Bike Tours in Washington DC

Washington DC is a city designed for walking. In a short circuit you can go from the Obelisk to the Lincoln Memorial in a few steps, and from there to the White House or the Capitol, always following the path of the National Mall, but it is also an ideal destination to get to know it by bike and make the most of your stay, especially if you plan to stay for a short time.

When it comes to choosing, you can opt for different bike tours, some that are limited to the best known circuits and that aim to get to know all the buildings and monuments of Washington and others that try to give a broader picture of Washington DC and its secrets. Here are the best bike tours in the U.S. capital.

Not counting the adjacent attractions, the National Mall has seventeen buildings and monuments that can be visited. Touring them on foot is a valid option but can be tiring, especially if you are in town for a short time, so opting for a bike tour may be appropriate to enhance the experience of your brief stay.

This tour offers you to move easily between the National Mall and the Potomac River, while visiting the Washington Obelisk, the Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, the White House and much more.

Plus, accompanied by a guide you can optimize your time avoiding traffic jams and long walking distances while learning more about the history of Washington DC.

Details of interest in this tour

• Price... From 30 euros for a day tour with the assistance of a guide.
• Duration... From three hours, depending on the information service offered by the guide.
• Advantages of this option... Optimize your time, take advantage of the guide's information and that it is an attraction suitable for the whole family.
• Disadvantages of this option... Since it is a group tour, you will not be able to leave if you want to stay longer at a monument or visit a museum.

Washington has many attractions to enjoy during daylight hours but it also stays lit once the sun goes down. Touring the city's artificially lit monuments and avoiding the tourist traffic jams that occur during daylight hours is more than enough incentive to opt for this tour that gives you a different perspective.

The night tour allows the guide more time to provide information about the buildings and memorials and build a more efficient tour. I also recommend paying attention to those monuments that are even more attractive at night, such as the Korean War Veterans Memorial, the fountain at the National World War II Veterans Memorial or the Lincoln Memorial, which is the site of continuous tributes.

With the right weather you can also see the moonlit Potomac River and the Tidal Basin reflecting Thomas Jefferson Memorial.

Details of interest in this tour

• Price... From 30 euros for an overnight tour with the assistance of a guide.

• Duration... From three hours, depending on the information service offered by the guide.

• Advantages of this option... Enjoy the monuments and buildings without crowds of tourists.

• Disadvantages of this option... The tour will include some buildings that will be closed and in some monuments the lighting is a little defective.

If the challenge of biking through the highlights of Washington DC isn't enough for you, you can up the difficulty and opt for a tour of Mount Vernon, which will take you from Alexandria, across the Potomac River, to George Washington's historic residence in Virginia.

This tour will take you along the Alexandria trails that follow the Potomac River Bay and lead you to what was once the enormous mansion inhabited by the first President of the United States. On the way back, you can opt for a bike ride or a scenic river cruise.

If you are interested, you can also have lunch at some of the restaurants on the Mount Vernon food circuit, but please note that this activity has an extra charge and is not included in the initial tour.

Details of interest in this tour

• Price... From 40 euros for the tour to Mount Vernon with the assistance of a guide. The return cruise has an extra cost of 15 euros.
• Duration... From four hours, depending on the option chosen for the return. It can be extended up to seven hours.
• Advantages of this option... Visit an alternative circuit to the National Mall and learn about the history of George Washington's residence.
• Disadvantages of this option... It is a tour with more demanding trails than the metropolitan streets of Washington DC, although the expert guide will make you feel comfortable and safe.

Touring Washington DC by bike with a group can be a lot of fun but it can also deprive you of managing your own time and take away your freedom at some points during the tour. That's why if you are looking for a customized tour you can opt for a private tour of Capitol Hill and the National Mall.

On this tour you will experience the monuments, museums and buildings of Washington DC with the assistance of an expert guide who will suggest an itinerary but will be available to your questions and interests. Within the stipulated time of the tour you will be able to ask as many questions as you wish and stop at the sites that catch your attention.

This tour is designed for visitors of any physical condition and is oriented to those tourists looking for a personalized experience. As in the group tours, you will be able to visit the White House, the Washington Obelisk, the Smithsonian museums and all the attractions that the city has for you.

