Washington Monument

2 15th St NW, Washington, DC 20024, USA

D.C.'s most recognized landmark—and the world’s tallest freemasonry structure—transports visitors on a 70-second-long elevator ascent to its 500-foot observation deck. A National Park Service Ranger accompanies you and shares the history of this obelisk dedicated to the President and General who was regarded as “First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen.” Consider that at completion in 1884, only men were allowed to use the then-steam powered elevator because it was deemed to dangerous for women whose only option was to climb 897 steps to get to the top. Timed tickets are now required to enter and are available on a first come, first serve basis at the monument lodge located along 15th Street NW. Tip: although the ticket window opens at 8:30am, it’s best to line up 1-2 hours early as tickets are usually gone by late morning.

Note: The monument is closed for renovations until early 2019.

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Washington Monumnet

D.C.'s most recognized landmark—and the world’s tallest freemasonry structure—transports visitors on a 70-second-long elevator ascent to its 500-foot observation deck. A National Park Service Ranger accompanies you and shares the history of this obelisk dedicated to the President and General who was regarded as “First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen.” Consider that at completion in 1884, only men were allowed to use the then-steam powered elevator because it was deemed to dangerous for women whose only option was to climb 897 steps to get to the top. Timed tickets are now required to enter and are available on a first come, first serve basis at the monument lodge located along 15th Street NW. Tip: although the ticket window opens at 8:30am, it’s best to line up 1-2 hours early as tickets are usually gone by late morning.

Note: The monument is closed for renovations until early 2019.

A Spring Day in DC

The warm weather we’ve had this spring meant the cherry blossoms were gone but Washington DC has a bounty of beautiful and emotional sights.

Springtime in DC

Bleary eyed and equipped with my camera and tripod, I set out to capture the 6:40 am sun rise over the cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin. DC’s cherry trees peak bloom only lasts one week out of the year, usually in late March or early April. I was worried I’d have to stake out a good spot since it’s one of the most crowded times in the nation’s capital, but was surprised to find parking easily and was joined by only a small handful of friendly photographers and early bird joggers. I found a great vantage point near the Martin Luther King (MLK) Memorial where I could peacefully observe both the Jefferson and Washington Memorials greet the day. Guess it’s true what they say, the early bird gets the worm!

Lincoln's Reflecting Pool is Back!

After a long awaited re-opening, the infamous reflecting pool shared by the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial has been opened to the public once again. Over one year of construction on the new water filtration system that now pulls water from the nearby Potomac River has kept tourists from enjoying one of the Nations most coveted sites. If you visit D.C. you will notice numerous changes. The National Mall has undergone a major re-construction with new sod and walkways to make all of the monuments handicap accessible. Now everyone is able to enjoy some of the Nation’s greatest memorials. (This photo was taken in September 2012.)

Bike Ride thru The National Mall

Best thing to do in DC is to ride a bike through all the monuments and parks! You will see more than you could ever imagine and explore the sights live never before!

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