Washington DC · WALKING TOURS

The 15 Best Walking Tours in Washington DC

68 tours  ·  from $17

This is a walking city with a lot of ground between the good bits. These 15 cover the Mall, Arlington, Georgetown and the neighbourhoods, priced by length, with the hills and the evening starts noted.

Arlington National Cemetery Walking Tour & Changing of the Guards - Meeting at the Welcome Center
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Arlington National Cemetery Walking Tour & Changing of the Guards

1.Arlington National Cemetery Walking Tour & Changing of the Guards

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,566 reviews · 2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $55Our pick

This 2 to 2.5-hour guided walk covers about two miles through Arlington National Cemetery. You’ll see the Changing of the Guard, Civil War graves, the USS Maine Mast Memorial, and the Kennedy family graves. Small groups of up to 15 make it easy to ask questions, with guides such as Meg, Derrick, Christina, Skye, and Dash.

“Meg was great. She had a vast knowledge of the topic and engaging with the group discussions. Answered all questions thoroughly and was happy to provide advice/recommendations for other activities to do to enhance our experience in DC.”

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Ghosts of Georgetown & The Exorcist Steps Walking Tour - The Colonial and the memory of a Civil War hospital
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Ghosts of Georgetown & The Exorcist Steps Walking Tour

2.Ghosts of Georgetown & The Exorcist Steps Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 610 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $39

Meet your licensed guide at Georgetown’s Old Stone House for a 90-minute evening walk through haunted homes, churches, alleys, and Civil War-era stories. Guides such as Wayne, Trevor, Sonia, and Ingeborg mix local history with ghost tales, ending at the famous Exorcist Steps.

“I loved this walking tour! The neighborhood is amazing and our guide Trevor was awesome, funny, and knowledgeable. The highlight was where we ended the tour at the Exorcist staircase.”

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Georgetown Foodie Culinary Tour & Neighborhood Walk - The C&O Canal and Georgetown’s working past
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Georgetown Foodie Culinary Tour & Neighborhood Walk

3.Georgetown Foodie Culinary Tour & Neighborhood Walk

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 437 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $79

Walk about 1.5 miles through Georgetown with a guide such as Jacob, Lauren, or Elizabeth, stopping at four local food spots for four or five tastings and one drink pairing. Expect neighborhood history, Julia Child’s former house, vegetarian choices, and practical tips for eating on your own.

“The weather was beautiful, the Guide was fine, but you receive Too Little for Too Much money. Our guide was fine, she was very friendly and happily shared all of her travels with us, The many places that she studied abroad or visited with friends before and after her ‘summer guide work’. I did not learn anything historical but did get to see a house that Julia Child and her husband owned. We walked at a very slow pace through the Georgetown streets and saw many beautiful homes, but again, it was a lot of walking and a little bit of history. We had 4 stops - this is the…”

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Gastronomic Georgetown Walking Food Tour - What the food stops are really like
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Gastronomic Georgetown Walking Food Tour

4.Gastronomic Georgetown Walking Food Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 373 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $84

Start at 3 p.m. near the Four Seasons for a 3.5-hour Georgetown food and history walk. Guides such as Robert, Wayne, James, and Christian lead you to four generous tasting stops, with Italian, tapas, Mexican, plant-based, and macaron options possible.

“Excellent mix of interesting historical facts, food and perfect amount of walking in between food stops.”

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Ghosts of D.C. - Walking Tour - The U.S. Capitol: political power with a darker side
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Ghosts of D.C. – Walking Tour

5.Ghosts of D.C. – Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 344 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $29

Start at the U.S. Supreme Court at 9 p.m. for a 90-minute walk through Capitol Hill. Guides such as Chris, Richard, Allegra, and Mike blend ghost stories with overlooked history at the Capitol and Folger Shakespeare Library. The group is small, the route is family-friendly, and the walk covers about a mile.

“We took a group of 8th graders on the tour and they all really enjoyed it. They learned some history while hearing the ghost stories. It was great!”

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Historic Georgetown: History, Gossip, & Architecture Walking Tour - Starting beside the C&O Canal Lock 3
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Historic Georgetown: History, Gossip, & Architecture Walking Tour

6.Historic Georgetown: History, Gossip, & Architecture Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 321 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $49

Walk Georgetown with a licensed guide such as Vicky, Becca, Wayne, Eli, or Ingeborg, hearing stories about Kennedy homes, the Old Stone House, C&O Canal, Martin’s Tavern, and Georgetown University. Expect two hours of hills, brick walks, architecture, history, and a little gossip.

