U.S. Capitol vs Washington Monument: which should you do first?

If you only have time for one, do U.S. Capitol first. Its top ten experiences average an Outty Ranking of 88 against 87 for Washington Monument, and it has 176 ranked ways to see it versus 172. Washington Monument is the cheaper entry at $38, so it is the better pick on a tight budget. With a full day in Washington DC, pair them: plan Washington Monument in the morning, as it is the shorter visit on average.

Ranked experiences at U.S. Capitol start from $58 and at Washington Monument from $38 per person. Washington Monument can also be visited for free; paid options add guides, skip-the-line access or transport.

Experiences at U.S. Capitol run 4 hours on average and at Washington Monument 3.3 hours, so both fit in one day in Washington DC with a break in between.

Yes. Book the longer visit for the morning when crowds are lighter, and keep the afternoon for the other. 100% of U.S. Capitol options and 100% of Washington Monument options offer free cancellation, which makes it easy to adjust.

For U.S. Capitol: Washington DC "See the City" Guided Sightseeing Segway Tour (Outty Ranking 91, from $70). For Washington Monument: Washington DC "See the City" Guided Sightseeing Segway Tour (Outty Ranking 91, from $70).