Historic Tours of America · Union Station or 1001 E St NW
The classic DC night tour: a guided trolley through the lit-up city, with stops to get out and walk at the MLK and FDR memorials, at the World War II Memorial and at the Lincoln, Vietnam and Korean War memorials. Pick it for the easy evening: a seat between the memorials, a guide's stories, and the miles done for you.
Monuments by Moonlight is the night tour of Old Town Trolley Tours, sold on GetYourGuide by its parent company, Historic Tours of America. You ride a trolley with stadium seating, built for looking out, while a live guide tells the stories of the capital between stops. The tour takes 2.5 hours. It leaves from Union Station or from the Washington Welcome Center at 1001 E Street NW, depending on the option you book, so check the times for your date and pick the start nearer your hotel.
Time on foot is the part to plan around. The trolley stops for 30 minutes at the MLK and FDR memorials by the Tidal Basin and for 30 minutes at the Lincoln, Vietnam and Korean War memorials, per the listing. The 20-minute photo stop at the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima) is skipped for now because of a bridge closure, and the listing replaces it with a stop at the World War II Memorial. Everything else you see from your seat: the White House, the Washington Monument, the Jefferson Memorial, the U.S. Capitol, the Smithsonian museums and Castle, and the FBI and Justice Department buildings. Where there is no stop, the trolley slows down as much as it can and the conductor tells you when to get your camera ready.
Included, per the listing: the guide, the trolley ride and the stops. Not included: tips, hotel pickup and drop-off, and food and drinks. Pets, smoking, luggage or large bags, alcohol and drugs are not allowed on board. The listing marks the tour as wheelchair accessible. One tip for the Lincoln stop: the Korean War Veterans Memorial sits just southeast of the Lincoln Memorial and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial just northeast, so decide your loop before the doors open and 30 minutes covers all three.
Board at the departure point of your option: Union Station, or the Washington Welcome Center at 1001 E Street NW. Check the times for your date.
The guide narrates past the Capitol, the Smithsonian museums and Castle and the FBI and Justice Department buildings, slowing for photos where there is no stop.
Walk out to the Stone of Hope by the Tidal Basin, then through the granite rooms and waterfalls of the FDR Memorial.
The pillars and fountains of the World War II Memorial, in place of the Iwo Jima photo stop, which is skipped for now because of a bridge closure.
Climb to Lincoln in his lit chamber, then see the steel soldiers of the Korean War memorial and the Vietnam wall at night.
The White House, the Washington Monument and the Jefferson Memorial from the trolley, with a nudge from the conductor before each photo moment.
★★★★★An evening tour provides a unique perspective and view that can’t be accomplished during the day. [...] The trolley use of dropping many of us off at the Metro Station was much appreciated for being late at night and tired at the end of the day.
★★★★★A very enjoyable tour. We explored Washington, D.C., in the evening. It was an amazing experience. Our guide, Mike, was a fantastic guy with a wealth of knowledge. We highly recommend it.
★★★★★The guide had a great sense of humor was very knowledgeable about all of the sites that he pointed out.
★★★★★we learned so much, the monuments are beautiful lit up at night. great your guide!
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About 2.5 hours, with two 30-minute stops on foot (MLK and FDR; Lincoln, Vietnam and Korean War) and a stop at the World War II Memorial, per the listing.
It starts from $59.95 per person on GetYourGuide, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Tips and food are not included.
Not at the moment. The listing says the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial stop is skipped because of a bridge closure and replaced with a stop at the World War II Memorial.
At Union Station or at the Washington Welcome Center, 1001 E Street NW, depending on the option you book.
Ready to book
A guided night trolley with 30-minute stops at the Lincoln, Vietnam, Korean War, MLK and FDR memorials.
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