Expert guides bring Washington, DC’s history and culture to life in unforgettable ways, from night tours and spies to food tastings and bike rides.
Go beyond the basics with one of DC's specialty tours, which curate cool topics and creative formats for every traveler.
Appreciate monuments and memorials on a warm summer night, get the scoop with a food tour of DC's "Black Broadway," cruise down Pennsylvania Avenue in a pedicab or uncover hidden histories of artists, musicians and historical figures who shaped the city but often go unrecognized.
For more ideas and inspiration, explore our other guides – ghost tours, eco-friendly tours and family-friendly tours – or check each company's website for more offerings and schedules.
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Please note: Not all of these tours are offered regularly, so be sure to consult the provider's website for dates and availability. In most cases, you can also request a private tour.
Night Tours
Monuments by Moonlight Night Tour
Provider: Old Town Trolley Tours
Description: Witness Washington, DC’s most famous landmarks under the glow of the moonlight. This hop-on-hop-off tour offers a peaceful way to experience the capital city's stunning architecture and must-see attractions when the temperature cools down.
Dates/times: 6:30-8:30 p.m. daily
Duration: 2.5 hours
Washington, DC Political Scandals and True Crime Night-Time Tour
Provider: USA Guided Tours
Description: Explore the darker side of DC with stories of political scandals and true crime that shaped the city’s history. This night tour blends intrigue and history under the city lights.
Duration: 3 hours
Dates/times: Saturdays, 7:30 p.m.
Accessibility: Not wheelchair accessible
LED Night Tours
Provider: DC Nation
Description: Complete with LED bracelets, snacks, water, ear pieces and a luxury motorcoach, DC Nation pulls out all the stops for this enchanting nighttime tour of DC's must-see landmarks, monuments and memorials around the National Mall.
Dates/times: 7 p.m., nearly every day
Duration: 3.5 hours
Accessibility: Not wheelchair accessible; strollers and service animals permitted
Madams of DC Walking Tour
Provider: Off the Mall Tours
Description: Journey through Pennsylvania Avenue, which served as the city's red light district during the Civil War. Here you'll get to know some of the most notorious women in the District at that time, ranging from ramshackle "boarding houses" in Murder Bay (yes – this was a common phrase) to Marble Alley mansions.
Duration: 2 hours
Dates/times: 7 p.m., first and third Fridays
Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible; accommodates strollers and service animals
Bike Tours by Night with Unlimited Biking and DC Cycling Concierge
Description: Cover more of the National Mall on two wheels, taking in the nighttime air and admiring the Mall illuminated at night.
Dates/times: 7 p.m.; check websites for details
Duration: 3 hours
Accessibility: Not wheelchair accessible; moderate cycling ability required
Spies & Hidden History
Lincoln Assassination Walking Tour
Provider: DC by Foot
Description: Retrace the final hours of Abraham Lincoln’s life with a walking tour through key sites that played a role in the three-pronged conspiracy meant to dismantle the U.S. government. See DC through the lens of one of the most pivotal moments in American history.
Duration: 2 hours
Dates/times: 7 p.m. daily
Languages Offered: English, sometimes German
Accessibility: Not fully wheelchair accessible (stairs around Ford's Theatre)
Socialites & Spies of Georgetown Tour
Provider: Off the Mall Tours
Description: What do an ill-fated artist, an ambassador's wife, a codebreaker and the most powerful woman in journalism have in common? They were part of the most exclusive club of power-players in Cold War-era Washington, DC.
Dates/times: Third Sundays at 2 p.m.
Duration: 2 hours
Embassy Row Walking Tour with a Former CIA Agent
Provider: Spyher
Description: Mysterious deaths, cover-ups and conspiracies abound – uncover Embassy Row's hidden history of espionage with the help of a former CIA agent. In this engaging tour, subject-matter experts on counterintelligence will put your skills to the test.
Dates/times: Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays; times vary
Duration: 1.5 hours
Languages Offered: Private tours available upon request in English, Spanish, French, Russian, Turkish, Arabic or Hebrew.
See also: Capitol Hill, Georgetown
Women's History Tours with A Tour of Her Own
Description: A Tour Of Her Own is the first tourism company in Washington, DC to focus exclusively on women’s history. Guides are highly experienced and provide local insight and lesser-known history on topics from First Ladies to the women's suffrage movement and everything in between.
Dates/times: Private and public available
Duration: Typically 2-3 hours, but can be day-long or customized
Languages Offered: ASL interpreters available upon request
Historic Alleyways Tour
Provider: Off the Mall Tours
Description: Dive into the complex history of DC's unique alleyways: Blagden Alley the Naylor Court Historic District. A distinct feature of DC's city planning, alleys once served as space for escaped enslaved people and economically disadvantaged Washingtonians to take refuge.
Dates/times: 2 p.m., every other Sunday
Duration: 1.5 hours
Rock Creek Park History Hike
Provider: DC Design Tours
Description: Start at the Zoo and wind your way through the trails of DC's largest park (even bigger than Central Park!). See hidden landmarks and learn the history of this iconic swath of Washington, DC.
Dates/times: Dates and times vary, typically Sundays
Duration: 3 hours (4 miles)
Accessibility: Mildly strenuous hike over uneven terrain
Architecture of Historic Anacostia
Description: Discover DC's Anacostia neighborhood, where history and culture intersect at every corner. From Frederick Douglass’s Cedar Hill and the new Go-Go Museum to landmarks like the Big Chair, this tour uncovers the stories of arts, activism and transformation that continue to shape the community today.
