Washington DC Monument Tours

Two miles of lawn run from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial, and between them stand more memorials than you can do justice to on foot in one afternoon. That is why most visitors book a guide with wheels, or a guide who walks fast and talks well. From every monument tour on GetYourGuide and Viator we handpicked six. Two of them run after dark, one in a twelve-seat van and one on a guided coach. Two more keep you rolling on an electric cart or a Segway, and the last pair is a bike tour and a walk at sunset. What each one costs, where you actually get out, and what the listings leave in the small print.

  • Best months: April, May, September, OctoberMild evenings for open carts and long walks, with the cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin in early spring
  • Book ahead for blossom weeks and summerThe small vans and carts sell out first; Viator shows our pick booked about four weeks ahead on average

In a hurry? Our top pick for seeing the memorials is See DC Today's small-group night tour: ~$99, three hours in a twelve-seat van with a guide who gets you out at about ten lit memorials, rated 4.9 by 1,727+ travelers on Viator. Book it here.

Book on Viator Book on GetYourGuide Compare all 6

Monument tours at a glance

  • Two to three hoursLong enough for eight or ten memorials with a guide, short enough to fit after dinner or before lunch
  • The memorials are freeThey are open around the clock and cost nothing to enter. A tour buys you the ride between them and the stories that go with each one
  • Downtown starts, near a MetroAll six meet within a short walk of a Metro station, from Judiciary Square to the Einstein Memorial
  • Night tours leave at 7 or 7:30 pmIn June that is still daylight; by December it is dark well before you board

On the Mall, photographed

Dawn between the Lincoln columns
The obelisk lit at blue hour
A gold sky over the Reflecting Pool
Lincoln in his marble chair
The Mall in fall, from the air
Sunrise on the Vietnam wall
The Three Servicemen in the trees
555 feet of marble and granite
Einstein, where the sunset walk begins
Morning along the Reflecting Pool

If you only have a minute

Which Washington DC monument tour should you book?

If a friend asked us how to see the memorials on a short visit, this is what we would tell them on the walk from the hotel.

The best Washington DC monument tour for most first-time visitors is See DC Today's small-group night tour, from ~$99. A twelve-seat van leaves the Grand Hyatt at 7 pm, and for three hours a local guide gets you out at nearly every lit memorial on the Mall. You go inside the Jefferson and up the Lincoln steps, then along the Vietnam wall before a last look through the White House fence. It scores 4.9 out of 5 from more than 1,700 reviews on Viator, and fewer than one in fifty of them is negative.

Want the same evening for less? USA Guided Tours' night coach costs ~$58 and adds the Iwo Jima memorial across the river, on a bigger bus. To walk as little as possible, ride Intrepid's electric cart from ~$59, which runs by day as well as after dark. For something more active, roll along on Capital Segway's ride or pedal with Unlimited Biking, and on a budget take Empire Tours' sunset walk at ~$39, the cheapest of the six.

None of them takes you inside the White House or up the Washington Monument. Check what a DC monument tour really costs and how to get a ticket for the obelisk, see how long each tour lasts and when it runs, then read what the monument tour listings play down before you pay.

Our pick

The monument tour we would book: See DC Today by night

Not the cheapest seat in town. It is the evening that puts you in front of the most memorials, with the fewest people around you and a guide who knows when to talk and when to let the place speak.

A silver See DC Today van parked at night beside the floodlit columns of the Lincoln Memorial Our pick

Small-Group National Mall Night Tour, See DC Today

4.9 / 5 from 1,727+ reviews on Viator · 4.7 / 5 from 146+ on GetYourGuide

You meet outside the 11th Street entrance of the Grand Hyatt a few minutes before seven, and the guide texts you on the day so nobody hunts for a van. Each van seats twelve and has air conditioning, with phone chargers on board and bottled water for everyone. A bigger departure simply runs several vans in convoy. That keeps the group small enough to climb out and walk in, then be back on board while the coach crowds are still finding their way.

The route is the reason it scores so well. You stand on the Capitol's west front above its reflecting pool, step inside the Jefferson Memorial on the Tidal Basin, walk through the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial and the fountains of the World War II Memorial, then cross to the Korean War soldiers and the Vietnam wall before climbing the Lincoln steps. The last stop is the north side of the White House. The obelisk stays in view all evening. Three hours later you are back where you started, a short walk from Metro Center.