“I’ve been living in Georgetown for over a year and have walked through the neighborhood many times, but I was curious to learn more about its history. The tour was incredibly fun and informative, with a fantastic guide (thank you, Becca!). I’ll definitely recommend it to anyone visiting this beautiful and historic part of DC.”

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Smithsonian Museums Walking Tour with Reserved Air & Space Entry - Air and Space: the value of reserved entry
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Smithsonian Museums Walking Tour with Reserved Air & Space Entry

7.Smithsonian Museums Walking Tour with Reserved Air & Space Entry

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 297 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $79

Walk about two miles through Washington’s Natural History, Air and Space, and American History museums with a guide such as Shane, Christina, or James. You’ll see the Hope Diamond, Wright Flyer, dinosaurs, presidential objects, and space capsules, with timed Air and Space entry included.

“Lots of walking but we'll worth it. Our guide, Shane, was excellent. The venues were very good.!!!!!!¡!!!!!!!!!!@@”

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DC's Original Food and History Walking Tour - Starting at U Street and finding your bearings
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DC’s Original Food and History Walking Tour

8.DC’s Original Food and History Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 255 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $112

Walk about 1.5 miles through Washington’s U Street corridor with guides such as Jim, Rasheed, and Soneka. Expect generous tastings, including a Ben’s Chili Bowl half-smoke, Ethiopian food, Cuban pastries, and ice cream, plus stories of Black Broadway, murals, music, and local life.

“Really interesting history. Food was outstanding. So glad we did this tour. Highly recommend it to others. Our tour guide Someka was terrific!”

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Tastes of Georgetown Food & History Small Group Walking Tour - The first stop sets the local tone
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Tastes of Georgetown Food & History Small Group Walking Tour

9.Tastes of Georgetown Food & History Small Group Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 203 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $129

Spend about three hours walking Georgetown with a local guide such as Joe, Neka, or Mary. Expect four food stops, drinks, neighborhood stories, generous portions, and a group capped at eight. Vegetarian options are available, but vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free diets cannot be accommodated.

“Vanesa did a wonderful job! She was very friendly, knowledgeable, and encouraged us to get to know each other so we felt more like friends than strangers. Thanks!”

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Dark Nights in D.C. - Walking Tour - Stop one: the Eisenhower Executive Office Building
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Dark Nights in D.C. – Walking Tour

10.Dark Nights in D.C. – Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 201 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $34

At 9 p.m., your guide leads a small group of up to nine from the Octagon Museum to three eerie downtown stops. Expect stories about the Eisenhower building, Decatur House, Lafayette Square, presidents, soldiers, murders, and restless spirits. Guides may include Matthew, Mike, Shelby, Rizzo, or Sadie.

“Our guide was insightful and told stories we had never heard before. We had a nice time. Great pace, great story telling.”

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Haunted DC Night-Time Walking Tour on Capitol Hill - The Capitol at night
Evening Experiences, Tour Reviews, Tours, US Capitol & Library of Congress Tours, Walking Tours, Washington DC Ghost Tours, Washington DC Monuments Night Tours

Haunted DC Night-Time Walking Tour on Capitol Hill

11.Haunted DC Night-Time Walking Tour on Capitol Hill

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 172 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $25Best value

Walk Capitol Hill from 8:30 to 10:00 p.m. with a theatrical guide such as Davy Crockett, Mary Surratt, or Anna Seurat. Expect spooky stories, presidential lore, views of the Capitol, Supreme Court, and Senate, plus plenty of history. The tone is family-friendly rather than frightening.

“Funny, engaging, full of great history. Wish it started a little earlier because after a full day of walking/sightseeing, we were beat by 9:30.”

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Washington, DC: Ghosts and Spirits Haunted Walking Tour - Meeting behind the Treasury Building
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Washington, DC: Ghosts and Spirits Haunted Walking Tour

12.Ghosts and Spirits Haunted Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 170 reviews · from $27

Walk around the White House, President’s Park, St. John’s Episcopal Church, the Octagon Building, and the Treasury area with a lantern-carrying US Ghost Adventures guide. Expect eight nearby stops, grisly history, local ghost tales, and a manageable 1 to 1.5-mile route.

