Day trips from Washington, DC
The best day tours from DC
George Washington's Mount Vernon, Old Town Alexandria, the Gettysburg battlefield and harbor cruises in Annapolis and Baltimore, side by side. We tell you which trips work without a car, how much of the day each takes and what happens if your plans change.
See our 8 picks
The best day tour from DC for most visitors is a half-day trip to Mount Vernon, George Washington's home, from €88.
For Gettysburg you need a car, because the battlefield tours start there.
Annapolis and Baltimore harbor cruises take under an hour once you arrive, from €30.
Our 8 picks for day tours from DC
Only the two Mount Vernon trips include the ride from DC. All eight have free cancellation.
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from €88 per person Our top pick 4 hours 4.2 (35) reviews on GetYourGuide
Mount Vernon and Old Town Alexandria
A 4-hour trip from Capitol Hill with transport, a guided mansion tour and the Washington family tombs. It drives through Old Town Alexandria on the way.
Best for First visit, no car
Check availability: Mount Vernon and Old Town Alexandria on GetYourGuide -
from €88 per person 5 hours 4.2 (32) reviews on GetYourGuide
Mount Vernon day trip with a licensed guide
A 5-hour trip with a licensed guide, estate entry and a reserved mansion time. Lunch is not included.
Best for Visitors who want a set mansion time
Check availability: Mount Vernon day trip with a licensed guide on GetYourGuide -
from €76 per person 2 hours 4.8 (1,118) reviews on GetYourGuide
Gettysburg carriage battlefield tour
A 2-hour carriage ride across the battlefield with a licensed guide. It starts in Gettysburg, so you drive there yourself.
Best for History fans with a car
Check availability: Gettysburg carriage battlefield tour on GetYourGuide -
from €30 per person 45 minutes 4.7 (315) reviews on GetYourGuide
Baltimore Inner Harbor cruise
A 45-minute harbor cruise with recorded narration. You pass Fort McHenry, the USS Constellation and the National Aquarium. Drinks and snacks cost extra.
Best for An easy hour on the water
Check availability: Baltimore Inner Harbor cruise on GetYourGuide -
from €30 per person 40 minutes 4.6 (294) reviews on GetYourGuide
Annapolis harbor and Naval Academy cruise
A 40-minute cruise past the U.S. Naval Academy and the Annapolis waterfront, with recorded narration. Drinks and snacks cost extra.
Best for A relaxed town-and-water day
Check availability: Annapolis harbor and Naval Academy cruise on GetYourGuide - from €27 per person
At your own pace
Mount Vernon estate ticket
At your own pace 4.6 (47) reviews on GetYourGuide
Mount Vernon estate ticket
Estate entry with an audio guide, for visitors who get there on their own. The mansion is not included and needs its own timed ticket.
Best for Do-it-yourself visitors
Check availability: Mount Vernon estate ticket on GetYourGuide - from €70 per person
5 to 15 minutes
Baltimore helicopter flight
5–15 minutes 4.9 (32) reviews on GetYourGuide
Baltimore helicopter flight
A 5 to 15 minute flight over Baltimore's landmarks. It leaves from Martin State Airport in Middle River, MD, not downtown.
Best for A short thrill
Check availability: Baltimore helicopter flight on GetYourGuide - from €90 per person
6.5 hours from Alexandria
Bike and boat day
6 h 30 min 3.86 (52) reviews on GetYourGuide
Mount Vernon bike and boat day
Bike the Mount Vernon Trail from Alexandria with estate entry and an audio guide, but no guide. One option adds a boat back to DC. Rated under 4.0 on GetYourGuide.