Price
from ~$99 per person, the same on both sites
Duration
About 3 hours, from 7 pm
Group
12 per van, several vans on busy nights
Rating
4.9 / 5 (Viator) · 4.7 / 5 (GetYourGuide)
Meeting point
Grand Hyatt, 1000 H St NW, 11th Street side
Walking
Short walks at each stop, plus the Lincoln steps
Weather
Runs rain or shine, umbrellas on board
Cancellation
Free up to 24 hours, pay later on both sites
Viator GetYourGuide

Live availability and prices on GetYourGuide

Powered by GetYourGuide

How the evening runs, stop by stop

Traffic and closures can shuffle the order. The sequence below follows the Viator itinerary and what recent guests describe:

From downtown

  • Meet the guide at the Grand Hyatt, 1000 H St NW, before 7 pm
  • Past Ford's Theatre and the FBI building to the National Archives
  • The Capitol's west front and its reflecting pool

Around the Tidal Basin and the Mall

  • Inside the Jefferson Memorial, about 20 minutes
  • The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial and the World War II fountains
  • The Korean War soldiers and the Vietnam wall, with the statues beside it
  • Up the steps to the Lincoln Memorial
  • The White House from Pennsylvania Avenue
  • Back to the Grand Hyatt, about three hours after you set off

What the price covers

The ticket covers the van and the guide on a set route, with a bottle of water thrown in. The memorials themselves are free; tips and dinner are on you.

Included
  • A local guide and a driver in a 12-seat van
  • Get-out stops at about ten memorials and sights
  • Phone chargers and bottled water on board, umbrellas when it rains
  • DC maps and a Smithsonian guide to take home
Not included
  • Tips for the guide and driver
  • Hotel pickup (you come to the Hyatt)
  • Entry to the White House or the Capitol
  • Room for wheelchairs or mobility scooters

Between us, before you go

A word from one first-timer to another. This is the priciest of our six, costing about half as much again as the big night coach, and you still climb in and out of the van eight or nine times. The Lincoln Memorial means dozens of steps, so it suits anyone who can manage stairs at their own pace. In June the first hour is in daylight, which some guests prefer for photos.

Wear shoes you can walk in and bring a light layer; the Tidal Basin catches a breeze. Our guide to DC night tours compares every evening option.

Why it beats a bigger bus

On a coach of fifty, every stop starts with a queue at the door. In a van of twelve the guide can park closer and move the group faster, answering questions on the way between memorials. Reviewers keep saying the same thing in different words: they were ahead of the other groups, had time at each memorial, and felt they had their own guide. That is hard to buy on a coach. Our memorial-by-memorial guide tells you what to look for at each stop.

Who we would not send on it

Travelers on a tight budget, who get a similar route for much less on USA Guided Tours' night coach. Anyone who cannot manage steps, who will do better on Intrepid's electric cart with its long stop at the Lincoln. And families who want the Washington Monument from the inside, who should read how to get a ticket to the top and add a daytime visit.

Book it if

You have one evening and want to see the memorials lit up with someone who knows their stories. The van does the driving between stops, the guide times each one, and the group stays small enough to feel personal. Comfortable shoes are about all you need to bring.

Skip it if

Ready for the Mall after dark?

Both sites charge the same, and both let you reserve now and pay later, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Viator has more than ten times as many reviews; pick whichever account you already have.

Viator GetYourGuide

The tour itself

How a DC monument tour works

Every listing on this page comes down to two questions. Will something carry you between the memorials, or will you do the moving yourself? And do you want the memorials by daylight or lit up after dark, with sunset in between?

Style · ride and hop out

A seat between the stops

See DC Today, USA Guided Tours, Intrepid's e-cart

2–3 ha seat on wheels and a guide who walks you in at each memorial

You sit down between memorials and stand up at them. The easiest way to cover the Mall and the Tidal Basin in one go, and the only sensible one for a group with tired legs or a late flight.

Style · under your own steam

Your own wheels or feet

Capital Segway, Unlimited Biking, Empire's sunset walk

2–3 htwo wheels or your own two feet, with the guide alongside

Closer to the stone and the trees, and more fun on a mild day. You trade comfort for freedom: the Segway needs riders of 16 and up, the bikes need some fitness, and the walk covers about two miles.

