A free and excellent view of Downtown Washington DC can be viewed from the Old Post Office and Clock Tower, which is the 3rd tallest structure in DC. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and it was completed in 1899. This is attached to the (now) Waldorf Astoria, however the Tower is manned by the National Parks Service. The entrance is in the back of the hotel, and the elevator looks out into the hotel's atrium. When you reach the open air top floor, you'll look out for a 360 degree view. One lonely park ranger is up there, and they are there year-round. When we visited, it was completely empty and we had the space to ourselves (and the ranger). read more

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Actual rating: 3.5/5 Ok so in fairness, I have never cared for panoramic views. I came here with my friends on a day trip to DC after seeing a post about this place on social media. The entrance to the this place to see the views is incredibly tricky to access. The Waldorf took over and shut down the way to access through the building so you'll have to walk around and find the nearly completely hidden from street view entrance. For ease, I have linked the approximate location from Apple Maps below. There is a small historic background museum when you enter following the bag search and this is part of the National Parks stamping service so if you collect those speak with the nice ranger on duty. There are two elevators to travel to get to the top, the first takes you up to see views of the Astoria and the second will show you the rooftop from the Old Post Office Tower. This view is obscured by bars that make photography challenging. Would I, who does not like views, come again? No. But!!! If you are into views this is quite nice and free so I would recommend. read more

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360 views of DC. It feels like you found a hidden secret! The whole tour can last 10 mins or 40 pending how much time you have to read the signs. It's part of the Waldorf and gives amazing views of the lobby as the elevator wisks you up. The entrance can be a little tricky to find. read more

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It's not located in the old post office building, it's located at the Waldorf Astoria hotel. The entrance is right behind the hotel, getting elevator access to the tower, you pass by the hotel and you will see the beautiful interior of the hotel. The view is good at the clock tower but the wires on the windows are annoying. read more

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A very unique stop and FREE! The Old Post Office building is beautiful, especially on the inside. It houses the Waldorf Astoria and the glass elevator gives you a great view of the dining area. Once you get to the top the views are just as good, however, it's a bit obstructed by the metal bars not to mention the windows are quite dirty, but it's still a fun stop. read more

My pictures don't do it justice. Cool quick and FREE tourist thing to do with family or friends visiting. Line moved pretty quick on the weekend. Great views of the city without having to know a VIP. read more

Old Post Office Tower - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Spent $20 on a Lyft to get here and they randomly decided not to open today. No info online and no way to find out until we got here. read more

Old Post Office Tower - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Welcome to the best view in Washington DC! While many people rightfully clamor to go to the top of the Washington Monument, many overlook the incredible and easily accessible Old Post Office. The initial hallway has some cool information curated by the National Park Service, and rangers are stationed throughout the mini museum and are eager to answer questions and provide information too. While the exhibits are certainly nice and well done, it's the view that really knocks your socks off. The panoramic view from one of the tallest buildings in DC provides an unencumbered view of the Capitol, the Washington Monument, and the National Cathedral. I was blown away. There are no tickets required, and bags are allowed (although they will search them). It's a definite must try! read more

Old Post Office Tower - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This really is a hidden gem. It's not too far from the White House and the White House Visitors Center. It requires no reservations and when we went late-morning after our White House tour, there were no other parties walking up with us and taking the elevators with us. If you are looking at the front of the Waldorf Astoria, the entrance is on the back side of the building, so walk towards the back. The tower is hosted by the NPS, so if you collect cancellation stamps, the ranger at the first elevator has the cancellation stamps for you to use. You take a series of 2 elevators to the top. At the top of the first elevator, you get off and see a nice view of the inside of the old post office, the now Waldorf Astoria. You go through a small area with some museum-ish items, and another ranger directs you to another elevator to get to the top of the tower. Once at the top, there is plenty of space to roam, considering not many people seem to know about this gem. We were probably at the top with no more than half a dozen other people. read more

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Outstanding views and helpful guides. The guides are very knowledgeable so ask them lots of questions. The history and view from the top are spectacular! read more

