The 8 Best Family Tours in Washington DC

1.Private Family-Friendly Bike Tour of DC

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 83 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) Our pick

Ride through central Washington with guide Jeff on a private three-hour tour built around your family’s interests. See the White House, Capitol, National Mall, and major memorials, with hotel pickup, bikes, helmets, snacks, water, and tag-along options for younger children.

“We make it a point to book bicycle tours in cities all over the world, and this tour topped them all. Jeff was the consummate professional. Great communication, tailored the tour to the what our group wanted to see, took great pictures of the group at the sites, keep the group safely together, and had a depth of knowledge well beyond typical. Highly recommended.”

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2.Family Treasure Hunt River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 8 reviews · 1 hour · from $27Best value

Join Marr and the Boomerang pirate crew for a one-hour, family-friendly Potomac cruise from Washington Harbour. Kids help search for stolen treasure keys, enjoy water-cannon battles, face painting, pirate tattoos, music, and monument views. Drinks, snacks, hats, and swords cost extra.

“Amazing staff! Great value! Think the parents had more fun than the kids.”

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3.Washington DC Monuments self-guided walking tour & scavenger hunt

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 6 reviews · 3 hours (approx.)

Explore the west half of the National Mall on a self-guided, English-language game for up to six people. Follow your phone from the Ellipse past the White House, war memorials, Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, and Washington Monument while solving 20 or more challenges.

“It was good, we went to many places but the questions were very challenging. But overall we really enjoyed this hunt!”

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4.Washington DC Museum of Natural History Private Family tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 5 reviews · 2 hours (approx.)

Meet your private guide near 10th Street and Constitution Avenue for a two-hour family tour of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Ask questions, focus on exhibits that interest your group, and stay afterward to explore. Guide Nur has earned praise for engaging teenagers.

“Our guide, Nur, was exceptional. He engaged my teen grandson right way. The knowledge this man had was astounding. And engaging. We all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. I'm very glad we chose to utilize a guide, and feel fortunate we were matched with Nur.”

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5.Washington DC Museums self-guided walking tour & scavenger hunt

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 4 reviews · 3 hours (approx.)

This private, self-guided hunt leads your group of up to six from the National Museum of African American History and Culture around the Capitol, Smithsonian museums, and Washington Monument. You solve 30+ challenges at your own pace, using internet access and English or French clues.

“The hunt had my teen quickly engaged while we worked the clues. Even though we got off track around the FBI building clue, we found our way back to continue on. For an adventure that keep my teen engaged, you get four stars. Minus one for typos through out the clues.”

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6.Pirate Ship Treasure Hunt Cruise with Face Painting

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3 reviews · 1 hour (approx.)

Set sail from Georgetown on Boomerang Boat Tours for a one-hour pirate adventure along the Potomac. Children get face painting, pirate tattoos, treasure-chest goodies, pirate vocabulary, and water cannon battles, while you pass the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, Kennedy Center, and more.

“If your family wants to engage in some bootleg pirate boat ride, this is it. They don't talk about anything that's dealing with DC. They did some pirate talk, activities for smaller kids, and took the ship out in the water. We went in a small circle than went back.”

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7.Family Friendly Smithsonian Natural History Museum Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $268

Spend two hours with a private guide at Washington’s National Museum of Natural History. See the Hope Diamond, Egyptian mummies, wildlife, a live coral reef, and the 45-ton whale Phoenix. Guides such as Rebecca F and Leigh are noted for keeping young children engaged.

“Our family had an amazing time touring the Natural History Museum with Leigh. She was super knowledgeable and, just as importantly, kept our kids engaged throughout the entire tour (a very difficult task with 4 kids under 11). All of our kids said afterward that they loved the tour and asked if we could do another Tour with Leigh the next day!”

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8.Family Friendly National Archives Building Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $271

Spend two hours with a private guide at Washington’s National Archives, seeing the original Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Bill of Rights, Magna Carta, and emancipation documents. Guides such as Maribeth Oaks and Ryan make the visit engaging for families, teens, and history students.

“Our tour of the National Archives with Maribeth was absolutely outstanding. From the moment it began, it was clear how knowledgeable and passionate she is about the Archives and its incredible history. She brought the documents and exhibits to life with context, stories, and insights that went far beyond what you’d expect from a standard tour.”

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