Washington weather and crowds, month by month

  • How busy the Mall gets
  1. Jan44°F high7 °C

    Cold and quiet, early sunsets

  2. Feb48°F high9 °C

    The emptiest memorials of the year

  3. Mar57°F high14 °C

    Blossom crowds arrive late in the month

  4. Apr68°F high20 °C

    Cherry blossoms early, school groups after

  5. May77°F high25 °C

    Warm evenings, busy weekends

  6. Jun85°F high29 °C

    Long light, night tours start in daylight

  7. Jul89°F high32 °C

    Humid, storms after lunch, July 4 closures

  8. Aug87°F high31 °C

    Sticky days, go after dark

  9. Sep80°F high27 °C

    Schools back, evenings soften

  10. Oct69°F high21 °C

    Crisp, clear and colorful

  11. Nov58°F high14 °C

    Dark by five, coats on the carts

  12. Dec48°F high9 °C

    Holiday lights, short cold evenings

Temperatures are typical daytime highs in Washington; after dark on an open cart or a Segway it feels several degrees colder. The bars show roughly how busy the memorials get. Highlighted months are the ones we would pick for mild evenings and room to breathe at the Lincoln steps. The year in detail.

How long each tour lasts

  • By day
  • At sunset or after dark
  • Can run over

Durations come from the listings, and the dashed ends show where road closures or a lingering group can stretch the evening. Add time to reach the meeting point; Capital Segway asks you to arrive 30 minutes early and Unlimited Biking 15.

  1. Pick day or night firstThe memorials are lit and calm after dark, but the Smithsonian is closed and photos of the obelisk are easier by day. Night tours compared.
  2. Count the get-out stopsSome tours walk you into eight memorials, others give you two minutes for a photo. Read the stop list, not the list of sights passed.
  3. Check age and fitness rulesSegway riders must be 16, the e-cart charges children full fare, and the coaches mean stairs at every stop.
  4. Dress for open airCarts and Segways have no roof or heating. Bring a layer at night and water by day. What to bring.

The best time to see the monuments walks through the seasons, from blossom weeks to summer storms and holiday closures, and finds the hour of the day with the softest light.

How to choose

How to pick the right monument tour

The photos all show the same lit columns. What differs is how many people share your vehicle, how long you stand at each memorial and how much of the evening you spend on your feet.

Day or night

Three of the six are built around the evening, the others run by day or at sunset. The memorials never close. Which night tour?

Group size

See DC Today fills twelve seats a van and Intrepid seven a cart. The standard night coach takes up to fifty. Every format compared.

Where it starts

All six meet downtown, near a Metro station, from the Grand Hyatt to the Einstein Memorial. None picks you up at the hotel. Meeting points and Metro.

Who is coming

Segway riders must be 16 or older, the bike tour has trailers for toddlers, and the night van welcomes strollers. Monument tours with kids.

The obelisk

No tour on our list goes up the Washington Monument. Tickets are separate and cost a dollar to reserve. Going up the Monument.

Price

From ~$39 for the sunset walk to ~$99 for the night van, per person. Tips come on top. Every price in one table.

Everything else to do in Washington, DC

The 6 tours

Six Washington DC monument tours, side by side

We read every monument and memorial tour for Washington on both booking sites and kept the six we would book ourselves. Each card gives the price and rating and names the operator. It also spells out the catch, with a button for every site that sells it.

The north side of the White House at dusk behind two bare trees and a lit lawn Our pick

Small-Group National Mall Night Tour, See DC Today

We'd send our parents on this one, and happily tag along.

Three hours after dark in a twelve-seat van. You get out first at the Capitol and the Jefferson. Next come the MLK and World War II memorials. The Korean War soldiers and the Vietnam wall lead up to the Lincoln steps, and the evening ends at the White House. Water and chargers on board, plus umbrellas when it rains.

  • DurationAbout 3 hours, from 7 pm
  • OperatorSee DC Today
  • RatingViator 4.9 (1,727+) · GetYourGuide 4.7 (146+)
  • Meeting pointGrand Hyatt, 1000 H St NW
  • StrengthsSmall groups, time at every memorial, guides people ask for by name
  • Ideal forFirst visits, couples, families with older kids

Good to know: The priciest of the six. You climb in and out of the van about nine times, the Lincoln means a long flight of steps, and there is no space for wheelchairs or scooters. Tips are extra. Night tours compared.

