stories. You see the theatre booth where the President was shot, stand in the very room where Lincoln drew his last breath, and more. This 2-hour small-group tour offers an intimate look at these historic sites.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Step back into one of the most dramatic nights in American history on this 2-hour walking tour following the final day of President Abraham Lincoln. Learn about John Wilkes Booth’s movements on April 14, 1865, while standing outside the very hotel where he stayed in Room 253 and met with co-conspirators. From there, the tour follows Booth’s path along Pennsylvania Avenue toward 10th Street, retracing the route he took just hours before the assassination. The experience continues with entry into Ford's Theatre, where President Lincoln was shot while attending a play that evening. Explore the historic site, view artifacts related to the assassination. The tour concludes across the street at Petersen House, the boarding house where Lincoln was carried after the shooting and where he died early the next morning. The site offers a moving look at the room where the president spent his final hours, bringing a powerful close to this unforgettable journey through history.

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.

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.

Step into the past and be amazed by the natural world on this small-group or private tour of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Located in the heart of Washington DC, the museum is home to more than 126 million artifacts, including the Hope Diamond, Egyptian mummies, and a living coral reef. Spend time immersing yourself in the collection's stories and objects, and come away from the museum with new knowledge.

See the moving Changing of the Guards at the Tomb of the Unknowns on a guided walking tour of Arlington National Cemetery. Be perfectly placed for good views of the moving ceremony, then continue to some of the cemetery's most important gravesites and memorials, including places dedicated to John F. Kennedy, the USS Maine, Second World War soldier Audie Murphy, and more, learning the fascinating history of the cemetery as you walk.

Follow the story of Abraham Lincoln's assassination in April 1865 without having to follow a dry guidebook on this Washington DC walking tour. With a guide and a small group, make stops at the White House, Peterson's Boarding House, and Ford's Theatre, where the president was shot. Along the way, look at historical photos and listen to anecdotes of mystery and betrayal.

Get personalized attention and enjoy a flexible itinerary on this private walking tour of Washington DC. Visit the highlights and landmarks of the nation's capital, including the Supreme Court, the Capitol Building, the Main Reading Room of the Library of Congress, and others. Then, enjoy free time to explore the Capitol Visitor Center, including the US House of Representatives, with your provided entry ticket (unguided).

See a different side of Washington DC, and beat the daytime crowds, on a nighttime coach tour of the city's top sights. Travel in a standard vehicle, or upgrade for one with a glass roof. Along the way, gaze at floodlit memorials and monuments, such as the Lincoln Memorial and the Jefferson Memorial. Have time for photo stops, and learn more from your guide's narration en route.

Go beyond the guidebooks as you walk through Arlington National Cemetery with a dedicated guide on this private tour. Visit the graves of the famous men and women buried there and learn about their lives. Ask your private guide as many questions as you like and enjoy a more flexible itinerary based on your interests.

Explore the vast Arlington National Cemetery, just across the water from Washington DC, at a pace that suits you on this hop-on hop-off trolley tour. With trolleys departing regularly, you can hop off at any of the stops, including the JFK Gravesite/Eternal Flame, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and Arlington House. Listen to an on-board guide share the history of Arlington and the significance of the memorials, monuments, and burial sites that you pass.

See the historical sights of Washington DC with an up-close view of significant monuments on a bike tour by comfortable cruiser. Ride an easy route over flat terrain from the National Mall to the Potomac Tidal Basin and view DC landmarks including the Washington Monument, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, and Jefferson Memorial as you explore the attractions with a knowledgeable guide.

Explore the many famous monuments and memorials of Washington, DC by moonlight on this narrated sightseeing tour. Hop aboard an open-air trolley and get an educational and entertaining rendition of the storied history of the nation’s capital. Take in views of an illuminated Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, the White House, and more. Leave the brochure at home—your guide has way better stories.