The Tours

The National Treasure Hunt Tour is, first and foremost, an opportunity to meet other National Treasure fans and experience Washington, D.C., and/or Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, through the lens of a beloved film franchise. Over one day, attendees will visit numerous sites of filming and plot significance to the National Treasure movies (see routes above). In D.C., this includes optional indoor visits at the U.S. National Archives and the Library of Congress, while the Philadelphia tour includes optional indoor visits at Independence National Historical Park (think Independence Hall), Liberty Bell Center, and Reading Terminal Market.

While walking from location to location, attendees will partake in informal polls, discussions, and other fun activities inspired by National Treasure. Tour routes, locations, and indoor visits are subject to change and based on availability.

Note: The D.C. and Philadelphia tours are separate experiences, each lasting one day. To participate in both tours, attendees will need to sign up for each tour separately.

National Treasure Hunt’s Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia tours have been tailored to their respective cities, drawing inspiration from National Treasure scenes and topics that take place in each location. The tours feature similar in-route activities, though the content of those activities differs and depends on whether you are joining the tour in D.C. or Philadelphia. Participants are welcome (even encouraged!) to attend both.

The National Treasure Hunt Tour involves a substantial amount of walking. The D.C. route is approximately 4 miles long, while the Philadelphia route is approximately 3 miles long. These distances do not include in-tour activities and optional visits inside the U.S. National Archives and Library of Congress (in D.C.) or inside Independence National Historical Park, Liberty Bell Center, and Reading Terminal Market (in Philadelphia). Several stops will be made to allow for rest, photographs, and activities during the walk. 

Disclaimer: Attendees participate in the National Treasure Hunt Tour in either city at their own risk and agree that the hosts are not responsible for any injuries sustained through participation.

The full-day National Treasure Hunt Tour in either city costs $60 per person, though National Treasure Hunt Patreon members at the "Ben" tier receive a discount. Attendees will be asked to pay in advance of their tour date (i.e., after registering). This non-refundable attendance fee helps the hosts pay for the materials, props, and other preparations needed to make the tour possible. The fee does not go toward optional entry at the U.S. National Archives or the Library of Congress (in D.C.) or Independence National Historical Park, Liberty Bell Center, or Reading Terminal Market (in Philadelphia), as entry at these locations is free.  

While not required, if you are interested, consider wearing your favorite National Treasure Hunt shirt from our merch store during the tour (matching shirts look great in group photos!).

Please note that attendees are responsible for planning and paying for their own travel to, from, and within Washington, D.C., or Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as well as lodging and meals during their stay. 

Washington, D.C., Tour: Sign-ups are now open HERE for the spring 2026 National Treasure Hunt Tour in Washington, D.C., which will run on Saturday, April 25. The sign-up form will close on April 4 or when all spots are filled.

Philadelphia Tour: Sign-ups are now open HERE for the spring 2026 National Treasure Hunt Tour in Philadelphia, which will run on Saturday, May 9. The sign-up form will close on April 18 or when all spots are filled.

For future tours: When D.C. or Philadelphia tour dates are announced, we'll post a sign-up form right here on our website, and members of our mailing list will receive an email notification. Simply fill out the sign-up form, wait for your confirmation email with instructions for paying your registration fee, and then start planning your travel! We will send additional communications with more details as the date draws nearer.

Given the long tour route and multiple opportunities for indoor site visits, each one-day tour lasts most of the morning and afternoon (e.g., 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM in D.C., and 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM in Philadelphia; subject to change). The tour will pause for approximately one hour to allow attendees to eat lunch. 

It's up to you! There are lots of cool things to see and do in and around Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia.

