Private city tours from Annapolis: the historic district, Washington, DC and Baltimore by car

How does a private city tour by car work?

You book a vehicle and chauffeur by the hour, and the day runs on your list. The chauffeur picks you up at home or your hotel, drops you at the first stop, waits while you look around and takes you on to the next. Sightseeing is one of the services we offer, and the hourly booking is what makes it work.

With an hourly booking the chauffeur is on call for the whole booked period, and unplanned stops within that time are included, so a detour to something you spot along the way costs nothing extra as long as it fits in your hours. The hourly rate covers the vehicle, fuel and an experienced chauffeur, on the road and on standby. Tolls and parking are extra, and time starts at the scheduled pickup.

For the history, many sites have their own visitor centers, rangers or guided tours; the car links them together.

What can we see on an Annapolis historic district tour?

Downtown Annapolis is compact and easy to walk, but its streets are narrow and visitor parking is mostly garages and two-hour meters around City Dock. A car that drops you off and comes back for you saves the hunt for a space. The main stops:

• The Maryland State House. The oldest state capitol in continuous legislative use, and the only state house that has also served as the nation's capitol, from November 1783 to August 1784. George Washington resigned his military commission before Congress in its Old Senate Chamber on December 23, 1783.
• The U.S. Naval Academy. Visitors without a Defense Department or DBIDS credential park outside and walk in through Gate 1, and adults need a REAL ID-compliant driver's license or state ID, or a passport. The Armel-Leftwich Visitor Center is the place to start.
• City Dock. The harbor at the foot of Main Street, with boats along the water and the State House dome above the rooftops.

At the Naval Academy, the simplest plan is to be dropped near Gate 1, see the Yard on foot and be picked up at a time and place you agree with your chauffeur.

What does a Washington, DC tour from Annapolis look like?

Washington is about 30 miles from Annapolis on US-50, usually 45 to 75 minutes each way depending on traffic, so the drive is part of the plan. The National Mall is the obvious centerpiece:

• The U.S. Capitol at the east end of the Mall.
• The Washington Monument and the memorials to the west: Lincoln, World War II, Vietnam Veterans and Korean War Veterans, and around the Tidal Basin, Martin Luther King Jr. and Jefferson.
• The Smithsonian museums along both sides of the Mall.

From the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial is close to two miles, so a car that moves you from one end to the other saves a lot of walking. Stopping is restricted on many streets around the Mall, so your chauffeur drops you where a car can stop and meets you at a point you agree.

Union Station, Embassy Row and the Kennedy Center fit easily into the same day. For more on the drive itself, see our guide to getting from Annapolis to DC without driving.

Is a night tour of the DC monuments worth it?

For many visitors, yes. The National Park Service keeps National Mall and Memorial Parks open 24 hours a day, and the memorials are lit after dark. The Mall is quieter at night, the drive from Annapolis is easier once the evening rush is over, and the car can take you between memorials that are a long walk apart.

A night tour suits an hourly booking: set the Annapolis pickup for after the rush, list the memorials you want to see, and the chauffeur brings you home at the end.

What can we see on a Baltimore tour?

Baltimore's Inner Harbor is about 30 miles north of Annapolis, usually 40 to 60 minutes by car, much of it on I-97. Good stops include:

• The Inner Harbor, the downtown waterfront, with the National Aquarium and historic ships along the promenade.
• Fort McHenry, at the tip of Locust Point. Its defense during the Battle of Baltimore on September 13 and 14, 1814, inspired Francis Scott Key to write the words that became the national anthem. The National Park Service runs the site.
• Fells Point and Federal Hill, two historic neighborhoods a short drive from the harbor.

Which vehicle fits our group?

The vehicle is booked as a whole, with no per-person charge. Sightseeing means getting in and out many times, so if your group is right at a vehicle's limit, consider the next size up. If you need a child or booster seat, ask when you book: we will try to provide one at the applicable rate and tell you in advance if we cannot. Every vehicle is on the fleet page.

How many hours should we book?

Work the day out before you book. Add up:

• The drive out and back: usually 45 to 75 minutes each way to DC and 40 to 60 minutes each way to Baltimore, longer at rush hour. An Annapolis tour starts at your door.
• Your time at each stop, including security screening at places like the Naval Academy and the Capitol.
• A buffer for traffic and for the stop you add on the day.

Some sites ask you to reserve tours or timed entry ahead, so check each one before the day.

Then book that many hours on the booking form or call (410) 988-4495. Booking at least 24 hours ahead is strongly recommended, and booking 48 hours ahead gets a lower rate. There is more on our city tours and hourly car service pages.