The 14 Best Hop-On Hop-Off Tours in Washington DC

1.Washington DC Monuments by Moonlight Tour by Trolley

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3,956 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $48Our pick

Ride an open-air, heated trolley through Washington DC after dark, with live stories, history, and ghost tales from guides such as Smiley, MJ, and Hollywood. You’ll stop at the Lincoln Memorial, FDR Memorial, and MLK Memorial, while seeing the White House, Capitol, and Washington Monument from your seat.

“Interesting guide and easy on/offexperience. Tour gave a good general overview of many sites for those who don't have a full day to see DC”

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2.Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing Tour by Open-top Bus with 18 Stops

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 3,848 reviews · 1 hour 50 minutes (approx.) · from $49

See Washington DC from an open-top double-decker bus with 18 stops covering the National Mall, Capitol, Arlington Cemetery, Georgetown, and more. Choose a 1-, 2-, or 3-day pass, use the Big Bus app for live tracking, and add audio tours of Arlington, the Tidal Basin, and Georgetown.

“The bus allowed us to see many sights in a short time frame. Staff was friendly and accommodating. Would ride again.”

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3.Washington DC Hop-On Hop-off Trolley Tour with 15 Stops

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 2,599 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $48

See Washington DC by narrated trolley, with 15 stops linking Union Station, the Capitol, the monuments, museums, the White House, and Arlington as an optional add-on. Guides such as Joe Moe, Birdie, Rooster, and Everett bring different personalities to the ride, while a seven-language app helps non-English speakers follow along.

“If you’re looking to enjoy the city without getting a migraine this is not your place. Driver didn’t stop talking not even a minute. The volume was so high that I couldn’t even talk to my wife sit beside me. I understand the necessity of the driver trying to earn a tip but she ruined the experience and the rest of the day because of the headache. Definitely not recommended. Also the stops are not the best either and took an eternity to wait for the bus. Do yourself a favor and uber from one point to another. If you are three or more you will also save money.”

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4.Hop-on Hop-off Tour by Open-top Bus with 17 Stops

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 1,982 reviews · from $49

See Washington DC from an open-top double-decker bus with English commentary, optional multilingual audio, live bus tracking, and flexible hop-on access. The route covers the National Mall, Lincoln Memorial, White House, Capitol Hill, Tidal Basin, The Wharf, and more, with a digital Arlington Cemetery walking tour included.

“I’ve done a lot of city bus tours and this for me was the best one I’ve done. I was underwhelmed by the day tour but the sunset tour more than made up for it. We got to see a lot and stopped next to Lincoln’s memorial so we could go up and see him. Don’t know the driver’s name but he was great and enthusiastic. I wanted to tip him but didn’t have any cash left.”

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5.Monuments by Moonlight Nighttime Trolley Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 1,529 reviews · 2h 30m · from $48

Ride through Washington DC after dark with a lively English-speaking guide such as Smiley, MJ, or Sooner Steve. You’ll stop at Lincoln, Vietnam, and Korean War memorials, then FDR and MLK, while passing the White House, Capitol, and Washington Monument. Iwo Jima is currently replaced by the World War II Memorial.

“The tour guide was wonderful — passionate, friendly, and incredibly informative. He did a great job sharing both history and insight in a way that was engaging and easy to follow. I was especially thankful for the warm trolley, which made the experience comfortable and enjoyable. The only thing I would have loved even more would be the opportunity to stop at a few additional landmarks rather than just driving by them — particularly the Capitol, the Supreme Court, and Jefferson’s Memorial. Even so, it was a great tour overall, and I would absolutely recommend it.”

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6.Big Bus DC: Monuments & Memorials Night Tour by Open-top Bus

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,174 reviews · 2 hours 15 minutes (approx.) · from $49

Ride an open-top double-decker bus through Washington DC for about two hours, passing the White House, Washington Monument, Jefferson Memorial, Vietnam and Korean War memorials, and Iwo Jima. The tour includes a Lincoln Memorial photo stop, recorded commentary, and a return to the starting point.

