Washington DC Day and Night Vintage Car Sightseeing Tour

Washington DC in a vintage car

The vintage-style car makes this Washington DC sightseeing tour feel different from a standard coach ride. It is open at the sides, so you see and photograph the monuments without glass or a roof in the way, and the electric motor keeps the noise low so you can hear the guide. It also gives a comfortable, personal feel to a group tour.

The guide narrates as you drive, giving the backstories of the places you pass rather than only naming them. The tour is about two hours and covers a lot of ground, which is useful because the monuments are spread around the National Mall and the Tidal Basin. The itinerary can change because of road or monument closures.

Capitol Hill and the Smithsonian museums along the Mall

The tour starts near Capitol Hill, where the Capitol dome looks down the National Mall. Your guide explains the plan of the city, drawn up by Pierre L'Enfant, and how these first sights fit together. The photo stop here gives you a good angle for the Capitol.

Along the Mall you pass several Smithsonian museums, including the National Gallery of Art, the National Museum of Natural History, the National Museum of American History and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Admission to most of these museums is free, and your guide can suggest which are worth returning to on your own.

The Lincoln Memorial and the war memorials

The Lincoln Memorial is a highlight of any Washington DC monuments tour. Dedicated in 1922, it has 36 columns and a seated statue of Abraham Lincoln, and it was the setting for Martin Luther King Jr.'s I Have a Dream speech in 1963. You stop for around 15 minutes for photographs and a short guided walk.

The tour also passes the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial and the World War II Memorial, with short explanations at each. These memorials are powerful at any time of day, but the evening light and the illumination after dark make them especially atmospheric.

The White House, the Washington Monument and the Jefferson Memorial

The car passes Lafayette Square and the White House, where you have a brief photo stop of about five minutes. The Washington Monument, finished in 1884, is also a photo stop, with the guide explaining how it was built and why the stone changes colour partway up.

The tour also visits the Jefferson Memorial on the shore of the Tidal Basin, a round marble building completed in 1943. The cherry trees around the basin bloom in late March or early April, and the view is beautiful at any time of year. The Franklin D. Roosevelt and Martin Luther King Jr. memorials are part of the wider route.

Planning your visit: day or night, meeting point and rules

There are four departures, at 10:00 AM, 1:00 PM, 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM. Choose a daytime departure for clear views and photographs, or the evening for lit monuments and cooler air in summer. The meeting point is in Washington DC, and the exact spot is confirmed after booking. Hotel pickup is not included.

The tour runs all year and goes ahead rain or shine unless conditions are unsafe, and the decision is made at least an hour before departure. The car has open sides, so dress for the weather. Wheelchairs can be accommodated, but not provided, so please tell us when you book. The tour is not suitable for visually impaired travellers.