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DC in A Day | National Mall, US Capitol, Archives

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View West from Washington Monument Toward Lincoln Memorial

There is a lot to see in Washington DC and planning how to fit it all in can be overwhelming. DC by Foot can help. Our DC in A Day tour will lead you to and through some of the highlights of the city.

You will have a guide with you the entire time from the start to the end to help you navigate through the city, security and make sure you don't miss the hidden treasures.

This 6.5-hour tour includes a guided tour of the National Mall, a ride on the DC Metro system, lunch break at the US Capitol Visitor Center Cafeteria, tickets to tour inside the Capitol - as well as a guide to tell you all the stories about sites you see along the way and reserved entry time to the National Archives.

Check out our DC Tourism Guide, with budget advice, travel guides, and information about local Washington DC attractions.

Library of CongressSIGHTS WE COVER ON THE  TOUR:

  • National Mall - Lincoln, Korean, Vietnam, and WWII Memorials
  • White House - view the South Lawn
  • Washington Monument- from afar
  • Smithsonian Museums - while we won't take you inside, you'll hear the history of these museums and highlights to plan your own trip to one of these 20 museums.
  • Capitol Building - Your guide will have tickets for a 1 hour tour inside the Capitol building
  • Library of Congress - visit this most beautiful building in the city on a guided tour.
  • Supreme Court - photo stop outside
  • Capitol West Lawn - learn all about the inauguration set up that occurs on the West side of the Capitol Building
  • National Archives - the tour ends at the Archives, where we will have timed tickets to skip the line.  Your guide will take you to see the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Bill of Rights and more.

Don't like these stops? Not a problem, we can customize the tour if you're interested in visiting another location! Maybe you'd like to tour inside a Smithsonian Museum or two instead of visiting the National Archives? That can be arranged, just contact us to work out details!


Security: You will have to go through security to enter many locations. Please do not bring: liquids, gels, sprays or aerosols. There is no where to store items along the tour. No food is allowed in the Capitol so this much be eaten/disposed of before that portion of the tour.

Tour information

This tour is a private tour only. Contact us at info@dcbyfoot.com for more information.

Tour rates start at $495 depending on size of group and mode of transportation preferred.

What's Included:

  • A professional tour guide
  • Reserved entrance to tour the US Capitol Building and National Archives (subject to availability based on your date request)
  • Transportation:
    • For groups of 5 or less, transportation between locations while on the tour are included.
    • For groups of more than 5, we can arrange transportation but there will be an additional charge.

What's NOT Included:

  • Lunch
  • Optional Gratuity for Guide
  • Transportation to and from tour start (though we can arrange this for additional charge)

Duration: Tour runs from 930am-4pm, including a lunch break.

About The Author

Canden Arciniega

Canden is a historian and tour guide in Washington DC with 4 published books about the city. She has written for HuffPost Travel and has been featured in the Washington Post, WTOP, and numerous other DC papers. She's also been interviewed by the BBC, NPR, Travel Channel and Discovery Family Channel. Canden is the producer of our podcast, Tour Guide Tell All With a M.A. in History from University College London and a B.A. in History from Elon University, she is an authority on D.C. history, and has led tours in the city for over 10 years. She currently resides in DC, but has also lived in London and South Korea, and has travelled to 28 countries. Her two children (both under the age of 4) have their passports and own frequent flier accounts.
Updated: February 9th, 2023
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