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Towering 555 feet above the National Mall, the Washington Monument was erected to honor the greatness of the city and the nation's first president, George Washington. Fifty flags surround the base of the Monument, to symbolize each state in the Union. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial was built to honor the memory of those who served in the Vietnam War. Over 58,000 names are etched in the black granite Memorial whose walls point towards the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial. The Lincoln Memorial is constructed like a modified Greek Temple. It has 36 Doric columns, one for each state at the time of Lincoln’s death, with the massive sculpture of a seated Lincoln in the center looking out over the Reflecting Pool. Considered to be one of the most inspiring monuments ever built, the Lincoln Memorial has been the site of numerous inspirational rallies and assemblies, including Martin Luther King’s stirring "I Have A Dream" speech in 1963.

The Smithsonian Institute and many National Museums border The Mall. Many other memorials and monuments are nearby, such as the Thomas Jefferson Memorial and the famous Tidal Basin with its Cherry Trees, FDR Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, and across the Potomac in Arlington are Arlington Naitonal Cemetery, the famous flag raising Marine Corps Memorial, and others.

Activities: Biking, Sightseeing, Walking, History.