Washington DC bus or trolley tours - reviews?

[pak1968]

I was in DC for spring break just last week. I brought two teenaged girls with me. They had never been to DC before so we went on a monuments tour. We did a night tour since we were spending the days in various museums. Our feet were already sore from so much museum walking, so paying for a bus to take us around to all the monuments was worth it to me. The tour was through USA Guided Tours. http://usaguidedtours.com/ They call their night tour "DC at Dusk." The bus had about 20 seats. They picked us up and dropped us off at our hotel in Alexandria. Our tour included stops outside the Capitol, the White House, and the following memorials: WWII, MLK Jr, Lincoln, Korea, and Vietnam. It was supposed to include the FDR Memorial too but we skipped that since our guide said the fountains were not working. Also, we were supposed to stop at the Iwo Jima memorial but ended up just driving by it instead. The tour lasts around three hours, not including the pick up /drop off time. The tour officially started at 7:30 but we were picked up from our hotel about an hour before. Also, the guide gets off the bus with the group at every stop.

Back in 2007 I had done another night tour but cannot recall which company. That tour also picked us up and dropped us off at our hotel right in DC, the Holiday Inn Capitol. That tour included the Jefferson Memorial, whereas my more recent tour did not. However, at the White House stop on that tour, we were much farther away from it than on the recent tour.

PM me if you have any questions.

 

[mrsboz]

subscribing.

What hotels does anyone recommend?

Thank you.

 

[hsmamato2]

I like staying in Alexandria area...cheaper hotels, but I make sure to pick on that is walking distance to the metro station

 

[clori]

If its in your price range I recommend Embassy Suites in Alexandria. It's right across the street from the King ST Metro which has two different metro colors that stop there and is 2 stops from the airport (we took the metro to/from the airport). The hotel has a nice included breakfast complete with made to order omelets. There is also a complimentary evening social with drinks (alcoholic are limited, soft drinks are not) and snacks. I think all rooms are suites so we had a room with 2 beds then a separate living area with a sofa bed and small fridge, microwave, table etc. My room was only 3 rooms from the pool and hot tub so we enjoyed that some nights. The town has a free shuttle across the street that goes to Old town Alexandria or the hotel offers a free shuttle to go there.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

I was in DC for spring break just last week. I brought two teenaged girls with me. They had never been to DC before so we went on a monuments tour. We did a night tour since we were spending the days in various museums. Our feet were already sore from so much museum walking, so paying for a bus to take us around to all the monuments was worth it to me. The tour was through USA Guided Tours. http://usaguidedtours.com/ They call their night tour "DC at Dusk." The bus had about 20 seats. They picked us up and dropped us off at our hotel in Alexandria. Our tour included stops outside the Capitol, the White House, and the following memorials: WWII, MLK Jr, Lincoln, Korea, and Vietnam. It was supposed to include the FDR Memorial too but we skipped that since our guide said the fountains were not working. Also, we were supposed to stop at the Iwo Jima memorial but ended up just driving by it instead. The tour lasts around three hours, not including the pick up /drop off time. The tour officially started at 7:30 but we were picked up from our hotel about an hour before. Also, the guide gets off the bus with the group at every stop.

Back in 2007 I had done another night tour but cannot recall which company. That tour also picked us up and dropped us off at our hotel right in DC, the Holiday Inn Capitol. That tour included the Jefferson Memorial, whereas my more recent tour did not. However, at the White House stop on that tour, we were much farther away from it than on the recent tour.

PM me if you have any questions.

Thanks! We still have not decided about doing a tour, but if we do, I'll look into that one. I'm still waiting to hear from my Senator about the tours I asked for and I'm getting anxious, as I'd like to get other things scheduled ASAP.

 

[nordkin]

Your day 3 is incorrect about locations. The Bureau of Printing and Engraving is between the monument and the Jefferson Memorial. Right next to the Holocaust Museum.

 

[sharona]

subscribing.

What hotels does anyone recommend?

Thank you.

We stayed at the Washington Hilton (not the Capitol Hilton). Really reasonable pricing when there is no convention going on. Several good restaurants in the area and the hotel restaurant, while pricey, was very good. It's a bit outside the downtown circle but still walk-able to the White House and mall areas so we were able to avoid having to use the metro. About a 15 minute walk mostly downhill. We walked each morning to where we were going and then took taxis back to the hotel if we were too tired to walk back. DC is a bit like Disney, you're on your feet a lot and you cover a lot of ground. I think there's actually more standing/walking than a WDW trip since you don't get that break off your feet for a ride every 20/30 minutes.

Try code N0041604 for a 20% discount (must be a Hilton Honors member to use but it's free to join). Rooms are limited with this code so the earlier you book the better. If you have a car with you, there may be a parking charge, we didn't so not sure.

 

[stormer]

You can make an online reservation for the Archives (and the Washington Monument, also) for just a small service charge of $1.50 per person. Well worth the time saved!

You can get online tickets for Ford's Theater for a few dollars, also.

As soon as I have tour dates from my Senator, I'll make reservations.

I made an online reservation for the Washington monument. So worth the $1.50 a person! How do you do it for the Archives in advance? I can't find that online.

Forget it - I found it. Of course there are no tickets available for the last weekend in May when we will be there. I never realized I could get these online.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

I made an online reservation for the Washington monument. So worth the $1.50 a person! How do you do it for the Archives in advance? I can't find that online.

http://www.archives.gov/museum/visit/reserved-visits.html

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

Your day 3 is incorrect about locations. The Bureau of Printing and Engraving is between the monument and the Jefferson Memorial. Right next to the Holocaust Museum.

Thanks for pointing that out. I must have written that on the wrong day in my notes.