Sure, it may not be the most ornate landmark, but it is impressive. As something I see almost every day, I began to take it for granted. ... then I got up close, and I couldn't help but be in awe. The benches surrounding it are the perfect place to sit and crane your neck back to try to see the top. I know everyone's seen it, but I highly recommend getting up close and personal to really enjoy it. read more

Not my favorite monument, since i get vertigo. It's been closed for quite a while since the structural integrity was in question. The only really cool thing about the monument is the view. Since only a few people can enjoy it simultaneously, I don't think it's worth the trouble. The museum at the base is modestly interesting, but there's so many other awesome museums in DC, time is better spent elsewhere. read more

It's one of the more iconic structures in Washington, so it was a little disappointing for both me and my son that the elevator is out until 2019. Given the lack of tall structures in DC for some obvious reasons observation from the Washington monument would be great. read more

one of the great landmarks in washington dc, named after president george washington, one of the founding fathers of our country, and the very first president of our nation, from 1789-1797. yep, 226 years later, his name is still everywhere, the nation's capital, this monument, a highway, several surface streets, and of course, on the $1 bill! this monument is at the center of it all, between the reflecting pool and the national mall, and stands tall and proud for all to see. and i am being very honest when i say that you can see this monument from pretty much anywhere in dc. while admission is free, you do need to arrive early to wait in line for tickets as there is a limited number of tickets distributed daily for the scheduled tours inside the monument. once all tour tickets have been distributed for the day, you will need to come back the next day. or, you can walk around the outside, admiring the architecture that went into this national treasure. the other option is to reserve your advanced tickets online, but there is a fee associated with online booking. tip: walk up to the top of the lincoln memorial to take in a fantastic view of this monument, or stand in the middle of the ellipse (park in front of the white house) to see a full view. read more

Here's a few tips to make your trip to the Washington Monument more enjoyable: 1) If you plan to be there during tourist season: buy your tickets online! They cost $2 a piece. I went August 14, and all the tickets were sold out days in advance. 2) You can buy tickets at: (www.recreation.gov). Note: If you purchase 10 days prior to your arrival they will mail them to you, otherwise there will be at the kiosk on the east side base of the monument at Will Call. 3) DC mall vendors will not accept bills $20 or higher, so bring lots of $1, $5 and $10. Water costs $2.09 and Gatorade $2.50. 4) There are two queues on the east side of the monument, which are clearly labelled for the next two upcoming time frames. Sit on the bench next to your queue time and wait. A Park Ranger or volunteer will come up and brief you on the security protocols for entering the monument. 5) They'll send you in groups of 5-10 to go through security. Once past that point, you'll walk around the corner and wait for the only elevator. They'll pack you on like sardines and whisk you to the top. They say you can stay as long as you like, but the crowds will eventually push you out. 6) The are two windows facing out towards each point of the compass (i.e. North, south, east and west). One window has steps for small children to stand on and the other window does not. They have pictures of the view in each window, that labels most of the buildings you are looking at, which is a nice touch. For children this is a must, since you can point to a building on the picture, then they can look out the window and see if for themselves. 7) People over six feet tall will be forced to bend over to look out the windows. This is due to the inward sloping sides of the pinnacle of the monument. The views are GREAT! You won't regret your visit. read more

What better way to commemorate my 300th review than to throw some love out to America's favorite pothead, George Washington, and the massive phallus that is his monument? (Sure, there could be better ways, but let's stick with this idea, shall we?) Let's be honest, this is not the most architecturally unique monument. It's a big tall straight stone tower jutting into the sky. But it does function as a great landmark, and can be seen from 40 miles away on a clear day. Plus, it looks fabulous at night, all lit up and shimmery. In the words of another great American, Paris Hilton, it's "totally hot." (If John McCain can put her in his ad campaign, I can put her in my Yelp review!) But "Egyptian obelisk" my ass-- this, my friends, is an enormous stone cock, celebrating no less than the manliness of our first president. Yes, this is my own interpretation, but given that this is a "free country" (ahem), I feel entitled to my opinion. I'm a Bostonian, sure, but I also know a real man when I see one. And if Boston's Bunker Hill Monument and the Washington Monument were changing in a locker room together, I have a feeling poor Bunker Hill would end up stuffed in a locker... Catch my drift? read more

