Hop-On Hop-Off Double Decker Tour & Arlington Cemetery Audio Tour
Description
Explore Washington, D.C. with the Official Tour of the National Mall. As the National Park Service's authorized concessionaire, Big Bus takes you closer to the city's iconic monuments and memorials, with a portion of every ticket supporting their preservation. Hop on and off at 18 stops to create your own itinerary and discover landmarks such as the White House, Lincoln Memorial, and U.S. Capitol at your own pace. Enjoy panoramic views from an open-top double-decker bus while listening to engaging digital commentary. Your ticket also includes access to three self-guided audio walking tours of Arlington National Cemetery, the Tidal Basin, and Georgetown. 48-hour and 72-hour tickets also include the Georgetown Shuttle, making it easy to explore the historic waterfront, boutique shops, and charming streets of one of D.C.'s most vibrant neighborhoods.
Tour Options
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Your Dollars in Action: A portion of every ticket helps preserve the National Mall’s iconic monuments and memorials—so your Big Bus tour supports America’s history for generations to come
- Complimentary shuttle services from city hotels to Stop #1 available at select times - please view ticket voucher for exact times.
- Free Oval Office Commemorative Photo: Present your ticket at White House Gifts (701 15th ST NW) to receive a free Oval Office digital photo. One photo per ticket.
- Choice of audio guide tours includes Arlington Cemetery, Tidal Basin, and Georgetown neighborhood. Guests 18 and older must provide valid photo ID to enter Arlington Cemetery.
- Download the Big Bus Tours app to access and activate your ticket, track buses in real time, and board easily using your mobile ticket.
- Red Loop (Iconic DC Highlights): discover the best of DC with the National Mall, Smithsonian museums, and world-famous monuments. It’s the perfect choice for first-time visitors who want to see the city’s most recognizable landmarks in one seamless tour
- Blue Loop (White House & Beyond): go deeper into the capital with the White House, Arlington National Cemetery, and key areas beyond the Mall. Ideal for travelers looking to experience a fuller picture of DC.
- Guests may redeem tickets via Big Bus app or in person at Stop #6 L’Enfant Plaza & International Spy Museum (475 L'Enfant Plaza SW, across from Spy Museum in front of US Postal Headquarters). Please note that Stop #1 Washington Monument is currently not accessible.
- The Georgetown Shuttle operates daily every 1–1.5 hours from 10:15 AM to 5:15 PM, with a full loop taking approximately 45–60 minutes. Please present your digital or printed ticket before boarding.
Reviews(3,994)
Worst hop on hop off bus I have ever used. . I have travelled these type all over the world . This is the worst . Zero coordination of drivers or routes, no info to clients . App doesn’t really work and customers are made to wait in hot buses with no ac while driver takes 15 min break. The only redeeming feature was our nice but embarrassed driver Tyrika , she apologized for all the issues.
Waited for over an hour for the bus to arrive. The employee at the stop kept telling us it wouldn’t be long, all the while I could see in the app that the bus was nowhere near us. Major confusion about where the bus would actually pick us up. At one point the employee was nowhere to be found because he had wandered off. Once on board, the tour wasn’t bad. The family enjoyed it.
Hi Jeffrey_M. We wish to thank you for your feedback. We are sorry to learn that the bus was delayed. We aim to always be on time, but sometimes traffic can delay us. We are glad you could enjoy the tour once the bus arrived. We hope to have the opportunity to welcome you again soon. Best regards, Vlad @BigBusTours
I’m into the second day of a 48-hour ticket I bought for 3 people. And I havent been able to use the bus. The app is the only way to know when a bus will be at a particular stop but the feature tracking the bus real time doesn’t work. I waited for 45 minutes in 102 degree weather and there was no bus. And no way to tell if and when it’s coming because the app didn’t work. Today is the second day and the app still doesn’t work.
I bought a three day pass, but I only used about two hours of one day because you cannot count on the buses showing up. had ridden it for about 30 minutes and it pulled in and stopped for the driver to have a break for about an hour and I got tired of waiting and took an Uber back to my hotel.
Lena Marque was an excellent tour guide. The ppl at the station were very helpful and outgoing. Highly recommended!!!
Hopeless bus with no ac and audio not working
It might have been a great experience, but we went over Memorial Day Weekend and happened to book the one day they closed all the roads and literally only offered 7 stops out of the 20 or so advertised. It was very disappointing, we only rode the bus ONCE the entire day, and they refused to discount or refund us any amount of the fee. Not worth it, D.C. is very walkable and the subway is a much better deal.
We appreciate your feedback regarding your experience over Memorial Day Weekend. Operating a tour during major city events involves adhering to strict local transit and security restrictions, which can significantly limit the available stops on our routes. We understand the disappointment this causes when trying to see the full loop and the points you raised regarding service availability and our standard policy during holiday events have been forwarded to our relevant department. We'd love to welcome you again under much better circumstances. Valeriu @BigBusTours
We purchased eight tickets for $400, expecting an efficient way to see the monuments before our flight. We had about three hours and only planned to get off at the Lincoln Memorial and the White House, thinking this would be the perfect way to see the city. Instead, after our first stop, we waited over an hour for the next bus to arrive. It completely ruined our schedule and made the service essentially useless. We honestly could have walked faster than relying on the buses. This was a complete waste of money and a very disappointing experience. Unless your plan is to stay on the bus the entire time and never get off to explore the sights, I would not recommend this tour.
We have absolutely loved the hop-on-hop off experience in London and New York. The DC version was miserable. I should have heeded the warnings in the other reviews. The bus was broiling hot (on top and down underneath), it went on weird paths that didn't let us see much of anything, and we wasted SO much time just sitting at bus stops for what seemed like endless periods of time. We paid for two days, but after the first day on the blue line (didn't even get through the whole loop), we didn't even bother using our tickets for the red line the second day. Complete waste of money. Do not waste your time and money.
Hello, Hazel! Thank you for sharing your feedback about the Washington DC Tour. It is unfortunate to hear that your time on this Route did not match the great experiences you had with us in London and New York. We understand that delays and uncomfortable temperatures can significantly impact the enjoyment of a sightseeing trip. Your specific notes regarding the climate control and the time spent at stops have been shared with the local operations team in DC for their internal review and to help us improve the overall guest experience. We appreciate you bringing these matters to our attention, and we'd love to have the opportunity of welcoming you again in the future, ensuring you'll get to enjoy everything we have to offer to the fullest extent and create some wonderful memories along the way. Valeriu @BigBusTours
Sometimes the bus sat forever...the drivers and attendants were great, polite and helpful. Devaughn was especially helpful when My husband realized he forgot his phone, and Devaughn actually held up the bus for an extra 2 minutes so that he could get back. We did not know that the bus changed from a to b at the monument. The driver should announce that to the people who are on the bus. We got on a b and didn't realize it turned into an a and had to go around the whole tour again.
