Night of Lincoln Assassination: from White House to Ford Theatre
Recommended by 95% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Washington DC, USA
- 2 hours (approx.)
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Why travelers loved this
·
Overview
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.
- Delve into the history and lore surrounding the assassination of President Lincoln
- See the homes of Lincoln's friends and learn about how he spent his last day alive
- Stop at Ford's Theatre, the site of his assassination
- Look at historical photographs that set the scene of DC in the mid-1800s
What's Included
- Professional, Licensed Tour Guide
- Historic Photos to View on the Tour of Sites and Characters
- 2 Hour Guided Walking Tour Following in Lincoln's Footsteps
- Entrance into Ford's Theatre (tickets from NPS required)
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 1525 H St NW, Washington, DC 20005, USA
Please meet your guide at the entrance of the church on 16th Street NW, NOT the Parish House on H St NW. The tour begins at St. John's Church, the yellow-columned church at the corner of 16th and H St NW, across the street from Lafayette Square.
End point
- Ford's Theatre511 10th St NW, Washington, DC 20004, USA
The tour ends outside Ford's Theatre. We do not go inside Ford's Theatre on the tour.
Itinerary
Your walking tour starts outside St. John's Church in Washington DC, where you'll meet your guide and set off on your tour, learning about Abraham Lincoln's last day in the White House.
Continue to Lafayette Square Park to see Civil War–era homes and buildings, which set the scene for the rest of your exploration. Stop outside the home of Lincoln's theater guests from the night he was assassinated, and walk along Pennsylvania Avenue for a look at other places associated with that night. Your tour ends when you reach Ford's Theatre; go behind the venue to see where John Wilkes Booth made his escape after shooting the president.
During your walk, enjoy photographs and stories from your guide about Washington during the years of the Civil War. Walking distance is roughly one mile (1.6 km).
Continue to Lafayette Square Park to see Civil War–era homes and buildings, which set the scene for the rest of your exploration. Stop outside the home of Lincoln's theater guests from the night he was assassinated, and walk along Pennsylvania Avenue for a look at other places associated with that night. Your tour ends when you reach Ford's Theatre; go behind the venue to see where John Wilkes Booth made his escape after shooting the president.
During your walk, enjoy photographs and stories from your guide about Washington during the years of the Civil War. Walking distance is roughly one mile (1.6 km).
1
St. John's Episcopal Church
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Lafayette Square
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
The White House
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
United States Department of the Treasury (Pass By)
4
The National Theatre
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
5
Old Post Office Pavilion
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest (Pass By)
6
Ford's Theatre
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
7
Petersen Boarding House
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
Baptist Alley (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- Please note: This tour does not enter any buildings during the tour
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.8
based on 256 reviews
Adolphus_B, Jul 2026
Enjoyed the tour. My guide was very informative and outgoing. Would definitely recommend this tour. It does require walking so be prepared.
Frank_A, Jul 2026
Lots on history presented well. The guide was easy to hear and understand. Many stops so it was an easy walk
Silda_V, Jun 2026
Georgia was an excellent tour guide. She had amazing energy, knowledge and professionalism. It’s been my favorite tour since our stay at DC. I highly recommend it to everyone that visits .
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you! We're so glad you enjoyed the tour with Georgia. Her energy and knowledge truly make for a memorable experience. We appreciate your recommendation!
JD_S, Jun 2026
The leader was so passionate and had more than just general memorized info about Lincoln. It was so fun to hear the excitement in his retelling of what happened that night and the ensuing days. If you are a Civil War enthusiast or presidential history buff, don’t miss this one.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you! We're so glad you enjoyed the tour. It's wonderful to hear your guide's passion and storytelling made the history come alive. We appreciate your recommendation!
Vickie_O, Jun 2026
It was a nice walk past some landmarks while hearing the details of the last day leading up to Lincoln's death. Very interesting, but would have been nice to be able to go into the Lincoln Theater.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for your thoughtful feedback! We're glad you enjoyed learning about the events surrounding Lincoln's final day. We appreciate your suggestion and hope to welcome you on another tour soon.
Darcy_M, Jun 2026
Our tour guide Becca was great!! Very knowledgeable and a great story teller. Apparently I slept through American History in school and had no idea there was such an elaborate plot set into motion to kill the president.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you! We're so glad you enjoyed the tour with Becca. Her storytelling and knowledge truly bring history to life. We appreciate your kind words!
