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  • DC TRAVEL GUIDE

Explore the Fascinating History of Washington DC With Top Historical DC Tours! Washington D.C. is a city brimming with history, culture, and tradition. From iconic landmarks and monuments to world-famous museums, there’s no shortage of places to visit and explore. For those interested in discovering the rich historical and cultural heritage of the city, guided tours offer the ultimate experience.

Recommended Washington DC Historical Tours

A historical tour in Washington DC provides an in-depth look at the city’s rich past and cultural heritage. Whether you’re a history buff or simply someone who loves to travel and sightsee, our tours are sure to provide an unforgettable experience. Explore some of the best Washington DC tours and not-to-miss destinations with our award-winning Washington DC historical tours by USA Guided Tours.

African American History Tour
Old Town Alexandria, VA Tour
George Washington’s Mount Vernon Tour
Women in the Military Tour
Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, VA
Gettysburg Battlefield Tour & National Military Park Museum Tour
Colonial Williamsburg Tour
Historical Winery in Virginia’s Cozy Bull Run Region Tour
Luray Caverns Tour in Virginia

African American History Tour

MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. MEMORIAL

Learn about the iconic moments and people of the civil rights movement with our three-and-a-half-hour African American History Tour. This tour takes you beyond what you learned about in school to see the actual locations where historic events took place. The monuments and museums you’ll visit on this tour run from pre-Civil War times to recent history, showing the scope of the African American experience.

Beginning at the U.S. Navy Memorial, this tour includes guided stops at the White House exterior, Black Lives Matter Plaza, the Lincoln Memorial, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial and the African American Civil War Memorial. In between these guided tours, you’ll drive past the Washington Monument, Smithsonian Museums, Carter G. Woodson House, Howard University, U Street (Black Broadway) and the United States Capitol. The tour concludes at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, where you’ll take a self-guided tour through the museum, taking a more in-depth look at Black history in the United States, and see how the civil rights struggles of the past are reflected in the modern day.

Old Town Alexandria, VA Tour

Old Town Alexandria

Take a trip through one of the country’s most historic landmarks with our Old Town Alexandria, VA Tour! This trip takes you along the same streets that George Washington, commander in chief of the Continental Army and our nation’s first president, walked. This tour includes stops at the historic Christ Church and the George Washington Masonic National Memorial while in the city, and also includes a tour of George Washington’s estate at Mount Vernon.

George Washington’s Mount Vernon Tour

George Washington's Mount Vernon Tour

Our Old Town Alexandria, VA tour includes our George Washington’s Mount Vernon Tour. In a five-hour trip departing from the U.S. Navy Memorial in Washington D.C., you’ll visit some of the most notable locations in the United States. Take a tour of the historic mansion at Mount Vernon to see how the first president lived, pay your respects at Washington’s Tomb, take in the sights and smells of the luxurious Mount Vernon Gardens and learn more about the grand and complex legacy of George Washington at Mount Vernon’s Museum and Education Center. This unforgettable tour takes place in a plush, climate-controlled vehicle and includes a guided explanation of each destination.

Women in the Military Tour (coming soon!)

Have you ever wondered what roles women have played in the military throughout history? Learn about their critical contributions during our Women in the Military Tour! This tour includes visits to monuments honoring brave women of history like Joan of Arc, Eleanor Roosevelt and Mary McLeod.

You’ll also visit the American History Museum’s wing of female leaders, which showcases the contributions that women have made as cultural and political leaders in American history. At the National Museum of Women in the Arts, you’ll discover just how vital a part women have played in the world of art.

A knowledgeable tour guide is invaluable on any Washington DC tour, but you’ll especially appreciate their explanations of the significance of each of these locations and the women that they celebrate. They’ll also provide you with a guided exploration of the Women in Military Service Memorial at Arlington Cemetery and the Belmont-Paul Monument, a tribute to the sacrifices made in the suffrage and women’s rights movements.

Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, VA

Monticello, VA

Unravel the mystery behind one of America’s most complex, inventive and intelligent founding fathers with a visit to his storied Virginia home of Monticello! Inherited by Jefferson at 26, the estate was famously designed by Jefferson himself and continuously remodeled throughout his life. Thanks to the tireless work of preservationists, you can witness an excellent representation of what day-to-day life was like for Thomas Jefferson.

During our Monticello Tour, you’ll be taken through the estate and its expansive grounds by one of our expert Monticello guides. Following the tour, you’ll enjoy lunch in nearby Charlottesville at the historic Michie Tavern, where Jefferson himself used to dine. Along the route between Washington DC and Monticello, you’ll see other historic sites like Civil War battlefields and Virginia’s FBI Academy, Quantico.

Gettysburg Battlefield Tour & National Military Park Museum Tour

Gettysburg, PA

Witness a major turning point of the Civil War like never before with our Gettysburg Battlefield Tour & National Military Park Museum Tour. A major destination for military historians, war buffs and American history aficionados alike, Gettysburg was the site of the bloodiest battle on U.S. soil. During your time at the battlegrounds, you’ll embark on a five-hour private tour to destinations such as the Visitor Center Museum, the Peace Memorial, the Eternal Flame and more.

Colonial Williamsburg Tour

Have you ever wondered what life was like back in early colonial times? If you have, then a Colonial Williamsburg Tour needs to be on your to-do list. Professional reenactors and history lovers come together to make the towns of Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown living representations of what colonial life was like during the founding of the colonies that would one day become the United States. Hailed as the world’s largest living history museum, a tour through Williamsburg provides an experience unlike any other.

If you’re looking to get a taste of more than just colonial life, this Williamsburg tour also includes a stop at the battlefield of Yorktown, where a young George Washington commanded the Continental Army, defeating General Cornwallis during the Revolutionary War!

Historical Winery in Virginia’s Cozy Bull Run Region Tour

Historical Winery Tour & Tasting

Gettysburg, Bunker Hill, Antietam were all pivotal battles in the viciously fought Civil War. Yet the Battle of Bull Run stands out as the site of the first major battle of the American Civil War. A must-see destination, Virginia’s Bull Run Region Tour includes something for everyone.

The tour of Bull Run is unlike any other battlefield tour thanks to the nearby winery. Situated adjacent to the Manassas National Battlefield Park, the Winery at Bull Run improves an already engaging experience with everyone’s favorite addition — a delectable glass of wine. This exciting excursion includes appetizers and an optional walking tour of the grounds for those who are looking to stretch their legs before settling in for a refreshing white or tantalizing red.

Luray Caverns Tour in Virginia

Luray Caverns Tour

Washington DC and its surrounding areas have more than their fair share of American history. But you may not have known about all the eye-popping natural wonders that exist in the nearby Appalachian Mountains. While they can’t match the scale of the Rocky Mountains or the Sierra Nevadas, what the Appalachians lack in height they make up for in hidden history.

One of the most impressive treasures hidden within this ancient mountain range are the Luray Caverns. While on a Luray Caverns Tour, you’ll get to see the world’s richest collection of stalactites and stalagmites while exploring one of the largest caverns in the United States. After completing your tour of the caverns themselves, you’re invited to roam through the town of Luray, enjoy a thrilling ropes course, or expand your knowledge of geology at the Gem Sluice.


USA Guided Tours Content Team

Lincoln Memorial
Lincoln Memorial
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