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Are you on the hunt for a list of the best things you can do in Washington DC? Well, not only do I have that list, but have personally done each activity and can vouch for how awesome these experiences are!
We have visited DC tons of times over the years. We’re not even Americans, and that’s how fascinating we find it! We understand that it’s a bucket list destination for many, and doing it right is a big concern.
Especially if this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for you, we want you to come away having done everything you wanted and more. So keep reading, because I’ll cover the best things to do and some handy tips to make it a perfect trip.
- Things to do in Washington, DC
- 1. Tour the United States Capitol
- 2. Go on the best sightseeing tour in DC
- 3. Take an after-dark monuments tour
- 4. Visit the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and watch the Changing of the Guard
- 5. Explore DC's African American History
- 6. Take a Segway history tour
- 7. Brunch cruise on the Potomac River
- 8. Private sightseeing tour
- 9. Visit the National Archives on a combo sightseeing tour
- 10. Explore the monuments on a bike tour
- Thanks for reading!
- Why We Book Tours with Viator
- Don't Forget Travel Insurance!
Things to do in Washington, DC
1. Tour the United States Capitol
The US Capitol building is the seat of Congress, and it’s one of the most iconic buildings in the whole country. Many decisions that have shaped the USA have been made here, and it’s the core of the country’s political power. The Capitol is recognizable by its imposing dome, but unlike the White House, it’s easy to go inside and explore!
You need a tour to enter the building and while there are many Capitol tours available, we went on this 3-hour small-group tour and think it’s the best of the bunch! It offers reserved entry to the building, so there’s no waiting around (our legs thanked us!), and our knowledgeable guide taught us all about the various historic sections of the building as we walked through.
We also got to visit the Library of Congress, which is the biggest library in the world! We were also able to see a portion of Thomas Jefferson’s original personal library (although much of it was destroyed by a fire in 1851) and learn about how civilians can make use of the resources here, too. I mean, even politicians don’t need 39 million books at once, do they?
This is just the tip of the iceberg of what we saw on this tour, but I don’t want to spoil it too much! The tour lasted for 3 hours in total and cost $89 USD per person. It has a maximum of 15 participants, so it also felt quite personal, and not too crowded.
This tour is likely to sell out – reserve your spot now and gain FREE cancellation options!
2. Go on the best sightseeing tour in DC
A sightseeing tour is always a great way to get acquainted with a new city, but especially one with as many memorials, statues, and political landmarks as Washington, DC. We love sightseeing tours in DC as they’re a super efficient way of seeing as much as possible in a day while learning lots of local history.
We did this full-day sightseeing tour, and we absolutely loved it! This also happens to be DC’s top-rated sightseeing tour with over 2,000 5-star reviews – read all the glowing reviews here!
We saw so much – including the Roosevelt, National WWII, Martin Luther King Jr, and Lincoln memorials. We also saw the White House and the Capitol Building and got to do a Potomac River Cruise, so we got the full Washington, DC experience.
Plus, traveling through the city on an air-conditioned bus was nice because the weather was so hot and sticky while we were in DC!
The tour costs $89 USD per person, or $119 USD for those who want to travel in a glass-top bus for even better views. Also, do note that while this is a year-round tour, the Potomac cruise only runs between April and mid-October!
Book this tour with thousands of positive reviews here, before spots fill up.
3. Take an after-dark monuments tour
Even after we saw all the famous monuments during the day, we still found doing this after-dark tour was so worth it! Seeing Washington, DC lit up at night was such a fantastic experience because we got to see the landmarks without the big crowds of tourists that are usually around during the day. The monuments also look truly spectacular when they’re floodlit after dark.
The after-dark tour took us to all of the city’s must-see sights, and we got roughly a 15-minute guided stop at each one. Visiting the White House, the Capitol, and six different memorials, we learned more about them, and they were truly epic to see all lit up at night!
We aren’t the only ones who loved this experience, there are over 4,400 5-star reviews – check them out here!
The tour lasted for 3 hours, and the guides really did their best to make sure that we had a great time. There’s the option to go on a luxury tour bus for $64 USD per person or upgrade to an open-top or glass-top bus (depending on the time of year) for $114 USD per person.
Both buses leave daily from the US Navy Memorial Plaza at 7:30 pm and regardless of which you choose, it’s such a cool way to see the city!
Don’t miss out – book this tour with thousands of positive reviews here!
4. Visit the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and watch the Changing of the Guard
Arlington National Cemetery is one of the biggest graveyards in the USA, with around 400,000 military personnel buried here and many US presidents, including JFK. However, perhaps its most famous monument is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
To give you a little background, after the First World War, Britain and France banned the repatriation of dead soldiers. Instead, they buried one unknown soldier every year on Armistice Day. The US had a different policy but proposed a similar ritual in the early 1920s, and so the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was created to represent all unidentified American soldiers, regardless of class, race, or religion.
