Take a Closer Look: DC’s Monuments and Memorials

Visiting the monuments and memorials on the National Mall is always high on the priority list for Washington DC group travel tours. And we couldn’t agree more. There’s nothing like the experience, and we recommend it both day and night – the memorials illuminated at night are simply breathtaking.  

If you plan to take one of our Washington DC group travel tours, or even plan to travel to the Capital on your own, we recommend a professional guide and/or a little research before you go.  

You know that the National Mall holds some of the most beautiful and renowned monuments and memorials in the whole United States. And many of them you probably feel somewhat familiar with already. However, we guarantee there’s a lot you don’t know and to understand these attractions is to better appreciate them. No coincidence played into the design of these amazing attractions, and the meaning behind the choices is as fascinating as the details themselves. Here are a few things to consider when you’re viewing the memorials on the National Mall. And again, please consider a guide. They’re stuffed full of amazing tidbits like these. 

The view from the Lincoln Memorial is as beautiful as the view toward it. We all recognize the iconic memorial for which the National Mall is best known (excepting only the tall, obelisk Washington Monument), and we expect to be amazed by its height and magnificence as well as the reverential quiet usually found there. But you may not have thought about what a beautiful view you get while sitting on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, looking out. We’ve experienced this view at sunset when it’s almost incomparable as you view the colors in the Reflecting Pool toward the Washington Monument and World War II Memorial. In the future, look for a memorial to be added here to Martin Luther King Jr. as well.  

There are so many stories on the Vietnam Wall. Not many of our younger groups will actually know of someone who fought in the Vietnam War. But each name on it has a story, and you can find some of these if you read ahead or if you have a knowledgeable guide. The wall will mean even more to you if you know the youngest and oldest members, the stories behind duplicate names, and the reasons for each detailed symbol. The names are listed in the order of the dates they were reported missing or lost. And that alone, tells a story. 

Make your visit a treasure hunt. You may have heard of the soldiers that make up the Korean War Memorial. They are larger than life, and their faces haunting in the beautiful depiction of the soldiers’ fear. But they aren’t the only piece to this thorough memorial. There is also a wall dedicated to the thousands of people who served during the Korean War but not as combat soldiers. There are hundreds of things to notice on the wall. A variety of jobs in the military are depicted by people in uniform and by the vehicles and equipment they used. You can also find a couple of dogs on the wall. This can make an exciting treasure hunt for children and the younger members of your group to help them engage. 

There’s so much more detail and so many more things to consider when you visit the amazing monuments and memorials on the National mall. Definitely add them to your itinerary and discover them for yourself, but the more you can learn about them before or the more expert your guide during your visit, the better the experience will be.