Best Washington DC Walking Tours — Our Top 6

1.Arlington National Cemetery Walking Tour & Changing of the Guards

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,566 reviews · 2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $55Our pick

Walk about two miles through Arlington National Cemetery with a guide such as Meg, Derrick, Christina, Skye, or Dash. See the Changing of the Guard, Civil War graves, the USS Maine Memorial, Audie Murphy’s grave, and the Kennedy family site in a small group of up to 15.

“Derrick could tell details from a personal perspective as well as reply on very specific questions. Perfect timing, humour, interst in the visitors, in short a very recommendable walking tour.”

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2.DC: Hop-On Hop-Off with 17 Stops plus Arlington Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 2,238 reviews · from $49

Ride Big Bus Washington DC’s open-top route past the White House, Capitol, Lincoln Memorial, and major memorials. Hop off to explore, use the app to track buses, and add a two-hour Arlington Cemetery walk on 48 or 72-hour tickets, available September through October 30.

“A wonderful way to see important and interesting sites in DC. Flexible, easy to do and good for all ages.”

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3.Ghosts of Georgetown & The Exorcist Steps Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 610 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $39

Meet your licensed guide at the Old Stone House for a 90-minute evening walk through Georgetown. Hear local ghost stories, Civil War-era tales, true crime, and movie lore before ending at the Exorcist Steps. Guides may include Wayne, Trevor, Sonia, Inge, Georgia, or Jim.

“Inge led such a thrilling and engaging tour! She made every stop so interesting and was very knowledgeable. I would recommend everyone to do one of these tour and hopefully get Inge!”

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4.Dreaded Dead Descent of the District: DC Ghost Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 446 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $32Best value

Spend about an hour with a professional guide exploring eight haunted sites near the White House, including Blair House, Decatur House, St. John’s, and the Dolley Madison House. Guides such as Tony, Doug, John, and Elias bring different styles, so expect a mix of ghost tales, history, jokes, and audience questions.

“It was a nice walk with interesting facts about the various buildings. The tour guide Dena was funny and we enjoyed it.”

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5.DC: Smithsonian Highlights Walking Tour with Air and Space

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 97 reviews · 3 hours · from $79

This three-hour small-group walk links the American History, Natural History, and Air and Space museums. Your English-speaking guide, such as Shane, Kirsten, Meg, or Skye, leads you to famous objects including the Star-Spangled Banner, the Hope Diamond, moon-era spacesuits, and pop culture treasures.

“Our tour was amazing. We visited 3 museums in 3 hours and saw a great deal of each museum. We learned a lot from our guide who was energetic and lead us in a fast pace informative tour. Well worth the cost of the tour.”

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6.DC: Lincoln Assassination Tour with Ford’s Theatre Entry

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 72 reviews · 2 hours · from $69

Follow Lincoln’s assassination story from Ford’s Theatre to Petersen House and the Surratt Boarding House, with an English-speaking guide such as Jim, Tony, or Skye. Expect two hours of walking, rare artifacts, conspiracy details, and a clear note about theatre access on performance dates.

“Amazing tour! Jim was an EXPERT in all things Lincoln as it relates to the assassination and Ford’s theater. Definitely book this tour to get an in-depth understanding of the circumstances surrounding the assassination and the aftermath. We had our teenager with us and she’s now looking into books to further study Lincoln’s presidency. She really got into it. Book it!”

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