In D.C., consider exploring downtown spots that you'd like to see featured in National Treasure 3, like the Smithsonian museums, U.S. Capitol building, President Lincoln's Cottage, or Embassy Row. We also recommend visiting* a few additional National Treasure-relevant locations situated nearby, all of which are easily found on Google Maps:

• The White House
• Eisenhower Executive Office Building
• Ford's Theatre
• J. Edgar Hoover FBI Building
• Memorial to the 56 Signers of the Declaration of Independence
• The Watergate Hotel
• George Washington's Mount Vernon

Philadelphia also has tons of National Treasure-relevant history to share. You can enter the Franklin Institute rotunda (where the "cipher kid" examined the Silence Dogood letters**) free of charge, or visit the museum's exhibitions for a fee. While our tour will pass the exterior of the Philadelphia Masonic Temple, the institution's indoor tours are certainly crowd-pleasers, and the Museum of the American Revolution, located near Independence National Historical Park, houses many National Treasure-relevant artifacts.

*Note that "visiting" some of these locations likely means viewing from the outside!

**We're sorry to report that you will not find the Silence Dogood letters—real or replicas—in the Franklin Institute's rotunda in real life!

No. At this time, there is no formal "treasure hunt" component to the National Treasure Hunt Tour. 

National Treasure Hunt will accommodate a limited number of private tours each year; these tours follow the same route as the semi-annual group tours in each city and include modified versions of group tour activities. Private tours are facilitated by one or both of the National Treasure Hunt hosts. The non-refundable attendance fee is $500 for groups of five or fewer or $100 per attendee for groups of six or more (to be paid after the private tour date is confirmed by National Treasure Hunt). To inquire about the possibility of scheduling a private tour, send us a contact form message with your desired tour date, number of guests, and city (D.C. or Philadelphia). Please note that while we cannot guarantee availability for private tours, we will be more likely to accommodate your request if you provide several date options (especially weekend dates).

As is the case for our semi-annual group tours, the non-refundable private tour attendance fee helps the hosts pay for the materials, props, and other preparations needed to make the tour possible. The fee does not go toward optional entry at the U.S. National Archives or the Library of Congress (in D.C.) or Independence National Historical Park, Liberty Bell Center, or Reading Terminal Market (in Philadelphia), as entry at these locations is free.  

Please note that private tour attendees are responsible for planning and paying for their own travel to, from, and within Washington, D.C., or Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as well as lodging and meals during their stay. 

Washington, D.C., can be reached easily by car, train, or plane. The closest airport is Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, while Dulles International Airport is located approximately 30 minutes away (by car) in Dulles, Virginia. Amtrak trains can be accessed at Washington Union Station just north of the U.S. Capitol building.

After you've arrived, there are several options for getting around Washington, D.C., and the surrounding suburbs. WMATA metro and bus lines are tourist-friendly and can be used to reach most common destinations (including the National Mall). For out-of-the-way locations, including George Washington's Mount Vernon, self-driving  or using ride-share services, such as Uber or Lyft, is recommended.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, can be reached easily by car, train, or plane. The closest airport is Philadelphia International Airport. Amtrak trains can be accessed at 30th Street Station, which also services SEPTA and NJ Transit.

After you've arrived, there are several options for getting around Philadelphia. SEPTA public transit navigates the majority of the city, while the Philadelphia PHLASH bus has a downtown loop that stops at major tourist destinations. Rideshare and bike share services are also available.

There are many hotels, Airbnbs, and other lodging options located in and around both Washington, D.C, and Philadelphia. Attendees who fly into Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport for the D.C. tour may consider the wide range of airport hotels located adjacent to the airport in Crystal City, Arlington, Virginia. However, due to Philadelphia International Airport's distance from downtown, attendees joining the Philadelphia tour may prefer seeking lodging options closer to the tour route (i.e., in Center City or Old City).

National Treasure Hunt is an independent entity and is not affiliated with the Disney company. Attendees participate in the D.C. or Philadelphia National Treasure Hunt Tour at their own risk. Photographs of attendees may be taken and published on National Treasure Hunt's social media profiles and/or website; attendees are responsible for communicating with the hosts if they do not want their photograph taken during the tour.