Know the Way
A professional tour leader is prepared to offer directions and is knowledgeable about group entrances and drop-off locations. These pages will get you started.
Motorcoach Travel
- Know motorcoach drop-off locations and city guidelines for motorcoach travel.
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DDOT and Destination DC offer a one-stop-shop for all motorcoach and group tour operators visiting the District. Call the hotline for information on parking, permitting, routing and more!
For information about street closures, call the Office of Emergency Preparedness at 202.727.3159 during business hours.
- Plan driving routes between all locations on your itinerary. Also, have an alternate plan in case of a road closing or major delay. Carry extra city maps to share with the motorcoach operator if the situation calls for it. Remember, it is the driver’s primary responsibility is to operate the vehicle safely.
- Want to easily identify your buses? Customize and print this bus sign!
Site Navigation
Before you visit a site:
- Know the location of the Group Entrance for all sites on your itinerary. Visit the vendor website or call the vendor for this information.
- Know the location of the restrooms. It’s often the first question asked!
- Ask yourself, “If the chaperones had maps, would it ease anxiety and make the trip flow more smoothly?” If the answer is yes, print a few maps of the site or the area. Highlight your meeting point and write your meeting time at the appropriate location.
Here are several maps to get you started:
- National Mall
- Arlington National Cemetery
- Embassy Row – Massachusetts Avenue
- Embassy Row – New Hampshire Avenue
- Holocaust Memorial Museum Visitor’s Guide
- International Spy Museum
- John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
- Library of Congress
- Mount Vernon – George Washington’s Estate
- Metro
- National Arboretum
- National Archives
- National Gallery of Art – East Building
- National Gallery of Art – West Building
- National Gallery of Art – Sculpture Garden
- National Mall Memorials
- Newseum
- Smithsonian Museums
- Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
- Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum – Udvar Hazy Center
- Smithsonian National Museum of American History
- Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian
- Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
- Smithsonian National Postal Museum
- Smithsonian National Zoo
- Smithsonian Wheelchair Accessibility Map
- U.S. Capitol Visitor’s Center
- U.S. Botanic Gardens
- Washington National Cathedral
Virtual Tours
Get a more in-depth understanding of a site by taking the virtual tour.
- The White House
- National Zoo: Take a virtual visit to the zoo and watch many of the animals on live web cams.
- United States Capitols and Landmarks Tour
- National Aquarium
- Washington National Cathedral
- Embassy Row Tour
- Frederick Douglas National Historic Site
- George Washington’s Mount Vernon Mansion Tour
- Arlington National Cemetery
- National Arboretum
- United States Botanic Garden
- Capitol Hill – Explore each of the buildings located on Capitol Hill.
- US Capitol Rotunda : View interactive panoramics of the US Capitol Rotunda. Use the navigation at the bottom of the panoramic to visit:
- Supreme Court
- Library of Congress
- United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Online Exhibitions
- National Archives
- National Gallery of Art
- Smithsonian National Postal Museum
- Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
- Smithsonian National Museum of American History Current Exhibitions
- Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum – Udvar – Hazy Center: High Resolution Photos and 360 degree panoramas.
- Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum – National Mall Online Exhibitions
- Smithsonian Museum of American Indian Online Exhibitions
- Smithsonian Museum of American Art and Renwick Gallery Online Exhibitions
- Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery Web Online Exhibitions
- Newseum
- International Spy Museum
- Hirshhorn Museum Current Exhibitions
- Lincoln Memorial
- Korean War Veterans Memorial
- Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
- Jefferson Memorial
- Navy Memorial
- Ford’s Theatre
- The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
- Folger Shakespeare Library – Elizabethan Theatre
Useful Smartphone Apps
Ease navigation with these helpful smartphone apps: