Step into the magic of the holiday season with an unforgettable tour through Washington, D.C.’s most dazzling Christmas displays!
We will use a climate controlled bus with separate driver to get us between some of the locations; but your professional tour guide/holiday lights enthusiast will hop out with you to guide you to all the locations.
Deck the halls of Washington DC with these sites:
National Christmas Tree: Marvel at the iconic National Christmas Tree. We’ll walk the Pathway of Peace and see the official National Christmas Tree, as well as the smaller trees representing each state and terriority and decorated by school children.
Capitol Christmas Tree: Visit the beautifully adorned tree standing proudly near the Capitol, a favorite for photo ops.
U.S. Botanic Gardens Displays & Trains: Explore intricate holiday garden displays and enchanting model trains weaving through festive landscapes. (we will only see the trains on Tues and Thurs tour when the trains are open late! Otherwise, we will see the botanical window displays!
Willard Hotel: Step into the historic Willard Hotel, famous for its elegant holiday décor and cozy ambiance. Arrive early to listen to the holiday carolers.
CityCenterDC Tree. Admire the breathtaking CityCenterDC Tree, a modern and vibrant addition to the season’s celebrations. Walk down Palmer Alley with its seasonal decorations.
National Mistletoe: Find the perfect photo spot under the city’s National Mistletoe for a touch of romantic holiday charm.
National Menorah: Celebrate the Festival of Lights with a stop at the majestic National Menorah (only available for tours that operate during Hanukkah!)
This extraordinary holiday tour is an invitation to celebrate the season’s magic with loved ones while soaking in some of D.C.’s most beloved traditions.
🎄 Book your Holiday Lights Tour today and make this season unforgettable!
Our holiday lights tours are available as private tours any night of the week in December. Email us [email protected] for more.
Tour information
TOUR DETAILS:
This tour cannot accommodate strollers, luggage or wheelchairs.
All persons are required by law to have a seat/ticket. We can only accommodate the number of persons reserved. No lap-sitting. Child seats cannot be provided so please do not bring small children.
Meet your guide at the corner of 14th St NW and Pennsylvania Ave NW across the street from the Willard Hotel by the World War I Memorial Sign (map)
The tour ends at McPhearson Square Metro Station at 14th and I Street NW, a few blocks from where we begin.
Please meet your guide 5-10 minutes prior to the listed tour start time below to check in. You only need to check in with your name.
Tour lasts 2.5 hours. Total walking is less than a 1 mile. This tour has limited public restrooms access if needed.
★★★★★ Rated Excellent on TripAdvisor | Small groups | Seasonal availability – book early | Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Walk the edge of the Tidal Basin beneath Washington DC’s legendary cherry trees and visit the memorials honoring Jefferson, FDR, and Martin Luther King Jr. One of DC’s most beautiful and fleeting experiences.
Every spring, Washington DC becomes one of the most beautiful cities on earth. The cherry trees that line the Tidal Basin bloom for just a few weeks — and DC by Foot has spent years learning exactly how to make the most of them.
This tour takes you through the cool shade of the blossoms and past three of DC’s most powerful memorials – honoring Thomas Jefferson, whose pen affirmed mankind’s inalienable rights; Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who led America through twelve years of tyranny and poverty; and Martin Luther King Jr., who reminded the world of our promise of equality and justice.
It’s one of the most beautiful walks in the city. And for a few weeks each spring, it’s also one of the most fleeting.
Check Dates & Book Your Spot
Our tours run regularly throughout the week. Spots fill up fast. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before, so there’s no risk in reserving your spot now. This tour runs seasonally — typically late March through mid-April.
⏱ Duration: 2 hours
📍Meets at: DC War Memorial on Independence Ave SW. Tour ends at Jefferson Memorial.
🚇 Getting here: Metro Blue Line – Smithsonian Station
👟 Physical level: Easy – flat and accessible route.
🌸 A note on timing: Cherry blossoms are nature’s most beautiful — and most unpredictable — show. We schedule this tour around peak bloom, and our guides know which trees bloom early, which bloom late, and how to find blossoms even when the main display is off. We can’t guarantee the trees will be at peak when you visit, but we can guarantee you’ll get more out of the experience than going it alone.
The newest memorial on this tour and one of the most powerful. Hear the stories behind the quotes carved into the stone and understand why this site was chosen.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
Four outdoor rooms, four terms, one of America’s most consequential presidencies. The FDR Memorial tells a story that stretches across the Great Depression and World War II.
