6 Best Bike Tours in Washington DC

Washington DC is a city designed to be explored on foot. On a short circuit, you can go from the Obelisk to the Lincoln Memorial in just a few steps, and from there to the White House or the Capitol, always following the National Mall trail. However, it is also an ideal destination to explore by bicycle and make the most of your stay, especially if you are only there 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 show you all the buildings and monuments of Washington, while others try to give 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 are in the city for a short time, so opting for a bike tour may be appropriate to enhance the experience of your short stay.

This tour allows 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.

In addition, accompanied by a guide, you can optimise your time by avoiding traffic jams and long distances on foot while learning more about the history of Washington DC.

Details of interest

• Price... From £30 for a daytime tour with a guide.

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

Washington has many attractions to enjoy during the day, but it also stays lively after the sun goes down. Seeing the city's monuments lit up at night and avoiding the tourist crowds that gather during the day is reason enough to choose this tour, which offers a different perspective.

The night tour allows the guide more time to provide information about the buildings and memorials and make the tour more efficient. 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 Potomac River illuminated by the moon and the Tidal Basin reflecting the Thomas Jefferson Memorial.

Details of interest

• Price**...** From €30 for a guided night tour.
• Duration**...** From three hours, depending on the information service offered by the guide.

If cycling around the main sights of Washington DC isn't challenging enough for you, you can up the difficulty level and opt for a tour of Mount Vernon, which will take you from Alexandria, on the other side of the Potomac River, to George Washington's historic residence in Virginia.

This tour will take you along the Alexandria trails that run alongside the Potomac River bay to what was once the enormous mansion inhabited by the first President of the United States. On the way back, you can choose to return by bicycle or take a scenic river cruise.

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

Details of interest

• Price... From £35 for the tour to Mount Vernon with a guide. The return cruise has an extra cost of £14.
• Dur ation**...** From four hours, depending on the return option chosen. It can be extended to seven hours.

Touring Washington DC by bike with a group can be a lot of fun, but it can also take away your freedom to manage your own time and restrict your freedom at certain 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'll be able to 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 answer your questions and cater to your interests. Within the stipulated time of the tour, you can ask all the questions you want and stop at the sites that most appeal to you.

This tour is designed for visitors of any physical condition and is aimed at those tourists who are looking for a personalised experience. As with group tours, you can visit the White House, the Washington Obelisk, the Smithsonian museums, and all the attractions the city has to offer.

Details of interest

• Price**...** From 90 euros for groups of up to two people.
• Duration**...** From three hours, depending on the information provided by the guide.

This is the most economical option and also the one that many people choose so they can use their time as they wish. Bicycle rentals are available at accommodations and tourist offices in Washington DC and are widely used services that can be accessed by paying the rental fee and leaving personal identification 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 provide any information about the route, apart from the fact that some bicycles are also rented with a self-guided tour device that includes recommendations for avoiding 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 they are accompanied by a responsible adult, which may detract from a route that is suitable for the whole family.

Details of interest

• Price... From £15 for two hours' use to £40 for a full day. For an extra cost, some services also include the hire of an electric bicycle.
• Duration**...** From two hours to a full day, depending on the service contracted.

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 city's most important buildings and monuments and will be on hand to answer any questions the group may have.

We recommend wearing comfortable shoes and bringing a rucksack to store your belongings, as you will be standing on the Segway with your hands on the controls throughout the tour. Be careful, as some are very fast!

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

Details of interest

• Price... From £45 for a two-hour tour plus half an hour of instruction before the tour begins.
• Duration... Tours last between two and three hours, and most are limited by the Segway's battery life.

Booking a bike tour in Washington DC is quick and easy when you do it through Hellotickets, where you'll find different options to suit all tastes. From historical routes to sunset tours of the city's most iconic monuments.

Simply select the date, add the number of participants and complete the online payment. You will instantly receive a confirmation voucher with all the details you need to meet your guide on the day of the tour.

What's more, many of these tours include free cancellation, so if your plans change, you won't have to worry. It's that easy to start pedalling and discover Washington in a fun and different way.

All tours of Washington DC's main circuit are designed to be completed in approximately three hours, which is enough 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 the Mount Vernon tour, can last 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 in the US 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 see another side of the city, witnessing how it changes when night falls and the lights of the main circuit come on.

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

If you rent a bicycle or book a tour and the providers do not agree to provide you with basic safety equipment, it is best to cancel your reservation and request a refund.

If the tour does not include drinks, it is advisable to bring water to stay hydrated during the tour, especially during the summer when temperatures in Washington can be high.

If you are taking the tour in winter, I recommend being very careful when cycling, wearing comfortable clothing and dressing warmly.

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

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