Washington DC: Hop-on Hop-off Bus & Sunset Tour

Two Ways to See DC: All Day on Your Schedule, Then Lit Up at Night

You board and exit the open-top double-decker bus whenever you want across 24, 48, or 72 hours, hitting the Capitol, Lincoln Memorial, Arlington, and Georgetown at your own pace with digital commentary. The included 2.5-hour sunset tour with a live guide takes you through illuminated sites after dark, departing separately from L'Enfant Plaza. You also get audio guides for three neighborhoods, a free Oval Office photo, and the knowledge that part of your ticket supports DC's preservation.

Step-by-step itinerary

• Board Big Bus open-top double-decker
• See Washington Monument from bus
• View Lincoln Memorial from bus
• Pass Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
• Pass Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
• Pass International Spy Museum
• View Vietnam Veterans Memorial
• Pass Arlington National Cemetery
• Pass National World War II Memorial
• Pass National Museum of Natural History
• See Washington DC Chinatown
• Pass Union Station
• View U.S. Capitol from bus
• Pass Georgetown neighborhood
• Pass US Marine Corps War Memorial
• Enjoy 2.5-hour guided sunset night tour
• See illuminated Washington Monument
• View Iwo Jima Memorial at night
• Explore historic Georgetown lit up

The Experience

"How much time do we actually have on the bus?" That's the question most people ask first, and the answer is: as much as you want. You get a 24, 48, or 72-hour hop-on hop-off pass on a Big Bus open-top double-decker, which means you board at any stop—Union Station, the Capitol, the White House area—and get off whenever something catches your eye. The pre-recorded commentary plays in multiple languages, and you can track the bus in real time using the app so you're not standing around guessing when the next one arrives. The route loops past the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery, and Georgetown, but you're not locked into seeing them all in one go. Skip a stop, come back to it tomorrow, spend an hour at the Smithsonian Museums on the National Mall—the ticket doesn't care.

What makes this different from just riding the bus is the included 2.5-hour sunset tour with a live guide. That one departs from Stop #6 at L'Enfant Plaza near the International Spy Museum, and it's the part where you actually stop and learn something instead of just passing by. The guide takes you through the illuminated sites—the Washington Monument glowing white, the Iwo Jima Memorial, the historic streets of Georgetown after dark—and you get context instead of just views. The sunset tour runs separately from your hop-on hop-off hours, so you can do the daytime bus thing one day and the night tour another, or stack them both into a single long day if you're in a hurry.

There are small perks built in that add up. You get curated audio guide tours for Arlington Cemetery, the Tidal Basin, and Georgetown that you can access through the app. If you want to rent a bike, you get an extra hour free. Present your ticket at White House Gifts on 15th Street and they'll give you a free digital photo of the Oval Office. And because Big Bus is the official tour provider of the National Mall, a portion of your ticket goes toward preserving the monuments and memorials themselves, so you're not just visiting history—you're helping keep it standing.

What’s included

• 24, 48, or 72-hour hop-on hop-off access on an open-top double-decker bus.
• pre-recorded digital commentary in multiple languages.
• 2.5-hour sunset tour with a live guide departing from L'Enfant Plaza.
• curated audio guide tours of Arlington Cemetery, the Tidal Basin, and Georgetown accessible via the Big Bus app.
• real-time bus tracking through the mobile app.
• unlimited bike rental offer (one hour free with one-hour rental).
• free digital Oval Office photo at White House Gifts.
• a portion of ticket proceeds supporting National Mall preservation.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Big Bus Tours - USA

Is this one for you?Pick this if you want to see DC's main landmarks without planning a rigid itinerary—the hop-on hop-off format lets you move at your own pace during the day, and the included sunset tour with a live guide handles the evening so you're not navigating neighborhoods in the dark alone.

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Top questions

How long is the hop-on hop-off tour?

You choose: 24, 48, or 72 hours from activation. You can spread the time across multiple days or use it all in one day.

Where does the sunset tour depart from?

Stop #6 at L'Enfant Plaza near the International Spy Museum. The sunset tour runs for 2.5 hours and includes a live guide.

Can I use the bus pass and sunset tour on different days?

Yes. Tours may be taken on separate days, so you can do the hop-on hop-off one day and the sunset tour another.

What's included in the audio guides?

Curated audio tours of Arlington Cemetery, the Tidal Basin, and Georgetown that you access through the Big Bus app.

Is there a bike rental option?

Yes. Rent a bike for one hour and get an additional hour free. Rental includes helmet, basket, lock, roadside assistance, and a map of key routes.

How do I activate my ticket?

Use the Big Bus Tours app or activate it in person with Big Bus staff at any stop.

Is the bus wheelchair accessible?

Yes. The bus and transportation options are wheelchair accessible, and infants can ride in a pram or stroller.

What's the free Oval Office photo offer?

Present your ticket at White House Gifts (701 15th Street NW) to receive one free digital photo of the Oval Office per ticket.