~$99per person
Viator GetYourGuide
A guide in a red cap in front of the floodlit bronze flag raisers of the Marine Corps War Memorial at night Most reviewed

DC Monuments by Night Coach Tour, USA Guided Tours

The crowd favorite, and the cheapest way to cover it all at night.

A guide and a driver take a coach to about nine stops after dark, and the guide gets off with you at each one. The route runs from the White House and the Capitol to the Lincoln and the Iwo Jima memorial across the river. A convertible upgrade runs open-top in summer.

  • DurationAbout 3 hours, from 7:30 pm
  • OperatorUSA Guided Tours
  • RatingViator 4.7 (7,287+) · GetYourGuide 4.6 (315+)
  • Meeting pointUS Navy Memorial Plaza, 701 Pennsylvania Ave NW
  • StrengthsThe Iwo Jima stop, 15–20 minutes at each memorial, guides with stage presence
  • Ideal forBudgets and groups who don't mind a big bus

Good to know: The standard coach holds up to 50 and every stop has stairs; not wheelchair accessible. Road closures can force detours. About $64 on GetYourGuide. What it all costs.

~$58per person
Viator GetYourGuide
Guests in a red open electric cart parked below the Lincoln Memorial under a cloudy evening sky Least walking

DC Monuments Electric Cart Tour, Day or Night, Intrepid Urban Adventures

For tired legs and grandparents, or anyone with a dinner booking.

Two hours in a seven-seat open electric cart. It stops at the Capitol and the Washington Monument before the MLK and Law Enforcement memorials. After the Vietnam wall comes half an hour at the Lincoln. There are day departures as well as sunset and evening ones.

  • DurationAbout 2 hours
  • OperatorIntrepid Urban Adventures
  • RatingViator 4.8 (3,303+) · GetYourGuide 4.7 (1,382+)
  • Meeting point450 F St NW, by Judiciary Square Metro
  • StrengthsLittle walking, seven to a cart, a long stop at the Lincoln
  • Ideal forOlder travelers, short visits, mixed-fitness groups

Good to know: Two seats face backwards and the carts have no heating. The Jefferson and Korean memorials are drive-bys. Children pay the adult rate. Folding wheelchairs only if you can transfer. About $62 on Viator. Other ways to get round.

~$59per person
Viator GetYourGuide
Riders in helmets standing on Segways on Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House fence Highest rated

See the City Segway Tour, Capital Segway

The one people describe as the most fun hour of their trip.

Half an hour of training, then two hours gliding from the White House down to the Lincoln Memorial and back past the Capitol, with a radio headset so you hear the guide while you ride. Fifteen riders at most.

  • DurationAbout 2.5 hours, including training
  • OperatorCapital Segway
  • RatingViator 4.9 (2,055+) · GetYourGuide 4.8 (461+)
  • Meeting point818 Connecticut Ave NW, across from the White House
  • StrengthsCovers a lot of ground, guides who keep a group of beginners safe
  • Ideal forTeens over 16 and adults after something different

Good to know: Riders must be 16 or older. Most stops last two to five minutes, though the Lincoln gets fifteen. The Jefferson and FDR memorials are not on the route, nor is the MLK. You stand for the whole tour. Age rules for families.

~$70per person
Viator GetYourGuide
A family in red helmets cycling along the Reflecting Pool toward the Washington Monument Most memorials

Monuments and Memorials Bike Tour, Unlimited Biking

For families who would rather pedal than sit on a bus.

Three hours on comfortable hybrid bikes along flat paths. You walk in at seven memorials, more than on any vehicle tour, from the FDR rooms on the Tidal Basin to the Lincoln, and stop at the foot of the obelisk. Child bikes and trailers on request, plus tag-alongs.

  • DurationAbout 3 hours, 4–7 miles
  • OperatorUnlimited Biking (formerly Bike and Roll DC)
  • RatingViator 4.8 (892+) · GetYourGuide 4.7 (436+)
  • Meeting point701 D St NW, by the Navy Memorial
  • StrengthsMore memorials on foot than any vehicle tour, including the FDR
  • Ideal forActive couples and families with school-age children

Good to know: Some riding on city streets, and a few reviewers had bike trouble mid-tour. Check in 15 minutes early or risk losing your place. No sandals, not for pregnant riders. Finding the start.