“Excellent!! Fun for our entire family- tour guide very knowledgeable and well paced”

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Washington DC: Walking Tour and African American Museum - Starting at the Andrew Jackson Memorial in Lafayette Square
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Washington DC: Walking Tour and African American Museum

13.Walking Tour and African American Museum

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 157 reviews · 3 hours · from $80

Meet guide Nur Gray, or another English-speaking local guide, at the Andrew Jackson Memorial. Walk past the White House, Capitol One building, and Washington Monument while learning about African American life in Washington, then use your reserved museum entry to explore independently.

“Nur was very understanding about the fact I was late for the tour. We carried on when we met and I learned a lot about DC in the short time we were together. Then we got to the African American Museum on time for an amazing experience.”

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The DC Cherry Blossom Bus Tour with Tidal Basin Guided Walk - Lincoln Memorial and the National Mall
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The DC Cherry Blossom Bus Tour with Tidal Basin Guided Walk

14.The DC Cherry Blossom Bus Tour with Tidal Basin Guided Walk

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 151 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $59

This four-hour tour pairs an air-conditioned bus ride with walks at the Tidal Basin, Lincoln Memorial, White House, and more. English-speaking guides such as Derek, Joey, Sam, and Nicholas lead the route, with bottled water included. Expect strong sightseeing value, but bring walking shoes.

“This tour is wonderful but not "minimal walking." Older people ended up staying on the bus and half way the AC broke.”

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Capitol Hill & Library of Congress Highlights Walking Tour (With Tickets) - The Visitor Center adds the Statue of Freedom
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Capitol Hill & Library of Congress Highlights Walking Tour (With Tickets)

15.Capitol Hill & Library of Congress Highlights Walking Tour (With Tickets)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 143 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $75

Spend three hours walking Capitol Hill with a licensed guide such as Becca, Eli, Ingeborg, or Trevor. See the Supreme Court from outside, enter the Library of Congress, then join a docent-led Capitol tour. Expect strong history, photo stops, security checks, and plenty of walking.

“First of all, our guide Ingeborg did a very good job. She was very knowledgeable, approachable and good to talk to. However, due to the government shutdown the tour was just outside in front of the three buildings that we really would have liked to see from the inside. Even though we had known about the shutdown, we still were very disappointed. Maybe the company should have canceled the tour.”

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New in Walking Tours

★ 5.0Georgetown Architecture Walking TourFrom $438 reviews
★ 4.1African American Heritage Walking TourFrom $9017 reviews
★ 4.0Washington DC Museums self-guided walking tour & scavenger hunt4 reviews
★ 4.5Washington DC Monuments Self-Guided Walking Audio TourFrom $1615 reviews
★ 4.5Sweet and Savory Scandalous White House Walking Food TourFrom $6012 reviews
★ 5.0Dark History: Scandals of Capitol Hill Evening Walking TourFrom $598 reviews
★ 5.0Presidents’ Residences Walking Tour: Lafayette Sq + Foggy BottomFrom $278 reviews
★ 5.0Private 4-Hour Walking Tour Exploring Historic GeorgetownFrom $1855 reviews
★ 4.5Secrets & Scandals: Washington DC Private Half-Day Walking TourFrom $1857 reviews
★ 3.5Private Custom Walking Tour With A Guide (Private)From $1323 reviews
★ 5.0Monuments and Memorials Architectural Walking TourFrom $4817 reviews
★ 5.0Monuments and Memorials Night Walking TourFrom $438 reviews
★ 3.5Washington D.C. Lincoln Assassination History Walking TourFrom $493 reviews
★ 5.0Georgetown Walking Tour: Spies, Presidents, and Exorcist StepsFrom $595 reviews
★ 5.0DC Monuments by Moonlight: Small Group Walking TourFrom $773 reviews

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Explore Washington DC

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The Mall

National MallMonuments & MemorialsAfter DarkLincoln MemorialWashington Monument

Inside the buildings

Capitol & LibrarySmithsonianNational ArchivesAfrican American HistoryWhite House

On foot and on the water

GeorgetownNeighbourhoodsPotomac CruisesBike ToursGhost Walks

Out of town

ArlingtonMount VernonDay TripsOld Town AlexandriaCherry Blossom