Old Town Trolley Tours of Washington DC

Old Town Trolley Tours, run by Historic Tours of America, operates a sightseeing trolley service in Washington. Its trolleys follow a fully narrated loop with 15 stops along and around the National Mall, and you can get on and off as often as you like during the day. For visitors who want to see a lot in a short time, or who find the distances on the Mall hard going, it is a practical option.

The trolleys run daily from 9am to 4pm. A full loop takes around 90 minutes if you stay on board, although the company's FAQ also mentions a longer figure, so allow extra time. Most people use the trolley to move between the museums and monuments, stopping where they want and catching a later trolley to the next stop. The guides' commentary covers the history of the city and the sights along the way.

The company's Monuments by Moonlight tour is a separate evening trip that runs daily from 7:30pm to 10:30pm and lasts about two and a half hours. It stops at six memorials, including the Lincoln Memorial, the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial and the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, which are especially atmospheric after dark. Reservations are required for this tour.

There are some closures to know about. The daytime trolley does not run on Thanksgiving or Christmas Day. The moonlight tour is also closed on those days, on 4 July and on the day of the Army Ten Miler race. Schedules and routes can change at short notice, so check the tour updates page on the morning of your trip.

The tours suit first-time visitors, families with young children, older travellers and anyone with limited mobility who still wants to see the main sights. The night tour is a good choice for couples and for visitors who have only a day or two in the city. The company also runs tours at Arlington National Cemetery across the river in Virginia.

For questions or bookings, call the company or use its website, and check boarding points and ticket options before you set out. Combining a day on the trolley with a visit to one or two museums, such as the National Museum of Natural History or the National Air and Space Museum, makes a full and manageable day.