Washington DC in One Day: Guided Sightseeing Tour + boat cruise
Recommended by 94% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Washington DC, USA
- 6 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
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.
- Learn insider facts and stories from your guide's commentary
- See more of the Washington DC sights than you easily could alone
- Pick between two transit options to suit your budget and preferences
- This introductory tour is ideal for first-time or time-pressed visitors
Why Travelers Choose This Tour
A seasonal river cruise and guided walks provide more photo ops than most tours.
What's Included
- English-Speaking Live Tour Guide (on and off the bus)
- Boat Cruise on the Potomac River (seasonal: April 1 to September 30)
- Upgrade to glass-top bus available
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Gratuities
- Lunch
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- US Navy Memorial Plaza701 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20004, USA
For either the Discover DC Guided Bus Tour (6349touronly) or the Upgrade: Glass-Top/Convertible (TG4) departure @ 10 AM: Look for the tour greeter near the tall, white flagpoles on the Pennsylvania Avenue side of the U.S. Navy Memorial Plaza (between 7th & 9th Streets) outside the Archives metro.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Operating hours.10:00 am
Itinerary
In the morning, meet your guide and the rest of the tour group at the US Navy Memorial Plaza.
From the comfort of an air-conditioned coach (upgrade to travel by glass-topped bus), drive past the White House, the many Smithsonian museums, the National Mall, and much more. Your guide will share comprehensive narration along the way, with frequent photo-op stops at the city's historic and iconic landmarks.
You can also experience guided walks around sights such as the US Capitol, the Lincoln Memorial, the World War II Memorial, and the Korean War Veterans Memorial. Along the way, learn the history of these famous monuments, and examine them up close.
This tour also features a scenic, seasonal boat cruise along the Potomac River (from April through September). At other times of year, head to The Pentagon City. Either way, enjoy a lunch stop (own expense).
The tour concludes back at the original departure point.
From the comfort of an air-conditioned coach (upgrade to travel by glass-topped bus), drive past the White House, the many Smithsonian museums, the National Mall, and much more. Your guide will share comprehensive narration along the way, with frequent photo-op stops at the city's historic and iconic landmarks.
You can also experience guided walks around sights such as the US Capitol, the Lincoln Memorial, the World War II Memorial, and the Korean War Veterans Memorial. Along the way, learn the history of these famous monuments, and examine them up close.
This tour also features a scenic, seasonal boat cruise along the Potomac River (from April through September). At other times of year, head to The Pentagon City. Either way, enjoy a lunch stop (own expense).
The tour concludes back at the original departure point.
1
United States Navy Memorial and Naval Heritage Center
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
U.S. Capitol Visitor Center
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
The White House
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
4
National World War II Memorial
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
5
Jefferson Memorial
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
6
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
7
Georgetown
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
8
The Pentagon
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
9
Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
10
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
11
Korean War Veterans Memorial
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
12
Lincoln Memorial
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Most travelers can participate
- Small carry-on bags are allowed, however it is recommended that you travel lightly. Due to security concerns, the tour operator reserves the right to search any bags or purses you bring on board. Many of the attractions in Washington DC are equipped with metal detectors at the entrances. Traveling without bags or purses is recommended
- Due to time restrictions, you cannot go inside any of the monuments, however you can spend about 15-20 minutes at each stop to enjoy up-close views
- No food allowed on buses (snacks are fine!)
- The boat cruise is seasonal from Apr 1 to Sep 30
- Convertible buses switch from open-tops to glass-tops between October and March due to colder temperatures
- If you're driving, there is street parking and garages available near the meeting location, including directly under the Navy Memorial meeting location.
- We will meet guests in the front of the Navy Memorial, a large fountain plaza, by the tall navy flags - on Pennsylvania Avenue NW between 7th & 9th St NW. Please note: rideshares tend to bring people to the opposite side of the block.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 55 travelers
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Frequently Asked Questions (3)
Q:Where does this tour meet?
A:Tours will start and end at the U.S. Navy Memorial located at 701 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20004. We will meet guests in the front of the Navy Memorial, a large fountain plaza, by the tall navy flags - on Pennsylvania Avenue NW between 7th & 9th St NW. Please note: rideshares tend to bring people to the opposite side of the block.
Jun 2025
The answers provided are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.7
based on 3,603 reviews
Michelle_C, Jun 2026
Rocky was a great tour guide. He kept us entertained despite being stuck in traffic because the president was coming through. He also took time to come back to our family to teach about the monuments after he already shared. My mom uses a walker so sometimes we fell behind the rest of the group.
Chizoma_I, Jun 2026
Fantastic to see the city in the air-conditioned bus. Brittany was very knowledgeable and made the tours interesting. Shout out to the rest of the team as well. We enjoyed ourselves.
Rebecca_C, Jun 2026
Rocky the tour guide and Leah the bus driver were fantastic! We learned a lot about the monuments and very good fun stories also. This was our only tour of Washington DC and we were very impressed.
Lisa_S, Jun 2026
Great option! Nick was super knowledgeable and entertaining. Great access and able to change agenda based on road closures!
Jack_F, Jun 2026
Sam is a great tour guide! This is a wonderful way to see the major monuments in a day. There’s amble time to take pictures, walk around each monument, & move on to the next one without wasting time. Highly recommended.
Paola_V, Jun 2026
Awesome tour guides and bus driver. The tour felt a little rushed and the A/C on the bus was not working, and it was a hot day! The boat tour is nice if you want to listen to a prerecorded explanation. Our tour guide covered plenty of the information so it was more of a relaxation ride. If you are short on time you might want to do the boat ride on a different day.
