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Best Washington DC City Passes

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Updated: November 1, 2023

This post compares the different tourist attraction discount passes and ticket combos that are available in Washington, DC, with tips on choosing the right one for you.

Our guides have provided more than 1 million tours around the world, and they are often asked about the best ways to save money while traveling.

In addition to helpful advice from our own guides, we will also include tips and tricks from members of our Facebook Group to give you a fair and balanced idea of whether or not these passes are worth the price.


OVERVIEW

If you’re looking to save money on some of the most popular attractions in Washington DC and you want to see some of the best sites tied to one founding father or another, there are several tourist passes you might want to consider.

And these passes can save anywhere from 20% to 50% off general admission prices – or more!

Washington DC City Pass

Most of these passes include admission to the following notable activities at a discounted rate:

  • Hop on Hop off Bus Tour
  • National Geographic Museum
  • International Spy Museum
  • Potomac River Cruise
  • Madame Tussauds (this has permanently closed)
  • Bike Tours
  • George Washington's Mount Vernon
  • Some additional tours and activities are specific to each pass.

Here are a few of the most commonly asked questions about saving money in DC:


Are the Washington DC monuments free?

Yes! All the memorials are free to visit.

If you want to make sure to see all the best monuments, join us for a free walking tour of the National Mall.

For even more affordable activities, check our list of over 100 free things to do in Washington DC.

How long does it take to see Washington DC?

We recommend setting aside at least 3 days to experience the nation's capital.

If you're curious, we actually have 1, 2, and 3-day itineraries in DC that might help you figure out what is possible.


Types of Passes

There are several different passes to choose from, and we have broken them down by type.

Just follow the links for more details, but here is a quick summary. 

Explorer Pass vs Sightseeing Flex Pass

There are passes, which we refer to as flex passes, that allow you to choose a set number of attractions and tours.

These passes usually give you the choice of 3, 4, 5, or more options from a large pool of activities and attractions.

While you can save a lot of money with this type of pass, it’s best for the most expensive services.

Since you’re paying one flat price, it’s almost like paying the same low price for each activity.

The only problem is that these passes also include activities that are already quite affordable.

If you were to use a flex pass for something cheap, you’d be paying more than necessary for admission.

However, if you’re interested in some of the more expensive tours, these passes are a lifesaver!

All-Inclusive City Pass

Alternatively, you can also purchase an all-inclusive pass which includes admission to dozens of attractions for a specific amount of time (1, 2, or 3 days).

While this is a great way to save a lot of money, you have to use it for as many activities as possible to get the best possible discount.

Much like the flex pass, you’ll save the most money by using this service for expensive activities.

That said, if you can also fit cheaper attractions into your itinerary, it won’t cost you anything more!

Washington DC Explorer Pass Benefits

The next option is a prepackaged pass.

This service starts with a specific set of included activities for one flat price, and it includes the option of either 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 additional attractions.

This is a great choice for anyone who doesn’t want to get carried away or plan out too many activities while visiting Washington DC.

Finally, numerous hop-on-hop-off bus tour companies offer combo deals.

It can be difficult to decide which, if any, is right for you.

Therefore, we recommend deciding on what you want and having time to do it first before choosing which pass you would like.


Remember Our Tours

Don’t forget about all of our walking tours of the city! You can save as much as you like on our name-your-own-price tours.

For a full list of our tours offered, check out our calendar


FLEX PASSES

This section will cover each of the flex pass options available in Washington DC.

We include details about how much money you can save and advice about the best way to use these services.


Washington DC Sightseeing Flex Pass

Choose a package with either 1, 2, or 4 Attractions from a list of 15 top attractions. 

You have 7 days to visit the number of attractions you purchased.  

All passes include their One Day Express hop-on-hop-off double-decker bus tour and the opportunity to see historical sites such as the following:

  • White House
  • Washington Monument
  • MLK Jr. Memorial
  • Lincoln Memorial
  • Thomas Jefferson Memorial
  • United States Capitol Building
  • Library of Congress
  • And more.