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The view is pretty great and despite a sometimes long wait, it's much easier to get into than the Washington monument. It's also much roomier at the top and potentially better to take kids to. The day we went was pretty busy but for something like this the wait wasn't really that long - I wish I had gotten there a little earlier but I went right before lunch. Note that you can't take your stuff in if you have even a water bottle or a pack of chips so you have to leave your stuff just laying out in a hallway which is pretty disconcerting. We ended up having to hand carry several things from our bags because like everyone else there, we were tourists with kids and we had brought a supplies (like crackers) to help get them through the day. read more

I accidentally checked in @ the clock tower when I meant to check in @Peacock Alley @The Waldorf Astoria. We were greeted at the Lobby Bar with a beautiful smile from Chenee. I asked about Cherry Blossom Festival cocktails. They sounded a little too sweet for me & I'm not a big fan of vodka. I ended up getting the Post Old Fashioned. Chenee surprised me with a beautiful flower in the ice cube... it was amazing & so is Chenee. Best cocktail in DC. So, to the the manager, please pass this on to Chenee & her manager. read more

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Enjoyed the views from the tower. I've been to DC many times and never knew about this place...definitely a hidden gem. No worries you don't have to walk stairs, they have two different elevators that take you to the top. read more

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The people that work there are always so nice and the clock tower offers a GREAT view of D.C. read more

Old Post Office Tower - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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bra oken went five time over three days, never officially knowing until pressing out faces up against the glass. I think it's free, so I sound entitled, my taxes at work? I'm a bonvoy member, does that matter? next review can only go up read more

It was great to come up here and have an amazing view of Washington DC! It's open air on a couple of sides, and the breeze felt so nice on a hot day! The views are incredible! It blows my mind how many activities in DC are free, including this. It is absolutely wonderful. We tried to come here after going to the Natural History Museum (also free), but their elevator had just broken down. Afterwards we tried to go to the Children's museum which was closed on Tuesdays. So we came back another day to come here and to the children's museum. It's a beautiful view of both DC, and the restaurant/ lobby in the Waldorf Astoria hotel down below. We would have liked to eat at the restaurant, but it's a fancy Spanish restaurant and they didn't have anything my 5 year old (or I) would have eaten. read more

It was worth the trip for the amazing views. However, it needs better signage. It was hard to find, even with the description of the location on the website. We found ourselves wandering around with another group who also struggled to find the entrance. Finally, we asked a security officer for another building and he directed us. read more

You get a gorgeous view of DC. The park rangers are present and able to answer questions you may have. The overall wait time for us on a busy Sunday at 3 pm was 1 hour which included getting upstairs to wait for the second elevator to take us to the top. This is a no ticket attraction. You show up before closing time and you are guaranteed to get upstairs. read more

The Old Post Office Tower is a hidden gem in Washington DC. It gives amazing views of DC, and it is free and doesn't require a ticket. To get to the tower, you walk to the back of the building and you will see the entrance. You have a quick bag check and then you get you get to go in. On the way to top of the tower, they have some information to read about the area and the building. There are also a couple Park Rangers along the way to give you more info or answer questions. In the tower you get 360 views of DC. The building is also only a few minute walk from the Smithsonian or metro center metro stations, so it is very easy to get to. read more

Old Post Office Tower - View of the Washington Monument from the tower - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This is such a cool way to see the city!! The entrance is on the back side of the Waldorf Astoria hotel which is across from the IRS. There are two doors. One door that says Museum and Tower and the other for the sushi restaurant. The tower has been closed for so long due to the pandemic and I was glad I was able to just walk right in and head up. Everything is labeled so you definitely can't get lost. Once you enter and walk down to the first set elevator you will be greeted by a NPS ranger who will give you some info about the "Old" Post Office. It was built in 1899 and then revamped in the 1970s to look similar to what it looks like today. The Trump organization did some additional updates to preserve the look and feel when the hotel portion of the building became Trump International Hotel. The Waldorf Astoria now has ownership and the name of the hotel has changed but the "Old" Postal Tower still is National Park Service territory. The first elevator will take you to the 9th floor. You then walk around the wall and can get a great view of the inner structure of the hotel. Then head to the second elevator which takes you to the top. There are park rangers all along the way that are there to inform and help you get up to the top. I loved that you can see DC from a little closer to the ground than the Washington Monument and I didn't have to wait at all or get us super early to get any sort of tickets. I just walked in and went upstairs. Easy peasy lemon squeezy! Or difficult difficult lemon difficult however you look at it. Lol. You can see all the major monuments and museums but I love that I can see DCA airport and all the way to Arlington National Cemetary and the Frederick Douglass bridge. It's so cool! Plus it wasn't busy like many other Washington DC area attractions. I also found some new places I want to explore near the National Cathedral so that is a plus. I highly recommend coming here if you want to beat the crowds and want to see DC from above the height of most buildings. Just make sure you enter the building on the back side which is almost directly across from the Federal Triangle Station exit on 12th St NW. read more

