Washington DC

Big Bus DC: Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Tour by Open-top Bus

Washington DC, USA

From $54.00

Select Date and Travelers

up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

  • 2 hours
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Explore our promoted experiences

Overview

Discover the most popular sights in Washington, DC on this hop-on hop-off bus tour. Drive past many of the capital's top attractions, including the White House, the Washington Monument, the National Mall, and Arlington National Cemetery. Select a 1-, 2-, or 3-day pass (the latter comes with water taxi passes), then hop on at any of the stops on the Red Route, and listen to the audio commentary.
  • Explore the city at your own pace on a hop-on hop-off bus tour
  • Discover the best of cherry blossom season during the limited Pink Route
  • Choose a 1-day pass, a 2-day pass or opt for a 3-day pass
  • 3-day passes also include water taxi access

What's Included

  • Professional digital commentary
  • Unlimited Hop-on, Hop-on Service
  • Bike Rental Offer: Rent a bike for one hour and get an additional hour free.
  • Pink Loop - Cherry Blossom Tour
  • Red Loop - DC Landmarks Tour
  • Open-top double decker bus
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off

Meeting and Pickup

Start time

Opening hours

Select your preferred tour option to see hours.
View tour option

What To Expect

The tour begins when you hop on at any of the available stops. Board one of the open-top buses and enjoy the view with recorded audio commentary 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. During the spring, you'll also admire the cherry blossoms.

Pick between 1-, 2-, or 3-day passes to fit your schedule. If you've chosen the 3-day option, you'll also receive water taxi passes.
Red Route: Hop-on Hop-off

15 Stops

23 Points of Interest

Duration: 2 hours

Operating Schedule: First Departure at 9:30 am from Union Station main entrance, next to Columbia Circle (50 Massachusetts Ave NE). Last departure 4:30PM. Buses depart every 15-20 minutes. Download the Big Bus app for route info, live bus tracking, and customer assistance via chat.

50 Massachusetts Ave NE

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.

Filter by:

