Best of DC: Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour & Sightseeing Sunset Tour

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Washington DC, USA

Great choice

10+ bookings last month.

2 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Exploring Washington DC on foot can be challenging if you want to see everything, so a hop-on-hop-off bus tour is a convenient way to experience the city’s major sights. You can join the tour at key locations across the city, including the Smithsonian Museums, the National Mall memorials, the Library of Congress, and many more. For a completely different perspective, the city becomes especially beautiful at sunset. The Sunset Tour lets you discover the nation’s capital as the day fades, passing iconic landmarks such as the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial, and the Capitol Building. The tour also includes stops at the Lincoln Memorial and the White House, where you can hop off the bus to explore these famous monuments up close.

Choose between 24,48, or 72-hour access to the bus
Learn about hidden gems as you ride that most tourists miss
A great way to meet like-minded sightseers
Hear facts as you ride from the bus’s onboard digital commentary
Discover Washington DC’s most iconic landmarks in the beautiful evening light.

What's Included

24, 48, or 72-hour Hop-on Hop-off Tour validity (up to $83 value)
2hr Sunset Tour (Live Guide during March and April 2026)
Exclusive digital tours of Arlington Cemetery, Tidal Basin and Georgetown
Digital commentary aboard bus in multiple languages
Official Tour Provider of the National Mall - a portion of every ticket goes to preservation
Free app for route information and live bus tracking
Open-top Double Decker Bus

Hotel pick-up/drop-off

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

1400 Jefferson Dr SW, Washington, DC 20004, USA
HOP-ON HOP-OFF TOUR: Redeem ticket at Stop #1 – Washington Monument, or with the driver at any route stop. SUNSET TOUR: departs from Stop #6 - L'Enfant Plaza & International Spy Museum

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

Washington Monument (Pass By)

Lincoln Memorial (Pass By)

Thomas Jefferson Memorial (Pass By)

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial (Pass By)

Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial (Pass By)

International Spy Museum (Pass By)

Vietnam Veterans Memorial (Pass By)

Arlington National Cemetery (Pass By)

National World War II Memorial (Pass By)

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (Pass By)

Chinatown (Pass By)

The White House South Lawn (Pass By)

Union Station (Pass By)

U.S. Capitol (Pass By)

The Wharf (Pass By)

Georgetown (Pass By)

U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial (Pass By)

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Near public transportation
Infants must sit on laps
Transportation is wheelchair accessible
Most travelers can participate
Tours may be taken on separate days

Sunset Tour is 2 hours and departs from Stop #6 - L'Enfant Plaza & International Spy Museum
Unlimited Biking Offer: Rent a bike for one hour and get an additional hour free. Rental includes bike, helmet, basket, lock, roadside assistance and an illustrated map featuring key routes and attractions.
Free Oval Office Photo: Present your ticket at White House Gifts (701 15th ST NW) to receive a free Oval Office digital photo. One photo per ticket.
Exclusive audio guide tours of Arlington Cemetery, Tidal Basin and Georgetown. Guests must be 18 to enter Arlington.
Guests may activate ticket either via the Big Bus app or in person with Big Bus staff
Official Bus Tour Provider of the National Mall: a portion of every ticket helps preserve DC's monuments and memorials—so your Big Bus experience supports America’s history for generations to come
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 50 travelers

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Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

4.3

based on 73 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

The website had the wrong...

Joe_E, Apr 2026

The website had the wrong address for us to be picked up for the Sunset tour. We waited for 45 minutes, called the tour co., was put on hold for over 20 minutes with never an answer. They now say they will not refund us for the tour.

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Hello Joe_E! We want to express our gratitude for your feedback. We're sorry to learn that the departure point was incorrect. Please rest assured that our official website is consistently updated, and all departure addresses are accurate. If you need assistance with the departure locations for your tours, feel free to reach out to us via live chat on our official website. Our live agents are quick and very helpful in providing the necessary information and great alternatives. We look forward to welcoming you back soon. Best regards, Vlad from Big Bus Tours.

I used to ride big bus...

STEPHEN_H, Apr 2026

I used to ride big bus tours as the first thing in every big city because they were amazing. They have now completely replaced human tour guides with a pre-recorded audio that has more music than words, talks more about things that are many blocks away instead of what you are actually looking at, contains outright lies, repeatedly cuts out mid sentence, and 95% of the time fails to mention anything about the interesting buildings and monuments right in front of you. I know it saves money to eliminate the humans, but they made their product almost completely worthless in the process. The worst person tour guide I ever had was still much better than the recording, and the good tour guides are why I spent thousands of dollars on Big bus in the past. Waiting 40 minutes for a big bus transportation option in cities with 5 minute bus and metro waits for 2 dollars made sure it's worthless as transportation. The pre-recorded guide made it virtually worthless as a tour.

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Hi STEPHEN_H, Thank you for taking your time to write your feedback! We are sorry to hear that you did not enjoy the commentary this time. Big Bus Tours are proud of our best-in-class audio experiences, which we have revamped and rolled out to the majority of our cities, with the last few to follow soon. We're confident you'll enjoy the audio guide on your next trip, so be sure to jump on another Big Bus Tour the next time you're travelling. Best wishes. Cristian T, Big Bus Tours

Great way to see DC, day...

Kathleen_A, Jul 2025

Great way to see DC, day and night tours. Erica and crew are amazing guides. Hop off the bus to see exactly what you want to

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Hi Kathleen_A. We wish to thank you for your feedback. We are glad to hear that you've had a great tour. We hope to have you back soon. Best, Vlad from Big Bus Tours.