Jen_W, Jun 2026
Colin was a fantastic tour guide. We took our two teenage children and they enjoyed it. Would recommend, especially the 7:00pm evening tour.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you! We're so glad you and your family enjoyed the evening tour with Colin. We appreciate your recommendation and are happy your teenagers had a great time too!
Jensen_A, Jun 2026
trevor was fantastic!!! he was so captivating and i learned so so much! the stops were great and he was full on knowledge.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you! We're so glad you enjoyed the tour with Trevor. His passion and knowledge truly make for an engaging experience. We appreciate your kind words!
Zachary_H, Jun 2026
Mike was very knowledgeable and friendly. He would take the time to tell the story in a meaningful way. While clearly understanding the gravity of the story, he still provided some lighthearted palate cleansers.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you! We're so glad you enjoyed the tour with Mike. His thoughtful storytelling and balanced approach truly make for a memorable experience. We appreciate your kind words!
Destiny_R, Jun 2026
Mike the guide was very knowledgeable, could easily be a college history professor. Thoroughly enjoyed the tour. It is a definite must for those visiting.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you! We're thrilled you enjoyed the tour with Mike. His knowledge and passion for history truly make the experience special. We appreciate your recommendation!
Myra_D, Jun 2026
Fantastic tour, very knowledgeable staff member, and friendly. I love how Katherine makes people feel involved. I think that was her name.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you! We're so glad you enjoyed the tour and felt engaged throughout. We'll be sure to share your kind words with Katherine!
Nina, May 2026
Be ready to walk! Lots of fascinating information. Our guide was full of details... it was like being in a live documentary. If you are a history fan than this is a great experience. Plus it was fully accessible!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you! We're so glad you enjoyed the tour and found it both informative and accessible. We appreciate your recommendation to fellow history lovers!
Kathleen_O, May 2026
I was looking for a walking tour that was not too long and would also be informational. This was a great tour and absolutely checked both boxes. Trevor was a wonderful tour guide. He made the history of Lincoln’s assassination interesting and engaging. I would absolutely recommend this if you are looking for something different while visiting DC.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you! We're so glad the tour was the perfect fit and that Trevor made the history so engaging and memorable. We truly appreciate your recommendation!
Kimberly, May 2026
This was a very informative. Katherine was knowledgeable on everything. We would definitely recommend this tour to others.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you! We're so glad you enjoyed the tour with Katherine and appreciated her knowledge. We truly value your recommendation!
lauren_m, Apr 2026
Entertaining and informative tour. Our guide was a great storyteller! Our 12 and 14 year old boys enjoyed it too.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you! We're so glad you enjoyed the tour and that your boys had a great time too!
Eric_S, Apr 2026
Modest amount of walking. Really interesting and informative. Well worth the price of admission. Tour guide was very knowledgeable and engaging. The size of the group was controlled and made for a very intimate setting.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you! We're so glad you enjoyed the tour and appreciated the intimate group size and engaging storytelling!
Richard_G, Mar 2026
Michael was a great tour guide for this trip! He was very knowledgeable about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln but also on the history of DC, the background of all of those involved prior to the shooting and some very fun facts that you wouldn’t have thought about. The walking path we went on was not too crazy but it was a beautiful night as well so that helped. We would highly recommend this tour for anyone visiting DC and especially for those who want to learn more about Lincoln.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you! We're so glad you enjoyed the tour with Michael and appreciated his deep knowledge and storytelling. We truly value your recommendation!
shannonclay, Mar 2026
Tour was great, it ended up just being our family on a very cold night. Could have easily been miserable, but Trevor made it fun and brought all of the interesting facts. He was so nice and came with a lot of great tips about DC, where to eat and what to do. Highly recommend
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you! We're so glad Trevor made the tour enjoyable despite the cold. Happy to hear you loved the stories and local tips—thanks for the recommendation!
Darcy_M, Mar 2026
Everything was great. Very knowledgeable and great story teller. Learned a lot of things I did not know.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you! We're so glad you enjoyed the tour and learned something new along the way!
Thea_J, Mar 2026
It was an amazing experience. This tour was ran by Kevin, it was just myself, another lady, and him. The tour was spectacular and done by an amazing guide
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you! We're so glad you had an amazing experience with Kevin. Happy to hear the tour felt so special and well guided!
Diane_H, Mar 2026
He was aVery knowledgeable, fun tour guide. We learned many new historical facts. Overall, it was a great experience
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you! We're glad you had a great experience and enjoyed learning new historical facts on the tour!
Chloe_J, Feb 2026
So much knowledge packed into two hours. The storytelling was compelling from beginning to end. We loved it!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you! We're so glad you enjoyed the storytelling and packed-in knowledge. Happy to hear you loved it!