~$65per person
Viator GetYourGuide
A walking group crossing the World War II Memorial plaza at dusk under a blue and gold sky Lowest price

National Mall Sunset Walking Tour, Empire Tours

Our favorite way to watch the city change from day to night.

Two hours on foot from the Einstein Memorial to the Washington Monument, timed so you reach the obelisk as the lights come on. On the way come the Vietnam wall and the Lincoln, then the Korean soldiers. The MLK memorial and the World War II fountains follow, with about fifteen minutes at each stop.

  • DurationAbout 2 hours, timed to sunset
  • OperatorEmpire Tours
  • RatingGetYourGuide 4.9 (80+) · Viator 5.0 (8+)
  • Meeting pointAlbert Einstein Memorial, 2101 Constitution Ave NW
  • StrengthsThe lowest price, unhurried stops, the best light of the day
  • Ideal forPhotographers and good walkers on a budget

Good to know: About two miles on foot, and the Jefferson is only seen across the water. The start time moves with the sunset, and Viator allows up to 30 in a group. Few reviews on Viator so far. When to go.

~$39per person
GetYourGuide Viator

A small heads-up. These are GetYourGuide and Viator affiliate links, so when you book through one we earn a little commission and you pay exactly the same. It keeps this guide going and never touches our ranking or the catches we point out.

Before you go

Eight things about monument tours that no listing puts in big letters

None of these sits at the top of a booking page, and each one decides whether you come home with the evening you pictured or a camera roll of bus windows.

What you should know

  1. You will not go inside the White House or the Capitol. Every tour here sees both from outside. Public White House tours are requested weeks or months ahead through a member of Congress, and the Capitol runs its own free tours.
  2. A "monument tour" rarely goes up the Monument. The Washington Monument has its own timed tickets, free apart from a $1 reservation fee. How to get one.
  3. "Stops" and "sights" are not the same. Listings name twenty landmarks, but you get out at six to ten of them. On the Segway most stops last two to five minutes.
  4. Night tours start in daylight in summer. Sunset comes after 8:30 pm in late June, so the first hour of a 7 pm tour is golden light, not floodlights.
  5. Steps come with the territory. The Lincoln and the Jefferson sit on long flights of stairs. Only some of the tours can take a wheelchair; the vans and coaches cannot.
  6. Open vehicles feel the weather. Carts and Segways have no heating or roof, and July evenings stay humid. Dress for the forecast, not the photos. What to bring.
  7. Tips come on top. None of the six includes gratuities. Guides and drivers in the United States expect them, so carry a few small bills.
  8. The city reroutes you. Motorcades and marches close streets around the Mall, and so do July 4 and road works. Good guides adapt, but the stop order can change on the night.

Everything in one table

Six monument tours, catch included

The six tours side by side. Each row sets a strength against a catch.

Swipe the table sideways to see all columns →

Tour Ideal for Price Duration How you travel Operator and rating Strength and catch Book
See DC Today night van (our pick) First visits, one evening ~$99 About 3 h, 7 pm 12-seat van, out at ~10 stops See DC Today
Viator 4.9 (1,727+)
GetYourGuide 4.7 (146+)		 Small groups, time at each memorial. Priciest, steps, no wheelchairs.
ViatorGetYourGuide
USA Guided Tours night coach Night tour on a budget ~$58 About 3 h, 7:30 pm Coach, ~9 guided stops USA Guided Tours
Viator 4.7 (7,287+)
GetYourGuide 4.6 (315+)		 Iwo Jima included, guide on foot with you. Up to 50 aboard, stairs.
ViatorGetYourGuide
Intrepid electric cart Little walking, from morning to night ~$59 About 2 h 7-seat open e-cart Intrepid Urban Adventures
Viator 4.8 (3,303+)
GetYourGuide 4.7 (1,382+)		 Easy on the legs, long Lincoln stop. Rear-facing seats, no heating.
ViatorGetYourGuide
Capital Segway Something different, 16+ ~$70 About 2.5 h with training Segway with headset Capital Segway
Viator 4.9 (2,055+)
GetYourGuide 4.8 (461+)		 Fun, covers ground. Short photo stops, skips the Jefferson.
ViatorGetYourGuide
Unlimited Biking day tour Active families ~$65 About 3 h, 4–7 miles Hybrid bike or e-bike Unlimited Biking
Viator 4.8 (892+)
GetYourGuide 4.7 (436+)		 Most memorials on foot, FDR included. Some street riding.
ViatorGetYourGuide
Empire sunset walk Budgets, golden hour ~$39 About 2 h at sunset On foot, about 2 miles Empire Tours
GetYourGuide 4.9 (80+)
Viator 5.0 (8+)		 Cheapest, unhurried, lovely light. All on foot, Jefferson from afar.
GetYourGuideViator

About the numbers. Prices are per-person "from" rates in US dollars (the lower one when a tour is on both sites), and ratings are what each site showed when we compared. Your dates and group size move them a little, as do offers, so peek at both. The booking page has the final word.

