Washington Hop on Hop off Bus Tours

Washington is an exciting city full of history, culture, monuments and power. Discover its most iconic sights by taking a guided tour of the city - I'll tell you which are the best!

Washington Hop on Hop off Bus Tours

BigBus | ©Russ200

Getting to know Washington on board a sightseeing bus is a very practical idea, as you will see the most outstanding areas of the city quickly while sitting quietly.

It's a great option if you're visiting the capital of the United States for the first time or if you don't have much time to see all the monuments on foot. I'll tell you about the best options!

1. The best sightseeing bus route during the day

Sightseeing bus through the streets of Washington| ©Elvert Barnes
Sightseeing bus through the streets of Washington| ©Elvert Barnes

Washington is an exciting place with a lot of history and great monuments. If you haven't visited before, a great way to get a feel for the city is to ride the open-top sightseeing bus.

It's the fastest way to explore Washington in a short time! You'll be able to see the main tourist attractions by taking any of the routes that cover the different areas of the capital while the guide explains the sites you're seeing as you travel comfortably seated in an open-top bus with panoramic views.

What's more, with the Hop-on Hop-off system, you can create your own itinerary, getting off at the stop of your choice to explore a particular area of the city at your own pace. If you later wish to continue your journey on the tourist bus, you can always get back on to complete the route on wheels.

You have a choice of 1 or 2 day passes to choose from to discover Washington and unlike regular buses (where you usually buy a ticket for a single trip where you choose which stop to get off at), Washington's tour buses usually pay for days of use, giving you the right to use the ticket as much as you want for as long as you choose.

The advantage of this system is that you can not only take a sightseeing bus tour to explore the city but also use the vehicle as public transport to simply move between different points. You'll see that, all in all, it's very useful, comfortable and super entertaining!

Book Washington's best sightseeing buses

2. The best overnight tour bus route

Enjoy the night views| ©John Brighenti
Enjoy the night views| ©John Brighenti

Seeing Washington sparkle in the moonlight during a night tour bus tour is an absolutely wonderful experience. If it's an amazing city in the morning, it becomes magical and fascinating at night.

Unlike hop-on hop-off tour buses, night tours of Washington are not designed to hop on and off at any point along the route or to be used as a means of transport to travel between different parts of the city, but rather to enjoy the views of the illuminated capital while sitting comfortably and listening to the guide explain interesting facts about the sites you are visiting.

This is a fantastic plan that I recommend you do on your first night in Washington as a way of getting to know the city or if you don't have much time to visit but don't want to miss the beautiful nighttime scenery of twinkling lights along the Potomac River.

Watching the sun go down and the Washington skyline gradually light up is, without a doubt, an unforgettable experience and a must-do during a trip to the capital of the United States. It will be one of the most beautiful memories you'll take away from your stay!

Book a night tour of Washington


How much does the Washington Sightseeing Bus cost?

Money in Euros| ©Pixabay
Money in Euros| ©Pixabay

The price of the Washington sightseeing bus tour ticket depends on the number of days you choose as well as the number of routes included in the pass. In other words, the fewer days and the fewer routes the ticket includes, the cheaper it will be.

If, on the other hand, the pass lasts several days and includes both the daytime and the night tour, the price will be a bit higher, as well as if the Washington sightseeing bus tour includes other entertainment such as a water taxi ride on the Potomac River or a tram tour of Arlington National Cemetery.

Book the best Washington sightseeing buses

How does the Washington Sightseeing Bus ticket work?

Visit the city from the comfort of the bus| ©Elvert Barnes
Visit the city from the comfort of the bus| ©Elvert Barnes

To take the sightseeing bus tour you can choose between a standard 1 or 2 day pass for the hop-on hop-off route, a 2 day deluxe pass which includes a night tour or a 1 day pass for the night bus tour. It will start counting your usage time from the first time you redeem it.

Is it worth taking the Washington Sightseeing Bus?

Sightseeing bus with the Capitol in the background| ©eGuide Travel
Sightseeing bus with the Capitol in the background| ©eGuide Travel

Absolutely. This is the most practical way to explore Washington if it's your first time there or if you don't have much time for a walking tour of the city. You'll discover many places of interest and learn a lot about the capital of the United States by listening to the guide's commentary.

Unlike regular buses where you buy a one-way ticket to get around the city and choose the stop where you get off, Washington's tour buses are usually paid for by the day, which entitles you to use the ticket as many times as you like for as long as you choose. In other words, you can not only explore the touristy part of the city, but also use the buses as a means of transport to get from one part of the city to another if you need to rest and don't feel like walking.

