Washington DC · HISTORICAL TOURS
61 tours compared
The best historical tours in Washington DC fill up fast, especially in cherry-blossom season. These 15 are the standouts, each with its current price and the thing that sets it apart, so you can book before the calendar does.
Half-day African American history bus tour in Washington, DC with live narration and reserved timed entry to the National Museum.
“Dre was our guide and his passion and knowledge were inspiring. He really elevated the experience for us.”
A 2-hour guided e-cart tour threading DC’s biggest monuments with photo stops, blankets in cold weather, and easy viewing with minimal walking.
“This was advertised as COVERED, and the photo is a beautiful Ecart. I specifically booked this experience - as opposed to others - for those reasons. What is shown and described is not AT ALL what you get. It looked nothing whatsoever like that, and there was also no cover! It was absolutely freezing and very windy! Had this been properly advertised, I never would have chosen it. Also, the tour guide was not at all into it! I do NOT recommend this experience. I would give it 0 stars if I could.”
A 2-hour exclusive guided walkthrough of Smithsonian Natural History in DC, hitting gems, mummies, polar bears, and Ocean Hall for real value.
“Wonderful experience!! Amanda was great with our kids—they were engaged and interested the entire time!”
Small-group tour traces African American history across DC’s landmarks, ending at the National Museum with included same-day entry.
“This was a great tour. Our guide was very pleasant and informative. The van was comfortable. We were able to see many sites both around the mall and in the city itself. The museum itself was outstanding. Definitely recommended this tour.”
Historic Georgetown walking tour in DC: small group, licensed guide, canal locks, Old Stone House, Georgetown University spires, taverns.
“Wayne shared lots of history and saw sites we would have not understood their significance without his insight”
A guided bus ride through Washington DC’s African American landmarks, plus reserved entry to the Smithsonian African American History Museum.
“(Dr.) Dre and our driver (Whiz) Khalifa were excellent. Dre was friendly and knowledgeable--we learned so much. The museum was fantastic--so much to see. We highly recommend this trip.”
A 3-hour U Street walking food and history tour with classic DC bites, street art stories, and a charity meal donation.
“We had a great tour with Jim! Loved hearing about the history of the U Street Neighborhood. Delicious food. Large servings so bring an appetite!”
Exclusive 2.5-hour Smithsonian American History guided tour in Washington DC. See the Star-Spangled Banner banner, presidents, slippers, lunch counters.
“So much to see! Rebecca was great! Recommend getting the tour, and the giving yourself time to investigate things independantly”
Georgetown food and history walk with tastings, lunch, drinks, and small-group DC stories, ending near Prospect Street.
“We loved seeing the beautiful and historic homes in Georgetown. All four stops for food were just delicious. Our guide - I think his name was Jim, was fun, relaxed, knowledgeable, a very interesting person, and also interested in us. We had a Great time.”
Small-group Washington DC pub crawl from Lafayette Square to four bars, mixing White House parties, Prohibition stories, and drink tips.
“We had such a great time! Cassie was an excellent tour guide. She shared lots of fun, interesting DC history facts with us as we visited four different historic bars. Wonderful experience!!”
A max-8 guided highlight tour of the Smithsonian Natural History Museum: Hope Diamond, real mummies, Ocean Hall, and more in two hours.
“I did not realize that viator had no actual connection to the smithsonian. I assumed that for the price it was a VIP tour. For two adults and a child it was $600. I didn't want to cross the museum from exhibit to exhibit and that is what we did. While the guide has a few bits of intriguing information, it wasn't worth it. The tour guide was a bit silly with my granddaughter and my granddaughter reacted accordingly. I liked the tour guide and feel terrible giving a poor review but it was poor”
2-hour Smithsonian Natural History highlights tour for $75. Skip the maze with a guide, hit dinosaurs, gemstones, mummies, and human artifacts.
“Nur was an excellent guide! Friendly, enthusiastic and extremely knowledgeable.”
A 2.5-hour semi-private small-group tour at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, guided by experts on key artifacts.
“Tour guide Maribeth was really knowledgeable and managed time to show specific aspects of the exhibitions in an efficient way when time restricted. Could spend days going through the collection so was really useful to have this broken down in this way.”
A 2-hour open-air small-group ride across Washington DC’s biggest monuments and memorials, with real stories, photo stops, and smart pacing.
“Fernando was Extremely knowledgeable ! The timing at each stop was perfect for an overview of the monuments!!”
2-hour small-group van tour of Washington, D.C. big icons, with photo stops and expert stories by guides like Fernando and Sonny.
“I just got back from the tour and it was an excellent experience. Breanna was a great tour guide! We got to see all the main monuments and take photos. I would definitely recommend this tour.”
