The Best Time to Visit the Washington, DC Monuments

Imagine that it is 85+ degrees, ultra-humid outside, and there’s a HUGE stampede of people at every corner you turn to. That’s exactly how it feels in Washington, DC and especially at the monuments during the summer time. Not to mention, the monuments, more specifically known as the National Mall, in Washington, DC are ALWAYS packed with tourists and even locals, alike. On my Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!), I shared a bit about me and my best friend Bryn’s experience at the National Mall enjoying the monuments at night. We had planned to go see the monuments while Bryn is here for the summer time for a while before hand, BUT we were in for a splendid surprise when it started to rain and the sun started to set and the crowds *just magically* disappeared.

Before I spill the tea on my rather peaceful evening along the National Mall and experiencing Washington, DC’s monuments in their truly and gorgeous glory, the National Mall can be easily accessible via the following Metro (subway system) stations that are all accessible along the Blue, Silver, and Orange lines:

  • Smithsonian – brings you RIGHT to the National Mall and ALL of the museums. Offers the utter convenience of being in front of ALL of the action of the city’s monuments and museums, including views of the United States Capital, Washington Monument, and even the Lincoln Memorial at a distance.
  • Foggy Bottom – most reachable via a 0.8 mile walk from the Lincoln Memorial and the World War 11 Memorial, which are at least a 20 minute walk from the Smithsonian Museums and Washington Monument. However, the Smithsonian station.
  • McPherson Square – a few blocks away from The White House and right by A LOT of restaurants, including the iconic historic Old Ebbitt Grill and The Hamilton.
  • Metro Center – not necessarily on the National Mall or by the monuments: it’s rather a bit off a walk to reach them all but not a long or hard walk, with the National Mall and Smithsonian museums (specifically the Museum of Natural History and the National Gallery of Art) being closest. BUT, it does offer a wide array of restaurants and shops, both local and chains and offers a lot of historic charm along the streets. Both Ford Theatre and Warner Theatre are there, too, with tours being offered.

If you know me pretty well, then you probably know that I do not like crowds, like at all. Despite the fact that I travel and have traveled to quite a bit of highly touristy places (London, Paris, Rome, Chicago, Florence, New York City, Athens, and Philadelphia to name a few!) and even life right outside a very touristy city aka Washington, DC, crowds still really freak me out – LOL! Whenever I travel, I strive to purchase the fast passes, in order to bypass the crowds where I can – I did this at the Louvre in Paris, Parliament in London, and The Vatican. HOWEVER, the Washington, DC monuments along the National Mall are NOT ticketed entry. Rather, the monuments are open to all of the public free of charge (something that I really admire about my home city is the fact that SO many things especially main tourist attractions are FREE to all). BUT, free does have its down sides with the crowds.

When going to the monuments in Washington, DC the other night, Bryn and I lucked out when we finished our dinner at the nearby Hard Rock Cafe and headed down a few blocks to the National Mall. It started to rain a bit but not too much (no pour downs – thank goodness!!!) and the crowds dispersed. Only a few people on bikes and scooters were to really be seen. As we walked towards the Washington Monument, the crowds were still mostly gone. The sun had set when we walked from the Washington Monument to the World War 11 Memorial. The rain continued. Practically NO ONE was at the World War 11 Memorial, which I had NEVER in my life seen that place so empty before. It was nice. The reflecting pool in between the World War 11 Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial was the most quiet I had ever seen it before. The rain continued but remained light the entire time until we reached the Lincoln Memorial. The Lincoln Memorial had the most people, yet, for the Lincoln Memorial on a Friday night in the summer time, it was rather empty. Needless to say, Bryn had an AMAZING TIME!!!

When in Washington, DC, I highly recommend to ANYONE checking out the monuments along the National Mall, since it is FREE and offers so much history and significance within the United States and even world as a whole. And, when given the opportunity, I 10/10 highly recommend going to the National Mall even if it’s raining (perhaps, even a pour down) – you’ll miss out on the crowds and make SO many memories (and steps!) along the way!!!

XOXO – Katie <3

thepinkchickadeeLeave a comment

Why You Should Play Tourist in Your Own City!

The other day, I was hanging out with my high school friends Haley and Violet. When, Haley stated “let’s all go into DC one of these days and play tourist!” Well, on my Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!), then you probably already know that I live in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, DC. Well, just a week before Haley and Violet and I hung out, my best friend Amanda who lives in New Jersey came to town and we did just that: play tourist in my own city!

Life can get crazy and make us want to simply just rest close to home, but sometimes a breath of fresh air can make it all worth it. Especially when that breath of fresh air is close to home, we can really truly feel refreshed. Ever since I moved to the Washington, DC area right after graduating from college in North Carolina, I have loved being able to have a plethora of new, exciting, and fun things to do in my own backyard. As compared to North Carolina, Washington, DC has several more things to do on the weekends and every weekend at that, as compared to once in a blue moon back in North Carolina. Living here in the Washington, DC as a whole has been a breath of fresh air for me! I have friends from North Carolina, New Jersey, and beyond visiting me from time to time. And, each time a new friend comes, we usually go visit the typical touristy areas of Washington, DC, which ALWAYS gives me new light and more and more love for the city that I live in.

Each and every single time I come to the Washington, DC area and play tourist, I start at The National Mall. The National Mall is home to the Smithsonian Museums and gardens, including the Smithsonian Castle, Smithsonian Gardens, the National Gallery of Art, the National Archives, the Museum of Natural History, the Air and Space Museum, and many many many more. At the same time, the National Mall has lines of fields perfect for picnics and admiring the United States Capitol (with the Supreme Court Building and Library of Congress behind it) on one side and the National Monument (with the Lincoln Memorial, World War 11 Memorial, and Korean War Memorial behind it) on the other. Food trucks also line the National Mall with a plethora of types of cuisines to choose from, whether it be your typical hot dogs and soft pretzels, to ice cream, Boba tea, and even Mexican, Mediterranean, and Asian delights. So, that being said, it is EASY to spend a full day including lunch and dinner on the National Mall. And, I usually do to some extent when friends come to town!!

And, perhaps, when you play tourist in your own city, you’ll find something new to you, too! Every time I play tourist in Washington, DC, I see it all again from a new perspective. Whether with a fellow Washingtonian or not, I always strive to keep a bright, open-minded mindset, as I see the same exact sights for the 100th+ time (luckily for me, it doesn’t get old, though!!!). For example, when Amanda was in town a few weeks back, we tried a new-to-me and her restaurant that I have always wanted to try: The Hamilton. The Hamilton is a well-known restaurant in Washington, DC apart of Clyde’s Restaurant Group (which also houses the iconic and historic Old Ebbitt Grill, too!) and has sweet Americana charm and cuisine. People from ALL over the world eat at The Hamilton and all of the other Clyde’s Restaurant Group restaurants when they visit the nation’s capital. Amanda and I were BLOWN AWAY by The Hamilton in Washington, DC. The food (she ordered gnocchi and I ordered a crab cake sandwich and we each got a charcuterie board to start!!), drinks (she ordered a boozy milkshake and I ordered my typical drink order – a glass of Cabernet), and the service was all to die for! Not to mention, the environment was charming, yet timeless Americana. It was such a great experience to be able to visit The Hamilton and add another place been to off of my Washington, DC things that I did mental list!

Amanda and I had a GREAT time while she visited Washington, DC. Obviously, we visited the National Mall (!!!!) amongst a few other sites and ate at The Hamilton. I cannot wait to see her again and explore Washington, DC as a tourist in my own city with Haley and Violet, too!

XOXO – Katie <3

thepinkchickadee2 Comments