Nothing like road rage to wake up...right up! iv been to the Washington monument so many times... that iv lost count... The Washington Monument is a large... tall...sand-colored obelisk near the west end of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. It was created to commemorate our first president... George Washington. The name Washington Monument is referring to George Washington not Washington D.C.! read more

one of the best monuments i have ever been to. Get your tickets online. especially during the summer. Sells out quick. For DC natives, i say visit this place during the winter. I come here usually after a nice snow fall and get a view of a snow covered DC. Great date spot. Ask the elevator attendant to keep the opaque glass turned off, so you can see the bricks on the inside of the monument. Each state donated a brick to the building of this immaculate monument. Alaska's jade brick is so beautiful. read more

The Washington Monument is a gigantic, phallic symbol of American Freedom. It's very iconic, and good for taking pictures, but it's closed for the next two years. It's a giant concrete obelisk so it honestly isn't much to look at either. read more

-THE tallest building/monument in Washington DC.. -historic landmark -lots of photo ops -bring a nice camera to capture details -watch the sunset or sunrise -wear sunscreen, no shade. Must go when in Washington DC. read more

Much better as a backdrop to the city than something to go see up close, the Washington Monument is a big, white phallus that lets everyone know America means business. Luckily, it is very close to a ton of other, way cooler things to experience including memorials, museums and galleries. So go ahead, visit it, take a picture, touch it even, then go have a soft pretzel and look at some stuffed dinosaurs across the street. read more

I agree with Greg D. I was so sad that in this post 9/11 world, the memory of me wrapping my arms around this mammoth erect, rock hard structure will have to be a very sad and distant memory of my... well never mind that. Apparently someone who hates children, unicorns and happiness decided it would be great idea to go and build a fence around it. For now I will just settle for those photos where I hold the monument in the palm of my hand or do some tricky perspective shot where I lie down on my back and line up the camera to make it look as though "I'm standing at full attention." Seriously though, it's definitely amazing sight to experience and if you get up early enough you can line up and even go up the monument and get an awesome view of DC, still the lines can get pretty crazy and people do come and sit in line super early.... Still if you are coming to DC for the first time, you need to make a stop here. read more

Go, see, it, do it (to the top, that is). One of the basic and enduring symbols of our nation's capital. Interesting history also along the walls. Hint: for maximum fun, ride the elevator up and walk down. Interesting plaza surrounding the base. View from the top is magnificent. read more

It is a national landmark - always good to see history - it is truly an amazing sight to see all the flags around it. It is very well kept up too. read more

Washington Monument - Beautiful view the day we went - cannot climb it any more due to construction. But it is an amazing monument. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

As a major symbol for the United States, especially Washington DC, this is definitely an attraction that you should see when touring around DC. You can see it from almost any spot in DC that is not obstructed by a high building. I fear that with all the new construction taking place in DC the Washington Monument will be less visible from anywhere in the nations capital. Hopefully they don't build the city too high. read more

Beautiful DC monument; this is one of my favorites and have gone back several times as it's never enough; worth going to, over and over again. read more

Washington Monument - Great DC monument - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Definitely worth the haul up there! The view is incredible and there are great maps and keys to show you what you're looking at if your geographic sense is not too strong. You absolutely have to get tickets online ahead of time (I'd recommend 2 weeks before). They are often turning people away who are trying to walk up and buy tickets in person. I was surprised to see that it's actually okay if you're running a few minutes late-you won't lose your spot because the line backs up so much. I probably didn't make it through after the security check and flow of getting up and in the elevator until 30 minutes after my designated start time. There are some interesting museum-like displays and the employees clearly know their history. They loved spewing off facts and sharing anecdotes about our country's history and fun facts about the monument's construction. Unfortunately, it is a small space and pretty crowded. I could have spent maybe an hour looking out of the window but knew there were people waiting behind me. It feels a little rushed because you want to be considerate of the other people going through. But bottom line is it's a great experience. It just requires some forethought and planning! read more