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For one of the best views of Washington, D.C., head to the Old Post Office Museum and Tower any day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Run by the National Park Service, admission is free. You'll walk through a hall with a tiny exhibit about the history of the 1899 old main post office before taking two wheelchair and stroller accessible elevators to the 270-foot observation deck where you can see incredible views of D.C.'s landmarks. Park along Constitution or Madison Drive or take the nearby Federal Triangle Metro. read more

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I feel like this is a super underrated view of DC!! The national park service keeps this place up really nicely. I liked all the DC history that's lined on the walls of the building before you go up! I went on the nastiest day ever and it was still really enjoyable. There was also a little booklet about DC birds right before the elevator, which I geeked out about. Also of course the best park, IT'S FREE! read more

Old Post Office Tower - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

VIEWS...360 of DC ++. Ambiance is relaxed, short lines and friendly +++. Historic USPS Tower with 2 elevator rides for 360 views of DC. It's the 3rd tallest structure in DC and houses 10 Ditchley Bells of Congress gifted from the Brits. These are rung during the holidays by the same bell ringers as the Cathedral. Old pictures of the tower, USPS events, the 7 story flag and Robert Irwin's 48 Shadow Planes can be viewed. 1st elevator ride views inside the Trump hotel that's leasing the old post office for 60 years and to the bell ringing area. 2nd elevator takes you to the top, above the bells for the rooftop views and controller for the clocks. Enter to the left of Starbucks. +++. Price is free +++. NPS employees were friendly and informative Best views of the City and DMV while WA Monumental is closed. Worth your time and ENJOY! read more

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One of the best kept National Parks in DC. Beautiful view of DC, lots of history. Worth every second of your visit. read more

Old Post Office Tower - Found under the paint of the vault door. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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We went two days in a row to try to look at the old post office and it was closed. No indication that it's ever been open.

Beautiful place to stop in DC! Beautiful view from the top of the tower (bring a jacket--it's cold & windy). The many National Park staff working were very sweet and helpful. The entry guard did a bag check, but it wasn't thorough. Restrooms were right after that, and they were very nice and clean (besides the whole entryway + the bathrooms smelling like fish), so maybe a nice place to stop in DC if you're looking for a free bathroom. read more

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Located behind the Trump hotel. Entrance is next to Starbucks.Its free to enter and see the clock tower. Very historical. Be sure to ask questions while visiting. If you come here with a bag, there will be security guards checking your bag. Otherwise, you will need to take 2 different elevators to get to the top of the clock tower. The first elevator can handle 6-8 passengers. However, the 2nd elevator takes only 4 passengers. I recommend they consider adding more elevator space. Cant imagine how long the lines are during the busy tourist season. You get tons of great views. They do have wires on the tower windows, but you can easily take great photos here of the area. Given that this is free, there is no reason not to check out this historical tower. read more

A hidden gem - I visited the Washington Monument for the second time the day before, and much much preferred this to the WM! We visited in the offseason, and actually our group of 3 were the only people in both elevators. Entrance is hard to find if you walk down Pennsylvania Avenue (because its literally on the opposite side of the building from the Pennsylvania Ave front) but well marked. There is a Starbucks, gift shop, and you walk past all that to get to the first elevator. One of my companions had a small purse, but other than looking at us as we walked by, security did nothing more. The first elevator takes you from the basement of the hotel up 9 floors to the top of the hotel. Regardless of your political views, the inside of the building is marvelous - and has great architecture. From the top of the first elevator, you walk around what is the lobby of the hotel, and enter a second, smaller elevator. There were signs and park rangers to guide us, as well as a small exhibit (which we walked by as we were in a hurry). From the second elevator, you are emptied out into the top of the tower (which is open to the elements - with a roof). There are signs to point out what is around you on all sides, and lovely, "fresh" air views of the majesty of DC. I liked this spot better because there were less people, it was closer to the ground, and the views were so much easier to see. If you've ever been to the top of the Washington Monument, you know the struggle of fighting people to peer out of a 2x4 window! Will definitely come back here for years to come! read more

