Washington Tours - Given Washington’s accessibility through both its public transportation and the proximity of all the major sites to one another, many visitors to Washington tend to tour Washington on their own. However, if you have a short stay or want to focus your visit on specific exhibits, a tour can help you enjoy Washington.

In addition, there are a number of “Specialty Tours” which offer a unique perspective on many of Washington’s premier sites. These include “ghost tours” and “scandal tours”. These additional tours can serve up details of the city which can’t be found in its museums.

Washington Walks operates walking tours from April 1 till October 31. Each day of the week Washington Walks operates a special tour (for example Monday is the “I’ve got secret” Tour of Washington). On Saturdays Washington Walks offers a number of tours. A tentative schedule can be found at their website. For more information: www.washingtonwalks.com and 202-484-1565.

Historic Tours of America offers a number of traditional tours that visit all the highlights of the Nation’s Capitol. This can be a great way to see the sites while enjoying the comfort of a trolley. In addition, Historic Tours of America also offers a moonlight tour which can be a wonderful cap to a full day of sightseeing. Many of Washington’s monuments take on a special glow in the light of the moon. For more information: www.historictours.com/washington

One of the more unusual tours in Washington is the DC Ducks Tour (operated by Historic Tours of America). It allows you to view many of Washington’s monuments from both the land and the water via an amphibious vehicle. This is a great way to visit the Potomac and obtain a perspective on the Nation’s Capitol that few ever see. For more information: www.historictours.com/Washington/dcducks.htm

Tourmobile offers a shuttle service to most of the areas monuments and memorials. Once you purchase a pass you can pick up and drop of at any of the shuttle’s departure points. In addition the Tourmobile offers guided tours and specialty tours. For more information: www.tourmobile.com or 202/554-5100

For the adventurous, you may want to check out the sites while biking. Bike the Sites provides a Tour of Washington while visiting the sites on a bike. If you don’t want a guided tour, Bike the Sites will also rent you a bike. Bike the Sites has also partnered with Segs in the City to offer tours via Segways. For more information: www.bikethesites.com or 202/842-BIKE.

There are also a number of Tour Operators which offer private tours which can be customized to your needs. This can be a particularly wonderful way to see the monuments of Washington of your choice with a knowledgeable guide. A few tour operators include:

KB Tours
www.kbtours.com
301/248-6360

Right Hand Sun Limousines
www.righthandsun.com
301/218-8103