Capitol Hill Walking Tour with US Capitol and Library of Congress
4.5
Capitol Hill Walking Tour with US Capitol and Library of Congress
By Signature Tours DC
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About
Get your chance to discover the famed Capitol Hill with an experienced personal guide who will walk with you, detailing the historical facts related to each building and landmark. In this walking tour, you’ll explore the seat of the legislative and judicial branches of the US Government and its supporting facilities, collectively known as Capitol Hill.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 2-65, max of 36 per group
Duration: 2h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More
- 2-Hour Morning or Afternoon Guided Walking Tour of Capitol Hill
- Entry to US Capitol
- Entry to the Library of Congress (or Capitol Museum when Library of Congress is closed on Mondays)
- Stop by the US Supreme Court (exterior only)
- Visit the Rotunda, the Crypt, and old house chambers of the US Capitol building
- See Thomas Jefferson’s original library
- Entry/Admission - Library of Congress
- Entry/Admission - U.S. Capitol
What's not included- Lunch
- All Fees and Taxes
- Entry/Admission - Supreme Court
- Start:
- United States Supreme Court Building, 1 First St NE, Washington, DC 20543, USA1 First St NE: Please meet at the street sign pole located at the corner of First St NE & Maryland Ave NE (located across the street from the Supreme Court building). Your Tour Guide will be waiting here with a sign. Please plan to arrive 20 minutes before tour start time to allow for check-in.
End:- 101 Independence Ave SE, Washington, DC 20540, USAOur Tour Ends at the Library of congress. Around a 25 minute walk from our meeting point.
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
- Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 6766P22- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Waking: There will be standing and walking during this tour. Please wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather as much of the tour is outdoors. DC can be very hot in the summer and cold in the winter. Umbrellas and layers are recommended.
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 36 travelers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 6766P22
From
$85.00
per adult
Select date and travelers
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Itinerary
- United States Supreme Court Building, 1 First St NE, Washington, DC 20543, USA1 First St NE: Please meet at the street sign pole located at the corner of First St NE & Maryland Ave NE (located across the street from the Supreme Court building). Your Tour Guide will be waiting here with a sign. Please plan to arrive 20 minutes before tour start time to allow for check-in.
- 1
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- 101 Independence Ave SE, Washington, DC 20540, USAOur Tour Ends at the Library of congress. Around a 25 minute walk from our meeting point.
About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- W6653KFrebeccap0 contributionsInformative and Well-OrganizedThis tour was well-run and the guides held fast to the timeline. James was amazingly informative. I genuinely marveled at how many names and dates he could pull from memory. Chris was similarly helpful and shared his own insights. My 10yo son and I had a very nice day.Written November 27, 2024
- williej6070 contributionsTexas ToursMr. James Daughtridge, was one of the best your guides I ever had. He was very knowledgeable and experienced. I would recommend him to all my friends.Written November 17, 2024
- Rodalita B0 contributionsMorning Monuments City Tour with 8 steps & Optional Entry Tickets..VERY GREAT TOUR. Morning Monuments City Tour with 8 Stops & Optional Entry Tickets. Washington DC United States...very excitment tour ! Great tour was guided the visitors - every stop of the place..beautiful place and great pictures...tour guide with a short time walking and riding bus at the point the tour taken to the top of the place where the center of attractions its perfect....Written November 11, 2024
- sooyoungk3810 contributionsCancel by text at 5am on the day of tourVery disappointed. I was informed by text at 5am on the day of the tour that it was cancelled due to employees need to vote!! Are you kidding me? Why would you even arrange a tour in the first place? I was really looking forward to seeing the sights so I had to frantically search to see if there were another tour available. Luckily I was able to squeeze in at the last minute for a short tour (I think because I was solo) so I was grateful. I will not be signing up with Signature Tours in the future. They were unprofessional and I almost wasted an entire day in the hotel room!Written November 5, 2024
- nancykH1351EA0 contributionsInformative Arlington Tour!!We had the pleasure of having William as our very own tour guide! He had a wealth of information going back to the origins of the land and all the wars that brought these noble people to rest in Arlington. He was very patient, kind and accommodating. The walk was long but he had a very nicely paced tour and we still saw everything we had come for. I would recommend this tour for adults and teens who have a keen interest in the history of this monument!! Thank you for a lovely morning adventure!!Written October 27, 2024
- Guitarann0 contributionsComfortable and interesting tour of DCRochelle was a great tour guide. She had plentiful knowledge and was genuinely enjoying all of us. Chris was a talented driver. Lots of cold water too. I recommend.Written October 22, 2024
