Washington DC

Big Bus Washington DC Open Top Hop-On Hop-Off Tour

Washington, United States

From US$54.00

Select Date and Travelers

Free cancellation
Up to 24 hours in advance.
Washington DC Tours
All Washington DC Tours
Audio Guides
Likely To Sell Out
Unique Experiences
  • 2 hours
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Overview

Discover the most popular sights in Washington, DC on this relaxing hop-on hop-off bus tour. Drive past many of the top attractions in the nation’s capital — including the White House, the Washington Monument, the National Mall and Arlington National Cemetery, and choose where you want to get off and explore in more detail. Select a 1-2- or 3-day pass, then hop on at any of the stops on the red route and get to know the city with an audio commentary. Explore the city at your own pace with a Big Bus Washington DC hop-on hop-off bus tour Hop on and off at any of the city-wide stops. Choose from the 1- 2- or 3-day ticket where you will have a choice of additional extras that vary by season.
  • Explore the city at your own pace with a Big Bus Washington DC hop-on hop-off bus tour
  • Hop on and off at any of the 9 city-wide stops, and tour four different routes
  • Choose a 1-day pass, a 2-day pass or opt for a 3-day pass

What's Included

  • Recorded commentary on board
  • Unlimited Hop-on, Hop-on Service
  • Bike Rental Offer: Rent a bike for one hour and get an additional hour free.
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off

Meeting And Pickup

Start time

07:00 PM

What To Expect

The tour begins with a hop on at any of the 9 stops on two separate routes. Board one of the open-top buses and enjoy the view with recorded audio detailing interesting facts and stories. Learn about the history and happenings of the nation’s capital as the bus rolls along from one location to the next.

Hop-off at any of the attractions for a closer look, then, hop back on when it’s convenient. See the sites on the Red Route (Official National Mall Tour), authorized by the National Park Service and National Mall and Memorial Parks. Take in all the places that are synonymous with the nation’s Capital; The White House, U.S. Capitol, Air and Space Museum, Washington Monument, Jefferson Memorial, FDR Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial are just some of the iconic landmarks.

Travel the Blue Loop (American Heroes Shuttle), to experience the sites and memorials honoring American heroes. You'll travel over the Potomac River leaving Washington, DC behind and visiting Virginia. You can expect to see Arlington National Cemetery and Pentagon City. 

The Deluxe 2-day option including the Panoramic Night Tour let you explore the city under the evening sky, visiting its iconic monuments when they're lit up for a different vantage point.
Red Route

15 Stops

23 Points of Interest

Duration: 2 hours

Operating Schedule: First Departure at 9:30 am from 700 L’Enfant Plaza – NW Crosswalk in Front of Spy Museum (Near Capital Bikeshare) Last departure at 5:30 pm. Buses depart every 15-20 minutes. Customers are advised to visit the Big Bus website or to download the app to find out more about our new health and safety measures and for the most update service information to include routes, route times and real live bus tracking.

Capital Bikeshare: 10th St & L'Enfant Plaza SW

Washington Monument

East Basin Drive Southwest

121 West Basin Dr SW

100 Daniel French Dr SW

23rd Street Northwest & Constitution Avenue Northwest

VWJP+MC

18th Street Northwest & Constitution Avenue Northwest

1400 Jefferson Dr SW

10th Street Northwest & Constitution Avenue Northwest

610 10th St NW

1401 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

2436 Rayburn House Office Bldg

600 Independence Ave SW

800 Maine Ave SW

Points of interest passed by on this route

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

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Infants must sit on laps
  • Operation times are subject to change without notice
  • Tickets are valid from the first date of redemption
  • Stroller accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Near public transportation
  • Most travelers can participate

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

Frequently Asked Questions

The answers provided below are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.

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Q:How often does a bus arrive at each stop during the Big Bus Washington DC Open Top Hop-On Hop-Off Tour?

A:A bus arrives approximately every hour on both the Red Loop (Official Tour of the National Mall) and the Blue Loop (American Heroes Shuttle.)

Mar 2021

Q:Do I have to go to a central location to redeem my ticket for the Big Bus Washington DC Open Top Hop-On Hop-Off Tour?

A:You may redeem your printed or electronic ticket at any of the listed bus stops.