DC’s Cherry Blossom Trees
The story behind the trees is as fascinating as the blossoms themselves. Learn how 3,000 cherry trees came to line the Tidal Basin; a gift, a diplomatic gesture, and nearly a disaster.
Tidal Basin History
The Tidal Basin wasn’t always a scenic walking path. Learn the surprising engineering history behind one of DC’s most beloved landmarks.
George Mason Memorial
One of the most overlooked memorials in DC and one of the most thoughtful. Learn why the man who refused to sign the Constitution deserves his own monument.
Thomas Jefferson Memorial
Stand inside one of DC’s most stunning circular monuments and hear the story of the man whose words shaped a nation and the complicated legacy he left behind.
The Tidal Basin during cherry blossom season is one of DC’s most crowded experiences. Our guides know the route, the timing, and the spots most visitors walk right past.
We’ll show you where to find early bloomers when peak is still days away, how to avoid the worst of the crowds, and the stories behind the memorials that no audio guide covers.
Tours depart from the DC War Memorial (Ash Woods) between the WWII and Korean War Memorials at 1750 Independence Ave SW. Look for your guide at the plaque along Independence Ave SW. (map)
Duration
Approximately 2 hours. Total walking distance is about 1 mile (1.6km).
End Point
The tour ends at the Jefferson Memorial. The closest Metro station is Smithsonian on the Blue and Orange lines.
What to Bring
Comfortable walking shoes
Water bottle
Camera – this is one of DC’s most photogenic tours
Layers – mornings along the Tidal Basin can be cool even in spring
Frequently Asked Questions
When do the cherry blossoms peak?
Peak bloom in DC typically falls between late March and mid-April, though it varies by year. We schedule this tour around predicted peak bloom. Check our booking calendar for available dates.
What if the blossoms aren’t at peak when I visit?
Our guides know which trees bloom early and late, and how to find blossoms even when the main display is off schedule. The memorials are stunning year-round and the blossoms are a bonus.
Is this tour family-friendly?
Yes; this is one of our most popular family tours. The flat, scenic route along the Tidal Basin is suitable for all ages.
Can I do this tour outside cherry blossom season?
This is a seasonal tour. Outside of cherry blossom season, we recommend our National Mall or Memorials & Moonlight tours which cover similar memorials year-round.
How do I cancel or reschedule?
Reply to your confirmation email to cancel or reschedule. Full refunds are available up to 24 hours before the tour. We offer flexible rescheduling and can often accommodate you on another date with short notice. Guests who booked via a third-party platform must cancel through that platform.
Are there restrooms on the tour?
Yes! Most of the memorials we visit will have restrooms. While there are no restrooms at the tour start, there are some nearby.
Book Before the Blossoms Are Gone
Cherry blossom season in DC lasts just a few weeks and this tour fills up fast. Reserve your spot now. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
★★★★★ Rated Excellent on TripAdvisor | Small groups | Family-friendly | Runs nightly | Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Among the manicured gardens and Victorian row houses of DC’s most historic neighborhood lie deep, dark secrets about a forgotten past. Historical figures walked these streets, documented their experiences in letters and journals – and some, it seems, never left.
This is not a jump-scare tour. We’re historians, not ghost hunters. What we offer is something better: the darker side of Georgetown’s real history, told by guides who know where the bodies are buried. Literally, in some cases.
Halloween vibes. All year long.
This tour was researched and written in part by our own COO Canden Arciniega, author of Wicked Georgetown: Scoundrels, Sinners and Spies, published by The History Press.
Check Dates & Book Your Spot
This tour runs nightly and spots fill up fast — especially on weekends and around Halloween. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before, so there’s no risk in reserving your spot now.
⏱ Duration: Approximately 90 minutes
📍 Meets at: Outside the Old Stone House at 3051 M Street NW, near 30th and M St. Tour ends at the Exorcist Steps at 36th and Prospect St NW. (map)
🚇 Getting here: Metro Blue or Orange Line — Foggy Bottom/GWU Station. Georgetown is approximately a 15-minute walk from the station. Rideshare is also a convenient option.
👟 Physical level: Easy — approximately 1 miles. Some uneven terrain.
Georgetown after dark — where the history is richer and the stories are darker than anything you’ll find on a daytime tour.
We don’t just show you the sites. We tell you the stories.
Every stop on this tour has a story most visitors never hear. Our guides bring them to life.
