United States | Washington, D.C.
Spanning almost two miles from the Lincoln Memorial to the United States Capitol, the National Mall is a landscaped park containing memorials and monuments to the United States’s leaders and soldiers. Some of our favorites include the Lincoln Memorial, World War II Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, Thomas Jefferson Memorial, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial. The Washington Monument offers an exhibit on George Washington, and you can ride an elevator to the top to get a view of the city.
Because of its size and potential for overcrowding during the tourist season (especially weekends March through August), it’s a good idea to plan your visit in advance. You should also think about what time of day you want to visit; while visiting during daylight hours will give you the best opportunities to see the exhibits, the Mall is incredibly beautiful when lit up at night (crowds are also smaller, and this can be a great way to avoid DC’s oppressive summer heat).
National Mall Walking Tour
The main axis of the Mall stretches between the Lincoln Memorial and the Capitol. If you’re up for it, there’s about a 2.5 mile walk that’ll show you all the best the Mall has to offer in about 45 minutes of walking (not including stops at the monuments). It starts at the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. Click here for a Google map of the walking tour.
- Thomas Jefferson Memorial
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
- Korean War Veterans Memorial
- Lincoln Memorial
- Vietnam War Veterans Memorial
- World War II Memorial
- Washington Monument
If you prefer a shorter walk, just start at the Lincoln Memorial (stop #5 on the map), walk over to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, and then walk along the reflecting pool to the World War II Memorial. Then you can continue to the Washington Monument. At that point, you can turn northwards to see the White House, or visit one of the numerous museums nearby (including the Museum of African American History and Culture, the Natural History Museum, the American History Museum, and the Air and Space Museum). You’ll miss the Jefferson and Roosevelt Memorials (two of our favorites), but you can see them another time.
Admission & Hours
The National Mall is open 24 hours per day, 365 days per year, and admission is free.