Mar 2021

Q:How long is a full circle ride on the Big Bus Washington DC Open Top Hop-On Hop-Off Tour without getting off?

A:The full circuit lasts approximately 1 hour for both the Red Loop (Official Tour of the National Mall) and the Blue Loop (American Heroes Shuttle.)

Mar 2021

Q:How will I know which stop(s) to use during the Big Bus Washington DC Open Top Hop-On Hop-Off Tour?

A:Our live guides and pre-recorded commentary will communicate upcoming stops. You can also download our free App for more information on routes and times, and what to see and do at each stop location.

Mar 2021

Q:Is the Big Bus Washington DC Open Top Hop-On Hop-Off Tour wheelchair accessible?

A:Yes, we operate wheelchair-accessible vehicles with lifts that can accommodate up to 650 pounds. If you require an accessible vehicle, please let us know in the "Special Requirements" box at checkout.

Mar 2021

Q:Can I bring a pet with me on the Big Bus Washington DC Open Top Hop-On Hop-Off Tour?

A:No pets are allowed onboard the bus, except ADA service animals.

Mar 2021

Q:Can I bring food or drink with me on the Big Bus Washington DC Open Top Hop-On Hop-Off Tour?

A:No food or alcohol is permitted onboard the bus. Non-alcoholic drinks in screw-top bottles are permitted.

Mar 2021

Q:Can I bring luggage on the Big Bus Washington DC Open Top Hop-On Hop-Off Tour?

A:No, luggage is not permitted onboard the bus at this time.

Mar 2021

Q:Is the upper level of the bus climate controlled?

A:The upper level of the bus is open-top, so it is not climate controlled.

Jun 2021

Traveler Photos

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Traveler Tips

Not enough buses so you can hop off and do a quick visit.
If the buses would stop at each memorial/monument for 20 minutes for people to wander to the monument or shop at the gift store, that would have been nice.
Customer service ok but could have been better Busses stop going to early in the evening.