The Old Stone House
The tour begins here — the oldest unchanged building in Washington DC, built in 1765. The staff have reported seeing an 18th-century woman and child wandering the rooms. Visitors often describe an unwelcoming energy and the feeling of being watched. Our guides start here for a reason.
The Civil War Hospital
During the Civil War, Georgetown’s grandest homes became hospitals. What happened inside them — and what residents of those apartments report experiencing today — makes for one of the most unsettling stops on the tour.
The Curse of Abraham Lincoln’s Son
A story that connects Lincoln’s family to Georgetown in a way most people have never heard — and a curse that some believe still lingers. Our guides know the full account.
The House That Hates Electricity
A past resident of this Georgetown home refused to install electricity during his lifetime. His ghost, according to our guides, has made his feelings known ever since. Watch the street lights as you pass. This one is hard to explain.
The Nanny Who Never Left
A story of undying devotion — and very specific rules. One of the most memorable stops on the tour, and one that tends to stick with guests long after they’ve gone home.
The Exorcist Steps
The tour ends here — the 75 stone steps made famous by the 1973 film. Hear the true local story that inspired the movie, and then decide for yourself whether you dare to walk down them at night.
Why tour with a guide?
Georgetown at night is one thing. Georgetown at night with a guide is something else entirely.
You can walk these streets any evening on your own. But without a guide you’re just walking past buildings. Our guides turn those buildings into stories — stories rooted in real history, documented in letters and journals, and told by people who have spent years uncovering them.
Historians, not actors. We don’t do jump scares or theatrical gimmicks. We share documented history from the darker side of Georgetown — which turns out to be far more unsettling than anything scripted.
Written by someone who literally wrote the book. This tour was developed in part by Canden Arciniega, author of Wicked Georgetown. The research behind these stories goes deeper than any other ghost tour in the city.
Genuinely family-friendly. More humor than screams. Suitable for curious kids and adults alike. Nobody jumps out at you.
The Exorcist Steps at night. There is simply no better way to end an evening in Georgetown.
DC by Foot’s Ghosts of Georgetown tour — darker history, better stories, and a guide who knows where every secret is buried.
Everything before you book.
Meeting point
Outside the Old Stone House at 3051 M Street NW, near the corner of 30th and M St. The Old Stone House is the oldest unchanged building in Washington DC and is easy to spot. Look for your guide in DC by Foot attire outside the building. (map)
End point
The tour ends at the Exorcist Steps at 36th and Prospect St NW. The closest Metro stations are Foggy Bottom/GWU or Rosslyn on the Blue, Silver Orange lines. (map)
Getting there
Metro Blue or Orange Line to Foggy Bottom/GWU Station. Georgetown is approximately a 15-minute walk from the station. Rideshare is a convenient option, especially for the return journey from the Exorcist Steps.
What to bring
Comfortable walking shoes — approximately 1.5 miles including some uneven and hilly terrain
Water bottle
Weather-appropriate clothing — tours run rain or shine
Camera — Georgetown at night is one of DC’s most photogenic settings
Accessibility
Georgetown’s historic streets include some uneven terrain and hilly sections. This tour is not recommended for wheelchairs or strollers on public tours. For accessible options please contact us about a private tour.
What’s included
Licensed professional historian and tour guide
Georgetown restaurant, bar, and experience recommendations from your guide
Stories you won’t find anywhere else — researched and developed by the author of Wicked Georgetown
The Old Stone House is the oldest residential building in DC – nearly 200 years of stories.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this tour actually scary?
It depends on your definition of scary. Nobody jumps out at you and there are no theatrical gimmicks. What we offer is something we think is more unsettling — real documented history from Georgetown’s darker past, told by guides who know how to tell a story. Most guests describe it as fascinating, eerie, and genuinely surprising. Some find specific stops quite unnerving. You have been warned.
Is this tour family-friendly?
Yes — this is one of our most popular family tours. The content is more history than horror, with more humor than screams. It is suitable for curious kids of all ages. Nobody jumps out at anyone. Children under 4 are free.
Do you actually believe in ghosts?
Our guides are historians first. We present the documented history and the accounts left behind by the people who lived and worked in these buildings. What you choose to believe is entirely up to you. We will say that some of our guides have had experiences on this tour that are difficult to explain.
What is the Exorcist connection?
The 1973 film The Exorcist was based on a real case that took place in the DC area. The steps at 36th and Prospect St NW featured in the film have become one of Georgetown’s most visited landmarks. Your guide will tell you the full story — both the film and the real events behind it — at the end of the tour.