Old Post Office Tower - View from the tower looking down Pennsylvania Ave towards the Capitol - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Thank you Ben Franklin for the idea and starting the US Postal service. There is a statue of Ben outside this building. Go inside and make your way up the tower to capture a breathtaking view of Washington DC. read more

Enter off 12th st, near the Starbucks (no entrance on Pennsylvania Ave) and enjoy learning about one of the best architectural gems in the city. Tickets are NOT required so you can stroll up whenever it suits you (when they're open) and take a couple of elevators up to catch some great views of the city. Downside is that there are wired grates in the tower itself that you'll need to maneuver your camera around, but one silver lining is that it's open air. It wasn't too busy between the holidays and it's self-guided, definitely an off the beaten path site to check out for tourists and locals alike. read more

Clean, educational, and breathtaking views of DC! The employees were incredibly friendly, informative, and patient.

Do you follow the Instagram handle #wethepeopledc? If you don't, you definitely need to start. Each day a different citizen of DC holds the handle and posts about their day - typically, posts are about the places they go around our fair city that they love and want to promote. A week ago, the person holding the IG handle took followers up the Old Post Office Tower, and let everyone in on a well-kept secret: this is the best view (at least, with the Washington Monument out of commission, RIP) of the city. I know what you are thinking - The Old Post Office is now none other than DC's Trump Hotel. Political opinions aside (I know, so hard these days!), the Tower is not operated in conjunction with the Trump hotel. Rather, the National Park Service has employees stationed there to handle everything. Which...ALSO MAKES THIS FREE! How to get there? It isn't too hard. Go to the SOUTH side of the hotel (towards Constitution Ave and 12th St NW) and look for the Starbucks. There is a sign above one door that is clearly labeled for the tower. Go in, follow the signs after security, and be on your way! There are two elevators you'll need to take but the whole process is quick. If it's a crowded day (we went on the weekend and had zero wait time), you might need to wait as the top of the tower accommodates just 25 people. We had some out of town guests last weekend and I was thrilled to be able to apply my recently gained knowledge and all go up the Tower. Guests were thrilled, I loved it, my kids loved it - it was an all around big win. It is a little hard to take photos because of the wires blocking about half of the windows, but its a stunning view nonetheless. Whether or not you live here or are just visiting, this is one place you should certainly put on your DC to-do list! read more

Old Post Office Tower - What a view! - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We were told about this hidden gem by a tour guide in one of the bus tours we took during our time in Washington DC. We were disappointed to learn the Washington Monument is closed until sometime next year (2019) because we wanted to go to the top of it to view the city. The tour guide said that we could on our own visit the Old Post Office Tower. She said it's a really cool place with its own history, museum, and it has an impressive view of the city... now the most impressive until the Washington Monument is repaired. It isn't the easiest place to find. We were dropped off by our Uber and had to walk around it to find the entrance. This place used to be the post office for the city of DC and the office of the postmaster general of the United States. It's a beautiful that is now a Trump hotel (the government leased the property to a holding company of his) for the most part...except for a small piece which had been dedicated as a museum and lets tourists go to the top to view the city. In order to find it, first find the Starbucks and then just right next to it is a small door that leads to the museum and clock tower. Definitely a very cool place, loved viewing its history and loved the view. I wanted to give it four or five stars but a few things kept me from doing it. 1) This place is run by the National park service, it's a National Park... yet some of the pieces of its history almost seem like advertisement for Trump's hotel business 2) The gift shop has Trump merchandise. 3) One of the Park rangers started screaming at some family when one of them put their hands on the bars covering the windows at the top of the tower....sheesh what is he going to do... Like I said it's a really cool place but those three things marred my visit there. Still I definitely recommend you come by especially until the Washington Monument is fully repaired. read more