During the summer, you can watch the Changing of the Guard every half an hour, so it’s an ideal time to visit the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. For us, this precise and solemn ritual was very interesting to watch.
We visited as part of this 1.5-hour guided tour, which took us on a 90-minute walk through the cemetery to see the most important graves and memorials. As well as watching the changing of the guard, we visited John F. Kennedy’s gravesite, saw the former home of Robert E. Lee, and learned a ton about the cemetery and the famous figures buried here from our historian guide.
There’s nothing quite as humbling as learning all the facts and listening to the stories from a local historian, so it’s a short tour we highly recommend!
This tour is likely to sell out – book your spot in advance here and get FREE cancellation!
5. Explore DC’s African American History
We like this African-American history tour because it will teach you so much more than you’ll ever read in a guidebook – or even a history textbook! The history of African-American people and culture in the USA is often overlooked in traditional education and official resources, but this tour will take you through the journey from the arrival of the first African-Americans at Jamestown right up to the recent Black Lives Matter movement.
You’ll visit significant sites like the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site, the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, and U Street, which was once the center of African-American culture and nightlife in DC. Jazz greats performed here, and the area was actually known as “Black Broadway.” We think that this is such an interesting place to visit – and one that you won’t get to see on most other Washington, DC, sightseeing tours.
You’ll also visit the White House and the Lincoln Memorial, and drive by famous sites like the Jefferson Memorial and even the FBI headquarters!
This history tour begins at 10 am and ends at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, where you’ll go on a journey through time to learn about how African-American people have shaped US history. There are so many interesting artifacts to see that this museum almost feels like a time capsule, and it’s just fascinating to explore.
This tour is a half-day experience, lasting 3.5 hours, and it includes entry to the museum, where you can spend as long as you like after the guided portion of the tour concludes. We like that the entry to the museum is reserved for you because you sometimes have to remember to reserve a spot days or weeks in advance during DC’s busy summer season.
The tour costs $89 USD per person, and we think it’s such a great way to immerse yourself in the often underappreciated history and culture that has played a pivotal role in shaping the United States. Tours are available every day except Monday and Tuesday.
Check the hundreds of positive reviews and book this tour before you go here!
Why We Book Tours with Viator
Viator is a trusted online booking system for tours around the world! We almost always book our tours using Viator for a couple of reasons:
- Free cancellation on most tours – Most of the tours on Viator allow you to cancel and get a full refund up to 24 hours in advance. This is handy in case plans change, or if booking an outdoor activity, the weather forecast is looking grim.
- Reserve now and pay later – You can secure your spot on some of the most popular tours well in advance and not pay until closer to the day of the tour.
- Lowest price guarantee – If you happen to find the same tour at a lower price elsewhere, Viator will refund you the price difference.
- Pay in your chosen currency – Avoid costly international transaction fees by choosing to pay in your home currency.
- Peace of mind – When booking with tour operators you find in person on the street or in small booking offices, you are often promised one thing and given another. This online platform holds tour operators accountable with a written description of inclusions as well as the opportunity for customers to leave reviews.
Check out the Viator website here! Or, for more info, read our detailed review about Viator here.
6. Take a Segway history tour
Another great way to tour Washington, DC is on a segway! We got to cover so much ground as we zoomed around the city on this segway tour while being out in the open air. With over 1,500 5-star reviews, people love this novelty experience – see all the positive reviews here!
The tour route took us past 25 different sites in just over 2.5 hours, which we’d never be able to do on foot (even if we are experienced hikers!). Some are quick pass-bys, but we also got guided stops at other places like the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and Lafayette Square. Our guide kept things fun and engaging, and whizzing around on a Segway is such an adventure.
It doesn’t matter if you’ve never ridden a segway before (many of the people in our group hadn’t) as you’ll be shown how to do it, and it’s pretty easy to get the hang of. However, the minimum age to ride a segway is 16 in Washington, DC, so kids can’t join this tour. We think older teens will absolutely love it, although it’s a blast for adults too (we can personally vouch for this!).
It costs $75 USD per person, with a maximum group size of 15. This also includes a personal headset, so we got to hear the guide clearly throughout the tour. These tours run between March and July, with a variety of start times depending on the day, making it super easy to fit into our Washington, DC itinerary!
This tour is popular and likely to sell out, book it in advance here!
7. Brunch cruise on the Potomac River
In some parts of the world, brunch just means a combined breakfast and lunch. But in the USA, brunch means a party!
We did this Premier Brunch Cruise in Washington, DC, and loved it. The drinks were flowing, and there was a DJ on board as well as two dance floors. The atmosphere was certainly lively, but it was also a great way to sightsee at the same time.
The boat we were on had huge glass windows, so we got to see a ton as we cruised down the Potomac River. We spotted the Lincoln Memorial, the Capitol, the Washington Monument, and Arlington House to name a few! Seeing it all from a climate-controlled cabin certainly gave us a nice break from DC’s heat, but there’s also an open-air deck we got to venture out on to snap some photos.
