Best Night Tours in Washington DC

Washington DC was created to be the city of power in the United States. Its buildings witnessed critical circumstances and its monuments pay tribute to great people. You can discover all this on a daytime walk along the National Mall that will take you from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial, passing by the Obelisk and the World War II Veterans Memorial, but behind this planned city there are also hidden lights and shadows, mysteries and secrets that come to the surface at night.

Here are the best night tours to get to know the other side of Washington, whether it is the one that illuminates the most emblematic monuments creating a unique atmosphere or the one that supports the theory that it is a city of ghosts.

This tour proposes a walk through the sites of Washington that are considered haunted. It is an excursion that began in the 1980s and has been adding stories until it has become very popular, to the point that there are several experts who offer themselves as guides for the tour.

The tour focuses on the area near the White House and offers visitors the chance to witness the ghost of Griselio Torresola, the Puerto Rican who in 1950 tried unsuccessfully to assassinate President Harry Truman at Blair House, or listen to the sobs of the souls in pain in President's Park, or tour some of the haunted houses in Washington DC or Ford's Theatre, where Abraham Lincoln was assassinated.

The stories are narrated by the guides and are supported by the testimonies of the alleged witnesses of the apparitions and paranormal activity in each case. Would you like to join the tour?

Details of interest in this tour

• Price... From 22 euros with guide included.
• Duration... The tour can last between one and two hours.
• Advantages of this option... Through this tour it is possible to know an alternative side of Washington.

This walk is geared towards the real and proven stories of the city that are no less terrifying than the ghosts of Blair House.

In a walk through the most emblematic buildings of the American capital the guide will delve into the secrets of the founding of Washington DC, the Masons Alley andthe suicides, deaths and assassinations that happened in the city and cemented the power of many presidents and rulers.

The tour includes tours of the White House, St. John's Church, Lafayette Square and several other Washington buildings that over the years witnessed incredible events.

Details of interest in this tour

• Price... From 32 euros with guide included.
• Duration... The tour lasts one hour and a half.
• Advantages of this option... If you are skeptical of ghost stories, this tour will interest you for the truthfulness of their stories.

Away from the lights of the National Mall emerges the U Street corridor that is also known as Black Broadway. This Washington circuit played an important role in the history of the city's African-American culture and in the emergence of jazz through the great work of Duke Ellington.

The U Street night tour offers a journey back in time to the years when these Washington neighborhoods were the refuge of the largest African-American community in the United States.

The tour is led by local guides who, in addition to telling the stories of U Street, offer recommendations for restaurants and bars in the area.

Details of interest in this tour

• Price... From $23 with guide included.
• Duration... The tour lasts two hours.
• Advantages of this option... You will be able to visit the site where thousands of demonstrators came out to support Martin Luther King Jr. in his speech in Washington in 1963 and have access to a variety of restaurants.

After dark, the buildings and monuments of Washington DC offer a spectacle not to be missed. Illuminated by night and by the battery of artificial lights that enhance each building, visitors can tour the iconic memorials, many of which remain open 24 hours a day, and be left with a unique experience of one of America's most iconic cities.

This tour offers a three-hour bus tour with stops at the most emblematic sites. You can visit the Thomas Jefferson Memorial under the lights of its columns, see the illuminated dome of the Capitol up close, or the imposing granite figure of Abraham Lincoln.

Other monuments that are a must on a night tour are the Vietnam WarVeterans Memorial andthe Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, whose stone figure built in perspective is magnified by artificial lighting.

Details of interest on this tour

• Price... From $62 with guide, transfer and pick-up from lodging included.
• Duration... The tour lasts three hours.
• Advantages of this option... You will have access to an unmissable view, totally different from the daytime panoramic view of the most representative monuments of Washington DC.

The private chauffeured van tour is a good alternative if you are looking for comfort, if you are accompanied by minors or seniors or if you have little time to get to know Washington DC.

On this tour you will be able to choose the departure times and you will be able to leave from the main circle of the National Mall, although the service providers usually recommend a tour of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, the Capitol, the Washington Obelisk, the Lincoln Memorial and the White House.

The driver will pick you up at your accommodation and will offer you a three-hour service with a tour of the city.