A cool spot to check out, but eventually you see this monument from everywhere you go, so you start to lose that magical feeling when you first spot it landing in your airplane. It's currently closed for construction, so just a lot of people taking quick pictures of the exterior. read more

Awesome historical monument to visit when in the area. There can be a long line so be prepared to wait. It's something everyone should see at least once in their lifetime. read more

Absolutely just beautiful in its simplicity. Just make sure to come super early in the morning, no later then 8:30 AM if you want to get a pass to go up inside it. read more

The Washington Monument is one of the most spectacular parts of DC. It's a fitting tribute to the first President of the United States of America. It is still the tallest stone structure in the world at 555 feet and when you see it in person, you can appreciate it's awesomeness even more so. The stones are absolutely huge and standing at the base makes you realize that it's construction was a quite a task. One of my favorite things about the monument is picture taking. You can take some amazing photos from every angle of monument and get something else in the background, whether it's the Lincoln Memorial, the Capital, the Jefferson Memorial, or the White House. Tickets to go inside and to the top are free, but it can be tricky, because of high demand. Also you have to get the tickets at another location nearby, the Washington Monument Lodge on 15th St. Make sure to check this out before you visit: http://www.nps.gov/wamo/planyourvisit/feesandreservations.htm For families it's important to note that you cannot bring a stroller inside. Food and drink is also prohibited. If you visit DC, take some time to visit this amazing monument. read more

I've lived in DC since 1999 and had never made a trip to the top of the Monument. WOW! What a treat and I think visitors and residents alike should make this a MUST DO on your list. At 550 ft you get a great view of the DC area including clear views of the White House, Capitol, Lincoln Memorial, WWII Memorial, TJ Memorial and the great layout of DC. I could even see the Verizon Center. Tip: order your tickets well in advance and online, tickets are free but online orders do require a small processing fee, I think it was $1.50 / ticket. read more

I'd give it a solid 5 because George Washington had wooden teeth and gave up power voluntarily. Also, I assume there's no trees around the monument because gw cut them all down. He wasn't the best environmentalist. The elevator is broken indefinitely but most people who go up there probably want to kill themselves. And the thing looks like a giant male part, so that's a but of a turn off. Also, old Georgy owned slaves and only released them from slavery after his death, so he was pretty evil. A star knock for that. read more

I always imagined this to be a massive monument, and as I approached it I was somewhat confused of its smaller than expected size. I was also somewhat disappointed that the ticket booth had closed....I was thinking...this is not happening to me...I go to NYC and miss Ms. Liberty...I did not come to DC and miss the Washington Monument. With our lovely smiles, we sweet-talked the ranger to let us up. Atop the monument are eight lookout windows and you get a great 360 of the capitol. If only we can open the windows and look pass the grime on the window. Anyhow, the treat is not really atop the monument but the way down. The staircase has closed since the 70s, but they slow the elevator on the way down and you get a glimpse of the carvings of each state. The NY one rocks....the CA one sucks....what a shame on Cali! read more

Come at night. Less tourists and you can observe the lights around you. Stare straight up and you will be once again reminded how insignificant we can really be relative to tall monuments, mountains, the planet, galaxy, and universe. read more

Okay, terrible pun coming up, but the Washington Monument is more than meets the eye. Yes, the wait for tickets in summer or on Saturday's is *long*, the elevator ride to the top can take a while, and the view from the top is sort of cool, BUT what is an absolute MUST about this monument is the walk back down. The walk is optional, and requires coaxing a ranger into taking you, but it's so worth it. The inside walls of the monument contain engraved stones that have been donated from every US State and Territory, other countries and organizations. When I went, the ranger pointed out more about this history of the monument - how the construction was stalled (you can see the line from the outside, and you can see the difference in rock from the inside), how Mark Twain wrote about it, and other interesting tidbits :-). Line up early for free timed entry tickets (at the bottom of the monument hill - not at the monument entrance), or book paid tickets online in advance. read more

