DC tour at night

[Anonymous]

We live in the area but have my brother and sister’s families visiting us. We are planning to rent a limousine for 4-5 hrs to see DC at night. It will be 14 of us. We are in Fairfax . Planning for pick up at our home around 7:30 pm , go to National Harbor and DC after. Has anyone done this? Is it worth it? Any suggestions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We live in the area but have my brother and sister’s families visiting us. We are planning to rent a limousine for 4-5 hrs to see DC at night. It will be 14 of us. We are in Fairfax . Planning for pick up at our home around 7:30 pm , go to National Harbor and DC after. Has anyone done this? Is it worth it? Any suggestions.

That’s a long time. Too long.

[Anonymous]

Not sure what do you mean by long time? We are thinking about stepping out and walk. Spend time at eye and near the National Mall
Back home

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not sure what do you mean by long time? We are thinking about stepping out and walk. Spend time at eye and near the National Mall
Back home

So what is your question?

[Anonymous]

I’d check with the Limo company about specifically want to do. In summer, I don’t think they can get right up to monuments without a permit, especially in a big car.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure what do you mean by long time? We are thinking about stepping out and walk. Spend time at eye and near the National Mall
Back home

So what is your question?

Is it worth going at night?
If anyone else did it any suggestions what to do and what not to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’d check with the Limo company about specifically want to do. In summer, I don’t think they can get right up to monuments without a permit, especially in a big car.

Thank you . I didn’t even think about it. Will be contacting a company tomorrow.

[Anonymous]

I’ve lived in DC for 13 years and I still love the monuments at night. I’ve always had no trouble parking to walk around the MLK, but I haven’t tried to park elsewhere. It’s not unreasonable to walk from the MLK to the Korea War Memorial and the Lincoln, but would probably be better to be dropped off and picked up at the Lincoln. I like to drive around the Lincoln and then over the bridge to Arlington National Cemetery, then back into dc over the same bridge - the approach is really cool. The only other monument I’d consider walking around at night is the Jefferson, and honestly I’m not sure I’d do that this year, and it’s just as beautiful from across the tidal basin. The drive I’ve done takes about an hour or so, including walking around at MLK. If you also stop at Lincoln and the Korean it would be longer.

Will you go to national harbor first? It doesn’t get really dark until 9ish so with a 7:30 pickup you’ll have some time to kill, even coming from Fairfax.

Last summer when I took family we ended up going to the wharf to get ice cream at Ben & Jerry’s.

I agree with seeing what the limo company recommends but 4-5 hours seems about right to me.

[Anonymous]

My first reaction was DC from 7 to midnight these days in a touristy area which draws criminals? No thanks.

[Anonymous]

Please post back to tell us what you end up doing and how much it costs.

[Anonymous]

We did this with Old Town Trolley tours recently with another family that was visiting -- they have a "monuments by moonlight" tour that's really good. I grew up in the D.C. area and always thought of this sort of thing as being just for tourists, but ... turned out we all loved it!

It was $55/adult and cheaper for kids, don't remember the exact rate. It was definitely much less than renting private transportation just for our group would have been.

To the PP who wouldn't want to be in D.C. after dark in a touristy area "which draws criminals," or for anyone with similar concerns, I can assure you the most dangerous thing that happened on the tour (and even this was not remotely dangerous) was when the kids were sliding down some ramps at the Lincoln Memorial.