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Really hate the owners of the hotel around the base of this wonderful historic tower, but the top of the Free US Natnl Park Service Old P.O. Tower is a great site for a 360-degree view of Washington, DC. Nice NPS Rangers to help you ID landmarks. Very nice picture displays along the hallways of the ground floor approach to the tower elevator. The tower observation deck, while covered, is exposed to the winds of the day's weather. read more

Old Post Office Tower - US Capitol at end of Pennsylvania Ave - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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A cool little spot for a quick stop it! A bit crowded when we went so it was difficult to linger at any one window in the tower, but I appreciate that it's open to the public. A bit difficult to find the entrance (the Starbucks that is referenced on the NPS site wasn't on Google Maps), but when you spot the door it is clearly marked. It's attached to the hotel. The first elevator ride up was an unanticipated highlight (you can see into the common area of the hotel). Worth a quick visit! read more

Coming up here has been a desire of mine for several years. I finally decided to make my way here after on Saturday afternoon to see it. Even though this is located in the Chump Hotel, it is ran by the National Park Service. Though, believe me when I say Chump tried very hard to get them to allow his hotel to charge visitors, it didn't fly. Therefore this part of the hotel is unrelated to the hotel aside from the location. It isn't managed by the hotel. To enter, you have to go the back entrance of the hotel by the Starbucks. It has good signage of where to go and park rangers are on site to point you to where you need to go in order to get to the top. For those of you who have the NPS passport book, they don't have an actual stamp for this stop. They have one, but it isn't particularly for the old tower, but rather, it's the Pennsylvania Avenue historic site. The top of the historic site offers sweeping views of DC and Arlington's cityscapes. It offers an aerial view of everything that only matches a couple of other spots in the city, and typically you have to buy a $15+ watered down alcoholic beverage to enjoy it. As I said, this is FREE! There is ton of history to be had here. Typically I would spell it out in my reviews, but I'm simply going to encourage you to check this out and make your way here soon before it gets too cold to go up there and enjoy it. The top is not glassed in, so make sure to dress accordingly. Enjoy! read more

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100% worth the time for the views of all directions of the core of downtown DC. You're getting aerial 360 degree views of most of the major landmarks except for maybe the White House, which is visible but slightly hard to see well without high-quality zoom. Hardly ever more than 30 people there at any given time, and the National Park Service limits the number of people to around 20 or less allowed up top at one time. No one rushes you to leave, as most people only spend a limited time up there before they send up more replacements. It's also all elevators up to the top - no stairs, so you can give your tourist legs a break. There are wires and plexiglass covering all openings in the tower, but I had no trouble putting my phone close up and getting great pictures without the wires in them. The path leading to the entrance and various checkpoints to go up share some interesting tidbits of history about the US Post Office and the decision to place it where this structure is. Overall, this is a hidden gem in Washington D.C. that is well-worth the quick detour to take in the views. read more

Whether you are a tourist or a native, this is a spot worth checking out as it offers the best views of the city, 360 city views that is. No entrance fee. You'll take 2 separate elevators up so don't worry about trekking up steps and allows for accessibility. There are plenty of look out windows to see different landmarks nestled throughout the city. As other folks have mentioned, it is a hidden gem, literally as it is geographically hard to pinpoint where the entrance is. You'll go down 12th street until you hit a Starbucks and make a left or right (depending where you are coming from) then go down the stairs where you'll see a sign that says "Museum & Clock Tower Starbucks". Pass through the doors of that sign and then go from there. read more

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A visit to the top of the Old Post Office Tower (formerly the Trump Hotel and now a part of the Waldorf Astoria) is worth the quick detour. It is a part of the National Park Service and after two quick elevator rides you will have a great view of the city from the 270 foot high viewing deck. The visit can be done in about 20 minutes. Admission is free. read more

A hidden gem! The building is now a Trump International Hotel, but don't let that scare you! The tower is operated by the National Park Service! Enter from the rear of the building next to Starbucks. The views from the top are amazing. Don't forget your NP Passport Book! This is part of the a Pennsylvania Avenue National Historic Site. read more