Bicycle Tours
If you want a change of pace and a little exercise on your vacation, hop on a bike and take a tour. None of these is strenuous, and all cater to families.
Bike the Sites Tour
The Bike the Sites tour group offers three three-hour guided bicycle tours and three biking and walking Family Bike Adventures. All are easy. The Capital Sites Tour is 7 to 8 miles long, The Sites @ Nite and the Monuments Tour are both 4 miles in length. There is a seasonal Cherry Blossom Festival tour as well. The tours are $40 for adults and $30 for kids under twelve. “Family Bike Adventures” are two-and-a-half hours long and cost $35 for adults and $25 for children under twelve. All tours include bicycle rental, a helmet, a licensed guide, bottled water, and a snack.
If the grandparents are along, or the family is just too tuckered to tour, hop on a mobility scooter and see the sites on a four-wheel cart. City Scooter Tours runs a three-hour tour of the Mall and Tidal Basin, with commentary via electronic earphones. Even kids over thirteen can drive along. Cost is $75. Tours are run Wednesdays, 1
DC Tours
This multifaceted company offers a huge array of tours, but we'll concentrate on their bicycle forays here. There are three tours offered: Capital Monuments, Capital Sites, and Capital Evening Sites. Each runs about three hours, and the price includes a guide, bike, helmet (mandatory), and bottled water. In addition, trailer carriages or tandems are available. The tours are run at a relaxing pace for the “occasional” exerciser. Fees for the Capital Monuments and Capital Evening tours are $47.95, minus a $5 discount via Internet, children under twelve pay $31.95. The Capital Monument tour is $42.95, minus a $5 Internet discount; kids pay $26.95. Tours are conducted from March 25 through November 11, 10