“The initial bus we got on was broken, therefore we switched buses. Instead of driving saying please choose the same seats it became a mad dash to the next bus for seats. We arrived an hour early to ensure good seats which were then taken. In addition the new bus was filthy. We spent the trip grabbing trash off of ourselves and from flying onto streets. The driver ran three red lights and stopped at two green lights. She was clearly flustered. Our stop at Lincoln moment was only 10 minutes instead of adverse 15 which caused us to run onto the bus. The trip was also at least 20…”

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7.Arlington National Cemetery Hop-On Hop-Off Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 744 reviews · 45 minutes (approx.) · from $21Best value

Ride a narrated trolley through Arlington National Cemetery’s 624 acres, hopping off at major memorials and graves. Guides such as Robert, Russell, and Lisa add history and personal stories. Bring valid photo ID, and allow extra time if you want to see the changing of the guard.

“Enjoyed riding but wait times for shuttles were long and some of the narrators were not very good. We talked about next time just walking to the major stops.”

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8.Hop-On Hop-Off Old Town Trolley City Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 647 reviews · 1 - 2 days · from $48

Ride Old Town Trolley through Washington, DC with live guides, large open windows, and stops near the Capitol, Smithsonian museums, memorials, White House, and National Archives. Add a 45-minute Arlington Cemetery tram tour, and use the app for GPS tracking or narration in seven languages.

“What a great way to see the sights! We hopped off at many stops and toured some of the amazing museums and memorials then hopped on again!”

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9.Monuments & Memorials Sunset Tour by Open-top Bus

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 415 reviews · from $49

You’ll ride from Union Station around Washington DC’s lit monuments, the White House, Tidal Basin, Capitol, and Arlington Cemetery. A live English guide and multilingual audio commentary add context, while the 15-minute Lincoln Memorial stop gives you time for photos. Guides such as Clarence Allen and Gale have earned special praise.

“The busses only book enough so everyone has a seat on the top, they passed out new headphones to listen to the informational tour guide, and we got to stop and get off the bus at the Lincoln Memorial for 20 minutes (and a bathroom break). The staff was friendly and the night tour was a beautiful way to experience the monuments. Highly recommended!”

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10.Hop-On Hop-Off 21 Stop Trolley Tour + Arlington Cemetery Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 369 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $59

Ride a narrated trolley from the Washington Welcome Center through 21 Washington DC and Arlington stops. Hop off for the White House, Capitol, memorials, museums, JFK’s gravesite, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and Arlington House. Bring the required photo ID or passport.

“The tour of the cemetery is very smooth. You are able toget on or off at various locations. You do need to get off and walk to see the tomb of the unknown soldier and Kennedys final resting place. That includes stairs and walking uphill and downhill.”

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11.Open-Top or Glass-Top National Mall Bus Tour Plus Seasonal Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 100 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $129Top rated

See Washington’s major memorials from a small glass-top or open-top Mercedes van, with guided stops at the White House, Lincoln Memorial, Capitol area, and more. Summer includes a Potomac cruise and Georgetown time. Winter swaps the cruise for Pentagon City Mall.

“It was a great tour but beware the overview is NOT the tour! Check the list of stops. Our guide was very knowledgeable and passionate about history. Totally worth it especially if your first time in DC. I like the small tours. Timely bathroom breaks.”

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12.Small Group Tour of DC – Open-Top or Glass Convertible Luxury Bus

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 98 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $129

See Washington’s best-known memorials from a glass-top or open-top luxury minibus, with a guide such as Christopher, Nick, Brittany, or Edgar leading the way. The six-hour route includes the White House, Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, National Archives, and a seasonal Potomac cruise.

“The tour was a great way to visit Washington DC for the first time. Henry our tour guide was funny and had a great knowledge of all the sites.”

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13.Best of DC: Hop-on Hop-off, Night Tour, and Arlington Audio Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 64 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $75

Use a 24, 48, or 72-hour Big Bus pass for DC sights, then join a two-hour open-top night tour. Digital commentary plays in several languages, while audio guides cover Arlington Cemetery, Georgetown, and the Tidal Basin. Erica and her crew may lead the evening ride.

“Great way to see DC, day and night tours. Erica and crew are amazing guides. Hop off the bus to see exactly what you want to”

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14.Best of DC: Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour & Night Tour (Save 40%)

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 30 reviews · from $75

Use a 24, 48, or 72-hour Big Bus pass to reach DC’s major sights, then join the 6:30pm two-hour Sunset Tour. Expect open-top views, digital commentary, Arlington’s self-guided walk, and useful extras.

“The tour was enjoyable. Able to see all the sites in our own time just jumped off the bus when we wanted to . Buses were every 20 minutes or so making travelling around easy. Washington was well worth visit.”

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