Is there a Metro stop near Georgetown?
Georgetown does not have its own Metro station. The closest station is Foggy Bottom/GWU on the Blue and Orange lines, approximately a 15-minute walk from the meeting point. Rideshare is a convenient alternative, especially for the return journey from the Exorcist Steps at the end of the tour.
What happens if it rains?
Tours run rain or shine. Bring an umbrella and weather-appropriate clothing. In the event of severe weather, we will contact all guests by email and text with alternative options or a full refund.
How do I cancel or reschedule?
Reply to your confirmation email to cancel or reschedule. Full refunds are available up to 24 hours before the tour. We offer flexible rescheduling and can often accommodate you on another date with short notice. Guests who booked via a third-party platform must cancel through that platform.
Are there restrooms on the tour?
No! This tour takes place in a residential area with no restroom options on the tour or at the tour start.
Small groups | Family-friendly | Runs nightly at 8 PM | Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Gas lanterns and cobblestone streets make Old Town Alexandria one of the prettiest evening walks in the DC area, and this pre-Revolutionary town has been collecting ghost stories for more than 275 years. Join a local guide who lives in Alexandria and has seen the ghosts for themselves.
Along the way you’ll meet a colonial guard still watching out for George Washington, soldiers who don’t know the wars are over, and murdered ladies of the night looking for revenge down dark alleys.
We’re historians, so we don’t dress up or tell slapstick stories. We have the research and the receipts to tell the darker side of Alexandria’s history, and the real record is far scarier than anything scripted.
Darker and scarier than Ghosts of Georgetown, and still family friendly.
This tour is led by professional historians and local Alexandrians who know these streets after dark.
Check Dates & Book Your Spot
This tour runs nightly at 8 PM and spots fill up fast, especially on weekends and around Halloween. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before, so there’s no risk in reserving your spot now.
⏱ Duration: Approximately 90 minutes
📍 Meets at: Outside the Alexandrian Hotel at 480 King Street, at the corner of King and Pitt Streets. Tour ends at the Old Presbyterian Meeting House at 323 South Fairfax Street. (map)
🚇 Getting here: Metro Blue or Yellow Line to King St-Old Town Station, then hop on the free King Street Trolley down to the meeting point. Better yet, come early and have dinner on King Street.
👟 Physical level: Easy. Flat route, stroller and wheelchair friendly.
Old Town after dark, where the rowhouses are just as charming and the stories get a whole lot darker.
We don’t just show you the sites. We tell you the stories.
Every stop on this tour has a story most visitors never hear. Our guides bring them to life.
The Alexandrian Hotel
The tour begins outside the hotel that stands on the site of the old Marshall House. In May 1861, Colonel Elmer Ellsworth, a close friend of Abraham Lincoln, climbed to its roof to tear down a Confederate flag and never made it back down the stairs. Two men were dead within minutes, and our guides start here for a reason.
The Colonial Guard
George Washington called Alexandria his hometown, and not everyone who served him seems ready to stop. More than two centuries after Washington’s death, a colonial guard is still keeping watch, and your guide will show you where he’s been seen.
The Soldiers Who Never Went Home
Alexandria spent the entire Civil War under Union occupation, with its homes and public buildings turned into hospitals and prisons. Soldiers have been passing through Old Town since before the Revolution, and a few of them don’t seem to have gotten word that the wars are over.
The Ladies of the Night
Old Town has always had a rougher side hiding behind its pretty front doors. Hear the stories of the working women who were murdered here and why some believe they’re still looking for revenge down Alexandria’s darkest alleys. You may want to stay close to your guide for this one.
The Old Presbyterian Meeting House
The tour ends at one of Old Town’s oldest congregations, where Alexandria gathered to mourn George Washington in December 1799. Its churchyard holds some of the town’s earliest residents, and after dark it’s a fitting place to decide how much of tonight’s stories you actually believe.
Why tour with a guide?
Old Town is charming by day. After dark, it has a lot more to say.
You can stroll Old Town’s gas-lit streets on your own any evening, but without a guide you’re just admiring pretty rowhouses. Our guides are historians who live in Alexandria, and they’ve spent years uncovering the documented stories behind these doors.
Historians, not costumed actors. We don’t dress up and we don’t do slapstick. We bring the research and the receipts, which is how we get to the darker side of Alexandria’s history.
