The 10 Best Full-Day Tours in Washington DC

1.Full-Day Tour with a Scenic River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 571 reviews · 6 hours · from $71Our pick

Cover Washington’s major landmarks in six hours by climate-controlled bus, with guided stops at memorials and a seasonal one-hour Potomac cruise. You’ll see the Capitol, White House, Lincoln Memorial, and more. The guide and driver vary; past tours have been led by guides including Evan, Sam, and Derrick. Lunch is not included.

“The trip was awesome, very informative and gave us a great base of knowledge to use in our exploration of Washington DC over the next couple of weeks. Both the bus driver and the guide were fantastic, I would highly recommended and encourage anyone interested in this trip to do it.”

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2.Full Day DC: City Bus Tour, Seasonal Boat Cruise, Entry Tickets

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 70 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $87

Start near the National Archives at 10 a.m. for a six-hour bus tour of Washington’s major landmarks and memorials. A guide stays with you at the stops, while the driver handles the city traffic. In season, you’ll cruise the Potomac; in colder months, the route includes additional memorials instead.

“Great value for money and ample supply of bottle water. Lunch venue excellent. All important monuments cover.”

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3.Full-Day Bike Tour to Mt Vernon w/ Optional Boat

★★★★★★★★★★3.7 · 50 reviews · 390 - 450 minutes · from $74

Start in Old Town Alexandria with a rental bike, helmet, lock, bag, and directions for the ride to Mount Vernon. Explore the estate at your own pace with an audio guide covering 29 stops. Ride back to Alexandria or, with the bike-and-boat option, take a narrated cruise to Washington’s Wharf.

“From the beautiful, historic town of Alexandria, following level terrain along the Potomac river with some wooded sections with modest hills. This was a ride that we were able to do, even though my wife and I are aged 70, with histories of knee and hip surgeries, and our granddaughters ages 8 and 12. Ending with a tour of the home of George Washington and visit to the tomb of the first President and his wife. At the tomb, because of my military service, I was asked to read Washington's prayer to the nation and lead the visitors in the Pledge of Allegiance. Our granddaughters were asked to lay a…”

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4.Private Washington DC Full Day Tour for up to 10 Guests

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 38 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) Top rated

Travel by air-conditioned vehicle to Capitol Hill, the White House, the National Mall memorials, and the Marine Corps War Memorial. Guide Christopher is associated with the tour. Expect short stops for photos and context, hotel pickup, and a lunch break. Confirm the group-size price and lunch location before booking, as the tour details give conflicting information.

“Christopher picked me up from the hotel, very professional, everything was expalined to me, i enjoyed it very much.”

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5.Full-Day Tour of Washington DC with Mount Vernon & Old Alexandria

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 36 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $158

This eight-hour tour starts at 10:30 a.m. in central Washington, visits major memorials by coach, then heads to Mount Vernon for an included audio tour and about two hours on the estate. Guides have included Ali, Charles, Robert, Paul, Bobby, and Dr. Zohery, though your guide is not guaranteed.

“I cannot remember the name of our 1st driver, but he is why I gave it a 4. He refused to use the microphone so no one could hear him at all. He was talking about the monuments, white house. Congressional buildings so info we wanted to know! Very frustrating. For Mount Vernon we had Robert and he was extraordinary! Extremely knowledgeable, used the microphone and even met me the next day so I could retrieve an item we left on the bus. If the 1st driver had been heard,this would be a 5 star.”

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6.Gettysburg National Military Park Full-Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 34 reviews · 1 day · from $199

Travel from Washington, DC, in a group capped at 12, then spend four hours at Gettysburg National Military Park and an hour in town. Your English-speaking driver-guide handles the journey; battlefield guides have included Jack, Gary, and Alper. Park admission and bottled water are included, but meals are not.

“Very good, the park guide was very knowledgeable, plenty to see and do even though the area was covered in snow and would definitely recommend it. We went into town to have lunch and explore some shops.”

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7.Full Day Washington DC & Mount Vernon Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 4 reviews · 8 hours · from $158

Travel by bus from central Washington, DC, to the city’s monuments, Old Alexandria, and Mount Vernon. A live English-speaking guide leads the DC and Alexandria portions; the estate visit includes audio narration. The tour is associated with Dr. Ali Zohery, Ph.D., though the day’s guide is not specified.

“The combined tour had its strengths and areas for improvement. The DC tour guide was very knowledgeable, providing valuable insights throughout the experience. However, I found the Mount Vernon tour guides to be a bit less engaging. Additionally, it would have been beneficial if the tour operator had allocated some time for lunch, as this would have enhanced the overall enjoyment of the day.”

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8.Mt. Vernon Full Day Tour with Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 3 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $158

Start at 10:30 am in downtown Washington for a guided city loop past the Capitol and five major memorials, then spend three hours at Mount Vernon. The city stops are brief, and the Mount Vernon visit is on your own. The tour lasts about eight hours, costs $158 per person, and is offered in English.

“I had seen some of these items when I was 16 so I had an appreciation for them. As moving as the Korea and ?Vietnam memorials were, I enjoyed the FDR memorial most. I planned this last minute trip and two friends wanted to come along even after my last minute. Viator tours made this easy to plan as I had confidence in them, having used them several times, that my friends would enjoy the tours and appreciate my planning. I could not have done this without Viator.”

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9.Washington DC Full Day Tour with Morning Sightseeing & Mount Vernon Admission

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 3 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $158

Start at 10:30 a.m. at 400 New Jersey Ave NW for a small-group tour of Washington’s Capitol grounds, White House exterior, and major memorials, followed by Mount Vernon admission in the afternoon. A guide shares historical context, and the group is capped at 15. No guide names are provided.

“The knowledge of the history was great, but do to the guides lack of punctuality our time was cut short.”

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10.America’s Main Street and White House Private Full-Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $666

Start at McPherson Square at 9 a.m. for a private, guided day around the White House grounds and Pennsylvania Avenue. You’ll see Lafayette Park, Freedom Plaza, the National Archives, and more, then finish at the National Gallery of Art. The White House Visitors’ Center is included, but access to other areas can be limited.

“The lady who took us on the tour was so knowledgeable it was unbelievable. She was so easy to talk to and a major asset to your business.”

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