Best 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 of which are limited to the best known circuits and aim to get to know all the buildings and monuments of Washington and others that try to give you a broader overview of Washington DC and its secrets. Here are the best bike tours in the US capital.

Not counting the adjacent attractions, the National Mall has seventeen buildings and monuments that can be visited. Walking around them is a valid option but can be tiring, especially if you're 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 an easy ride 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 optimise your time by avoiding traffic jams and long walking distances while learning more about the history of Washington DC.

Details of interest on 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... Optimise your time, make the most of the information provided by the guide and that it is an attraction suitable for all the family.
• Disadvantages of this option... As this is a group tour, you won't 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 illuminated monuments and avoiding the traffic jams that occur during daylight hours is more than enough incentive to opt for this tour that offers 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.

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

Details of interest on 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 bit faulty.

If the challenge of cycling 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 Alexandria's trails along the Potomac River Bay and take you to the massive mansion once 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're interested, you can also have lunch at some of the restaurants on the Mount Vernon food circuit, but note that this is 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 costs an extra 15 euros.
• Duration... From four hours, depending on the option chosen for the return. Can be extended 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 more demanding tour than the metropolitan streets of Washington DC, although the expert guide will make you feel comfortable and safe.

Cycling around Washington DC 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're looking for a personalised 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 like and stop at the sites that catch your attention.

This tour is designed for visitors of all fitness levels and is aimed at those who are looking for a personalised experience. As with the group tours, you will be able to visit the White House, the Washington Obelisk, the Smithsonian museums and all the attractions the city has tooffer.

Details of interest on 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 see 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 will have to 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 accommodation and tour houses in Washington DC and are a popular service accessed by paying the rental fee and leaving a personal ID as a guarantee.

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, although some bikes are also rented with a self-guided tour device that includes recommendations on how to avoid the city's permanent traffic jams.

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

Details of interest on 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 at your own discretion.
• Disadvantages of this option... It does not add information about the city's monuments and buildings and is not available for minors.

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

It is advisable to wear comfortable shoes and carry a backpack to store your belongings, as while you are on the Segway you will be on your feet for the whole tour and with your hands on the command. You will have to be careful because some of them are very fast!

It's a good option if you're looking for a personalised tour because, although the tours are in groups, given that the Segway is faster than a bicycle, the number of participants tends to be smaller so that the instructor doesn't lose control of the visitors.

Interesting details about this tour

• Price... From 45 euros for a two-hour tour plus half an hour of instruction before the tour begins.
• Duration... Tours last between two to three hours, and most times are limited to the battery life of the Segway.
• 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 are not allowed to rent the Segway and a credit card is required as a damage deposit, as well as signing a liability waiver affidavit.

Most tours can be booked in advance through the service provider's website and some accept payment directly at the time of pick-up.

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

All tours of the main Washington DC loop are designed to take approximately three hours to complete, plenty of time to see the monuments and buildings of Capitol Hill and the National Mall with the help 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 tours of Capitol Hill and the National Mall you can see and learn about the history of the most iconic buildings and monuments of the American 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'll get to see another side of the city, witnessing the city change as night falls and the lights of the main loop come 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 group tour, but 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 bike 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 booking and claim a refund.

If the tour does not include drinks, it is advisable to bring water for hydration during the tour, especially during the summer when temperatures can be highin Washington.

If the tour takes place in winter, we recommend you to be very careful when walking, wear comfortable clothes and bring warm clothes.

The National Mall 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.