2 hours
E-voucher
English
Your walking tour starts outside St. John's Church in Washington DC, where you'll meet your guide and set off on your tour, learning about Abraham Lincoln's last day in the White House.
Continue to Lafayette Square Park to see Civil War–era homes and buildings, which set the scene for the rest of your exploration. Stop outside the home of Lincoln's theater guests from the night he was assassinated, and walk along Pennsylvania Avenue for a look at other places associated with that night. Your tour ends when you reach Ford's Theatre; go behind the venue to see where John Wilkes Booth made his escape after shooting the president.
During your walk, enjoy photographs and stories from your guide about Washington during the years of the Civil War. Walking distance is roughly one mile (1.6 km).
Operated by
Visit DC Tours
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Eric_S, Apr 2026
Modest amount of walking. Really interesting and informative. Well worth the price of admission. Tour guide was very knowledgeable and engaging. The size of the group was controlled and made for a very intimate setting.
Richard_G, Mar 2026
Michael was a great tour guide for this trip! He was very knowledgeable about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln but also on the history of DC, the background of all of those involved prior to the shooting and some very fun facts that you wouldn’t have thought about. The walking path we went on was not too crazy but it was a beautiful night as well so that helped. We would highly recommend this tour for anyone visiting DC and especially for those who want to learn more about Lincoln.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you! We're so glad you enjoyed the tour with Michael and appreciated his deep knowledge and storytelling. We truly value your recommendation!
shannonclay, Mar 2026
Tour was great, it ended up just being our family on a very cold night. Could have easily been miserable, but Trevor made it fun and brought all of the interesting facts. He was so nice and came with a lot of great tips about DC, where to eat and what to do. Highly recommend
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you! We're so glad Trevor made the tour enjoyable despite the cold. Happy to hear you loved the stories and local tips—thanks for the recommendation!
Darcy_M, Mar 2026
Everything was great. Very knowledgeable and great story teller. Learned a lot of things I did not know.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you! We're so glad you enjoyed the tour and learned something new along the way!
Nicknamed the Church of the Presidents, we start our tour here to get an overview of Washington DC in the 1860s; understanding the events that led to this fateful night. (We do not enter any buildings on this tour)
The tour will begin with an introduction to President Lincoln's final months in the White House. New characters will be introduced as we explore the historic row houses that surround the park.
We talk about Abraham Lincoln's presidency during the Civil War and his final speech; given at the White House in the presence of his later assassin, John Wilkes Booth. (We do not enter any buildings on this tour)
Walk past the US Treasury Building, which acted as the temporary White House after Lincoln's Assassiantion.
On the day of the assassination, John Wilkes Booth stopped by this theater and met with a friend. Later that evening, Lincoln's son Tad was at this theater watching a play: Aladdin or his Wonderful Lamp. (We do not enter any buildings on this tour)
Across from this grand old building was the location of the Kirkwood House Hotel. This is where Vice President Andrew Johnson stayed. Conspirator George Azerodt rented a room here and was given the job to attack Johnson that same night... (We do not enter any buildings on this tour)
Learn about America's Main Street as you walk through downtown Washington DC, following in the foot steps of Presidential Inaugural Parades and how the residents of Civil War Washington DC traversed the city.
This is the historic theater where John Wilkes Booth snuck up behind the President like a coward and fired that fateful shot. Today it is a working theater and it has been restored to his Civil War era grandeur. Millions of Americans visit this location every year to remember Lincoln and his legacy. (We do not enter any buildings on this tour)
This small and simple historic row house was a boarding house at the time of the Civil War. After Lincoln was shot, he was taken to a room on the first floor of this house while the doctors attended to his health. Secretary of War Edwin Stanton interviewed witnesses here that night. Robert Todd Lincoln arrived from the White House and stayed by his father's side all night. It was a sad procession early the next morning when they finally brought the President's lifeless body down the steps for his carriage journey back to the White House. (We do not enter any buildings on this tour)
The original alley behind Ford's Theatre through which John Wilkes Booth escaped after the assassination. Ask your tour guide to tell you about it and you can walk there after the tour! It is open to the public and you can see some original buildings.
English
A full refund will apply if you cancel more than 24 hours before the activity start time.
No refund is possible if you cancel less than 24 hours before the activity start time.