Start by downloading the Action Tour Guide app, which will function as your personal tour guide, audio tour, and map all in one. Note: This 2+ mile-long tour covers the essentials of Washington DC in 1-2 hours.
Visit the most iconic landmarks of America’s capital city on this flexible self-guided walking tour. See the White House, Lincoln Memorial, the Capitol Building, and much more, and learn the revolutionary history behind the creation of Washington, D.C.
Along with being developed by local guides, creative writers, and professional voice artists, most stops along the tour have animated videos allowing you to visualize what you cannot see, such as snapshots from different centuries or interior rooms.
You'll begin your adventure next to Pershing Park, right across from the White House south lawn. From there, make your way to the White House itself, where you can admire the seat of American power and learn some fascinating tidbits about its construction.
From here, head south toward Constitution Gardens and pick up some insight into D.C.’s complicated history along the way. Through the gardens, you’ll find what was once the city’s most controversial monument: The Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Next, head to the Lincoln Memorial, one of the most iconic memorials in D.C.
The Korean War Veterans Memorial is next, where you’ll hear about the fraught political struggle which wracked the White House during this bloody conflict.
As you continue east, you’ll be filled in on the aftermath of the War of 1812 and how D.C. grew into what it is today.
The next monument you’ll arrive at will be the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, honoring the nation’s most revered civil rights leader.
Then, cross the Kutz Bridge and learn why the Potomac River is so significant to this city’s history. From this bridge, you’ll also be able to see the impressive Thomas Jefferson Memorial.
Later, reach the National Mall, which you’ve definitely seen on TV plenty of times. Get an up-close look at the Washington Monument and learn the history of George Washington’s connection to this important city.
If you like museums, the next stretch of the tour is absolutely for you. You’ll pass the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, and the National Gallery of Art.
On the final leg of the tour, visit three of the most crucial buildings in the city: The Library of Congress, the Capitol Building, and the Supreme Court of the United States. The tour concludes amid these three awe-inspiring structures.
After booking, you can check your email before downloading the Action Tour Guide app, enter your unique password, and access your tour. The preceding steps require good internet/wifi access. Simply follow the audio instructions and the route from there.
New, extra validity — now, it’s yours for an entire year! Use multiple times over multiple trips!
This is not an entrance ticket to attractions along the route. Check opening hours before your visit.
Points of Interest along the Washington DC:
- White House Visitor Center
- The White House
- Founding DC
- The War of 1812
- Constitution Gardens
- Vietnam Veterans Memorial
- Lincoln Memorial
- Korean War Veterans Memorial
- DC, Past, and Present
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
- Thomas Jefferson Memorial
- Importance of the Potomac
- National Mall
- World War II Memorial
- Washington Monument
- George Washington and DC
- National Museum of African American History and Culture
- Smithsonian National Museum of American History
- Smithsonian Museum of Natural History
- National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden
- National Gallery of Art
- The Nacotchtank People
- US House of Representatives
- Library of Congress
- 44 United States Capitol
- 45 Supreme Court of the United States / Conclusion
- ALT: Statue of Albert Einstein
- ALT: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
- ALT: US Navy Memorial Plaza
- ALT: Pennsylvania Avenue National Historic Site
- ALT: Petersen House
- ALT: Museum of the Bible
- ALT: Ford's Theatre
- ALT: Madame Tussauds Washington DC
- ALT: Old Post Office Museum
Benefits Over Live Guides and Group Tours:
- This flexible, self-led tour works by sensing your location as you walk
- The in-depth audio narration plays as you walk
- The audio tour is valid for one year after download, and you can use it as often as you want within that time.
- Once it’s downloaded, the tour works completely offline.
- Tour your way: choose when to start, stop fast-forward, or rewind
- Ask for help from a real person anytime over call, chat, or email