Though not my favorite monument aesthetically, the Washington Monument has one of the best views of DC. You can see the White House, Capitol, the Mall, most monuments, Virgina, etc. What a lot of people don't know is that if you don't want to go pick tickets up the morning of, you can now reserve them online or by phone for $1.50 per ticket, which is not bad at all. Since I've seen many people come up to the monument confused about how to go up, I'm just going to copy/paste the info from their site: Normal hours for the Washington Monument are 9:00am to 4:45pm, tickets are required and can be purchased in advance for a fee by calling 1-800-967-2283 or over the internet at http://reservations.nps.gov. Free tickets can be obtained for same day visits from the kiosk at the bottom of the hill from the monument at 15th St. and Jefferson Dr., open 8:30am to 4:30pm and distributed on a first-come first-served basis, tickets run out early. One person can obtain up to six tickets. After living in DC for so many years and waiting for the remodeling to be done, I was glad that my brother's visit to DC gave me an excuse to play tourist and see DC from above. read more

My what steep stairs to climb! Channel your inner Rocky Bilbao baby because this trek is not for the faint at heart. But the stairs are inevitable if you have the Great Abe on your to do list. Once you finally nake your way atop, stop & take in the view. Head to the far east or west for the coolest breeze ever. Here is where you will find the best spot for pictures of both the reflectable lake and the distant but towering National Monument read more

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As always, we love coming here to the monument and have done so many times over the years. Lots of people were her the day we came and the crowds were a bit of a challenge. However, it is so beautiful and majestic and impressive to thinking that here, history took place. The flags and the water give way to awe when you are next to the monument. It is just a beautiful place and I always leave with a sense of pride and patriotism. Maybe going earlier in the morning would be better to avoid such crowds. read more

One of the most recognizable landmarks on the National Mall, in the US, or in the world. Well, maybe not the world, but recognizable nonetheless. Freud was right; sometimes the Washington monument is just that, a monument. I'm disappointed that it's closed till 2014. Damn earthquake. There's a gift shop close to the base. Go visit them to feed your need for info or souvenirs. Remember: closed till 2014. DC is a big place. Might as well go somewhere else. read more

Part of our amazing visit to DC was walking up to the Washington Monument. My last visit it was closed for a long time because of an earthquake. However this time the elevator was closed. Still it did not take away from the amazing feeling you get walking up to it and looking straight up. read more

Washington Monument - Working our way up the National Mall - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We were lucky - a friendly young lady walked up and handed us 2 tickets for the 9am ascent - otherwise they don't advertise the fact that they give the tickets away online or that you need to get there at the crack of dawn to get some of the limited daily tickets. Waiting only a short while before heading up I will note the experience is entirely worth it - the view is excellent but the history is better - free standing stone, the blocks from each and every state with the fogging windows, and a generally friendly staff. Stay as long as you like, take pictures of anything you like, just get there early or order in advance (or hope for a nice pedestrian with extra tickets!) read more

I've been to the Washington Monument numerous times. A perk to growing up in Richmond, VA is all the class field trips to the monument. I usually stop by the Washington Monument if I have down time in Washington DC. The view from the top of the monument is priceless. Guest can take some beautiful pictures of Washington DC from the monument. If you haven't been to the top of the monument, do yourself a favor. Words can't describe the amazing experience.Currently the Washington Monument is under construction. read more