Much like the Explorer Pass, this service will have you paying one flat price for a set number of activities, meaning each attraction will cost the same.

Here are the prices you can expect to pay with a breakdown of the cost per attraction in red:

  • Bus + 1 Attraction: $59/Adults | $38/Children
  • Bus + 2 Attractions: $69/Adults | $45/Children
    • Price per attraction: $37/Adults | $27/Children
  • Bus + 4 Attractions: $94/Adults | $764/Children
    • Price per attraction: $22.25/Adults | $19.75/Children

Purchase the Washington DC Sightseeing Flex Pass or learn more.

The main thing to keep in mind with this service is that the hop-on hop-off bus tour included with each pass normally costs about $45 per person.

When you factor that in, it’s easy to see how even the 1 Attraction option is a good deal because that would mean you were paying only $9 more for the additional activity!

We’ll get a bit deeper into how much you could save with this pass, but first, let’s get into some of the included attractions with this service:

  • Bike and Roll Monuments Tour | $44
  • Bike and Roll Capital Sites Tour | $44
  • Spirit of Mount Vernon Cruise | $48
  • Potomac Riverboat One-Day Water Taxi | $30
  • International Spy Museum | $25

While some of these attractions might not seem like a great deal when you consider that the lowest price per attraction is $22.50, you have to remember that the bus tour is included with each pass.

To give you an idea of what we mean, take a look at how much money you could save with a 4-Attraction Pass:

  • Hop on Hop off Bus Tour | $54
  • Bike and Roll Monuments Tour | $54
  • Spirit of Mount Vernon Cruise | $20
  • Bike and Roll Capital Sites Tour | $44
  • Potomac Riverboat One-Day Water Taxi | $40.7
    • Normal Price: $211
    • Price with Pass: $89
    • Savings: $132 (58% off)

As you can see, you can actually save more money with this service than with the Explorer Pass! 

If that’s still not good enough, the prices for the 2 and 4-Attraction Flex Passes have a 20% discount.

To get the discounts, use our exclusive promo code: FTBF.

The only catch is that the Sightseeing Pass does not include as many activities as its competitors, so it might not be the best option for you if it doesn’t have any attractions you find desirable.

Much like their competitors, this service is valid for 30 consecutive days from the time it is activated.

Their refund policy is also very generous, as any unused passes purchased with insurance can be fully refunded for any reason.


Explorer Pass - GO WASHINGTON DC is temporarily closed in Washington DC.

This service is offered by the same company that provides one of the all-inclusive passes.

Rather than offering a set discount of 20% off, this service allows you to pay one flat price for a set number of attractions (3, 4, or 5).

While this is a great option to save money on some of the most expensive activities in Washington DC, you may want to consider another option for attractions that are already pretty affordable.

Depending on how you use this pass, you could save up to 57% off general admission prices, but it will be very important to consider how you use the service.

Before we get into that, let’s take a look at the prices for each pass option.

The prices in red underneath each listing reflect the average cost per attraction.

  • 3 Attractions: $64/Adults | $43/Children
    • Price per attraction: $20/Adults | $13.33/Children
  • 4 Attractions: $81/Adults | $54/Children
    • Price per attraction: $20/Adults | $13.50/Children
  • 5 Attractions: $99/Adults | $66/Children
    • Price per attraction: $20/Adults | $13.40/Children

Purchase the Explorer Pass or learn more. (GO WASHINGTON DC is temporarily closed in Washington DC.)

As you can see, no matter how many attractions you choose, you’ll be paying $20 per activity. 

This would be a great deal for activities that already cost $40 or more, but if the service in question is already less than $20, it’s not really a good deal.

