14 One-Day Tours in Washington DC Worth Booking

1.Washington DC in One Day: Guided Sightseeing Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3,360 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $89Our pick

See Washington DC’s major monuments in six hours by coach, on foot, and seasonally by Potomac cruise, with expert guiding and photo stops.

“Wonderful tour with tour guide Nick and driver Leonard! Nick is full of historical and factual information and has a funny demeanor and makes it a fun day! It was raining and gold but Leonard kept the bus warm and they even provided rain ponchos - we had a great day touring DC and can’t wait to go back!”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Mount Vernon and Old Town Alexandria Day Trip from Washington DC

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 874 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $99

Review of the Mount Vernon and Alexandria day trip from Washington DC, including mansion access, transport, guides, timing, value, and renovation limits.

“Dr Zohery was very knowledgeable and the facts he gave during the drive were interesting. I felt safe driving in the bus. I could have used another 1-2 hours at Mount Vernon. I'm also the type of person that likes to read and see everything. So, if you're not like that this amount of time would be great.”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.From NYC: Washington Highlights Guided One Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 269 reviews · from $109

See Washington, Arlington Cemetery, the White House, memorials, and Capitol Hill on a long but rewarding day trip from New York City.

“A really great day. The guide Juanita had a lot of knowledge. Given good time to take pictures and have some time to explore”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Mt. Vernon Day Trip with River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 102 reviews · from $161

Cruise the Potomac to Mount Vernon for an expert-led estate tour, boxed lunch, prime boat seating, and a thoughtful look at Washington’s legacy.

“Awesome! Tour guide Ayana was amazing. Went out of her way to explain everything and accommodate everyone, especially those who had a hard time keeping the pace. The breakfast snack and box lunch on the boat were both very good. A lovely experience.”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.VIP Mount Vernon Day Trip & Potomac River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 101 reviews · from $169

Review of the VIP Mount Vernon day trip with a Potomac cruise, lunch, small group, estate tour, practical tips, and renovation warnings.

“Highly recommend! We loved our tour. It was so enjoyable and informational. Tyson was a great tour guide. Thank you!”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.Gettysburg National Military Park Full-Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 34 reviews · 1 day · from $199

Review of the Gettysburg day trip from Washington DC, with battlefield touring, town time, transport details, costs, guides, and practical tips.

“Great trip. Strongly recommend. I just wish we had more time everywhere. Sometimes tours seem so short. But I understand the day would probably be really long if they added an extra hour or two.”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.Mount Vernon and Old Town Alexandria Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 19 reviews · 5 hours · from $99

Visit Mount Vernon and Old Town Alexandria from Washington DC with reserved estate entry, guided stories, free time, and easy round-trip transport.

“Was good and informative. Wish we had more time at Mount Vernon.”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.From New York or New Jersey: Washington, D.C. Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 18 reviews · 14 - 15 hours · from $99

Visit Washington, D.C. from New York in one long day, with guided stops at the Capitol, monuments, Arlington Cemetery, and the White House.

“excelente el tour el guía nos dio excelente información y ayuda”

Check availability →Read our full review

9.NYC to D.C Day Trip: Thomas Jefferson Memorial to Cherry Blossoms

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 17 reviews · 14 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $143

Review of a 14.5-hour NYC to Washington DC day trip with Jefferson Memorial, cherry blossoms, guided transport, costs, and practical tips.

“Amazing and memorable experience. Even though we had to browse a little bit the experience was great”

Check availability →Read our full review

10.Small Group Washington D.C, U.S Capitol & Mount Vernon 1-Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 11 reviews · from $95

See the Pentagon Memorial, U.S. Capitol, White House, Lincoln Memorial, and Mount Vernon on a compact small-group DC tour.

“We really had a nice day with Kellin. He was flexible when our Capitol tour had to be switched to the afternoon. For the last event of the day he let us choose the museum we wanted and dropped us at the door and picked us up at the door at the designated time. He was kind and courteous.”

Check availability →Read our full review

11.Niagara Falls,NY 2-Day Trip from Washington DC

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · 1 hour - 2 days · from $49Best value

A fast-paced two-day trip from Washington DC to Niagara Falls with boat rides, night views, a hotel stay, and Corning glass.

“This trip was a once in a lifetime experience! Mr Thomas (Yeehang) Chiu is a fantastic tour guide! Everything planned out to the minute which works out so well to do so much in 2 days. He is an excellent driver and stopped frequently to make it more comfortable. The price is actually great considering how many activities are included plus you don’t worry about driving, parking etc. Overall must do activity thanks to Mr Chiu!”

Check availability →Read our full review

12.Private Day Trip to Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello Estate

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 7 reviews · 10 hours

Spend 10 hours traveling from Washington DC to Monticello, touring Jefferson’s home, and stopping for lunch at historic Michie Tavern.

“My mom and I had a Monticello tour with our guide Elvis and the awesome driver Leonard. Elvis was very knowledgeable and we learned a lot. We had a fun time with Elvis and Leonard!!”

Check availability →Read our full review

13.Washington D.C. 1 Day Tour from New York City

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 5 reviews · 1 day · from $109

See Washington D.C.’s Capitol, White House, Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Wall, and Pentagon on a guided day trip from New York City.

“I loved the communication from the organizer. i had a 5-star VIP tour with Kenny the guide who explained the déroulé of the tour before departure. He informed me about the names and the history of towns, states and important monuments, remarquable events and rivers from the time we left New Jersey, the moment we started visiting Washington and even on the way back. He drove so perfectly and was so friendly. We had a stop in Biden Center Delaware on the way going and back. Though the day was snowy from Delaware to Washington DC and back, I learnt a lot in a warm way and the visit never…”

Check availability →Read our full review

14.From NYC: Washington DC 1 Day Tour and Free Time for Museums

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 5 reviews · from $109

See Washington DC’s top monuments, Arlington Cemetery, the Capitol, and the National Mall on a long but efficient day trip from New York.

Check availability →Read our full review