Who went

Reviews from travelers who toured the Mall

Eighteen travelers, some under clear evening skies and some with umbrellas up, on what won them over and what they would do differently.

★★★★★Small-group night van

We had one evening in Washington between a conference and a flight home, and this was how we spent it. Our guide had grown up in the city and knew exactly where to stand at each memorial. At the Jefferson he sent us inside first, before the other groups arrived, and we had the statue almost to ourselves. At the Lincoln he pointed out the spot where King gave his speech and then simply let us stand there. Back at the Hyatt just after ten, tired and very happy.

CWClaire W. · Leeds, EnglandClear skies
★★★★★Small-group night van

Twelve people, one van, ten memorials in three hours. Ask for Dean, he made it feel like a private tour.

MRMarco R. · Turin, ItalyClear skies
★★★★☆Small-group night van

Excellent guide and a well-planned route, and the small van made every stop easy. It rained most of the night, and the umbrellas they handed out helped, but the Vietnam wall in the rain was hard going. A bit pricey for three hours, though I would still book it again.

JTJanet T. · Columbus, OhioRain on the day
★★★★★Night coach, 9 stops

Big bus, but the guide walked with us at every stop and kept us laughing.

TBTomás B. · Seville, SpainClear skies
★★★★★Night coach, 9 stops

We paid for the convertible upgrade on a warm June night and it was the best decision of the trip. Sitting under the open sky as the obelisk turned gold, then blue, then white was something our kids still talk about. The guide had a short story ready for every stop and timed them so we were never standing around waiting. Iwo Jima at the end, lit up across the river, was the moment my husband went quiet. It was a long evening for our eight-year-old, but she managed.

AKAisha K. · Toronto, CanadaClear skies
★★★★☆Night coach, 9 stops

Good value and a very funny guide. The bus was full, about fifty people, so every stop began with a queue to get off, and a road closure cost us twenty minutes. Still, we saw nine memorials for the price of a cinema evening in Hamburg.

PHPeter H. · Hamburg, GermanyRain on the day
★★★★★Electric cart, day or night

My parents are both over seventy and could not have walked the Mall. The cart took us right to the Lincoln and gave us half an hour there, and the guide found a bench for my father at every other stop.

LNLinh N. · Sydney, AustraliaClear skies
★★★★★Electric cart, day or night

We took the sunset departure on a clear October evening, and Amanda managed to make two hours feel like a full day of history without ever lecturing. Seven of us in a little red cart, a blanket over our knees, stopping for photos whenever someone asked. My only advice is to get to the meeting point early and grab a forward-facing seat, because the two at the back face the wrong way and you see everything after it has passed. Worth knowing before you book with tall teenagers.

DSDavid S. · Austin, TexasClear skies
★★★★☆Electric cart, day or night

A cold, wet November morning, but the guide kept the stories coming and the stops short. Bring gloves, the cart is open.

IMIngrid M. · Oslo, NorwayRain on the day
★★★★★Segway tour

I was nervous for the first five minutes and then never wanted to get off. The training is patient and the guide watches everyone.

RGRafael G. · São Paulo, BrazilClear skies
★★★★★Segway tour

Our guide John had clearly done this a thousand times and still enjoyed it. He split the group in two for the busy crossings, kept chatting through the headset the whole way, and found us a quiet corner by the Lincoln for a group photo. You do not stop for long anywhere, so do the Jefferson and the MLK memorial on your own another day. As a way to see the whole Mall in one go, it is hard to beat.

ECEmily C. · Manchester, EnglandClear skies
★★★★☆Segway tour

Very fun, but my English is not so good and it was hard to steer and listen at the same time. Stops are short. My feet were sore after two and a half hours.

HYHaruto Y. · Osaka, JapanRain on the day
★★★★★Bike tour of the memorials

Flat, safe paths and a guide who waited for the slowest rider, who was me.