Details of interest in this tour

• Price... From 350 euros including transfer, pick up from accommodation and driver.
• Duration... The tour lasts three hours plus the time of pick up and drop off at the accommodation.
• Advantages of this option... By choosing the right tour schedule you will have the possibility to get to know Washington avoiding the crowds, moving efficiently and avoiding the delay of public transportation.

This tour is one of the best options to learn about the history of the most representative monuments and buildings and to get the most beautiful pictures. The permanent assistance of an expert guide will prevent you from missing any detail and the open top bus will not get in the way of your picture when you press the shutter.

On this tour you will be able to discover the splendor of Washington DC under the moonlight and witness the change that occurs when night falls and the lights of the monuments are turned on.

In times of high season, when night tours crowd the buildings and monuments of the National Mall, the open top bus is an interesting option to get a clean and close-up panoramic view of the memorials.

Details of interest on this tour

• Price... From fifty euros including guide.
• Duration... The tour lasts two hours.
• Advantages of this option... You will be able to count on permanent information provided by an expert guide and your photos will be the envy of everyone!

If you enjoy physical activity and want to discover all that Washington DC has to show you after dark then this tour may be just what you are looking for. The night bike tour will allow you to see the city's monuments lit up at night.

In addition, the night ride allows the guide more time to give you information about the buildings and memorials and build a more efficient tour.

I also recommend that you pay special attention to those monuments that are most attractive at night, such as the Korean War Veterans Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial , or the wraparound fountain at the National World War II Veterans Memorial.

Details of interest on this tour

• Price... From 30 euros including guide.
• Duration... The tour lasts three hours.
• Advantages of this option... Enjoy the monuments and buildings without crowds of tourists.

The tourist exploitation of Washington DC has definitely made its way to the Potomac River and one of the most offered services of this river circuit is the cruise tours.

One of these tours proposes an evening on the Odyssey cruise, which is a glass-enclosed boat designed to favor the view of the city, with dinner included at a private table and background music.

The Odyssey is considered a luxury boat and has observation decks that allow an open view of the monuments of the National Mall and the buildings of Washington DC.

Details of interest on this excursion

• Price... From €104 per person, with brunch or three-course dinner included.
• Duration... The tour lasts between two and three hours.
• Advantages of this option... Observing a panoramic view of the city at night directly from the Potomac River.

There are many companies that provide the same services and most of them allow you to book directly from the web. I recommend you to buy the tour in advance because in high season, which in Washington DC is from May to June and from September to November, the services are usually sold out.

If you organized your trip at the last minute and did not have time to purchase tickets in advance, you can try to buy them directly at the designated meeting points. There are often last minute cancellations that leave free places. Here you can find all the information about tickets for Washington attractions.

The duration of the excursions will depend on the tour booked. Those that propose a walk through the buildings and monuments of the National Mall usually last about two to three hours, as do the guided night tours by bicycle.

Other tours such as the private chauffeured tour last three to four hours and the tours of haunted houses, haunted buildings and the African-American U Street circuit can last between one and two hours.

There is a wide variety of night tours in the city. The main circuit of the National Mall is the best known and will offer you a wide panoramic view of the most significant monuments of the capital that absolutely changes its dynamics when the sun goes down. You will also get to know a different profile of the city, with less crowds and with some of the most important buildings illuminated at night.

Alternative tours of the city will allow you to get to know the less explored side of Washington DC, which is not limited to the great memorials adjacent to the White House gardens but has a long tradition of mystery and strong ties to African American culture.

Most of the tourist attractions in the U.S. capital are outdoors, mainly on the National Mall bordering the Potomac River, so tips for nighttime excursions around the city will be related to the weather. During the summer temperatures are warm and although the wind picks up at night, it is important to have water for hydration and comfortable shoes.

In winter, on the other hand, temperatures drop drastically so I recommend that if you are going to tour the city on foot or by bicycle you should consider equipping yourself with the necessary shelter to face snowfalls and heavy rains.

Being a cosmopolitan city visited by millions of tourists every year, prices are varied and there are options for adults and children. If you want to opt for an affordable tour you can hire a night walking tour that visits the National Mall and the main monuments, which are all free of charge. In that case you will find guided tours for fifteen or twenty euros.

If instead you prefer something more exclusive you can choose to tour Washington DC in a van or even in a van with a private driver completely at your disposal. In that case the prices start at eighty euros and can exceed five hundred.