Reviews

3.5
2,792 reviews
Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
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Reviews by Viator travelers.
Showing 1-10 of 2,792 reviews
I always like a HOHO with open tops. Easy to get photos. The stops were good.
CHANTAL_M, Sept 2023
Loved the Memorials and Government Buildings. The Botanical Gardens was a nice way to walk Independence Ave.
Bus was a no show
Sterling_C, Sept 2023
We waited at the stop on K street the bus never showed up. I tried to chat on the website and never got a response. We never saw the bus. We would like a full refund as we did not use your services and it ruined a full day for us.
almost great trip
Carolyn_J, Sept 2023
The visit from 9 am until 4pm was great. We were dropped at Arlington at 4:00 and did not fully understand that the last pickup was 4:30. We watched the changing of the guard at 4:30 so didn’t not have a way to return to the mall. We walked back and hoped to catch the bus but it was past the last one. The end of the day was not good
The lower level of the...
Bertha_N, Sept 2023
The lower level of the bus is tinted and one can't see outside unless you go to the roof top.Also we used it on a day that it rained so heavily and all the water ,wind was blowing on us at the top and we had to move at the bottom level which was also flooded.It was just a waste of my money and I will never use it again.
WORSE EXPERIENCE EVER! Do Not Trust Them!
Tara_A, Sept 2023
We never went. And they got paid over $200 bucks! The booking experience was unbelievable HORRIBLE! Lady booked us on the wrong tour. We attempted to book the 7:30pm hop on & hop off bus. But the lady booked us, and after told us it was for 5:50-9pm. I told her it was now 5:10pm! And there was NO WAY we could get to the bus in 20 mins. And to switch us to the requested 7:30pm. Or refund, or schedule us for the next day? She must have caught her mistake and then all of a sudden acted like she could no longer hear me on the phone!!! And soon disconnected. I had to call back many times! And to no avail. This company was so confused as to what time we were actually booked. Turned out, the orig lady booked us for the 9am-5:30pm tour. She booked that at 5pm!!! Huge mistake! No one would refund nor change days. Kept getting the run-around. Including a number to call the next day to "fix" the problem. But the phone# had 12 didgets and a (plus) sign and when I called it, a voice machine said, "Sorry phone lines are temporarily down blah, blah, blah... WORSE EXPERIENCE EVER! And loss over $200 bucks!
A good experience
Peter_W, Sept 2023
A good experience to see Washington in the time available to us. We hopped on and off several times.
Get up Get on the Bus
JoeM, Sept 2023
Great way to taking a lot of views of the city. Fortunately, there was bathrooms at every stop a relatively close by would highly recommend.
Great way to tour DC.
Julie_L, Sept 2023
The Big Bus Tour gives awesome commentary on most of the key sites to see in DC and the app is great. My only recommendation would be to put up better signage at the stops. If you were looking for a stop and had not been there before it was hard to find even using the app.
Awful service
Swanee_R, Sept 2023
Our ticket came as 1 and unable to split it. The bus stopped at a different stop than scheduled to accommodate people with scooters. After which the bus broke down at that spot, we sat for 15 minutes not knowing what was going on, my husband went down to ask, the driver said bus was broken, and we needed to get off, bus driver said he figured we get it. Told us another bus would come but would backtrack. We waited an hour, walked around, got back on to find out we had to backtrack.
Boom, boom ... hissssss
Mark_Y, Sept 2023
The 9;30 bus picked us up at 11 because of an event blocking the route. Our bus was then rerouted, only to break down 30 minutes into the trip.
Terrible buses
Colin_S, Sept 2023
First of all pick up address is incorrect. Need to be more specific with a land mark like next to Spy Museum. Buses are old, AC is not enough, bus is noisy, one bus AC did not work at all. Drivers not friendly, ticket people were better. Maybe cause they have no AC while driving. You are losing customers and money due to bus conditions. Buses were half empty. You will not get repeat customers or referrals. Our fist experience with Big Bus and last. I tipped driver still.
Awful
Marvin_W, Sept 2023
It was awful had to pay $60 more to get on the bus at the stop and it only made one stop I will never ride this tour again. Do not waist your money.
Great way to tour DC
Laurie_L, Aug 2023
Bus goes to almost all cool places in DC. Always on time. Great way to tour the monuments and museums without lots of walking.
Hop on/Hop off
Tamie_H, Aug 2023
There was not a stop for the famous African American Musuem. It was part of the tour but there was not a hop on/hop off stop where the Musuem was actually located. Dissappointment!
A few memorable aspects of my bus tour
Olabisi_K, Aug 2023
Walking around the Washington Monument and across to the African-American History Museum was an enjoyable experience . I also enjoyed visiting the Natural History Museum. Overall the commentary was very well researched and packaged. A small item that I found interesting was the origin of the word 'lobbyist' and its connection to the Willard Hotel.
Workers were very rude....
Beto_R, Aug 2023
Workers were very rude. Not friendly at all. Buses were supposed to run every 15-20 minutes but we waited an hour for one. We spent more time waiting on buses than touring monuments. The location of stops were very good.
History told correctly.
Olga_B, Aug 2023
Visiting the african American museum and Martin Luther King memorial were my favorite parts of the tour. It was thought provoking and encouraged me to appreciate, even more, our rich heritage.
Ok
John_R, Aug 2023
Seeing the sights and the comments It did get hot so had to go undercover abd then it rained it showed visitors as what to see in Washington
Excellent orientation to the city & sites
Pamela_V, Aug 2023
Excellent orientation to the city & sites. Highly recommend @ start of visit to make for a planned itinerary. Recorded narrative while touring was of excellent quality. Service personnel was polite & helpful. 2-day unlimited hop-on, hop-off was perfect & reasonably priced for 6.
Disappeared with how it was all handled
Cheryl_T, Aug 2023
I had originally scheduled 3 days tour but realized I wouldn’t be able to do all three days in a row so I called and asked if the had to be consecutive, they said yes. So I canceled and rescheduled for the three days I could do, which was Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Also I wanted to add a night tour. I was told that I had to book two together to be able to do night tour. I said okay. My three days went from $160 to $260. When I got here I realized the night tour wasn’t showing up on my reservation so I asked a worker on bus and she said no worries she would get it straightened out. Well today, Sunday I thought I would ask again because we would have several hour down time and a young man was pretty ugly saying he was in charge and she couldn’t tell me that. I will not ever schedule early when I could have just waited. Being I spent so much, you would have thought you could have honor all theses peoples words. The first sales person and the young worker on the bus.
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