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

See more

Reviews

3.5
3,035 reviews
Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
0
0
0
0
0
Reviews by Viator travelers.
Showing 1-10 of 3,035 reviews
Fabulous experience and...
KIMBERLY_W, Apr 2024
Fabulous experience and ability to get a handle on the layout of the city. The route was detoured due to a race and our driver did a great job changing the route and communicating. The last bus was extremely delayed getting to us which was difficult on a rainy day. Would definitely recommend.
Unfortunately we could...
Birgit_F, Apr 2024
Unfortunately we could get off the bus at the wharf. We didn’t know, wheather the bus stood at a trafficlight or at the stopp. That was a pity. We didn’t feel well informed.
Awesome
Colleen_D, Apr 2024
Very convenient drop offs, not long at all to wait to get picked back up, awesome way to see most of Washington in short amount of time !!
Perfect way to see the sights!
Sheila_G, Apr 2024
The bus was great, but the stops could be better marked in some locations. We enjoyed using the hop-on hop-off. It's the perfect way to get around to all the stops you want to make. Our highlight was getting stopped for a bit while the presidential motorcade went by...not a sight you see every day!
My 1st visit to DC.
Enrique_R, Apr 2024
Our visit to the museum of the bible. Also our tour to the capitol, China town, the Lincoln Memorial, and the White house.
Frustrated.
Corey_W, Apr 2024
Waiting and going to the same place multiple times. It appears the driver and customer was confused on the strategy used to do the trip. We were suppose to do a loop of several places on one bus. Instead we had to transfer and the transfer continued to take us in a circle.
Big Bus has gone downhill
STACY_R, Apr 2024
I always take Big Bus when I travel to new places. This time I was disappointed. The fans above the seats mostly didn’t work, several of the busses road very rough (and it wasn’t the road) and although they advertise 15-20 min max wait time we waited 35 min at one stop and there were no benches to sit and wait. I won’t take Big Bus again
Great experience and...
Dana_L, Apr 2024
Great experience and amazing community. The people and weather was absolutely fantastic. Very clean and safe
Disappointment
Ramon_F, Apr 2024
The bus only traveled part of the route. We didn’t see the Jefferson Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial and the White House. I think we deserve partial refund. We promised our relatives from the Philippines a wonderful time in DC, and, thanks to your company, we failed to deliver.
DC tour
J_R, Apr 2024
We. Enjoyed seeing so many sites in a day. When we had passed on one and then decided to go back, we could. The drivers were amazing in DC traffic and helpful and pleasant!
Washington Dc
Stephen_S, Apr 2024
Great on/ off experience. The staff were all helpful ,enthusiastic and knowledgeable . Thankyou will use again maybe in other cities
So called Viator customer service respond my request after 3 days!!!
Jane_J, Apr 2024
On April 11th, I was heading the pick up location, however, the bus stopped at 2 blocks away, I was trying to open the confirmation email where has 'view details' the link did not work, so I have to call customer service, while Marie picked up phone and spent 30 min conversation all about confirm the pick up location, during when I sent her my location, as well ask for address (previously saved somewhere which turned out the right pickup location and I was there!), she said can't find it!!! In last minute, she said wait for 2 hours next pick up time which is 1:30 PM. So, I request to move voucher to next day, she hang on the call; around 1 PM on that day, I call customer service again, Mary Jone picked up the call and confirmed that sending request to the local tour operation; however, I called on April 12th, customer service said still waiting local tour operator, until April 13th afternoon, I got email response to ask which day I want to move, it cost 2 days!! I said too late, and respond to ask for issue credit for my next time travel, until April 16th, the customer service respond, no way,. From google, it says Viator 24/7 support, is it?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Slow, disorganized, disappointing
Beth_B, Apr 2024
Waiting for 59 minutes for a bus, and then having it not go where it was supposed to. We were not able to go to the Lincoln memorial because one of the loops didn’t go there… but there was no notification that it wouldn’t.
Bad day in dc
Martin_N, Apr 2024
When we arrived for a 8 am start there was no one at the bus area. Eventually some one showed up. About 920. They told us the schedule had changed and the tour wouldn’t start until 11 am due to a race. I was surprised and frustrated that this was not mentioned a week earlier when I booked the tickets. I’m pretty sure the race was not organized between then and the few days earlier when the booking occurred. You had to know about the race. So the tour was shortened by at least 3 hours. And the route was changed. Which made it difficult to see the attractions we planned to see. Several of the audio connections were broken. So the tour information was very hard to hear. The best part of tour was the wharf area. The worst part of a very poor tour was getting back on the bus after the wharf. Standing room only. I got to stand in the stair well and did not see a thing on the return. Worst experience for my family visiting from the uk. Very embarrassing and frustrating. When we returne to union station the attendant asked about our day. I told her the above. Not very nice response. We will not use your service again
Response from Host, Apr 2024
We regret to hear that you had this experience with us. We would like to have a better understanding about your experience. Please reach out to us at infodc@bigbustours.com at your earliest convenience and we will do our best to resolve this with you. Looking forward to hearing from you soon!
Great gift for visiting family
Brenda_S, Apr 2024
I actually bought this as a gift for a visiting family. It allowed me to stay home and prepare a nice evening meal for them after their trip. Everyone was happy.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Thank you for your kind review; we are happy to pass along your comments to the team here at Big Bus Tours Washington D.C. Have a great day!
Traveled during spring...
Martha_B, Apr 2024
Traveled during spring break with my grandkids ages 12 and 10. We had the BEST time ever! We added the sunset tour which we loved.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Thank you for your kind review; we are happy to pass along your comments to the team here at Big Bus Tours Washington D.C. Have a great day!
Very disappointed!
Sally_W, Apr 2024
The most memorable points was all the time we wasted waiting around for the busses. We decided to walk to most of the sites...we even found a bus stopped and the driver was asleep! Woke him up to ask for directions! We should have been told about the weekend race csusing delays PRIOR to purchasing 2 day passes. $150 wasted!! Very disappointed...will not book this one ever again. And the audio was terrible!
Response from Host, Apr 2024
We regret to hear that you had this experience with us. We would like the opportunity to address your concerns. Please reach out to us directly at infodc@bigbustours.com when you have a chance. Thank you, and we look forward to hearing from you.
Don’t waste your time and money
Elaine_G, Apr 2024
This was not worth either the time or the money. We took the red line because it goes to 17 different locations. However, after only about half of those locations, the bus returned to the starting point- Union station. We asked about the other stops, only to be told that we had to change to the pink line at the Washington Monument stop in order to see the rest. No one told us this, it was not stated in the tour brochure and it was not on the website. We had to go all the way to the Washington Monument again and then change. We wasted an hour and a half doing this. Also, the commentary was very poor; light weight and dumbed down. All in all, I would not recommend this tour at all.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
We regret to hear that you had this experience with us. We would like the opportunity to address your concerns. Please reach out to us directly at infodc@bigbustours.com when you have a chance. Thank you, and we look forward to hearing from you.
Erro and silence 🔕
Hal_M, Apr 2024
Nothing! I booked a week early, I'm coming from the UK and have asked if they would move my booking.... heard nothing, asked before I was mean to be there.... sad not even to get a response!!
Response from Host, Apr 2024
We regret to hear that you had this experience with us. We would like the opportunity to address your concerns. Please reach out to us directly at infodc@bigbustours.com when you have a chance. Thank you, and we look forward to hearing from you.
Map Confusion
CHRISTOPHER_T, Apr 2024
A bit confusing with the website, the maps, and the route. Website had red route and pink route. We picked the red. The map showed the red route but we had to get off at Washington monument and changed to pink for WWII Monument. Staff was very helpful but still a minor inconvenience. Overall a good experience and saved us a lot of steps.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
We regret to hear that you had this experience with us. We would like the opportunity to address your concerns. Please reach out to us directly at infodc@bigbustours.com when you have a chance. Thank you, and we look forward to hearing from you.
...

Compare Similar Experiences

1 / 3
Current
No Photo
Big Bus DC: Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Tour by Open-top Bus
3,024
2 hours
Free Cancellation
From
$54.00
No Photo
Washington DC Hop-On Hop-off Trolley Tour with 15 Stops
2,149
1 hour 30 minutes
Free Cancellation
From
$49.95
No Photo
Arlington National Cemetery Hop-On Hop-Off Tour with Guide
559
30 minutes
Free Cancellation
From
$19.50
No Photo
Glass-Top or Open-Top Convertible Bus Tour of DC
59
6 hours
Free Cancellation
From
$119.00

Customers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought

Explore Similar Things to Do

Help CenterCustomer CarePrivacy and Cookies StatementAbout ViatorNewsViator blog
© 1997-2024 Viator, Inc.
Terms & Conditions