This is the build-your-own DC tour. Instead of a fixed route, you start with a menu of monument stops, day-trip destinations, and themed angles, then a dispatcher assembles them into one chauffeured day around your group’s size, hours, and must-sees. Tell us what you want to see and who’s coming. We design the route, recommend the right vehicle, and quote the full price before you confirm anything.
The stops you can choose from
Almost every custom DC tour is built on the same core monuments circuit the popular packages run, then trimmed or extended. Here is the actual menu.
The DC monuments circuit (the common base, about 4 hours). Eleven walk-up photo stops in driver order: the U.S. Capitol, the White House, the World War I Memorial, the World War II Memorial, the Washington Monument, the Jefferson Memorial, the FDR Memorial, the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and the Lincoln Memorial. Along the way the chauffeur narrates roughly 19 drive-by landmarks, including the Supreme Court, the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian museums on the Mall, FBI Headquarters, Pennsylvania Avenue, and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. This is the same route as the Welcome to DC half-day tour, so it is the simplest starting point to customize.
Full-day extensions (6 to 8 hours). Add Arlington National Cemetery and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the USMC War Memorial (Iwo Jima), the Air Force Memorial, and Georgetown. Bundled with the core circuit, this is the Welcome to DC full-day tour. Prefer the monuments after dark, lit up and uncrowded? That is the DC night tour.
Out-of-city day trips. Mount Vernon, George Washington’s estate about 16 miles south on the GW Parkway, runs as its own Mount Vernon tour and pairs well with Old Town Alexandria. Gettysburg, the Civil War battlefield about 80 miles north and roughly 90 minutes each way, is the Gettysburg battlefield tour. Virginia and Maryland wine country, where no one in your group has to be the designated driver, is covered on the wine country tours.
Themed angles. Want a point of view instead of the standard loop? We build African American heritage routes (see the dedicated African American heritage tour), Capitol Hill and the workings of Congress, Embassy Row along Massachusetts Avenue, hidden gems and lesser-known stops, military memorials, and cherry blossoms along the Tidal Basin in season. Mix any of these with the monuments base.
How customizing actually works
A custom itinerary is not just ticking boxes on a list. The chauffeur’s whole day is built around your priorities, timing, and pace, and you can add or drop a stop on the spot. Spend 90 minutes inside the National Museum of Natural History and skip the Capitol entirely if that is what your group wants.
To build it, call (202) 609-9811 or email info@smartlimorental.com with three things: your group size, how many hours you have, and your must-see stops (a rough list is fine). A dispatcher maps the route in driver order, picks the vehicle that fits the group, and sends back a full quote. Nothing is locked until you confirm. As a rough planning guide, four hours comfortably covers the 11-stop monuments circuit, and each additional out-of-city destination such as Mount Vernon or Gettysburg adds a few hours of drive time on top.
Vehicle choices for a custom tour
The vehicle scales with your group, and so does the rate. Pricing starts from $380 for a 3-hour Town Car (executive sedan, up to 3 guests); the Executive SUV is $420 for 3 hours or $480 for 4 (up to 6); larger vehicles run as listed below. We promise the class of vehicle, not a specific make.
| Group size | Vehicle | Minimum | From | Hourly after |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 3 | Executive Sedan (Town Car class) | 3 hr | $380 | $110/hr |
| 1 to 6 | Executive SUV (most popular for tours) | 3 hr | $420 ($480 for 4 hr) | $120/hr |
| 1 to 10 | Stretch Limousine | 4 hr | $540 | $135/hr |
| 1 to 13 | Mercedes Sprinter Van | 4 hr | $560 | $140/hr |
| Up to 18 | White Hummer Limousine | 4 hr | $760 | $190/hr |
| 22 to 32 | Executive Mini Bus | 4 hr | $720 | $180/hr |
| 33 to 55 | Luxury Coach Bus | 4 hr | $890 | $222/hr |
Multi-day programs get a flat package quote. Long-distance routes with five or more hours of drive time are quoted on the full route.
Add a dedicated tour guide
The chauffeur knows DC history and shares context along the route, but a custom tour is vehicle-anchored, not guide-anchored. If you want a fully narrated experience at every stop, add a dedicated tour guide who rides along and walks the group through each monument: $250 for the first 4 hours, then $62.50 an hour, on demand. It is the popular choice for larger groups and corporate outings. Mention it when you call and we confirm a guide’s availability by phone or email.
Common questions about custom DC tours
How many stops fit in a custom tour? The 11-stop monuments circuit fills about four hours at an easy pace with photo time at each one. Plan on roughly one walk-up stop every 20 to 25 minutes, faster if you keep some as drive-bys. Adding museums, a Georgetown lunch, or an out-of-city leg like Mount Vernon means adding hours rather than squeezing the day.
Can I mix DC monuments with Mount Vernon or Gettysburg in one tour? Yes. A monuments morning plus a Mount Vernon afternoon is a common full day. Gettysburg is a longer commitment because of the 90-minute drive each way, so it usually anchors its own day. The dispatcher will tell you what realistically fits the hours you have before you book.
How far in advance do I need to book? 48 hours is enough for most custom routes. Multi-day programs, multiple vehicles, a dedicated tour guide, or a Gettysburg run need about a week. Same-day is sometimes possible by phone if a vehicle is free, with lighter route planning.
Can I change the itinerary on the day? Yes. The plan you give us at booking is a starting point. Add a stop, cut one, linger at a museum, or detour somewhere on a whim. The chauffeur runs whatever you decide, and the hourly rate carries on either way.
What’s included in the price? The vehicle and the chauffeur.
Build your DC tour
Call (202) 609-9811 or email info@smartlimorental.com with your date, group size, and the stops you care about. A dispatcher answers 24/7, maps the route in driver order, and sends a full quote before you confirm. Want a route that already exists? Browse every fixed itinerary on the DC tour packages hub, or book online.
