How to Tour the Memorials of DC - Late Night Edition!

There are over 160 total monuments and memorials located in the DC area with a good portion of them located right off the National Mall.

How could you possibly see all of these in one day? Well, you can’t. However, several of the monuments can be visited in one trip (and you should do it at night!). In my opinion, viewing the monuments at night adds an extra level of solemness and ambiance that is not present during the day. So, here is my tour guide for viewing the memorials at night: what path to take, which ones to see during the day vs at night, and how to make the most of your National Mall experience.

Stop #1: Washington Monument, 8:30 pm

The first stop on the memorial tour is the Washington Monument at sunset! If you start at the Washington Monument at 8:30, it’s still light enough to see the Monument and have the sunset illuminating it from behind.  

Stop #2: World War II Memorial

The next stop is the World War II Memorial. This is an 8-minute walk west from the Washington Monument. Additionally, you can get a view of the sunset reflecting off the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Make sure to find your home state on one of the columns!

Stop #3: Vietnam Veterans Memorial

The Vietnam Memorial is a 9-minute walk north-west from the World War II Memorial. This is another great monument to see during sunset as the colors will reflect off the black granite walls.

Stop #4: Lincoln Memorial

After the Vietnam Memorial, continue down the Reflecting Pool towards the Lincoln Memorial. This is one of the best memorials to view at night as the entire thing becomes beautifully lit. Additionally, try to find the error in Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address engraving. It was later corrected but is still faintly visible!

Stop #5: Korean War Veterans Memorial

After viewing the Lincoln Memorial, take a 2-minute walk south towards the Korean Memorial. This is one of the best memorials to view at night as each of the soldiers becomes lit up from below.

Stop #6: Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial

Next, head southeast towards the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. This is a 6-minute walk towards the Tidal Basin, which houses several memorials along its shoreline.

Stop #7: Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial

After viewing the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, take a 5-minute walk south along the Tidal Basin shore. There, you will find a comprehensive walking memorial dedicated to Franklin Delano Roosevelt and his wife, Eleanor.

Stop #8: Thomas Jefferson Memorial

Lastly, walk the remainder of the west coast of the Tidal Basin to the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. His statue is situated inside a circular colonnade with a beautiful view of the Tidal Basin and the Potomac River. Additionally, if you walk this tour during cherry blossom season, the Tidal Basin will be full of bloomed trees.

If you’ve visited these memorials, which one was your favorite?