Big Bus DC: Hop-On Hop-Off Tour by Open-top Bus with 17 Stops

Explore the iconic monuments of Washington, DC at your own pace with an open-top Hop on Hop off Bus and a National Park Service authorized tour. Plus, enjoy a free bike rental to discover the city’s key routes and attractions.

Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights

Red Route: Hop-on Hop-off (Route)

Operating Schedule: First Departure at 9:30 am from Union Station main entrance, next to Columbia Circle (50 Massachusetts Ave NE). Last departure 4:30PM. Buses depart every 15-20 minutes.

Download the Big Bus app for route info, live bus tracking, and customer assistance via chat.

1. 50 Massachusetts Ave NE
Stop 1 -Union Station

2. Washington Monument
Stop 2 - Washington Monument West (On Raoul Wallenburg Place, between Jefferson Dr. and Independence Ave)

3. East Basin Drive Southwest
Stop 3 - Jefferson Memorial (bus stop along from refreshment kiosk)

4. 121 West Basin Dr SW
Stop 4 - FDR and MLK Memorial (Between FDR and MLK Memorials)

5. 100 Daniel French Dr SW
Stop 5 - Lincoln Memorial South & Korean War Memorial (next to Korean War Memorial)

6. 23rd Street Northwest & Constitution Avenue Northwest
Stop 6 - Lincoln Memorial North & Vietnam Veterans Memorial

7. VWJP+MC
Stop 7 - Arlington Cemetery (in the bus parking zone)

8. 18th Street Northwest & Constitution Avenue Northwest
Stop 8 - World War II Memorial (in bus inlet front of Constitution Gardens)

9. 1400 Jefferson Dr SW
Stop 9 - Washington Monument East

10. 10th Street Northwest & Constitution Avenue Northwest
Stop 10 - Natural History Museum (in front of the Natural History Museum)

11. 610 10th St NW
Stop 11 - City Center & Chinatown

12. 1401 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Stop 12 - The White House & Willard Hotel (outside Willard Hotel, near corner with 15th St. NW)

13. 2436 Rayburn House Office Bldg
Stop 13 - US Capitol at Garfield Circle (East Side of Garfield Circle)

14. 600 Independence Ave SW
Stop 14 - Air & Space Museum (Outside main entrance on Independence Ave)

15. 800 Maine Ave SW
Stop 15 - The Wharf & Potomac Boat Cruise (north-east corner of Maine Ave SW & 9th St)

Points of Interest

  • White House

  • Tidal Basin

  • Washington Monument

  • National Mall

  • National Museum of African American History and Culture

  • U.S. Capitol

  • Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

  • Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial

  • Ford’s Theatre

  • Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

  • Smithsonian American Art Museum

  • Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art

  • Smithsonian Garden

  • United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

  • Art Museum of The Americas

  • Department of the Interior Museum

  • Lincoln Memorial

  • Vietnam Veterans Memorial

  • Korean War Veterans Memorial

  • Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial

  • International Spy Museum

  • National Museum of Women in the Arts

  • Black Lives Matter Plaza

What's Included
  • Professional digital commentary
  • Open-top double decker bus
  • Bike Rental Offer: Rent a bike for one hour and get an additional hour free
  • Unlimited Hop-on, Hop-off Service
  • Panoramic Sunset Tour (if option selected)
  • Pink Loop - Cherry Blossom Tour (during season)
  • Monuments Water Taxi Cruise (if option selected)
  • Red Loop - DC Landmarks Tour
What's Not Included
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
Additional Information

Explore DC with our flexible hop-on hop-off tours. With Big Bus DC, you have the freedom to create your own itinerary and explore the city’s iconic landmarks at your own pace.

Our tours allow you to experience the best of DC while enjoying the comfort of open-top double-decker buses. Hop on and off as many times as you like at any stop throughout the city, giving you the flexibility to explore.

From the historic landmarks of the National Mall to the hip neighborhoods of Georgetown, our routes cover the must-see sights of DC. Take in breathtaking views of the Capitol, Lincoln Memorial, and the White House as our professional digital audio provides professional commentary along the way.

Whether you’re interested in history, culture, or simply soaking up the vibrant atmosphere of the city, our hop-on hop-off tours offer the perfect way to discover DC. Plus, with our live bus tracking, you’ll always know when the next bus is arriving, ensuring a seamless sightseeing experience.

  • Operation times are subject to change without notice
  • Tickets are valid from the first date of redemption
  • Download the free Big Bus app for city information and live bus tracking
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
3.5
(3263 Ratings)
5 stars
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1 star
Linda_k
Jul 15, 2024
Historical and convenient - Enjoyed seeing it all. Kids liked it a lot saved little feet from a lot of walking. Great to be able to see so much wish there were more stops maybe one in Georgetown.
Review provided by Viator
Jameslw2920ng
May 30, 2024
Fun and Helpful Bus Tour - As a tourist, this bus tour is everything since they cover everything. Shoutout to Shnari and the Bus driver, they are both very nice
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lane
May 11, 2024
Great driver - Alphonso is the best! - Alphonso was the best driver! Wouldn’t want to do a Hop on Hop Off Tour with anyone else. Great turn with great sites. Make sure to pick a day with good weather to enjoy the top of the bus!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Thomas_b
Jun 10, 2024
Helpful transportation - Great way to see the sights. Did not have to wait more than a few minutes at each stop. What I did not like was our last driver at end of the day driving very slow probably due to a specific time she needed to arrive at last stop, Overall though I recommend it
Review provided by Viator
Escape65960183641
May 31, 2024
Awesome boarding staff - I loved the tour. The stop hostess at the air and space museum was so helpful and Jamar at the Washington monument was just the host needed at the end of a long day. My only issue was that sometimes it was hard to hear the recording.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
854cliffe
May 30, 2024
Better communication required not just relying on App - Bought two day ticket but wasn’t warned that due to Memorial Day parades route severely truncated on second day rendering second days portion useless for our plans. First day OK but as recorded commentary only no interaction rendering experience at best average.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Saintsly7
May 28, 2024
Not Great - We have done several of these 'Big Bus' in various cities and have generally been quite good, this one was by far the worst. The day we did it was Memorial Day and we knew (and in their defence, we were advised) that there several closures on the route, but even so, they were just so disorganised. It was much longer than 15 mins. before the first one came, and then 3 stops in, we were told to change buses and then sat there for another 10 mins with 2 of their other buses - but were not told why. And from where we were sat we could see several people trying to talk to the staff, who all just looked as confused as the patrons. It was a really disappointing experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cynthia_b
Jul 9, 2024
Disaster - 98 degree heat index and no A/C on the bus. Could not sit on the open top area due to the sweltering heat and the other areas were like an oven. No energy left to see any sights much less walk to them.
Review provided by Viator
Gayle_l
Jun 14, 2024
The bus stops were in... - The bus stops were in great locations. The buses themselves were terrible. We rode on 3 different buses, 2 did not have AC or open windows on lower level and 1 of those didn't even have fans. Miserable riding conditions.
Review provided by Viator
Shawnpat
May 27, 2024
Unknown bus stop closures - The website was confusing and we were unaware of the location of the stops. After purchasing we found out most of the stops were inaccessible due to road blockages etc for Memorial Weekend. I requested a refund soon after booking, since we couldn’t access most spots that day. I requested a refund or to switch days. Neither was given.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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