Best for Fit riders with a full day
Check availability: Mount Vernon bike and boat day on GetYourGuide
Day tours from DC compared
| Tour | From | Duration | Group size | Transport from DC | Who it suits | Why we picked it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Vernon and Old Town Alexandria | €88 per person | 4 hours | Up to 40 | Yes, from Capitol Hill | First visit, no car | The easiest day out from DC, 4.2 from 35 reviews. |
| Mount Vernon day trip with a licensed guide | €88 per person | 5 hours | Up to 100 | Yes, from Capitol Hill | Visitors who want a set mansion time | A reserved mansion slot, 4.2 from 32 reviews. |
| Gettysburg carriage battlefield tour | €76 per person | 2 hours | Up to 10 | No, starts in Gettysburg | History fans with a car | The best-reviewed tour on this page, 4.8 from 1,118 reviews. |
| Baltimore Inner Harbor cruise | €30 per person | 45 minutes | Up to 75 | No, starts in Baltimore | An easy hour on the water | Short and well reviewed, 4.7 from 315 reviews. |
| Annapolis harbor and Naval Academy cruise | €30 per person | 40 minutes | Not stated | No, starts in Annapolis | A relaxed town-and-water day | A short look at Annapolis from the water, 4.6 from 294 reviews. |
| Mount Vernon estate ticket | €27 per person | At your own pace | Not stated | No, ticket only | Do-it-yourself visitors | The cheapest way in, from €27, 4.6 from 47 reviews. |
| Baltimore helicopter flight | €70 per person | 5–15 minutes | Up to 8 | No, Martin State Airport | A short thrill | A quick view from above, 4.9 from 32 reviews. |
| Mount Vernon bike and boat day | €90 per person | 6 h 30 min | Not stated | No, starts in Alexandria | Fit riders with a full day | An active day out, but rated under 4.0 (3.86 from 52 reviews). |
Mount Vernon and Old Town Alexandria
€88 per person4 hours 4.2 (35)
Details
- Group size
- Up to 40
- Transport from DC
- Yes, from Capitol Hill
- Who it suits
- First visit, no car
- Why we picked it
- The easiest day out from DC, 4.2 from 35 reviews.
Mount Vernon day trip with a licensed guide
€88 per person5 hours 4.2 (32)
Details
- Group size
- Up to 100
- Transport from DC
- Yes, from Capitol Hill
- Who it suits
- Visitors who want a set mansion time
- Why we picked it
- A reserved mansion slot, 4.2 from 32 reviews.
Gettysburg carriage battlefield tour
€76 per person2 hours 4.8 (1,118)
Details
- Group size
- Up to 10
- Transport from DC
- No, starts in Gettysburg
- Who it suits
- History fans with a car
- Why we picked it
- The best-reviewed tour on this page, 4.8 from 1,118 reviews.
€30 per person45 minutes 4.7 (315)
Details
- Group size
- Up to 75
- Transport from DC
- No, starts in Baltimore
- Who it suits
- An easy hour on the water
- Why we picked it
- Short and well reviewed, 4.7 from 315 reviews.
Annapolis harbor and Naval Academy cruise
€30 per person40 minutes 4.6 (294)
Details
- Group size
- Not stated
- Transport from DC
- No, starts in Annapolis
- Who it suits
- A relaxed town-and-water day
- Why we picked it
- A short look at Annapolis from the water, 4.6 from 294 reviews.
€27 per personAt your own pace 4.6 (47)
Details
- Group size
- Not stated
- Transport from DC
- No, ticket only
- Who it suits
- Do-it-yourself visitors
- Why we picked it
- The cheapest way in, from €27, 4.6 from 47 reviews.
€70 per person5–15 minutes 4.9 (32)
Details
- Group size
- Up to 8
- Transport from DC
- No, Martin State Airport
- Who it suits
- A short thrill
- Why we picked it
- A quick view from above, 4.9 from 32 reviews.
Mount Vernon bike and boat day
€90 per person6 h 30 min 3.86 (52)
Details
- Group size
- Not stated
- Transport from DC
- No, starts in Alexandria
- Who it suits
- Fit riders with a full day
- Why we picked it
- An active day out, but rated under 4.0 (3.86 from 52 reviews).
- None of the 8 includes hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point.
- All 8 offer free cancellation.
- Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 25 October 2026. Prices are "from" prices in euros and can change; the booking page shows the live price.
The best day trips from Washington, DC at a glance
Mount Vernon is the easiest day trip: tours drive you there and back in 4 to 5 hours.
Annapolis and Baltimore suit a relaxed day by the water. Their cruises last under an hour.
Gettysburg is the big history day. You need a car, and the tours there take 2 hours.
| Trip | Tour length | Ride from DC included | Without a car |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Vernon | 4 to 5 hours | Yes, on two tours | Metro, then bus 101 |
| Gettysburg | 2 hours on site | No | No train or bus from DC |
| Annapolis | 40-minute cruise | No | Not covered here |
| Baltimore | 45-minute cruise | No | MARC Penn Line train |
| Harpers Ferry | No tour in our picks | No | MARC on weekdays, Amtrak daily |
Closest trips: Mount Vernon and Old Town Alexandria
Mount Vernon is the closest trip here, about 15 miles south of DC, the estate's site says.
Two tours include the ride from Capitol Hill, the mansion tour and a drive through Old Town Alexandria.
On your own, take Metro to Huntington, then Fairfax Connector bus 101 to the estate. The bus fare is $2.25.
The estate ticket with audio guide is from €27. The mansion needs its own timed ticket.
