Washington DC Day Trip from NYC with Kids: Too Long?

How long the day really is

Plan on 14 hours at the least. The Washington day trip by bus, rated 4.7 from more than 600 reviews and the best-rated of the well-reviewed shared day trips on this site, lists 14 hours. Most others list 15. Departures from Midtown are at 6:00, 7:00 or 8:00 AM on several tours, and 5:00 AM on the Washington and Philadelphia trip.

The drive is about 225 miles each way, four to five hours with a breakfast stop, and traffic around New York and Baltimore can make it longer. That leaves four to five hours in Washington, most of it on foot between stops. A 6:00 AM start means waking children around 5:00, and a 15-hour tour gets you back to Midtown around 9 PM, often later.

For a full breakdown of the hours, see how long a Washington day trip takes.

Which ages cope best

Teenagers usually cope best, and children under about eight find it hardest. A 14-hour day feels very different with a seven-year-old than with a fifteen-year-old.

Teens and older children who have met the Lincoln Memorial, the Kennedys or the space race at school tend to get the most out of it. They can manage the walking, sleep on the coach, and follow a guide’s commentary at Arlington and the war memorials.

Children aged about eight to twelve can enjoy it if they travel well and you choose a tour with museum time. Expect boredom on the long stretches and plan screens, snacks and a nap.

Under-sevens are the hard case. The early wake-up, two four-hour drives and a timetable that does not wait for naps or tantrums all add up. Most of the day is spent strapped in, and there is little in it built for small children. If you have toddlers, look at the private and overnight options below.

Tour rules for children

Each shared tour has its own rules on children, bags and food. The ones that matter for families:

On the day trip by bus ($129 per person), eating inside the vehicle is not allowed. Bring snacks and plan to eat at the stops. On quieter days the group travels in vans of about 14.
On the Washington in a day tour ($129 per person), children must travel with an adult, and suitcases or large bags may cost $10 each.
On the Washington and Philadelphia tour ($115 per person), guests under 18 must travel with an adult, the start is 5:00 AM, and you are asked to bring your own child safety seat for young children.
On the day trip to Washington ($114 per person), strollers are allowed only when that day’s trip runs by coach, so ask about the vehicle before you book.
The tour with free time for museums does not carry luggage or large bags.

Arlington National Cemetery checks ID at the gate. Visitors aged 16 and over must show valid photo ID; 16- and 17-year-olds can use a valid school ID, and all foreign visitors, teenagers included, need a passport. Photos or copies are not accepted, so pack the originals.

Strollers, walking and accessibility

A shared day trip involves a lot of walking and is not set up for strollers or wheelchairs. The van or bus day trip, the Highlights tour, the museums tour and the Washington in a day tour all list themselves as unsuitable for people with mobility impairments and for wheelchair users. Several cannot carry mobility scooters.

On foot, the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial is about two miles, and the Arlington visit is up to an hour on foot. A light folding stroller helps with a small child, but check the vehicle first, since some tours run vans with little space.

The museums are easier. The National Museum of Natural History is stroller friendly, with ramps or step-free entrances and elevators to every floor, and the National Air and Space Museum allows strollers too.

Food on the day

No shared day trip includes meals, so you pack or buy everything. Most have a breakfast stop on the drive south, at a travel plaza in Delaware or Maryland, and 75 to 90 minutes of free time in Washington that doubles as lunch. On the bus tour you cannot eat on board at all.

Pack water and plenty of snacks for the stops, and a bigger bag of food for the drive home if your tour allows eating on board. Food and drink are not allowed in the Air and Space Museum’s galleries, although bottled water is.

What kids tend to enjoy

The museums usually win. The National Air and Space Museum is full of real aircraft and spacecraft, and it now needs a free timed-entry pass for every visitor, babies included, so reserve one or check whether your tour arranges it. The city highlights tour gives 75 minutes there, including lunch.

The National Museum of Natural History needs no ticket. Its fossil hall holds around 700 specimens, dinosaurs included, and the Hope Diamond sits in the gems hall. Pick a tour with 90 minutes of free time on the Mall, such as the museums tour, to get there.

Outside, children tend to remember the Lincoln Memorial’s giant statue, the Reflecting Pool, and seeing the White House for real. Older children often find Arlington and the Kennedy graves moving. The Iwo Jima Memorial is on several routes and makes a good photo stop.

When a private car or an overnight is better

A private car starts to suit families of four or more with young children. The private car from New York collects you at your own accommodation around 7:00 AM, uses a sedan for one to three travellers and a larger vehicle for four or more, and hands you to a private guide in Washington. It is still a 14-hour day with about nine hours on the road, but nobody else rides in the car. The price behaves like a car hire: on a mid-October date we checked, four travellers paid $3,412 in total. New York State law requires a suitable car seat for children under 8, so ask what the operator provides. The operator also asks guests with disabilities to get in touch before the day. See private Washington tours from NYC.

An overnight suits families with young children best. Take the train, which gets you to Union Station in about three to three and a half hours with room to walk around, and stay a night. In Washington, the private tour with a luxury vehicle (from $520 per group up to 5, rated 4.8 from 41 reviews) is stroller and wheelchair accessible and picks you up at your hotel. The monuments bike tour covers about four flat miles and rents toddler trailers and tag-a-longs. The organised two-day tour ($340 per person) prices by room, so a family sharing a triple or quad pays less each. Compare the options on the 2-day Washington trips page.

Frequently asked questions

Is a Washington day trip from NYC suitable for children?

For teenagers and older children interested in history, yes. For children under about seven, the 14 to 15 hour day with around nine hours on the road is usually too much, and an overnight works better.

Do children pay full price on Washington day trips from New York?

The shared tours on this site list one per-person price, from $107 to $129, and every child needs a seat. Check the booking box for your date to see whether a child rate is offered.

Can I bring a stroller on a Washington day tour?

Sometimes. One tour allows strollers only when that day’s trip runs by coach, and several use vans with little space. Ask the operator before you book, and bring a light folding stroller.

Do kids need ID for Arlington National Cemetery?

Only from age 16. Visitors 16 and over need valid photo ID, 16- and 17-year-olds can use a school ID, and all foreign visitors need a passport.

Can we eat on the coach?

It depends on the tour. The day trip by bus does not allow eating inside the vehicle, so plan to eat at the breakfast stop and during free time in Washington.

Ready to choose? Compare the family-friendly options on the Washington DC day trips page.

Washington DC from New York with kids: is the day trip too long?