SMSophie M. · Lyon, FranceClear skies
★★★★★Bike tour of the memorials

We are a family of five with kids aged six to fourteen, and this was the highlight of our week in DC. Our youngest rode in a tag-along behind his dad, the others had their own bikes, and Matt kept the group together at every crossing. Walking the bikes through the FDR memorial, room by room, was the part I did not expect to love. We saw more memorials in three hours than we managed on foot the day before. Book the morning slot in summer, it gets hot by noon.

KOKwame O. · Accra, GhanaClear skies
★★★★★Bike tour of the memorials

My chain came off near the Korean memorial and the guide fixed it in two minutes. A light drizzle the whole time and nobody minded. Good bikes, good stories, and a lot more ground than we could have walked.

BLBenedikt L. · Vienna, AustriaRain on the day
★★★★★Sunset walking tour

Golden hour at the Lincoln, the lights coming on at the obelisk. For this price, unbeatable.

NPNadia P. · Montreal, CanadaClear skies
★★★★★Sunset walking tour

We were the only two on the tour that evening, so it felt like a private walk with a friend who knows everything. Our guide Maggie started at the Einstein statue, told us the stories behind each name on the Vietnam wall she stopped at, and timed the walk so we reached the Washington Monument just as it lit up. About two miles in all, nothing steep, plenty of benches. If you are on a budget and can walk, this is the one.

GFGareth F. · Cardiff, WalesClear skies
★★★★★Sunset walking tour

Light rain all evening, but the guide never rushed and found shelter under the trees for the long stories. The MLK memorial at dusk, wet stone shining, was the highlight of our week.

YCYuki C. · Vancouver, CanadaRain on the day

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Comfortable shoes on

Book See DC Today for your evening on the Mall

If you have one free evening in Washington and want to see the memorials lit up and quiet, the way most people remember them, we would book See DC Today's night tour. A small van, a guide who times every stop, and about ten memorials between dinner and bedtime without a single map.

More than 1,700 travelers rate it 4.9 out of 5 on Viator, and both sites let you hold a seat now and pay nearer the day, and cancelling costs nothing until 24 hours before. Bring a light layer and a few dollars for the guide.

~$99

per person · about 3 hours · from 7 pm

Viator GetYourGuide
  • ✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
  • ✓ Reserve now, pay later on both sites
  • ✓ Twelve seats a van
  • ✓ Runs rain or shine

Good to know

How the National Mall became a row of memorials, and what you are looking at

Five minutes of reading, and the long lawn with its white stone will make a lot more sense, along with the guide's favorite stories.

The National Mall was drawn before it was built. When the new capital was planned in 1791, a broad avenue of green was sketched from the hill where Congress would sit toward the Potomac. For a century it stayed half finished. A railroad crossed it and much of it was planted like a park, and most of what you walk past on a monument tour arrived in the hundred years after that.

01A plan on paper

The French-born engineer Pierre Charles L'Enfant laid out the city with grand diagonal avenues and a long open axis at its heart. His Mall was meant to be a ceremonial boulevard. Instead the nineteenth century filled it with gardens and a canal, and eventually with a train station near where the National Gallery stands today. How to get around it now.

02The obelisk that stalled

Work on the Washington Monument began in 1848 and stopped for more than twenty years when the money ran out and the Civil War came. Look about a third of the way up and you can still see where the new stone does not quite match the old. It was finished in 1884 and opened to visitors in 1888. Going up the Monument.

03Clearing the lawn

In 1902 the McMillan Plan revived the old idea of an open green avenue. The railroad left, the trees were lined up, and land dredged from the Potomac became the site of the Lincoln Memorial, dedicated in 1922 with its long Reflecting Pool in front. The Jefferson followed on the Tidal Basin in 1943.

The moment most visitors remember is not a fact from the guide. It is turning around on the Lincoln steps after dark and seeing the obelisk lit at the far end of the water.

04A century of memorials

The late twentieth century filled the western Mall with memorials to the people who served. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial of 1982, a black wall of names cut into the ground, changed how the country builds them. The Korean War soldiers followed in 1995, the FDR rooms in 1997, the World War II fountains in 2004 and the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in 2011. The memorials, one by one.