Shetler_A, Jan 2026
Great tour, fun and engaging tour guide (Trevor) that kept the story interesting and packed with tons of facts! We are locals and will definitely recommend this to visiting family and friends!
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you! We're thrilled you enjoyed the tour with Trevor, even as locals. We really appreciate you recommending it to family and friends!
Eileen_B, Jan 2026
The night of our tour was bitterly cold. We almost canceled but we are so thrilled that we didn't! Becca was just fantastic and brought everything to life (even when we couldn't feel our toes). She is such an incredible wealth of information - tackling not only the subject matter but anything thrown at her generally. Can't speak highly enough about the tour and Becca.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you so much for braving the cold and joining the tour! We’re thrilled Becca made it such a memorable experience despite the weather. She’ll love hearing your kind words!
Michael_K, Dec 2025
Katherine’s story telling was excellent and really added to our stay in DC. Even on a freezing night, we had fun!
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you! We’re so glad you enjoyed Katherine’s storytelling and had fun—even on a freezing night!
Dan_G, Dec 2025
I read a lot about history, especially the Civil War. I had read extensively about the assassination. This tour and visiting the sites really put the events of that night in perspective. I really enjoyed it. The tour guide was very knowlegable and gave a good tour.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Thank you! We’re so glad the tour helped bring the events of that night into perspective and that you enjoyed the guide’s knowledge and storytelling.
Matthew_R, Dec 2025
Becca was a great tour guide! She was so informative and had tons of information for us. Highly recommend her for any tours you have planned in DC!
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Thank you! We're so glad you enjoyed your tour with Becca and appreciated her knowledge. We really appreciate the recommendation!
Viktoria_H, Dec 2025
Great tour on snowing evening. The company did an amazing job making sure the group would feel comfortable and made adjustments. I learned so much and really felt a better understanding of the event. It was such a great way to introduce my visit to Fords Theatre.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Thank you! We’re so glad you enjoyed the tour on a snowy evening and appreciated the adjustments. Happy it added depth to your visit to Ford’s Theatre!
Michelle_D, Nov 2025
Was not offered a refund, was not able to complete the tour due to a disability I suffered during my trip.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Hi Michelle, I am sorry to hear you could not join the tour but we are having trouble finding any information about your booking. We don't have any guest who booked this tour under the name Michelle and we have had no communication about a request for a refund or missed tour. Did you speak to Viator about this? The review you have left is for our tour company, DC by Foot, but it seems your complaint is about Viator - who we are not affiliated with. They are the only ones who can offer a refund since you booked with them. At no point has Viator asked us about any refund for any guests on this tour. Can you contact me directly at canden@dcbyfoot.com so I can assist?
Kathryn_J, Oct 2025
this tour was very interesting and Becca did a great job of presenting. she made you feel like you were actually witnessing the night. she really kept our attention and i’m so glad i booked this! highly recommend!
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you! We're thrilled you enjoyed the tour with Becca and her captivating storytelling. We really appreciate your recommendation!
Likely to Sell Out
From $49.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
Compare Similar Experiences
Current
Likely to Sell Out
Night of Lincoln Assassination: from White House to Ford Theatre
255
2 hours
Free Cancellation
From
$49.00
Customers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought
Explore Similar Things to Do
- Audio Guides
- Half-day Tours
- Night Tours
- Bus Tours
- Historical Tours
- Tours, Sightseeing & Cruises
- Private and Luxury
- Cultural Tours
- Washington DC
- Bus Tours - Manassas
- Historical Tours - Annapolis
- Audio Guides - Baltimore
- Half-day Tours - Baltimore
- Night Tours - Baltimore
- Bus Tours - Baltimore
- Historical Tours - Baltimore
Attractions in Washington DC, USA
- Ford's Theatre Tours & Tickets
- Lafayette Square Tours & Tickets
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial Tours & Tickets
- National Archives Museum Tours & Tickets
- Woodrow Wilson House Tours & Tickets
- Potomac River Tours & Tickets
- Old Stone House Tours & Tickets
- United States Treasury Building Tours & Tickets
- U.S. Navy Memorial Tours & Tickets
- Vietnam Veterans Memorial Tours & Tickets
- United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Tours & Tickets
- John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Tours & Tickets
- Octagon House Tours & Tickets
- Washington National Cathedral Tours & Tickets
- Jamestown Settlement Tours & Tickets
- Petersen House Tours & Tickets
- Old Town Alexandria Tours & Tickets
- Shriver House Museum Tours & Tickets