There’s something about experiencing Washington D.C. after sunset. The moonlight makes it feel almost like you have been transported back in time. Washington D.C. is a city I have always associated with one of my favourite films, National Treasure. Because of this association a vital part of visiting D.C. for me was seeing and experiencing the iconic monuments and landmarks. We visited Washington D.C. in July too so a night Tour is ideal to take advantage of cool evenings.
We took the Monuments by Night tour with Urban Adventures the day we arrived. It is the perfect introduction to the main sights in the city and helps in planning which ones you would like to return to during the rest of your trip. The tour lasts for just 2 hours and we found it to move at the perfect pace – just enough time at each stop to take photos, have a look and not feel rushed. Another major advantage of taking a night tour is that the crowds are much smaller than what they are during the daylight hours.
Our guide Montie was fun and entertaining throughout and made an extra effort to help everyone get the pictures they wanted at every spot. Montie is a native of D.C. and you could definitely tell – he gave us all the insider tips, even where to get the best coffee in the city!
The tour starts at the Smithsonian metro stop. This 2 hour tour takes place in a small open electric vehicle with a maximum of 7 people, so the experience is very personal. The fact that the vehicle is open means there is no glass in the way of you getting the perfect picture. The vehicle's neat size also allows your guide to pull up very close to the landmarks and monuments.
Montie started our tour by driving through the Smithsonian complex and suggesting different museums to each person to cater for their interests. Next it was on to Capital hill and the Washington Monument for photostops. After the sun had set the tour continued and I don’t honestly think there is anything we didn’t see. From the FDR and MLK monuments to the National Mall and the White House, we saw it all.
Taking this tour was hands down the best thing we did during our time in Washington D.C. With such a short amount of time in the city and lots of shopping to be done this tour was ideal to cover all the sights!
To book the Monuments by Night tour visit the Urban Adventures website here. Urban Adventures are an international company and run tours all over the world so be sure to check them out for your next city break.
Kiki was a guest of Urban Adventures, however all opinions are her own.