Led by locals who have seen the ghosts. Your guide lives in Alexandria and has a few personal encounters to add to the historical record.
Our scarier ghost tour. Still family friendly, but darker than Ghosts of Georgetown. If your crew already loved that one, this is the next step up.
Easy for everyone. The route is flat and stroller and wheelchair friendly, and it starts right on King Street, so dinner beforehand is only a few steps away.
DC by Foot’s Ghosts of Alexandria tour, led by local historians with the research to back up every story.
Everything before you book.
Meeting point
Outside the Alexandrian Hotel at 480 King Street, at the corner of King and Pitt Streets. Look for your guide in DC by Foot attire outside the hotel. (map)
End point
The tour ends at the Old Presbyterian Meeting House at 323 South Fairfax Street, just a few blocks from King Street. (map)
Getting there
Metro Blue or Yellow Line to King St-Old Town Station. From the station, take the free King Street Trolley down King Street to the meeting point. Our favorite option is to come early and have dinner at one of the restaurants on King Street, since the tour starts right in the middle of it all. Rideshare is also a convenient option.
What to bring
Comfortable walking shoes for Old Town’s historic brick sidewalks
Water bottle
Weather-appropriate clothing, since tours run rain or shine
Camera, because Old Town under gas lanterns is one of the most photogenic evenings in the DC area
Accessibility
This route is flat and stroller and wheelchair friendly. Some of Old Town’s historic brick sidewalks can be a little bumpy in spots, so please contact us in advance if you have specific accessibility needs. Restrooms are available near the start of the tour.
What’s included
Professional historian and local Alexandria guide
Old Town restaurant, bar, and dessert recommendations from your guide
The darker side of Alexandria’s history, backed by real research
The Old Presbyterian Meeting House, where Alexandria mourned George Washington and where our tour ends after dark.
Make a night (or a weekend) of it.
Old Town Alexandria covers the same streets by daylight, with the history and architecture of one of America’s best-preserved colonial port towns.
Ghosts of Georgetown is our original ghost tour through DC’s most historic neighborhood, ending at the Exorcist Steps.
Capitol Hill Scandals trades ghosts for the secrets and scandals of Washington’s power players after dark.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this tour actually scary?
This is the darker and scarier of our two ghost tours. Nobody jumps out at you and there are no costumed actors, but Alexandria’s documented history is unsettling all on its own, and your guide has some personal encounters to share. If Ghosts of Georgetown felt just right, this one turns things up a notch.
Is this tour family-friendly?
Yes. The stories are darker than on Ghosts of Georgetown, and our guides tell them with care so they work for curious kids and adults alike. You know your family best, so if you have a younger child who scares easily, Ghosts of Georgetown may be the better place to start.
Do you actually believe in ghosts?
Our guides are historians first, and we stick to the documented record. That said, our guides live in Alexandria, and some of them have seen things on these streets they can’t explain. What you choose to believe is entirely up to you.
How is this different from Ghosts of Georgetown?
Both tours are led by historians and built on real research. Ghosts of Georgetown winds through DC’s oldest neighborhood and ends at the Exorcist Steps, while Ghosts of Alexandria stays on the flat, gas-lit streets of Old Town and goes darker. Plenty of guests do both.
How do I get to Old Town Alexandria?
Take the Metro Blue or Yellow Line to King St-Old Town Station, then ride the free King Street Trolley down King Street to the Alexandrian Hotel. Rideshare is also an easy option from DC.
Where should we eat before the tour?
The meeting point is right on King Street, which is lined with restaurants, so dinner nearby is the easiest way to start your evening. Your guide is also happy to share favorite spots for a drink or dessert after the tour.
What happens if it rains?
Tours run rain or shine. Bring an umbrella and weather-appropriate clothing. In the event of severe weather, we will contact all guests by email and text with alternative options or a full refund.
How do I cancel or reschedule?
Reply to your confirmation email to cancel or reschedule. Full refunds are available up to 24 hours before the tour. We offer flexible rescheduling and can often accommodate you on another date with short notice. Guests who booked via a third-party platform must cancel through that platform.
Are there restrooms on the tour?
Restrooms are available near the start of the tour, so we recommend using them before your guide sets off. If you’re having dinner on King Street first, that works too.
Is there a daytime tour of Old Town Alexandria?
Yes. Our Old Town Alexandria tour covers the history and architecture of the same streets during the day, and it makes a great first half to an Alexandria day that ends with this one.
