Washington DC Explorer Pass

The Washington DC Explorer Pass by Smart Destinations is a promising new product from this perennial favorite attractions pass company. The DC Explorer Pass is flexible, convenient, and easy to use. You can choose any 3, 4, or 5 attractions out of the ten available attractions, and you have 30 days to visit all of your attractions after the first visit. No need to select your attractions in advance, just pick as you go along. You’ll also get a full refund through their free cancellation insurance if you’re unable to use the card one year after purchase.

The Washington DC Explorer Pass is an ideal way to explore our nation’s capital. There is so much to do and see in this bustling metropolitan area that it can be hard to feel like you’re doing the city justice on any one vacation. However, with this product, you’ll get to hit up top museums, tours, and attractions while getting an overview of what DC has to offer visitors and residents alike.

Soak up the marvelous sights on a hop-on hop-off bus tour. Explore top museums and historical sites, including George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate. Enjoy boating the city’s many waterways, and more. You can see DC a whole new way with the Washington DC Explorer Pass.

Top Washington, DC Attractions

Hop-on Hop-Off Tour
International Spy Museum
The Crime Museum
Washington Monuments Cruise
Boating in DC
National Geographic Museum
Madame Tussauds
Bike n’ Roll DC
Newseum
George Washington’s Mount Vernon

Washington DC Explorer Pass Strengths

The most convenient and user-friendly part of this pass is how flexible it is. You have your pick of 10 of the best area attractions that range from educational and informative to just plain fun. Choose as you go along without worrying about committing in advance.

Another big benefit is that you have 30 days to visit the attractions, so the pass is a useful product for locals and visitors alike. Visit a couple things over multiple weekends, or do it all in a long weekend or week-long stay in the city.

The Washington DC Explorer Pass is the perfect choice for travelers who don’t want the pressure of spending every single moment sightseeing. Pick only the attractions you want to see, when you want to see them. No worrying about doing a ton to get the best value out of the pass. Another plus in this category is that not everyone in your party needs to do the same thing – you all have the flexibility to visit your favorites!

One of the top features of this product is the instant delivery option. That means you can purchase at any time and receive a digital pass directly to your e-mail. No hassle of waiting for shipping or finding a pickup location. Plus, you can then use the pass on your smartphone for admission – a convenient, paperless way to enjoy your attractions.

The Washington DC Explorer Pass also comes with free digital guidebook that includes priceless information for out-of-town visitors, like directions, maps, transit info, tips and advice on making the most of your attraction visits, and more. It’s an invaluable aid to vacation planners.

What Could get better?

The Washington DC Explorer Pass is in an interesting position in the DC market. Because of the Smithsonian’s significant endowment, they’re able to offer free admission to all visitors at each of their family of museums, which includes a number of the city’s most popular attractions. So if you’re interested in, say, the Air and Space Museum or the National Zoo, you won’t need this product for admission to those attractions.

It would also be nice to see the DC Explorer Pass offer some more attractions like walking tours, food tours, and other historical / heritage tours. As of now, they offer only monument sightseeing cruise and they could include a few more similar options.

Get Your Money’s Worth

As with most multi-attraction passes, the best way to ensure that you’re maximizing the value of your pass is to pay attention to how you’re using it. Spend a little time researching admission prices to each attraction, and figure out what it would cost you to visit them without the Explorer Pass.

For example, a 3-Choice Explorer Pass costs $59 per adult. If you take the hop-on hop-off bus tour ($35), the Monuments Cruise ($28), and the boat rental ($30), you’re getting $93 worth of value out of the product that you paid less than $60 for – a really good deal.

If you choose less expensive attractions, however, like the National Geographic Museum ($15), George Washington’s Mount Vernon ($18), and the International Spy Museum ($23.21), you’re only getting $56.21 worth of value for a product you actually paid $59 for – so you’re not saving any money in this scenario.

Of course, since most of the attractions on the pass cost over $20, there are many more combinations of attractions that save you money than those that don’t – so the value is definitely there.

One last thing to keep in mind about maximizing your value is that occasionally museums offer free admission days and/or discounted admission to students, residents, members of the military, and seniors. If such a situation applies to you, then you may save more paying out of the pocket than you would with the pass. Do a little bit of research in advance, which can help you decide what you would use the pass for, and whether you want to buy the 3, 4, or 5 choice pass.

Insider Washington DC Explorer Pass Tips

Most attractions are conveniently located near Metro stops (the DC public transit system), so invest in a one-day pass for unlimited rides, available in every station.

If you really want to get the most for your money, the 5-Choice Explorer Pass is the best deal since most of the attractions are valued between $20-30.

Because the Washington DC Explorer Pass is currently only available for instant delivery, you’ll be using e-tickets for admission to each attraction. Don’t want to use your smartphone, or don’t have one? Print out the tickets and use the paper copies!

Where to Buy the Washington DC Explorer Pass

The only place the buy the card is at the Smart Destinations website. They also have a great return policy. If you are pressed for time, use the instant delivery option.