Welcome to the Capital City!

Check in to your hotel and get settled after your flight, then ease into your trip with a gentle wander around the local area. If you’re staying near the National Mall, an early evening stroll towards the Washington Monument is a lovely, low-key way to get your first glimpse of the city’s most iconic monuments.

For dinner, sample some classic American comfort food, or if you fancy something distinctly DC, look out for half-smokes, a local twist on the classic hot dog.

Holiday Inn Washington Capital or Similar

Your hop-on-hop-off bus includes a 48 hour ticket to jump on and off the bus when is convenient for you. Explore the capital city’s sights at your own pace and make the most of your time in D.C.

Start at the Washington Monument, the loop’s first stop, before continuing to the World War II Memorial.

Next, hop off at the Lincoln Memorial & Korean War Memorial, both set together at the western end of the National Mall, with the Albert Einstein Memorial and Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial also nearby.

From here, stay on board for the journey across the Potomac to Arlington National Cemetery, the resting place of over 400,000 servicemen and women, including the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Allow a good hour or two here, as it’s a large site best explored on foot.

Back across the river, hop off at The White House, taking a walk through Lafayette Park for the classic photo opportunity, with the Renwick Gallery just across the road if you fancy a quick look at contemporary craft and design. Your ticket includes a free commemorative Oval Office digital photo. Receive your token from bus staff and then redeem the coupon at White House Gifts to receive your photo.

Round off the day at Ford’s Theatre, the site of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, with the National Portrait Gallery, National Archives Museum and Chinatown all close by, or continue on to the Willard Hotel and US Treasury for a final stop, with the White House visible from nearby too.

Top tip: hop-on-hop-off buses run roughly every 15-20 minutes, but it’s worth checking the last pickup time at your final stop so you’re not left waiting.

Holiday Inn Washington Capital or Similar

Start again at the Washington Monument, then continue to the National Museum of Natural History, with the American History Museum just next door.

Next, hop off at the National Japanese American Memorial, before continuing to the US Capitol at Garfield Circle, home to the seat of American government, with the Library of Congress, Folger Shakespeare Library and US Botanic Garden all worth a look if time allows.

Stay on board to the Air & Space Museum, one of the most visited museums in the world, with the National Museum of the American Indian and Hirshhorn Museum nearby.

Continue to L’Enfant Plaza, opposite the International Spy Museum, then on to The Wharf, DC’s waterfront district, home to boat cruises along the Potomac if you fancy a break from the bus.

Hop off at Smithsonian Metro for another look at the Smithsonian Castle, plus the Sackler and Freer Galleries, before continuing to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, where US currency is printed, with the Holocaust Memorial Museum next door.

Finish the day at the Jefferson Memorial, followed by the FDR Memorial and Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, both set within peaceful grounds around the Tidal Basin.

Top tip: this loop covers a lot of ground, so decide in advance which two or three stops you most want to explore on foot, rather than trying to do everything.

Holiday Inn Washington Capital or Similar

Enjoy a relaxed morning before your trip comes to an end. Take a final walk around the National Mall or Lafayette Square for one last look at the city, or do some casual shopping in nearby Georgetown if time allows.