Dates/times: First Saturday of the month, 11 a.m.
Duration: 2 hours
Accessibility: stroller and wheelchair-friendly
See other neighborhood tours from Cleveland Park to Southwest.
51 Steps to Freedom
Description: This augmented-reality app is poised to be the largest outdoor museum in the world, gearing up for America's 250th birthday in 2026. Currently in pilot mode, users can discover 16 powerful moments of courage, resilience and ingenuity pivotal for U.S. history and critical in fulfilling its promise of liberty for all, even today.
Arts, Culture & Music Tours
DC Mural Tour
Description: Discover DC’s vibrant street art and murals in NoMa & Union Market or Adams Morgan, where each work tells a story of culture, activism and creativity.
Dates/times: 11 a.m., Thursdays and Saturdays
Duration: 1.5-2 hours
Accessibility: ADA compliant
Building Black Broadway: U Street Architecture Tour
Provider: DC Design Tours
Description: Explore the roots of DC’s Black Broadway along U Street. Balance historic insight into musical greats like Billie Holiday and Duke Ellington, who shaped the city’s artistic identity and the genre as a whole, with other figures who shaped (and continue to shape) the neighborhood as we know it.
Duration: 2 hours
Dates/times: 2 p.m., every other Saturday
Accessibility: Wheelchair/stroller accessible
Her Brush, Her Story: Women Who Shaped Art
Provider: Art with Tosca
Description: See the National Gallery in a new light with Tosca as your guide, who weaves together stories of women artists and brings forward the significance of details easy to miss on your own. Tours are also available of the Phillips Collection and the National Portrait Gallery.
Dates/times: Weekends, by appointment
Duration: 1–4 hours
Languages Offered: French, Italian
Accessibility: Wheelchair/stroller accessible
District of Punk Tour
Provider: Off the Mall Tours
Description: Get a glimpse into the underground punk scene of the 1980s, highlighting the DC venues, stories and neighborhoods that defined a generation of music and culture.
Dates/times: 2 p.m., third Saturday of the month
Duration: 1.5-2 hours
Food Tours
Blue Fern Travel Food Tours: Georgetown & U Street
Description: Taste your way through local businesses and local history in two DC neighborhoods. Try a half-smoke and learn about Black Broadway along U Street or opt for Georgetown's pizza and crème brûlée. Vegetarian tickets available, and a portion of each tour ticket is donated to nonprofit Bread For The City.
Dates/times: Daily at 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. (Georgetown), Saturday through Wednesdays at 11:30 a.m. or 12 p.m. (U Street)
Duration: 2.5-3.5 hours
Little Ethiopia Food Tour
Provider: DC Metro Food Tours
Description: Take a deep dive into DC’s Ethiopian food scene with insider favorites, traditional dishes and stories from local chefs.
Dates/times: Saturdays at 10 a.m.
Duration: 3–3.5 hours
Tea Around Town
Description: No walking required at this food-and-drink-forward tour. Settle in on the bright pink double-decker bus (thoroughly decked out with florals) to ride around the city while sipping tea, savoring dainty bites and hearing some singing as well.
Dates/times: 12 p.m. daily, 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. on weekends
Duration: 1.5 hours
Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible – call in advance
Underground Donut Tour
Description: The city's culinary scene is shaped by international influence and stand-out bakeries. See DC's sweet side for yourself with a guided tour that starts with beignets at Western Market and ends with gelato in Penn Quarter.
Dates/times: 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. daily
Duration: 2 hours
Bikes, Trikes, Boats & More
Boating experiences and waterfront activities
See our full lineup of ways to see the city from the water.
Kayak Monuments Tour
Provider: Boating in DC
Description: Depart from Key Bridge Boathouse and paddle along the Georgetown Waterfront to see famous DC landmarks from a fresh perspective, including Roosevelt Island and the Watergate Steps.
Dates/times: Tours are available for morning, happy hour and sunset time slots and typically run through Oct.
Duration: 1.5 hours
City Fit Tours
Description: If walking tours aren't your speed, try a 5k running tour with City Fit. Get that up-close-and-personal experience as you jog between monuments and memorials or along the Tidal Basin in the tranquility of the morning. Wellness walks are also offered for groups.
Dates/times: 7 a.m. daily
Duration: 1-2 hours
DC Cycling Concierge
Description: Explore Washington, DC by bike with guided rides covering topics like civil rights and climate change and areas like the C&O Canal and Potomac River trails.
Dates/times: Daily, with private and customizable options available
Duration: 3-4 hours
Adventure DC Tricycle Tours
Description: Take your pick of trike or scooter to have an easy breezy trip through DC's monuments, memorials and the White House. Pedicabs are pet-friendly.
Dates/times: Daily, timing flexible
Duration: 4 hours
Best of Capitol Hill Bike Tour
Provider: Unlimited Biking DC Cycling Concierge
Description: Get a Capitol Hill crash course, from the White House to Congress to the Supreme Court, and find out other fun facts like where presidents go out to eat, where do foreign dignitaries stay when they come to DC.
Dates/times: 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. daily
Duration: 2 hours
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