Pedicabs
Washington, DC has its charms. Unfortunately, horse-drawn carriages, a la Central Park, are not among them. What we do have, however, are pedicabs, which give our fair city a certain panache of its own. The ubiquitous, free-spirited little chariots practically scream, “Welcome to DC! We’re a silver-level designated Bicycle Friendly Community!”
There are three major pedicab companies in the District employing approximately 75 bicyclist/drivers during the best-weather months. They include Capitol Pedicabs, National Pedicabs and DC Pedicab. Once the weather starts to turn and there are fewer tourists, the number of bicyclist/drivers drops significantly, but many stick around during the colder months.
Pedicabs provide a number of services and are not just for tourists. You can hail one at any time just like you would a taxi; or you can reserve them in advance for weddings and other special events or historical sightseeing tours. They also come in pretty handy for serving professional sports venues and the late-night bar scene.
Rates vary depending on whether or not you’re getting a tour along with your ride and how many people are riding, but they begin at around $1 per minute. Tours run anywhere from around $55 to $90 for an hour to an hour and a half. These are general ballpark figures, so please contact each company for accurate rates and reservations. (Interesting aside: bicycles have consistently been shown to be faster than other modes of transportation in urban settings).