Washington DC: Iconic Landmarks Architecture Tour

Immerse yourself in the iconic landmarks of Washington DC on a design-focused walking tour of the National Mall. Discover the history, heroes, and hopes of the United States as you explore the monumental core of the capital city.

Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Washington Monument - The tallest freestanding masonry structure in the world, and a global icon of Washington DC.
  • National World War II Memorial - The newest memorial on the National Mall
  • Vietnam Veterans Memorial - A memorial steeped in controversy and National struggle.
  • Korean War Veterans Memorial - One of Washington’s most…
What's Included
    • Expert local guide
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Embark on a journey through the symbolic heart of Washington, the National Mall, with a design-centered walking tour. Marvel at the majestic Washington Monument, the poignant Vietnam Wall, and the grand Lincoln Memorial, while gaining insights into the architects and lawmakers that influenced the foundation of the Capital’s monumental center. Listen to…

Location
Washington Monument
15th Street Northwest
Meet your guide at the base of the Washington Monument on the East side (the side facing the Capitol Building).
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.8
(17 Ratings)
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Ryanmu5497wy
Jan 8, 2024
Awesome, unique idea for a date! - This was so informative and fun! Carolyn had such a warm, friendly personality. I’m a citizen but my friend is a visitor from abroad- she made the tour interesting for both of us.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jeremybudapest
Aug 9, 2023
Spectacular! Private Nighttime Tour of The Mall. The highlight of our visit! - In short - the private tour was the highlight of an awesome visit to DC. The nighttime tour - and the guide (Natalie) will be remembered as a highlight of our visit for years to come. I contacted DC Design Tours in the spring of 2023, asking for recommendations of a tour around the mall area - war memorials, Lincoln/Washington Monuments, etc. After some suggestions, we agreed on a 3-hour tour for my wife, teenager, and me. On the day of the tour, I received an email from our guide Natalie, explaining specifically where she will meet us and the color of her shirt, which was very helpful due to the amount of people. We immediately took to Natalie, as she was very knowledgeable about the city, immediate area, and plus engaged our daughter and hit it off quite well. A full 3 hours later, we were all exhausted, with Natalie still going strong. She shared historical insights and flavor to the: - Washington Monument - White House - The general Mall area - WWII Memorial - Vietnam Memorial - Lincoln Monument - Korean Memorial - MLK Memorial - FDR Memorial (And likely others that I simply cannot recall!) It was amazing, and an absolute highlight of our trip. The insights gained made us understand so many aspects that we would have never seen/known, and Natalie’s great personality blended in with us so well. We hated to say goodbye at the end of the evening! She took time where we asked - which indeed we did ask many questions, while attempting to show us the primary sights we planned. Unfortunately, we did not get to the Jefferson Memorial - due to all of our questions, which may have been for the best as we were jet-lagged and worn out! I highly recommend DC Deign Tours due to their correspondence and assistance with the planning, as well as the exceptional tour guide. Seeing other feedback here, Natalie is one of multiple excellent guides. Thank you DC Design Tours and Natalie for making our DC visit extra special and unforgettable! Jeremy
Review provided by Tripadvisor
V9442hnlindac
Mar 17, 2023
Phenomenal Tour Guide! - Most enjoyable Tours by Locals guide yet! Carol, a former architect, is the owner of DC Design Tours. Her knowledge about DC history, building construction and unique events is phenomenal. I apologized to one family for blocking their view and the father said not to worry as they were riveted by Carol’s stories. She will adjust to your gait if you take the walking tour visiting: - Lafayette Square and Andrew Jackson statue - White House - Washington Monument - WWII Memorial - Vietnam Veterans Memorial - Korean War Memorial - Lincoln Memorial - Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial - Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial - Jefferson Memorial - Tidal basin for the Cherry trees I am a fast walker allowing us time to tour the postal tower to view the city, the galleries, the entire parade path used for in inauguration, Pennsylvanian Avenue, and get the back stories on the buildings, the Capitol, and as we still had a bit of time, walked me to the metro. I purchased a metro card and Carol rode with me to my destination to ensure I understood the system. Book direct with her company. Carol has six guides. She is knowledgeable, fun and gives great hugs! Tour with her before visiting galleries as she will share tidbits on how to avoid lines, which sites need tickets purchased online prior to visits and which are free.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Abacus1970
Sep 15, 2022
A Superb Experience - I did the Monument and Memorials Tour and Arlington National Cemetery Tour with Carolyn of DC Tours yesterday. It was a superb experience! I have done many guided tours in cities around the world, and this combined tour was among the very best. Carolyn has an architecture and history background, so her knowledge was extraordinary, but this was complemented by her great energy and enthusiasm. I would strongly recommend DC Tours to anyone who wants to learn more about this great city. Chris (Australia)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Adventure661902
Sep 14, 2022
Phenomenal tour! - This was an absolutely phenomenal tour! I’ll definitely be back to explore the other tours they offer. Carolyn was knowledgeable, friendly, and just such a pleasure to learn from. She shares fascinating, little-known fun facts and stories, and she’s also just great at inserting humor into her tours. I highly recommend this tour!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ahmendoza83
Jun 18, 2022
Awesome Experience - Our guide Sam was fantastic. His knowledge and passion of history really shined. DC Design Tours is great. I highly recommend this tour and others and they add so much to the sight seeing experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jennyderry
May 22, 2022
Awesome tour with a really knowledgeable and nice guide! - Carolyn is warm and personable. She told stories about the monuments that were full of interesting tidbits. Her iPad was full of great historical photos that helped us understand the origins of many of the monuments. We all loved it (5 of us aged 2 years to 68 years). Bring your walking shoes and water ... we had a stroller, too. There's no way we would have learned as much or had so much fun without Carolyn's great tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jofeen
Apr 19, 2022
Excellent tour - that kept teens enthralled throughout! - We had a wonderful afternoon tour. Sam was a wealth of information shared through stories and details that kept our two teens enthralled over the 3 hour walk. We learned a lot and felt so lucky to have seen so much! Thank you Sam!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Y4689tomarkf
Oct 10, 2021
Super fun night tour of Monuments - We had a large group - Sam Bowersox had us all engaged at every monument. Each talk crafted very thoughtfully, he kept our interest with humor, stories and a pace that challenges the brain to keep up! Thanks Sam for your excellent tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Whitley_t
Jun 23, 2024
Horrible - Guide never showed or answered messages or calls. Don't recommend. Complete waste of time. Very disappointed.
Review provided by Viator
From $48
up to 15 guests
1 Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).