Details of interest in this tour

• Price... From 90 euros for groups of up to two people.
• Duration... From three hours, depending on the information service provided by the guide.
• Advantages of this option... You will be able to get to know the most distinguished sites of Washington DC at your own pace and also ask your guide any questions you may have.
• Disadvantages of this option... The guide will propose a circuit according to his experience, but you will be the one to determine the pace of the tour, so you must be careful to divide the time well so as not to miss any visit.

This is the most economical option and also the one that many people choose to use their time at their discretion. Bicycle rentals are available at lodgings and tour houses in Washington DC and are widely used services that are accessed by paying the rental fee and leaving a personal ID as collateral.

However, it is not the most recommended option as it only solves the problem of fatigue from long walks but does not add information about the circuit, beyond the fact that some bicycles are also rented with a self-guided tour device that includes recommendations to avoid the permanent traffic jams of the city.

It should also be noted that for safety reasons these bicycles are not usually rented to minors, not even when accompanied by a responsible adult, so it can be an attempt against a circuit suitable for the whole family.

Details of interest in this tour

• Price... From 15 euros for two hours of use to 40 euros for the whole day. For an extra cost some services also include the rental of an electric bicycle.
• Duration... From two hours to a full day, depending on the service contracted.
• Advantages of this option... You will be able to manage your time and choose the route according to your criteria.
• Disadvantages of this option... It does not add information about the monuments and buildings of the city and is not available for minors.

After a thirty-minute orientation session, you will be ready to go out and explore the streets of Washington DC on a Segway scooter. The guide will facilitate the tour providing information about the most important buildings and monuments of the city and will be attentive to the doubts that arise in the group to solve them.

It is advisable to wear comfortable shoes and a backpack to store your belongings because while you are riding the Segway you will be standing during the whole tour and with your hands on the command. You must be careful because some of them are very fast!

It is a good option if you are looking for a personalized tour because, although the tours are in groups, since the Segway is faster than the bicycle, the contingents are usually smaller so that the instructor does not lose control over the visitors.

Details of interest in this excursion

• Price... From 45 euros for a two-hour tour plus half an hour of instruction before the start of the tour.
• Duration... The tours last between two or three hours, and most of the time is limited to the autonomy of the Segway's battery.
• Advantages of this option... It can be more fun than a traditional bike tour and also faster.
• Disadvantages of this option... Children under the age of 16 cannot rent the Segway and a credit card is required as a deposit for possible damages, in addition to signing a liability waiver affidavit.

Most tours can be booked in advance from the service provider's website and some accept payment directly at the time you pick up your bike.

Other providers ask for a part of the cost or the total fee, but you should make sure that they have free cancellation in case of any inconvenience.

All tours of the main Washington DC loop are designed to be completed in approximately three hours, enough time to see the monuments and buildings of Capitol Hill and the National Mall with the assistance of an expert guide.

Some more complex tours such as Mount Vernon can take up to seven hours, depending on the return options you choose.

On the Capitol Hill and National Mall tours you will see and learn about the history of the most iconic buildings and monuments of the U.S. capital, such as the Washington Obelisk, the Lincoln Memorial, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial and some of the war memorials such as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

On the night tours you will be able to see another profile of the city, witnessing the change of the city when night falls and the lights of the main circuit are turned on.

Basic bike tour amenities include reflective safety jackets, lights and helmets that make your tour safer. These are not only important to distinguish the members of your group, in case you have booked a tour with several people, but they also make you visible to cars and protect you from road accidents if the tour is at night or you are in the middle of a sunset.

In case you rent a bicycle or hire a tour and the providers do not agree to provide you with the basic safety elements, the best thing to do is to cancel the reservation and claim a refund.

If the tour does not include beverages, it is advisable to bring water for hydration during the tour, especially during the summer when temperaturesin Washington can be high.

If you do the tour in winter, I recommend you to be very careful when walking, wear comfortable clothes and bring the necessary warmclothes.

The National Esplanade circuit may seem intuitive but the truth is that by touring the buildings and monuments on your own you will miss out on a lot of significant information and details that can enhance your experience.

Hiring a bike tour that includes a guide will save you time and make your excursion more effective.