The main point we want to get across is that you should use this pass for the most expensive activities possible. Here are a few examples to consider:

  • Hop on Hop off Bus Tour | $49
  • Key to the City Museum Pass | $44
  • Explore Capitol Hill Neighborhood Tour | $40
  • Washington Monuments Cruise | $28
  • Mount Vernon Cruise | $28
  • Night Bus Tour | $45

At $20 per attraction with the Explorer Pass, it’s easy to see how you could end up saving a lot of money on tickets.

Here’s an example of how you could save money with just the 3-Attraction pass:

  • Hop on Hop off Bus Tour | $49
  • Key to the City Museum Pass | $44
  • Night Bus Tour | $45
    • Normal Price: $138
    • Price with Pass: $64
    • Savings: $74 (54% off)

You do not need to choose your attractions in advance (unless you choose the 3rd option), but once you visit a site, that counts as one attraction and you can only go once.

You can stay as long as you want, however!  

You have 30 days to visit your 3-5 attractions and up to a year to begin your first visit. Some attractions require reservations.

Unused passes can be returned within 30 days of the initial purchase for a full refund if you decide not to use the service.


ALL-INCLUSIVE PASS

The following section will cover any all-inclusive passes available in Washington DC, including details about how much money you can save and advice on the best way to use these services.

Currently, there is only one all-inclusive pass in Washington DC, but that may change in the future!


Washington DC Sightseeing Pass

In addition to their flex pass, this company also offers an all-inclusive option which includes admission to all of their attractions and activities for a specific amount of time (1, 2, or 3 days).

The advantage to this pass is that you don’t have to pick only a handful of activities – you can literally enjoy every service included for one flat price!

Although we went over some of the attractions in our flex pass section, here are a few more locations and tours included:

  • George Washington’s Mount Vernon Exterior Grounds | $20
  • Potomac Riverboat Water Taxi | $30
  • Washington DC Scavenger Hunt | $20
  • Unlimited Biking All Day Bike Rental | $40
  • International Spy Museum | $25

While some of these might not be worth it with the flex pass, the only factor to consider with an all-inclusive pass is how much fun you can fit into a day!

The amount you save will depend entirely upon how much you use the service, and you’ll enjoy the biggest discount by purchasing the longest pass.

With that said, let’s take a look at the prices for this pass with the cost per day highlighted in red below:

  • 1 Day Pass: $67/Adults | $64/Children
  • 2 Day Pass: $109/Adults | $102/Children
    • Price per day: $74.50/Adults | $69.50/Children
  • 3 Day Pass: $144/Adults | $137/Children
    • Price per day: $66.33/Adults | $63/Children

Purchase the Washington DC Sightseeing Pass or learn more.

The lowest price per day is going to be about $66, and with multiple activities that cost more than $40, it’s not difficult to see how you could easily save money with this pass.

That said, let’s break things down a bit with a sample 3-day itinerary to give you a sense of just how much money you can save using this service:

Day 1

  • Unlimited Monuments Tour | $44
  • Big Bus Hop-on Hop-off Tour | $45
  • Scavenger Hunt | $20

Day 2

  • Spirit of Mount Vernon Cruise | $48
  • Bike and Roll Capital Sites Tour | $44
  • International Spy Museum | $25

Day 3

  • Potomac Riverboat Water Taxi | $30
  • Bike and Roll All Day Rental | $40
    • Normal Price: $296
    • Price with Pass: $199
    • Savings: $185 (33% off)

NOTE: As of October 2022, this pass is 30% off ($139.30) which would make the total savings 53% off.

If you add a few activities or change some of the attractions on this itinerary, you could easily save more than 50% off general admission prices.

Washington DC Sightseeing Pass

This pass is a great option if you plan to do as much as possible while visiting Washington DC.

If you’re only interested in a few of the activities included, you may want to consider another option instead.

Unlike their flex pass, this option is only valid for the consecutive allotted time (1, 2, or 3 days).

That said, they do offer the same money-back guarantee for any pass purchased with insurance!


PREPACKAGED PASS

This section provides information about prepackaged tourist passes in Washington DC.

