All guides
130 in-depth guides covering every aspect of a Washington DC trip.
9 Washington DC Travel Mistakes to Avoid
A Day Trip to the Maryland Suburbs: Rockville, Bethesda & Gaithersburg
Accessible Washington, D.C.: A Practical Guide for Visitors with Mobility or Access Needs
African American Heritage in Washington, D.C.
African American History in Washington, D.C.
Alexandria Day Trip from Washington, D.C.
Alexandria Ghost Tours: Old Town's Haunted Nights
Annapolis Cruises and Boat Tours
Annapolis Day Trip from Washington, D.C.
Annapolis Day Trips from Washington, D.C.
Annapolis Ghost Tours: Nighttime Walks Through the Old Colonial Capital
Annapolis Walking Tours: Exploring the Historic District on Foot
Antietam Day Trip from Washington DC: The Quiet Battlefield
Arlington Day Trip from Washington DC: The Cemetery, Not the City
Arlington National Cemetery Visitor Guide
Arlington's Monuments and Memorials: What They Actually Are
Assateague Island Day Trip from Washington, DC: Is It Worth the Drive?
Atlantic Beaches Near Washington, D.C.: Virginia Beach, Ocean City & Assateague
Baltimore Cooking Classes: A Taste of the Chesapeake
Baltimore Day Trip from Washington, D.C.
Baltimore Ghost Tours: Haunted History of a Working Port City
Baltimore Wineries and Breweries: Where to Drink Near the Inner Harbor
Best Time to Visit Washington, D.C.
Bike and Scooter Tours of Washington, D.C.
Charlottesville & Monticello Day Trip from Washington, D.C.
Chesapeake Bay Cruises and Boat Tours: Sailing the Open Water
Chesapeake Bay Day Trip from Washington, D.C.
Chesapeake Bay: Sailing and Seafood Near Washington, D.C.
Christmas and Winter in Washington, D.C.
Civil War Battlefields Near Washington, D.C.: A Complete Guide
Colonial Williamsburg Walking Tours: What They Add (and Don't)
Day Tours vs. Night Tours in Washington, D.C.: Which Should You Choose?
Driving and Parking in Washington, D.C.: Do You Actually Need a Car?
Food and Markets in Washington, D.C.: A Practical Eating Guide
Fourth of July in Washington, D.C.: What Actually Changes
Frederick Day Trip from Washington, D.C.: A Small-Town Escape
Fredericksburg Day Trip from Washington DC
Free Things to Do in Washington, D.C.
From BWI Airport to Downtown Washington, D.C.
From DCA Airport to Downtown Washington, D.C.
From Dulles Airport to Downtown Washington, D.C.
Games, Shows and Evening Entertainment in Washington, D.C.
Georgetown vs. Old Town Alexandria: Which Historic Waterfront Wins?
Getting Around Washington, D.C. by Metro
Gettysburg Battlefield Tours: What's Free and What You Pay For
Gettysburg Day Trip from Washington DC
Gettysburg Ghost Tours: The Complete Guide
Gettysburg vs. Antietam: Which Battlefield Should You Visit?
Guided vs. Self-Guided: Walking the National Mall
Harpers Ferry Day Trip from Washington, D.C.
Hop-On Hop-Off Buses in Washington, D.C.: Who They're Actually For
How Many Days Do You Need in Washington, D.C.?
Is Washington, D.C. Safe for Tourists?
Library of Congress and Supreme Court: Visiting Beyond the Capitol
Mount Vernon Day Trip from Washington, D.C.
National Cherry Blossom Festival: The Tidal Basin Guide
National Mall Walking Guide: How to Walk It Right
Norfolk Day Trip from Washington DC
Northern Virginia Beyond the Monuments: A Day Trip from Washington DC
Ocean City Cruises and Boat Tours
Ocean City Day Trip from Washington, D.C.
Ocean City Watersports: Paddleboarding, Kayaking and More
Outdoors and Parks Near Washington DC
Potomac River Cruises Compared: Sightseeing, Shuttle, or Dinner
Richmond Day Trip from Washington, D.C.
Richmond Food Tours: Tasting the River City
Richmond Ghost Tours: The Confederate Capital After Dark
Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive Guide
Shenandoah National Park Day Trip from Washington, D.C.
Spy and Crime Tours in Washington, D.C.
Spy and Crime Tours in Washington, D.C.
The Capitol and the White House: How Access Really Works
The Smithsonian Museums: A Complete Guide to DC's Free Museum Cluster
Things to Do in Alexandria: A Walking Guide to Old Town
Things to Do in Annapolis: Maryland's Historic Sailing Capital
Things to Do in Arlington, Virginia
Things to Do in Assateague Island & Berlin, Maryland
Things to Do in Baltimore
Things to Do in Charlottesville & Monticello
Things to Do in Gettysburg: A Complete Visitor's Guide
Things to Do in Harpers Ferry
Things to Do in Mount Vernon
Things to Do in Norfolk, VA: A Naval City, Not a Beach Town
Things to Do in Ocean City, Maryland
Things to Do in Richmond, Virginia
Things to Do in the Maryland Suburbs: Rockville, Bethesda & Gaithersburg
Things to Do in the Northern Virginia Suburbs
Things to Do in Virginia Beach
Things to Do in Washington, D.C.: The Complete First-Timer's Guide
Things to Do in Williamsburg
Things to Do in Yorktown, Virginia
Things to Do on the Chesapeake Bay
Tipping and Sales Tax in Washington, D.C.: What You'll Actually Pay
Touring the US Capitol: How It Actually Works
Train and Bus Day Trips from Washington, D.C.
