National Mall

Description:

• Many visits to Washington DC center around the expansive National Mall & Memorial Parks. Public park space was one of the cornerstones of the original plan for the District of Columbia and today the National Mall helps fulfill that vision. At 1,000 square acres, and roughly 2.4 miles long, the Mall & Memorials provides open space for relaxation, reflection, celebration, and national expressions of First Amendment rights. Annual festivals and events held on the Mall: National Cherry Blossom Festival, National Black Family Reunion and Smithsonian Folklife Festival. The National Park Service offers walking and bike tours a few days a week and Military Band Concerts are held during the summer. The national museums line the eastern side of the Mall and the monuments occupy the west end (Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Ward War II Memorial, Korean War and Vietnam Memorial to name a few). Parking spaces are sparse and driving around the west end of the Mall is extremely confusing (it's easy to end up in Virginia and not know how to return). Various Metro stations service the Mall. Tourmobile Sightseeing provides a convenient option and it's authorized by the National Park Service. Tickets and tours vary ($7.50 - $20) but you can get on and off the busses at will. The Mall & Monuments are free and open 24 hours. Dramatic lighting makes nighttime monument viewing breathtaking (less crowds too!).