- jessicahughley0 contributionsGreat Tour, but Disappointing Communication on Package UpgradeWhile the 10+ stop bus tour itself was enjoyable and our guide, Sally, was fantastic—super friendly and knowledgeable—I was disappointed with the booking process. I purchased the ‘Washington Monument’ package, which was $25 more per person, expecting it to be a highlight of the tour. With 6 tickets, that was $150 additional. However, I wasn’t notified until after the 24-hour cancellation window that the Washington Monument stop would not be included. This lack of communication left me feeling frustrated, as I was unable to cancel or adjust my booking. While the tour was still good, this experience dampened what could have been a much better day.Written October 13, 2024
- patriciaaE6939KB0 contributionsDisappointed no River CruiseTyrone was a great guide. We were very disappointed that we did not get to go on the Potomac River cruise because that was the only reason we chose this particular tour. The weather was great the day we went but they said it was unforeseen reasons.Written October 8, 2024
- B5443EVkarent0 contributionsTotally satisfying tour!Tyrone was our wonderful guide! Just a shout-out to him! This was the perfect tour for our limited 3-day visit. Very efficient and very pleasant. We learned things we hadn't heard before, although we had seen a number of these monuments quite a few years ago. There was a bit more walking than expected, but not too much. Good to stretch our legs! Lunch in Georgetown was fun - Halloween decorations had just gone up! The boat ride was just right and it felt good to sit there and relax. All in all, we were totally pleased with our choice of tours.Written October 6, 2024
- 478brittneyr0 contributionsOctober TourJames was incredibly knowledgeable and friendly and Kris was an awesome driver and very patient! This was the second time I’ve done this tour and I learned so much. Highly recommend they were great!Written October 6, 2024
- Tierra S0 contributions5/5Overall, great experience. I would definitely recommend this to groups, couples, families, or solo travelers. The boat ride was beautiful!Written October 6, 2024
- C9643WKjeanl0 contributionsLiving HistoryGeorge Washington was an amazing man. He was the glue that caused all the colonies to join together and form a nation. He was successful as a soldier, general, politician, farmer and distiller of his own blend of rye whiskey at Mount Vernon. There was a lot of history to hear and see. The plantation was beautifully restored, and is still being updated and protected. The house tour included 2 floors and I was surprised at how small many of the rooms were. The hike down to his and Martha's tomb was worth it, just the thank him for his service!Written October 5, 2024
- CJBlovestravel0 contributionsWashington monuments tourJames our guide was so knowledgeable and thoughtful. Tour ran smoothly and was enjoyable. Kris and James coordinated cheerfully.Written October 1, 2024
- Q7811HUlornam0 contributionsGreat way to spend the day in DCBest way to see DC! James was our tour guide and we had so much fun along with him giving us so much info at each location. We saw so much in 6 hoursWritten September 27, 2024
- DolceL6300 contributionsBest DC TourOur tour of Washington, DC with Signature Tours DC was an outstanding experience. James, our guide, brought the city's rich history and iconic landmarks to life with his in-depth knowledge and captivating storytelling. His passion for Washington, DC was palpable, making each stop on the tour both educational and memorable. Chris, our driver, was equally impressive. He expertly navigated the city, always choosing the best routes that allowed us to maximize our time at each site. His driving was smooth, and his route selection enhanced the experience, ensuring we saw the best of DC without unnecessary delays. We are incredibly grateful to both James and Chris for providing such a well-organized, informative, and enjoyable tour. I would highly recommend Signature Tours DC for anyone seeking a thoughtful and enriching exploration of the nation's capital.Written September 27, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
121 reviews
Excellent
91
Very good
11
Average
2
Poor
5
Terrible
12
Jeannie F
Massillon, OH14 contributions
Mar 2024 • Family
Our tour guide Wayne was great! He is very knowledgeable and kind however our tour was incredibly over sold (nearly 50 people) and therefore we were not able to see the listed sites nor hear/ see our guide and the artifacts listed.
Upon gathering at the meeting spot Wayne gave some interesting facts and interacted with each family/ guest, giving personalized information about their state/ place of origin regarding the capital/DC
Once through security (reminder no food , snacks, or drinks allowed) we were escorted to a waiting area while Wayne obtained tickets for US capital entry. We were left sitting there (no places to sit or communication) for more than hour. We were informed that there was a delay because the size of our group (50) was nearly double a typical group size.
Once finally gaining access to the tour we were given an abbreviated version, with areas skipped because of our delayed start. We didn’t see The crypt, Jefferson’s Library nor the Old Chambers as listed on the tour description.
We only received half of the listed stops on our tour and the parts that Wayne reviewed couldn’t be seen nor heard by all of us because of the size of the group.
I do not recommend this tour as it’s was a lot of standing around and waiting not any value vs seeing the Capital and sites on your own.