As of October 2022, there are currently NO options available in this city, but that could change in the coming years.


COMBO PACKAGES

Some of the hop-on-hop-off bus tour companies offer discounts if you purchase attractions alongside their bus tickets.

These packages usually include either a 24 or 48-hour bus ticket (though the CitySights pass below is good for 7 days) and give you access to their bus routes and then discounted or free admission to a number of DC attractions.

These all have live guides on the main bus routes and a night tour option.


Big Bus Tour 48-Hour Combo Pass

Big Bus is an international hop-on-hop-off bus service that offers tours in Washington, DC.

There are three different loops, with live guides for the National Mall but the pre-recorded commentary for Georgetown, the National Cathedral, and the Pentagon.

You can view the loop map here.

This company currently offers two combo deals you may want to consider:

Big Bus Classic Ticket + Wharf Boat Cruise

  • Classic 1-Day Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour
  • Wharf Boat Cruise (Wed-Sun Only)
  • $5 off Unlimited Biking Tour
    • $54/Adults
    • $45/Children

Big Bus Classic Ticket + Spy Museum

  • Classic 1-Day Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour
  • Spy Museum admission
  • $5 off Unlimited Biking Tour
    • $73/Adults
    • $56/Children

Not currently available as of April 2023.


Old Town Trolley

Much like their competitors, this company also offers hop-on-hop-off service in Washington DC. 

Old Town Trolley is currently only offering a 90-minute guided tour with one stop at the Lincoln Memorial.

You will have 30 minutes to explore the Lincoln Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, and Vietnam Veterans Memorial on your own off the trolley.

The rest of the tour will be from the trolley itself with onboard monitors showing you historic images.

Purchase Old Town Trolley combo packages or learn more.

Old Town Trolley is the only option to tour inside Arlington National Cemetery by bus/trolley. You can buy single ANC Tram tickets for $15 a person.


CitySights DC

This company offers a few combo packages you may want to consider.

These are great options if you don’t want to plan out too many activities.

Bus Tour + 1 Attraction

  • 1-Day Hop on Hop Off Bus Tour
  • Admission to 1 of the following attractions:
    • International Spy Museum
    • National Geographic Museum
    • Bike and Roll Capital Sites OR Monuments Tour
    • Bike and Roll 3-Hour Rental
    • Buca di Beppo $15 Meal
      • $75/Adults | $65/Children

Purchase CitySights DC Combo Packages or learn more.

NOTE: This combo deal is not currently available as of April 2023.


Tiqets

This is a somewhat more recent tourism company, and they frequently offer combo deals with multiple activities at a discount.

Currently, they only have one package:

Capital Sites Tour + Mount Vernon

Arlington Hop-on Hop-off Trolley + Museum of the Bible

African American Tour + Museum of the Bible

  • African American History Tour
  • Admission to the Museum of African American History & Culture
  • Admission to the Museum of the Bible

Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour + Museum of the Bible


Should You Get a Washington DC Discount Pass?

There are differing opinions on this topic, but it would be dishonest to ignore the fact that a lot of travelers on our Facebook Group have indicated that these passes might not be necessary.

It's not so much that you won't save money with these services, but rather that most of the popular attractions in DC are entirely free to visit.

As you can see, even prominent users of tourist passes suggest that it might not be as useful to get one in Washington DC.

Other users note that public transportation in the area is entirely free, so you can even get around with ease at no additional cost.

Even so, some visitors will still choose to get a tourist pass, as there are some activities that you just can't enjoy for free.

We recommend getting a Washington DC tourist pass if you have already seen all of the free major attractions and you want to see even more.

In other words, if this is your second trip to the area, it might make sense to get a discount pass.

However, if this is your first time, you'll find most of your time will likely be taken up by activities and landmarks that are entirely free to visit.

To get an idea of how many fun activities you can enjoy without paying a dime, check our full post covering free things to do in Washington DC.


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