Visiting D.C.: Landmarks on the National Mall

As the center of the hustle and bustle of the U.S. government, the nation's capital city has much to offer in terms of history, culture and diversity. Washington, D.C. also offers many places to see and activities to do, there is rarely a dull moment living in the District and the surrounding areas. Just walking through the city provides opportunities to see this unique city. 

Today's blog post focuses on photos of some of the landmarks and memorials you'll see downtown on the National Mall.

The U.S. Capitol stands out in view from many areas of the Mall. Here is a close up from the rear side of the building.

When visiting the Washington Monument, you can get a glimpse of the White House

The Smithsonian Castle, located in the center of the Mall

The National World War II Memorial, completed in 2004, is located in the center of the Mall and draws millions of visitors each year

Lesser known, the District of Columbia War Memorial (to honor local WWI veterans) can now be prominently seen after a major restoration in recent years. A few years ago, this monument was pretty much hidden, but undoubtedly sees many more visitors now. A beautiful job was done.

The District of Columbia War Memorial (WWI) after the restoration of the monument and the surrounding grounds

The Korean War Veterans Memorial during a day visit

Many visitors to the Vietnam Veterans War Memorial leave flowers or other mementos for loved ones

 

Visiting the Lincoln Memorial on a "quieter" day. Usually, these steps are very crowded during peak times of the year

This image of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial was taken in spring 2013 and is a view you won't see due to the controversial quote shown in this photo that had been paraphrased. The quote has since been removed.

MLK Jr. Memorial

The Jefferson Memorial looks beautiful reflecting in the Tidal Basin during cherry blossom season

The Washington Monument is one of the best-known landmarks in D.C. Here is a view taken from across the Tidal Basin (on the walk to the Jefferson Memorial).

[ Related reading: Stunning views: Getting tickets to go up inside the Washington Monument ]

Washington Monument

The Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial takes some time to walk through, it is also located a bit further away from the other memorials. It has been dedicated to the only President elected to four terms and the era in which he served.

The FDR Memorial shows the President and his beloved dog Fala

This article provides an overview of the landmarks to be found on the Mall, but there is also lots more to see, such as the museums, gardens and other memorials. To see it all, you really need a good couple of days but hopefully, this overview provides an idea of the things you'll see.