Upon gathering at the meeting spot Wayne gave some interesting facts and interacted with each family/ guest, giving personalized information about their state/ place of origin regarding the capital/DC
Once through security (reminder no food , snacks, or drinks allowed) we were escorted to a waiting area while Wayne obtained tickets for US capital entry. We were left sitting there (no places to sit or communication) for more than hour. We were informed that there was a delay because the size of our group (50) was nearly double a typical group size.
Once finally gaining access to the tour we were given an abbreviated version, with areas skipped because of our delayed start. We didn’t see The crypt, Jefferson’s Library nor the Old Chambers as listed on the tour description.
We only received half of the listed stops on our tour and the parts that Wayne reviewed couldn’t be seen nor heard by all of us because of the size of the group.
I do not recommend this tour as it’s was a lot of standing around and waiting not any value vs seeing the Capital and sites on your own.
Written March 28, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
thank you for taking the tour with us. please remember this is the high season. and we our best to accommodate our guest. and no private tour at the Us Capitol also if you see un the winter we run the tour with 1 guest.
Written April 3, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Alalika
5 contributions
Jul 2023 • Couples
This was a mismanaged, scam of a tour. We were promised a walking tour of the capitol and library of congress. We didn't get anything beyond half of a free tour of the Capitol, where we didn't go to the crypt or half the things promised. We got to the Library of Congress tunnel too late, because someone our tour guide, who claimed to work in DC didn't know that the tunnels close at 4:20pm. Then we ran to the front doors of the Library of Congress, in 90F heat and humidity - only to discover that the doors to the library were also closed, as usual, at 4:30pm. Something that the tour guide and Signature tours should know when they charge $80 per ticket. I have good luck with walking tours of new cities - this was horrible and I'm asking for a refund. As NOTHING that they promised in their tour description was actually offered.
Written July 5, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
thank you for your comment
Written August 10, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Richard L
1 contribution
Dec 2023 • Couples
Do not recommend. Paid 88 dollars/person for some low quality talks and a wasted time.
So I thought the tour was going to be 2 hours. But 1 hour 45 minutes in we are still waiting in line to start the Capitol tour. Very inefficient, the tour guide was okay.
Once you booked the tour the itinerary says 3 hours. Very confusing.
The tour didn’t follow the itinerary at all. The tour guide was meh. He tried really hard to make funny comments about the tourists’ origins, but at the cost of our time.
Capitol part of the tour was by an official who talked mostly about statutes.
Library of congress was difficult to follow due to the acoustics and noise in the building
We split off the tour and went to see the actual chambers in the Capitol ourselves.
The timed entry tickets were free anyway. Booking through Signature Tours didn’t add anything meaningful.
So I thought the tour was going to be 2 hours. But 1 hour 45 minutes in we are still waiting in line to start the Capitol tour. Very inefficient, the tour guide was okay.
Once you booked the tour the itinerary says 3 hours. Very confusing.
The tour didn’t follow the itinerary at all. The tour guide was meh. He tried really hard to make funny comments about the tourists’ origins, but at the cost of our time.
Capitol part of the tour was by an official who talked mostly about statutes.
Library of congress was difficult to follow due to the acoustics and noise in the building
We split off the tour and went to see the actual chambers in the Capitol ourselves.
The timed entry tickets were free anyway. Booking through Signature Tours didn’t add anything meaningful.
Written December 30, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
thank you for your comment and after investigation we understand that we called you to join the tour but you decline to go and having lunch instated with your son please use the next time a private tour it will maybe get your satisfaction .
Written January 3, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Tom G
Chicago, IL2 contributions
Definitely a busy day at the Capital and Signature Tours had too many clients. They delayed our entrance and when we finally got in it was basically the free tour you can get just walking up. When we got to the Library our tour guide did not move from the bench they sat on, did not take us up to the reading room and explain all of the significant art. We have been on many tours in the US and abroad and this was the most poorly run. We recommend just taking the free tour or find another company.
Written March 27, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
thank you for talking the tour with us and sorry for any inconvenience. And like you say busy day in the capitol and its not private tour we provide service to make it easy for all our guests. And this is the high season. We provide this tour all year long if we have 1 person.
Written March 28, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Kurt R
1 contribution
Jun 2023 • Family
Dwayne (I hope I spelled it correctly) was amazing. His knowledge and pacing of the tour was top notch. You could tell he had a passion for DC and he loved to share. He was open to any question and he timed everything so we would not miss any opportunities to see things. For instance, he knew enough to have us hustle at the end of the Capitol tour to make the tunnel to the Library of Congress before it closed and we would have to take the “long way”. Another example is knowing that the Jefferson library room was closing in five minutes he was able to talk to the guard to let us in to see it before it closed. It is definitely a fast paced walking tour, but he was able to accommodate some folks who needed some extra help by pointing out the elevators and meeting them. I would highly recommend this tour. The only regret we have is that we did not do other tours with him earlier in the week like at Arlington. Thanks Dwayne! You were an amazing ambassador to Washington DC.