Washington Monument - Taken with my cell phone - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The one landmark that is visible from almost any spot in the city and beyond. What an architectural marvel to behold and the ultimate symbol of respect for our nation's first true leader. In order to take a tour of the monument inside (which opened back up in May 2014 due to the closure caused by the earthquake of 2011), you'll have to obtain a timed ticket that is free at around 8:30 am. People will line up well before that time. There are about a thousand tickets that are given away at that time for the entire day. However, you can get advanced tickets online, which will cost you about $4 due to a $1.50 convenience fee plus shipping. Once you have your ticket, there is a sign about 50 feet from the base of the monument that indicates the time of your tour. That is where you can line up, a park service ranger will verify your time and groups of about 6-8 will be ushered through the tour door. From there, you'll wait again for the elevator to come down to take you up. The elevator takes about 70 seconds to ascend. During that time, another ranger will give some background about the monument as well as details about how you can get back down. The elevator will drop you off at the top, which is about 500 feet above the ground. The actual height of the monument is about 550 feet. There are two windows along each side of the monument where you can look out. A panoramic picture above the window identifies the major buildings and monuments you'll be looking out to observe. I got some great shots of the White House, Jefferson Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, and the Capitol Building. However, I wish the windows were a bit cleaner both inside and outside. But that's a minor inconvenience. You can stay as long as you'd like in the observation area, but most people won't be there for more than 10 minutes. There are a flight of stairs that takes you down a floor, and another ranger will guide you into the elevator to take you down. During the descent, the ranger mentions that the elevator will slow down considerably twice along the journey so that we can view some of the more elaborate and significant stones the states and cities of the union donated over the years. The stone donated by the city of Baltimore is probably the most impressive. read more

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This incredible memorial can be seen from nearly every other memorial in DC, so you get to see it from numerous angles throughout the day. We were shocked to learn that the stones are only held in place by gravity... no mortar. It was especially impressive to view it at night from the reflecting pool. read more

Washington Monument - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Washington D.C. would not be what it is without the Washington Monument. It's the distinguishing feature of the DC skyline, like the way the twin towers distinguished made Manhattan so distinguishable. The history surrounding the construction of it is also very interesting, which is why it's worth paying a visit to their visitors center and maybe even taking the elevator up to the top of the monument. If you want to go up to the top, you'll have to wake up pretty early and line up for tickets. I wouldn't recommend it if you're on a tight schedule, because you pretty much just get assigned a time to come back for a tour. This sounds funny, but I would probably only recommend trying to do it if the grass on the National Mall is very green...the first time I went up to the top the grass was all brown and dead, and between that and the overcast sky it actually wasn't that great of a sight to see. I never even bothered printing the pictures I took from the top even though I printed the rest of them, because you'll get better views of all the monuments up close anyway. You'd get almost the same view from sitting on the left side of the airplane if you fly into Reagan National. This monument is great to visit at night, it's so much more peaceful without the large crowds. My single biggest recommendation to tourists visiting the area would be to walk the National Mall at night. It's 10x better than walking around during the day, but do both if you can. read more

If you want a view from the one spot in Washington D.C. that made the rule for the entire city on how tall all of the other buildings could be, then you better get in line early to get a ticket to this one!!! Yes, you do need a ticket in advance to come and view this monument, and they sell out REALLY quickly, especially during the summer, so go early in the morning to claim your time spot for taking the elevator to the top of the Washington Monument. It may seem like a pain (I went at 10am and the earliest ticket I could get was around 3:30pm.....) but hey it is free just like so many other things in our nation's capital!!! Once you go inside, you take an elevator to the top of this hand built monument and on the way up and down you can actually see the corner stones and other centerstone pieces that have initials from the masons and workers who helped make this masterpiece years ago, so it definitely takes you back in time a little bit. When you get to the top you have amazing views on all sides of you!! I am sucker for places with views, but it is so quiet at the top of this monument complete with views of the national mall, the capitol, and other memorials nearby. You can even see the lincoln memorial from the top, and you just feel a sense of history and importance up here. I don't really know why, but it just felt honorable. read more

Throughout our whole trip we could oftentimes see this grand monument in the distance when we were walking. One of the best and most picturesque views you can have of the monument is from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. read more

This is a true symbol of DC. It is one of the first things a visitor sees as they approach the city by land or air. The recent renovation to the area around the monument actually added security and a classy seating area. The best way to get in the monument is go off season and go to the national parks web site and pay $1.00 for the convenience of reserving online and not standing in line. read more

Absolutely breathtaking would recommend doing a bike tour through here just rent a bike