Deidre_R, Jun 2026
It was raining, but the experience was great. The tour guide, Brittnie, was very knowledgeable about the history of the places we visited.
Leia_J, Jun 2026
My family and I had the pleasure of touring DC with our host Dion! He was very knowledgeable of the city. He was very thorough and made sure that nobody was left behind. You can really tell that he loves his job and country. He is very personable and has a wonderful sense of humor.( Also I would like to thank Dion for his service to this country) I also would like to shout out our bus driver Calvin. He was very welcoming and accommodating as well.
Carole_D, Jun 2026
The trip hit all the highlights of everything we wanted to see in a day! Plenty of time to see and take many photos as well. A great place to stop for a variety of lunch options and the boat ride to relax! Brittany was SO knowledgeable and also kept us entertained! I give it 5 stars and a 10/10 rating!
Andy_T, Jun 2026
Brittany was very knowledgeable and friendly. The pace was good. Although rainy, the day was very enjoyable and entertaining
Mary_D, Jun 2026
This tour was lots of fun! We saw many things we would never have seen if we had travelled on foot.
Joey was very knowledgeable and told us lots of great stories about the monuments and historical figures.
Our only complaint is that the bus was hot. The air conditioning was not functioning properly.
We recommend this tour for an overview of the landmarks in D.C.
Renee_W, Jun 2026
The tour and the tour guides Brittany and driver Richard were wonderful. If you are interested in a guided DC tour, this is worth the 6 hours. We loved it!
Senthil_S, Jun 2026
Sam was very informative. Managed to provide as much information as possible. It was a very sunny day and the bus folks provided chilled water to beat the heat. Recommend for a day tour.
FIORELLA_M, Jun 2026
Excellent in every way! Easy to book; great communication and SUPERB guide and driver! Highly recommend!
Patricia_B, Jun 2026
Joey and Tanya were truly outstanding and they made the tour very informative and good.
The sites picked gave me a good view of DC
Carol_R, Jun 2026
This Washington DC tour with Sam and Leah was outstanding. It was a beautiful day and the trip was truly relaxing and informational at the same time. This experience brought joy to my heart and to our family and friends who were with us during the tour.
CarolP, Jun 2026
Highly recommend using Viator for travel they use the best tour guides. We were able to visit all the sites that were on our list.
Darlene_K, Jun 2026
Excellent tour to ‘see it all’ without spending too much time at one location. Great photo opportunities, comfortable bus, friendly staff.
Renay_H, Jun 2026
This was a really fast way to see many important monument in D.C. and it tour guide was fantastic. I will say that at times the information was a little dull for our kids who normally love tours and history. The volume on the bus was difficult to hear at times. And the boat ride (I believe by a different company) was not fun. The boat ride part was even more dull and hard to hear, though it was relaxing. I would give our tour guide Brittany high marks, but wouldn’t recommend this specific tour.
kmp6hzbfcn, Jun 2026
It was a wonderful experience. Sam our tour guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. Bus driver was prompt and kept us in water . Thank you both!
Gene_H, Jun 2026
It is a great tour—especially if you have a limited amount of time in DC! Our tour guide was very knowledgeable. Highly recommend!
Robert_L, Jun 2026
The tour was cancelled 8.30pm the night before the tour. Complete lack of planning on the tour operators behalf. No apology, and we expect a FULL refund.
Janae_R, Jun 2026
It was great to see all the sights and Dion was very knowledgeable. The vans are nice and cool, great AC during summer.
Alicia_D, Jun 2026
Due to construction, there were three listed activities we didn’t get to do as described. I feel it would’ve been helpful to know that in advance. Possibly, there should have been a discount as well.
The driver and guide (Elvis) were very kind, knowledgeable, and friendly. They did their best to keep us informed about the limitations, that were completely out of their control. They seemed very concerned with our comfort and welfare.
Jeanie_B, Jun 2026
I like details - bottles of water are offered and allowed but no food or drinks. Limited time for lunch. The bus has outlets for charging phones. Sam was knowledgeable and passionate about the history with humor added in. Our bus driver, Tonya, was great with navigating us safely to each area. It was a great day.
Monica_E, Jun 2026
Air conditioned bus with friendly driver who constantly moved bus to keep air con going as it was s as very hot day whilst we visited the monuments with the guide! The guide was very informative! The main issue was that it felt rushed at the beginning as he was late due to doing a previous tour at Capitol building then we picked him up. The boat ride was very pleasant bringing our lunch aboard purchased at our stop. Overall an excellent tour taking in all the major monuments. Narrated by a very knowledgeable guide.
Del_E, Jun 2026
It was cancelled we were sent a notice and couldn’t reschedule as we had already scheduled other things
Ronald_F, Jun 2026
Great tour,even greater guide nick. With lots of closures he still got us everywhere. He was awesome
Laura_V, Jun 2026
I was in the area for three days and needed to see all of the monuments in a structured and efficient way. This tour met my needs perfectly. Leah, the driver, was very friendly, safe and communicative when needed. Sam, the tour guide was passionate, knowledgeable, energetic, and friendly. It was a very hot and long day, but Sam kept up his energy the entire time. He said clear expectations and upheld them. The boat tour was a nice change of pace from the walking and the hot weather. The food on the Washington Harbor at Nick‘s Riverfront Grill was tasty. I highly recommend this tour. Book it!
Gilbert_B, Jun 2026
It was a great tour I just a little hard to find at the beginning I got there a little early pretty soon there's some people there with maybe there should have been a sign there but they told us where to look where the two flagpoles were
From $89.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Washington DC in One Day: Guided Sightseeing Tour + boat cruise
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