Written June 10, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
thank you for joining us on our tour and we are happy to hear that. We’re glad to have you and we hope to see you again.
Malaak.
Written June 12, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
paulmU8986VT
10 contributions
Dewayne well extremely well versed in the history of the Capitol and the Library of Congress. I was impressed with his knowledge of all the statues, images, books, etc. I highly recommend this tour if you’re interested in seeing and getting as much detail as you can handle.
Written March 24, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
thank you for joining us on our tour and we are happy to hear that. We’re glad to have you and we hope to see you again.
Malaak.
Written March 24, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Rob p
2 contributions
Jun 2024 • Solo
The guide was very knowledgeable and easy to hear. I struggled to find the tour because the instructions received were not entirely correct. In front of the Supreme Court should have read ‘on opposite side of road’. The instructions also said ‘look for someone carrying sign’. No sign but the guide had a T-shirt with the emblem on it. Somewhat more than 50% of the tour was a free tour of Capitol Hill provided by federal tour guides - during this time our guide just followed us. The guide did provide some useful info on the Congress Library but overall the price of this tour isn’t justified.
Written July 13, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
When we provide a your guide and you like the your with that great and we don’t provide free service and next time please try to get uour ticket
Written July 14, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Monterey G
Monterey, CA348 contributions
May 2024 • Couples
We were well informed via several confirmation emails on where to meet and how long the tour would last. Of course I got confused as to the exact meeting place...imagine my surprise when a live human answered their information phone and politely directed me to the meeting site . ( I was just on the wrong side of the street)
Our guide, Dwayne was fantastic . Very enthusiastic and knowledgeable. He guided us to the Capitol Building and conducted the first part of the tour and made sure I was allowed to use the elevator instead of stairs when necessary. He then turned us over to Jackson for the rest of the Capitol Building tour. Again, a very enthusiastic and knowledgeable tour guide. Dwayne then walked w/us thru the underground tunnel from the Capitol Building to the Library of Congress at a doable pace and entertained us along the way w/more fun facts. Dwayne walked us thru the Library of Congress building and explained what we were looking at. We had plenty of opportunity to take pictures and ask questions throughout the entire tour.
A huge heartfelt thankyou to Dwayne and Jackson.
Jewell Halwachs
Monterey, California
Our guide, Dwayne was fantastic . Very enthusiastic and knowledgeable. He guided us to the Capitol Building and conducted the first part of the tour and made sure I was allowed to use the elevator instead of stairs when necessary. He then turned us over to Jackson for the rest of the Capitol Building tour. Again, a very enthusiastic and knowledgeable tour guide. Dwayne then walked w/us thru the underground tunnel from the Capitol Building to the Library of Congress at a doable pace and entertained us along the way w/more fun facts. Dwayne walked us thru the Library of Congress building and explained what we were looking at. We had plenty of opportunity to take pictures and ask questions throughout the entire tour.
A huge heartfelt thankyou to Dwayne and Jackson.
Jewell Halwachs
Monterey, California
Written May 24, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Elizabeth S
1 contribution
Jul 2023 • Family
Dwayne was most knowledgable and enthusiastic during our tour. We had the best possible experience thanks to his passion for history and his intimate knowledge of the historic landmarks he showed us. We would highly recommend Dwayne to anyone who is looking for a great tour experience.
Written July 21, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your review, We're really grateful and appreciate you taking the time to share your rating with us.” We hope to see you again soon.
Malaak.
Written July 22, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ashish K
Piscataway, NJ7 contributions
Apr 2023 • Couples
This is a highly recommended tour for anyone visiting DC. Our tour guide, Dwane was extremely knowledgeable. When inside the building, the tour is narrated by the building staff members. We got Charles for ours. He was also wonderful. The building is majestic.
Written April 30, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
thank you for your review! I'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed our tour and service. We're always looking for ways to improve the experience our tour , but it's great to know that we are on the right track.
Malaak.
Written April 30, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Hi, how punctual are you? I really need to know if the 9am tour really ends at 11, since the day I want to go I have to be somewhere else at 11:15. But I understand if it’s not possible to determine, in that case I will consider another day 🙂 thank you
Written March 14, 2024
Hi Gonzalo, When I did this tour we ended at Capitol Hill with the option to linger in the Library of Congress after the tour was over. Also, the timing of the US Congress tour isn’t completely under the control of the guide. It sounds like it would be stressful to have such tight timing.
Written March 15, 2024
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