We loved the buffet on board this cruise, and there were a generous number of options, but the bottomless mimosas were even better! It was such a fun experience, and the two hours flew by.
This 2-hour Premier Brunch Cruise typically costs around $140 USD per person, including your food and mimosas. It departs from the pier at 11:30 am and is only available on weekends. On certain weekends, the price is a bit lower or higher. It’s so much fun because you get to party and enjoy sightseeing at the same time, so for this reason, we think it’s totally worth the money.
It sells out fast – check availability and book your Premier Brunch Cruise here.
8. Private sightseeing tour
We’re so glad that we did the shared sightseeing tour, but if you’d prefer a more personalized experience, we recommend booking this half-day private tour instead! This tour comes highly recommended with over 1,000 glowing reviews – check them out here.
You’ll see all of the main monuments, memorials, and political buildings, but you’ll be in a luxury SUV with just your group. A private tour also means that you can tailor the itinerary to your interest and spend more time exploring the places you want to see most.
We think this is a great option if you’re a true history buff and have specific things you want to see. This is your chance to ask lots of questions!
Tickets for this private tour cost $495 USD for a group of up to 5 people. That’s just $99 USD per person, which I’d say is a pretty good tour for all the transport and expert guidance that’s involved!
Reserve this private tour now and access FREE cancellation 24 hours before you take off.
9. Visit the National Archives on a combo sightseeing tour
This exceptional Best of DC Tour takes you to all of the city’s top sites with VIP access to the US Capitol and National Archives. Get an up-close look at the Bill of Rights and Declaration of Independence during this 8.5-hour guided tour.
This full-day tour is a great option if you have limited time in DC. I think it’s one of the top sightseeing tours out there because you can see these important documents and artifacts in the National Archives, which most tours include!
Your first stop is the Capitol Building for a 1-hour guided tour and to see where the US Congress is held. Taking a luxury bus around the city, we stopped at many other notable landmarks in DC like the Lincoln Memorial and the White House. You’ll spend about 15 minutes at each.
If you take this tour from April 1 to October 15, there is a lovely cruise down the Potomac River with a stop to eat lunch at one of the restaurants along its banks (at your own cost). If you go during the winter, you will instead do some sightseeing of the Pentagon with an option to eat at a restaurant nearby.
However, the highlight of the day was the hour we got to spend in the National Archives looking at the Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence, and United States Constitution. If you’re a history buff, you will love this part of the tour!
This experience operates every day of the week besides Sunday and has both a closed-top and glass-top bus option. We enjoyed the open-top bus with tickets only being $139 USD a person. If you would like to save a couple of dollars, the closed-top is only $129 USD per person instead.
Check out the 1,500+ 5-star reviews and book this tour here.
10. Explore the monuments on a bike tour
This guided bike tour was a really fun way to explore DC in the open air, and we got to cover plenty of ground in just 3 hours. We got pretty sweaty while visiting in the summer, so definitely be prepared, but we still think it’s worth it, though!
The tour visited many of the major landmarks in the city, including The White House, the Capitol, and the Supreme Court. We also got to see all of the main memorials, such as the Jefferson Memorial, FDR Memorial, Korean War Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and even more.
This is a small group tour with a maximum of 15 travelers, so it’s not too big or crowded. It’s also an easy bike ride – DC is one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in the US, so there’s nothing to worry about, even if you’re not the most confident rider.
There was also the option to upgrade to an e-bike if we preferred, which would have taken a lot of the pedaling out of it, but in the end, we decided to stick with traditional bikes. In hindsight, we might have stayed a little cooler with an e-bike!
The tour lasts for 3 hours and costs $65 USD per person for a regular bicycle, or $89 USD for an e-bike. You’ll join your guide at a meeting point, which is where the tour also ends. You can go at 10 am or 2:30 pm.
You can reserve this bicycle tour here – with an option to pay later!
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance!
If you’re looking to save money on travel insurance, we currently use and recommend SafetyWing. We’ve been using their coverage since 2018 and they’ve had our backs when we needed emergency flights and got sick overseas.
SafetyWing is one of the cheapest providers out there and covers everything from medical costs to lost luggage, travel delays, and emergency flights. A huge difference we’ve found between them and other companies is that they let you take out a policy AFTER leaving your home country. We’ve also found it handy that it’s a monthly payment rather than a lump sum, and you can get a refund for unused time.
SafetyWing has helped us out in some scary situations before and their affordable coverage has given us peace of mind. You can read our honest review of SafetyWing for all the pros and cons.
Thanks for reading!
Wow, that’s quite a list of all the best things to do in Washington, DC! Whether you have the time to do them all in one visit or pick a couple of top favorites, we hope this guide helps you have a perfect trip. There’s just so much history here and so much to see!
Before you set off to DC, have a look through our blogs for more ideas. Check out the rest of our guides for traveling through the US or even traveling around the world. Here are a few popular ones linked below for you:
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