Things to Do in Washington, DC

We split Washington into six areas that match how visitors actually move around the city. The National Mall and Capitol Hill sit end to end and are easy to combine; downtown and Penn Quarter are a few blocks north; Georgetown and the Wharf each make a good afternoon and evening; and Arlington and Alexandria, across the river in Virginia, are best given a morning or a full day. Each section shows a few of the most-reviewed tours and tickets for that area, and each area page has the full list along with places we think are worth your time.

Many of Washington's biggest sights are free, so the tours that sell are mostly guided ones: an expert walk through a museum, an evening ride past the lit memorials, a food tour or a river cruise. Free official reservations are a separate matter. Book Capitol tours, Washington Monument tickets and any White House tour request through the official channels named on the area pages, well ahead of a spring or summer visit.

Things to Do in National Mall and Memorials

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Smithsonian Museum of Natural History - Exclusive Guided Tour

★ 5 (474 reviews) · 2 hr

From$105

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Skip-the-line DC National Archives VIP ALL ACCESS Guided Tour

★ 4.9 (422 reviews) · 1 hr

From$69

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Washington DC Monuments and Memorials Night Tour

★ 5 (402 reviews) · 3 hr

From$89

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Washington DC: Hop-on Hop-off Old Town Trolley Ticket

★ 4.6 (8 reviews)

From$55

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More things to do the National Mall »

Things to Do in Capitol Hill

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DC: US Capitol & Library of Congress / Supreme Court Guided Tour

★ 5 (288 reviews) · 3 hr

From$65

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Capitol Hill, Supreme Court & Library of Congress Tour 12ppl Max

★ 4.9 (219 reviews) · 2.5 hr

From$55

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The Capitol at Night: Scandals, Murder, Politics Adults Only Tour

★ 5 (31 reviews) · 1.5 hr

From$49

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Museum of the Bible: Entry Ticket

★ 4.8 (738 reviews)

From$35

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More things to do Capitol Hill »

Things to Do in Downtown and Penn Quarter

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The Escape Game DC: Epic 60-Minute Adventures in Penn Quarter

★ 5 (303 reviews) · 1.3 hr

From$45

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Small-Group History Tour Pub Crawl of Washington, D.C.

★ 5 (203 reviews) · 2.3 hr

From$59

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Dupont Circle and Embassy Row Architectural Walking Tour

★ 5 (123 reviews) · 2 hr

From$48

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Hard Rock Cafe Washington DC Dining Experience

★ 4 (2 reviews)

From$38

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More things to do Downtown DC »

Things to Do in Georgetown

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The Escape Game DC: 60-Minute Adventure in Georgetown

★ 5 (254 reviews) · 1.3 hr

From$39

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Acquired Taste Food Tour in Georgetown

★ 4.9 (144 reviews) · 2 hr

From$95

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Cobblestones & Croissants: A Morning Food Tour in Georgetown, DC

★ 5 (56 reviews) · 3 hr

From$87

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Great Big Game Show DC: Immersive Studio at Georgetown

★ 4.9 (53 reviews) · 1.3 hr

From$42

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More things to do Georgetown »

Things to Do in The Wharf and Navy Yard

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Sunset Cruise (Private) aboard Geronimo in DC - Reflections DC

★ 5 (4 reviews) · 2 hr

From$2,500

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Tiqets

ARTECHOUSE Washington DC: Entry Ticket

★ 4.2 (146 reviews)

From$26

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Tiqets

Washington DC Premier Dinner Cruise

★ 5 (1 reviews)

From$141

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More things to do the Wharf and Navy Yard »

Things to Do in Arlington and Alexandria

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Private Washington DC Tour with Changing of the Guard Ceremony

★ 4.9 (198 reviews) · 4 hr

From$500

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Arlington Cemetery & Changing of the Guard Exclusive Guided Tour

★ 5 (157 reviews) · 2.5 hr

From$55

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Arlington Cemetery & Changing of the Guard Semi-private 12ppl Max

★ 4.9 (146 reviews) · 2.5 hr

From$55

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Alexandria Virginia Bike Rentals

From$16

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More things to do Arlington and Alexandria »

Tours, tickets, prices and reviews from Viator (a Tripadvisor company) and Tiqets — prices are per person, from, and were checked October 27, 2026. Best of Washington, DC may earn a commission when you book, at no extra cost to you.