Q: Why is your tour more expensive?
A: First, it’s longer than most other tours in Washington, DC, because we don’t think you can see the whole city in three or four hours. Second, we hire separate tour guides and drivers. This means you get more personal attention from our tour guide because he doesn’t have to watch the road. You won’t find another tour company in Washington DC where the tour guides accompany you on short walks to see the attractions up close. Third, we don’t sell as many tickets. We keep our groups smaller so that you get a better tour experience. Fourth, our shuttles are brand new. You won’t find a more comfortable tour in Washington DC. If you need more reasons, see “Why should I take a DC Party Shuttle Sightseeing Tour?,” below.

Q: What is your tour schedule?
A: Our six-hour comprehensive tour leaves at 10:00am and returns at 4:00pm every day of the year except for Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Our night tours leave at 7:00pm and return at 10:00pm every day except Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Private tours, with advance notice, are available any day or time of the year.

Q: How much time do you spend at each attraction?
A: As you can expect, some landmarks are more time-consuming than others.  With this in mind, there is no set time for each attraction.  Our Tour Guides are trained to watch how the tour group progresses at each landmark and adjust the tour accordingly.  Keep in mind, we still have a lot of sightseeing to do in 6 hours, so we do like to keep the tour group moving. You will have plenty of time to take photos of the landmarks, but our tour is meant to be an overview, so plan to set aside additional time to go back and visit your favorite attractions.

Q: How does DC Party Shuttle handle Arlington Cemetery?
A: The short answer is that you will probably want to allot some time to go back to Arlington Cemetery after your tour. Because of the time constraints of our tour, you will only get a brief glimpse of the cemetery. Arlington Cemetery is easily reachable by Metro train, and then we recommend you purchase a ticket on the National Park Service’s Arlington tour trolley. It will take you to the Kennedy gravesites, Lee Mansion, and to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where we highly recommend you stay to watch a changing of the guard. The Party Shuttle Tour stops briefly at Arlington Cemetery so that you can learn its history and get a view of the rows of tombstones marking the graves of those who gave their lives for our country.

Q: Do we get to see the Smithsonian?
A:  The DC Party Shuttle Tour will walk around the Washington Mall, so you will see the buildings of the Smithsonian, but there is no time to actually tour a museum. We suggest you set aside a full day after your tour to visit your favorite Smithsonian Museums.

Q: Does the Washington D.C. Party Shuttle stop at every landmark on your itinerary? Do we get out of the shuttle at every attraction?
A: Yes.  Traffic permitting, we make a stop at every item listed on the top half of our sightseeing itinerary to provide everyone ample time to walk around and take pictures.  The Tour Guide also will get off the shuttle with the group at each stop and provide a historical narrative of the landmark, its architecture, and other tidbits you may have not known about Washington, D.C., and its landmarks.  The items on the bottom half of the itinerary will be viewed either from the shuttle or from other nearby attractions.  

Q: Why is it called Party Shuttle?
A: Unlike other tour companies and traditional airplanes and trains, we keep our groups smaller and manageable so we can have more interaction with our tour passengers, and so that our customers can have the opportunity to interact with each other.  The smaller shuttle creates a more relaxed, informal, and friendly environment for sightseeing in Washington, D.C.  It's more like a party at a friend's place where you meet new people than it is like an impersonal tour bus where you don’t even know your guide’s name.  Our customers relate to each other so well that we've even had strangers take pictures with one another at the end of the tour.

Q:  What do we do for lunch?
A:  Food is not included in the tour price.  The tour will drive across the Potomac River to Pentagon City Mall for a lunch stop at their food court. There are many food choices while you are there. Our customers prefer to have the broad choices for lunch.

Q: Do you mail me tickets?
A:  No.  We employ an easy-to-use ticketless reservation system.  Your email confirmation is your tour ticket.  Thus, there is no reason to deal with the hassles of tickets and mail.

Q: Do you offer private sightseeing tours of Washington, D.C.?
A: Yes we do.  We have an array of private sightseeing tours of Washington DC, including shuttle, van, and walking tours for you to choose from, please check out our private tours page.

Q: How do I book my Washington DC Party Shuttle mixed-group tour?
A: Online on our secure server. Click Buy Now above.

Q:  Where do you meet the tour shuttle?  Where does the tour start?
A:  Old Post Office Building on Pennsylvania Avenue NW, between 11th and 12th Streets. Your ticketless email confirmation will have it printed on the bottom so there is no reason to write it down now.

Q:  I'm driving a car into Washington, D.C.  Where should I park near the tour starting point?
A:  There are plenty of parking locations around the National Archives and Old Post Office.  The key is to pay no more than $30 for 10 hour parking.  Most of the cross streets between 11th and 15th Streetshave parking garages just north of Pennsylvania Avenue.

Q:  What type of vehicles does Washington DC Party Shuttle operate?
A:  We normally use 35-passenger shuttles for our daily mixed group and night tours. We often use 15-passenger vans for our private tours (see private tours pricing).  We do not allow customers to pick and choose their vehicles, however we do allow large same-party groups to stay together on one bus.  Depending on demand and/or our service schedule, we reserve the right to substitute a 49-passenger bus with PA system and bathroom on board for our mixed-group tours.

Q:  Can I bring my baby stroller or a wheel chair on board?
A:  Currently, our shuttles are not wheel chair accessible and there is not much room for a baby stroller on board.  One of the benefits of the DC Party Shuttle Tour is during the longer walks (which there are not many) one can stay on board the shuttle near the landmark without feeling like they have to get out every time.

Q:  Where does the tour end?
A:  The tour ends where it began, behind the National Archives Building on Pennsylvania Avenue. From there, you can walk to the Smithsonian, the Old Post Office, the Ronald Reagan Building, Ford’s Theater, the FBI Building, or even the White House. Of course, there is a Metro subway station across the street that gives you access to all of Washington, D.C.

Q: What is the age limit for kids pricing?
A: Children under 12 can take the Party Shuttle Tour for $55. Infants under 2 years old may ride for free if they ride in their parent's lap during the tour.  If you feel you would be more comfortable having a seat for your infant, please purchase a child's ticket.

Q: What additional expenses should we expect?
A: You should plan on paying for lunch, but that is the only other expense of the tour.

Q: Are tips included?
A: No.  We ask that you plan to tip your driver and tour guide.  A good rule of thumb is 15%, or $9.00 to $10.00 per person.

Q: Can we bring carry-on bags on board your shuttle?
A: Although small bags are allowed, we strongly suggest that you leave your bags in your hotel room. Due to security concerns, we reserve the right to search any bags or purses you bring on board. Many of the attractions in Washington, D.C., are now equipped with metal detectors at the entrances. As a result, you will find you are better off without a bag or purse.

Q: Why should I take a DC Party Shuttle Sightseeing tour?
A:  We offer the ONLY comprehensive guided tour in Washington, D.C. Do not make the mistake of thinking that we are just another tour company. Our tour product is unique. No other tour company in DC offers a separate driver and tour guide. Although this makes our tour a little more expensive, it makes it a much better tour. No other tour company has the tour guide walk with you through the various attractions DC has to offer. You will learn much more about the culture, architecture, history, and trivia of Washington DC from our tour than from any other tour in town. Further, our service is better. Why would you pay for a tour and then leave the tour guide behind on the bus when you get off to look at the attractions? Don’t leave your tour guide behind! 

Still have questions? Email us at customerservice@dcpartyshuttle.com