05Why night tours took off

The memorials never close, and their floodlights turn white stone gold against a dark sky. Summer days in Washington are hot and crowded while the evenings run cooler and calmer. The walk between the Lincoln and the Jefferson is also longer than it looks on a map. Put those together and an evening tour with a vehicle became the easiest way to see the Mall. Choosing a night tour.

06Manners at the memorials

These are places of remembrance as much as sights. Speak quietly at the Vietnam wall, where people still leave letters and flowers, and do not climb on the statues or wade in the pools. Rangers of the National Park Service look after the memorials and can answer questions. Free and self-guided options covers what they offer.

1791The capital's plan sketches the Mall

555 ftHeight of the Washington Monument

2 milesFrom the Capitol to the Lincoln

24 hThe memorials never close

On foot or on wheels? Our guide to the ways of touring the Mall weighs the options.

Questions and answers

Frequently asked questions about DC monument tours

Fourteen questions we hear again and again, with the full answer.

How much does a Washington DC monument tour cost?

The six tours on this page run from ~$39 per person for Empire Tours' sunset walk to ~$99 for See DC Today's small-group night van. The big night coach costs about ~$58, and the electric cart sits at ~$59. The bike tour and the Segway cost a little more, up to ~$70. Tips are extra everywhere. Every price and extra is in our cost guide.

Which DC monument tour is the best?

For most first-time visitors, See DC Today's night tour: twelve people a van, about ten memorials where you get out, and a 4.9 rating from more than 1,700 Viator reviewers. For less money, USA Guided Tours runs a similar night route on a bigger coach.

Are the monuments better by day or at night?

Both have their fans. At night the memorials are floodlit, the air is cooler in summer and the crowds thin out. By day you get clearer photos of the obelisk and the Smithsonian museums are open. Many visitors do a walk or bike by day and a night tour after dinner. Night tours compared.

Do monument tours go up the Washington Monument?

None of the six on this page does. They stop at its base or drive past. Going up needs a timed ticket from the National Park Service, free apart from a $1 reservation fee online, with a few same-day tickets released in the morning. How to get one.

How long does a monument tour take?

About two to three hours. The electric cart and the sunset walk take two. The Segway needs two and a half with training. The two night tours run about three hours, as does the bike tour. Add time to reach the meeting point.

Are the memorials free to visit?

Yes. The National Park Service runs the memorials on the National Mall, and they cost nothing to enter and never close. A tour pays for the ride and the guide, not for entry.

Can I see the monuments on my own?

Yes. Walk it or use bikeshare, and catch the free ranger talks at the main memorials. The catch is distance: a loop from the Capitol past the Lincoln and around the Tidal Basin runs to roughly five miles. Free and self-guided options.

Which monument tour is best for kids?

The bike tour suits active families, since it has child bikes and trailers. The night van welcomes strollers. The Segway needs riders of 16 or older, and the electric cart charges children the adult rate. Monument tours with kids.

Which tour is easiest for limited mobility?

The electric cart keeps walking to a minimum and takes folding wheelchairs if you can transfer to a seat. Empire Tours lists its walk as wheelchair accessible on Viator. The night van and the coach involve steps at most stops and have no space for wheelchairs.

Where do the tours start?

Downtown, close to a Metro station: the Grand Hyatt on H Street, the Navy Memorial on Pennsylvania Avenue, F Street by Judiciary Square, Connecticut Avenue by the White House, D Street by the Navy Memorial and the Einstein Memorial. None picks up at hotels. Meeting points and Metro.

When is the best time of year for a monument tour?

Mild days and evenings come in April and May and again in September and October. Cherry blossom weeks around late March and early April are lovely but very crowded. Summer is hot and humid, while winter is quiet but cold on open carts. Month by month.

What should I wear on a monument tour?

Comfortable walking shoes, since every tour involves steps, and a layer for the evening or for open carts and Segways. Bring water in summer, a small umbrella in spring and a few small bills for tips. What to bring.

Do I need to tip on a DC monument tour?

Tips are not included on any of the six tours, and in the United States guides and drivers expect them. A few dollars per person on a short tour and more for a guide who gave you a whole evening is common.

Can I cancel a monument tour for free?

Yes. All six cancel for free up to 24 hours before the start. Both GetYourGuide and Viator also let you reserve now and pay later. Late cancellations and no-shows are charged in full.

Read before you travel

Guides to the monuments and memorials

Ten questions that keep coming up, each with the long answer instead of the short one.