As for the night bus tours, these are not designed to be used as a means of transport to get around Washington, but rather to enjoy the illuminated city while comfortably seated.

It's a good option to do on your first night in the city as a way to get a feel for it or if you don't have much time for a walking tour but don't want to miss the nighttime scenery of twinkling lights and the calm, relaxed atmosphere of Washington as the sun goes down.

Book the best Washington sightseeing buses

Washington Sightseeing Bus Route and Main Bus Stops

Lincoln Memorial| ©John Brighenti
Lincoln Memorial| ©John Brighenti

Sightseeing Bus

Red Route (Official Tour of the National Mall)

  • Stop 1 - L'Enfant Plaza, zebra crossing at the corner in front of the Spy Museum
  • Stop 2 - Washington Monument West (between Jefferson Dr. and Independence Ave.)
  • Stop 3 - FDR and MLK Memorials (closed until July 8, 2021)
  • Stop 4 - Lincoln Memorial & South Korean War Memorial
  • Stop 5 - Arlington Cemetery
  • Stop 6 - Museum of Natural History
  • Stop 7 - Downtown and Ford's Theatre
  • Stop 8 - The White House & Willard Hotel (outside the Willard Hotel)
  • Stop 9 - Air & Space Museum
  • Stop 10 - Boat Cruise on the waterfront and Potomac (NE corner of Maine)

Blue Route (American Heroes Shuttle)

  • Stop 11 - SE corner of 23rd Street NW & Constitution Ave NW

**Panoramic Night Tour (Thursday to Sunday)
**

  • Stop 1 - L'Enfant Plaza, crosswalk at the corner in front of the Espionage Museum

What will I see from the tour bus in Washington?

Visiting the Capitol| ©Ed Uthman
Visiting the Capitol| ©Ed Uthman

Some of the sights you will see during a sightseeing bus tour of Washington are:

  • The White House
  • The George Washington Monument
  • The United States Capitol
  • Thomas Jefferson Memorial
  • The Air and Space Museum
  • Abraham Lincoln Memorial
  • Historic Georgetown
  • Arlington National Cemetery
  • Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
  • The National Mall
  • Vietnam Veterans Memorial
  • Korean War Veterans Memorial
  • Pentagon City
  • The Supreme Court of the United States
  • The Library of Congress.
  • Potomac River
  • Virginia
  • Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial
  • Memorial and more.

How long is the sightseeing bus tour?

Big Bus| ©Randy Caldwell
Big Bus| ©Randy Caldwell

The Washington sightseeing bus tour usually lasts between 60 and 90 minutes, although there are some night tours that can last up to 2 hours and 30 minutes.

When choosing between the different Washington sightseeing bus tours, my recommendation is that you should consider which areas of the city you would like to visit with their corresponding monuments. This way you will be able to plan in detail all the activities of your agenda that you will do each day and thus determine the time you could spend doing a sightseeing bus tour around the streets of Washington.

For example, if you want to take a sightseeing bus tour to quickly get to know the main tourist attractions of the city, you can choose the daytime sightseeing bus with free stops whose routes usually last between an hour and an hour and a half.

If, on the other hand, one of the things you most enjoy doing on your travels is gazing at the illuminated skyline of the cities and enjoying the views as the sun goes down, then my advice is to opt for a night bus tour as they tend to last much longer and you'll be able to make the most of the experience.

Is it better to take the sightseeing bus during the day or at night?

Night Bus Tour| ©Mateo D
Night Bus Tour| ©Mateo D

If this is your first time in the capital of the United States, my recommendation is to purchase a pass that allows you to combine the daytime and nighttime Washington sightseeing bus tours, as you will have the opportunity not only to see both sides of the city at different times of the day, but also to use the bus as a means of transportation to get around.

In case you prefer to visit the city on foot in the morning, then I advise you to book your place on the night tour bus tour to enjoy a quiet moment and the beautiful illuminated scenery. Watching the sky turn colourful at sunset and the monuments slowly light up is a very special experience.

In addition, these types of night tours often include some cool extra entertainment such as a tram tour of Arlington National Cemetery or a water taxi ride on the Potomac River.

How to book a ticket for the Washington Sightseeing Bus?

Inside the Tour| ©NoVa Truck
Inside the Tour| ©NoVa Truck

You can book your Washington Sightseeing Bus ticket online in advance of your travel date.

At the end of your booking you will receive a voucher which you can redeem for your pass at any of the stops along the tour bus route - it's that simple!