Virginia Beach Day Trip from Washington, D.C.
Visiting the White House: How It Actually Works
Washington DC Airport Transfers: DCA, IAD and BWI Compared
Washington DC Bus and Trolley Tours: Your First-Day Orientation
Washington DC Cherry Blossoms: When They Actually Bloom
Washington DC Cooking Classes: A Hands-On Break From Monuments
Washington DC Cruises & Boat Tours: Seeing the Capital from the Potomac
Washington DC Day Trips: Comparing Your Best Options
Washington DC Food Tours: Georgetown, The Wharf & Capitol Hill
Washington DC Ghost Tours: The Capital After Dark
Washington DC in Autumn: Foliage, Mild Weather and Day Trips
Washington DC in Spring: A Season-by-Season Guide
Washington DC in Summer: Heat, Storms, and How to Plan Around Them
Washington DC Monuments and Memorials: The Complete Guide
Washington DC Museums and Galleries: The Complete Guide
Washington DC on a Budget: A Real Spending Strategy
Washington DC Sightseeing Passes Compared: What You Actually Need
Washington DC Walking Tours: Seeing the City on Foot
Washington DC's Rainy Day Plan: The Indoor Backup
Washington, D.C. Bars and Nightlife: The Codes to Know Before You Go Out
Washington, D.C. for First-Time Visitors: The Essential Orientation
Washington, D.C. in Winter: Cold, Quiet, and Cheap
Washington, D.C. vs. New York City: Which Should You Visit?
Washington, D.C. With a Tight Schedule
Washington, D.C. with Kids: A Family Travel Guide
Washington, D.C. with Teenagers
What to Pack for Washington, D.C.
Where to Stay in Washington, D.C.: Choose by Metro Access, Not Neighborhood
Williamsburg Day Trip from Washington, D.C.: Colonial Williamsburg, Yorktown & Jamestown
Williamsburg Ghost Tours: Colonial Legends After Dark
Williamsburg Spy & Crime Tours: Murder, Conspiracy and Intrigue After Dark
Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown Compared
Wine Bars and Breweries in Washington, D.C.
Wineries and Breweries Near Washington, D.C.: A Tasting Day Trip Guide
Yorktown & Jamestown Day Trip from Washington, D.C.
Good to know about guides to Washington, D.C.
The guides hub is a library of essential-reading articles built around the questions that trip up first-time visitors. A National Mall guide covers the two-mile stretch from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial and the best vantage points for photographing it. A White House guide is direct about logistics: a public tour must be requested through a Member of Congress roughly 21 to 90 days ahead, the nearby White House Visitor Center is free and needs no reservation, and the White House itself cannot be visited on a walk-up basis.
A Getting Around guide compares Metro trains and buses within Washington, covered by a SmarTrip card with distance-based fares, against driving for longer trips to Shenandoah, Gettysburg or the Chesapeake Bay. A Smithsonian guide covers the free, walk-in museums lining the National Mall and corrects the idea that timed-entry passes are needed everywhere, when only NMAAHC and Air and Space require them. A Mount Vernon guide explains that the estate is a paid, ticketed site rather than part of the free federal core, that it sits in Northern Virginia, and that the trip from downtown Washington runs about 15 to 30 minutes by car.
A currency and tax guide is direct about the US dollar used in Washington and across the region, the sales tax added at the till in DC, Maryland and Virginia alike, and the fact that tipping roughly 18-20% at restaurants and bars is expected, not optional. A Capitol guide covers the building's guided tour booked through the Capitol Visitor Center, and how the House and Senate galleries need a separate pass.
Frequently asked questions about guides to Washington, D.C.
Is there a guide to the CGN paddle-wheel steamers?
Yes — it explains WMATA's scheduled Metro routes across the region, connecting Washington, Arlington, Alexandria and the Maryland suburbs.
Does a guide explain the difference between a SmarTrip card and a paper fare card?
Yes, along with the fact that paper fare cards cost more than SmarTrip, and that weekday fares run roughly $2.25-$6.75 depending on distance, dropping to a flat cap of roughly $2.50 after about 9:30pm and on weekends.
Is there a guide to CERN's public visits?
Yes — it covers the museum, film and licensed battlefield guides open to visitors at Gettysburg National Military Park, just north of the DC region.
Do the guides explain the currency situation on day trips to France?
Yes — Washington and the surrounding region use the US dollar, and sales tax is added at the till rather than included in displayed prices, with higher special rates on restaurant meals, hotels and alcohol in DC.
Is there a guide to Skyline Drive?
Yes — it covers the mountain road through Shenandoah National Park, reached by car from Washington in about 1.5 to 2.5 hours, its per-vehicle entrance fee, and its views back over the Blue Ridge and Shenandoah Valley.
Washington DC Walking Tours
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