Guides on day trips from DC
- Arlington National Cemetery tours
- Gettysburg tours from Washington, DC
- Mount Vernon and Old Town Alexandria tours
- Mount Vernon and Old Town Alexandria from DC on your own
- Annapolis from Washington, DC
- Gettysburg from Washington, DC on your own
- Shenandoah, Skyline Drive and Harpers Ferry from DC
- Metro to Arlington Cemetery: line, stop and walk
Annapolis and Baltimore by the water
Annapolis and Baltimore both have short harbor cruises, from €30. The cruises start there, so you get there yourself.
Annapolis is about 30 miles from DC and under an hour by car, its visitor office says.
For Baltimore, the MARC Penn Line runs trains, with weekend service too. We could not read the time or fare, so check MARC before you go.
In Baltimore you can also take a short helicopter flight. It leaves from Martin State Airport in Middle River, not downtown.
Gettysburg: a Civil War day
Gettysburg is the classic history day trip. The park needs no entrance pass.
The tours start in Gettysburg, PA, so you drive there. The park names no train or bus from DC.
The park's press kit puts Gettysburg about 90 minutes from Washington, DC.
The carriage tour with a licensed guide is from €76 and takes 2 hours.
Choose your day trip tour
A guided tour costs more, but it does the driving, the tickets and the timing. Going on your own costs less if you are happy to plan.
Washington, DC excursions and tours side by side
Here is one pick for each kind of day:
- No car: a Mount Vernon trip from Capitol Hill, from €88.
- History fans with a car: the Gettysburg carriage tour, from €76.
- A slow day by the water: the Annapolis or Baltimore cruise, from €30.
- Do it yourself: the Mount Vernon estate ticket, from €27.
- A short thrill: the Baltimore helicopter flight, from €70.
Tours from DC that include the ride
Only the two Mount Vernon trips include the ride from DC. Both leave from 400 New Jersey Ave NW on Capitol Hill.
Every other tour here starts at the place itself. Plan your own way there and back.
Day trips on your own: train, bus or car
Some day trips work by train or bus. Others are easier by car.
- Mount Vernon: Metro to Huntington, then Fairfax Connector bus 101, $2.25.
- Baltimore: the MARC Penn Line, with weekend trains too.
- Harpers Ferry: MARC trains run Monday to Friday only. Amtrak's Capitol Limited stops there seven days a week, with a reservation. The station is a half-mile walk from the park center.
- Gettysburg: by car. The park's directions say to take US 15 or US 30.
Driving
The park service says Harpers Ferry is about 1 hour 30 minutes from Reagan National and BWI airports, outside rush hour.
New to the city's trains and buses? See how to get around DC.
Longer day trips: Philadelphia, New York and Niagara Falls
These are long days. We have no Philadelphia or Niagara Falls day tour to show, and no official travel time.
For New York, Amtrak says the Acela takes about three hours. That makes a very long day there and back.
Would you rather stay in the city? See our Washington, DC tours.
Tours from Washington, DC to Niagara Falls
None of our picks goes to Niagara Falls, and we have no official travel time to share. If you want to go, look at trips of more than one day.
Which day trip for which season and traveler
Mount Vernon closes earlier in winter. Its site gives 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from April to October, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. from November to March.
The estate ticket adds the distillery and gristmill on weekends from April to October.
MARC trains to Harpers Ferry run on weekdays only, so take Amtrak on a weekend.
Fun day trips from Washington, DC for families
The Annapolis and Baltimore cruises are short, under an hour. The Gettysburg carriage tour lets everyone sit.
The Gettysburg horseback tour is not for children under 8.
Before you book a day tour from DC
Check the ride
Only the Mount Vernon trips include transport from DC. Every other tour starts at the place itself.
Stay near Capitol Hill
Both Mount Vernon trips leave from Capitol Hill. See where to stay in DC for hotels nearby.
Helicopter airport
The Baltimore helicopter leaves from Martin State Airport in Middle River, MD, not downtown.
Drinks on the cruises
Drinks and snacks cost extra on both harbor cruises.
Free cancellation
All eight have free cancellation on GetYourGuide. Check the cut-off time on your booking.
Real questions about day trips from DC
What is the best day trip from Washington, DC?
What are good short getaways from Washington, DC?
More day tours from DC, live
More options with live prices and availability, straight from GetYourGuide.
See every tour with today's prices and open dates on GetYourGuide.
Browse all on GetYourGuideSources (9), facts checked on 25 October 2026
- Mount Vernon: plan your visit
- Fairfax Connector: route 101
- National Park Service: Gettysburg fees
- National Park Service: Gettysburg directions
- National Park Service: Gettysburg press kit
- National Park Service: getting to Harpers Ferry
- Maryland Transit Administration: MARC train
- Visit Annapolis: from DC
- Amtrak: Acela
Written by the Things to Do in Washington DC editorial team.