DC by Foot

DC by Foot runs the Washington walking tours sold through the Tours by Foot network, using licensed local guides. It offers a wide choice of walks, from the National Mall and Capitol Hill to Georgetown, Arlington National Cemetery and Old Town Alexandria, and its tours run all year, with a reduced schedule in winter.

The most distinctive tour is Memorials and Moonlight, a night walk around the memorials for which you name your own price. Other public tours are sold at fixed prices, and premium bundles that include hard-to-get tickets are also available. The range of themes is wide: there are tours on the Lincoln assassination, Historic Georgetown and the Ghosts of Georgetown, Capitol Hill and the Library of Congress, Embassy Row, an Eastern Market food tour, the White House at night for adults and seasonal holiday lights walks.

Private tours can be arranged for routes that are not offered publicly, such as U Street, the Smithsonian museums, Oak Hill Cemetery, The Wharf and civil rights history. For those who prefer to explore alone, the company also publishes free self-guided tours and GPS audio tours that you can use at any time.

The booking terms are flexible. Tickets and reservation fees are refundable with at least 24 hours' notice, and tours can be rescheduled without penalty if there is space, even after the tour has started. Pets are not allowed on public tours, and there is a separate guide with accessibility information for wheelchair users and families with pushchairs. Check the meeting point and length of your tour when you book.

DC by Foot suits first-time visitors, families, history lovers and anyone who prefers to learn from a guide while walking. The night tour is a good way to see the memorials lit up without having to plan a route. Wear comfortable shoes, check the weather and bring water in summer, as the distances on the Mall are longer than they look.

A portion of ticket sales goes towards school field trip scholarships for students in DC public schools. Tour dates and bookings are handled through the company's website, which lists every public tour and the dates on which it runs.