Whether you’re on a Washington Monument tour or just visiting on your own, you can expect to spend at least an hour at the monument itself. Of course, this depends on how crowded the building is since you’ll have to spend time going through security and waiting in line for the elevator. If you visit during a weekday or early in the morning, you should be able to skip the worst of the lines and get to the top faster. Once you’ve made it up to the top of the monument, there are two floors of exhibits and windows you can use to take in the view. How much time you spend here will depend on your interest in history!
If you’re planning on visiting the Washington Monument, we highly recommend reserving tickets online before you go. The tickets themselves are free, although booking online will cost you an extra $1.50 for processing. While it’s possible to get tickets at the monument on the day of your visit, they’re given out on a first-come, first-served basis and tend to go quickly. During the summer months, the monument can run out of same-day tickets as early as nine or 9:30 in the morning, so making a reservation online is well worth the dollar-fifty to make sure you get a chance to go up.
If you enjoyed your trip to the Washington Monument and you want to see more, Action Tour Guide offers a Washington DC Monuments Self-Guided Walking Tour through our app on iOS and Google Play. The tour will take about an hour or two and takes you through some of the most exciting spots in the capital, including the White House, the National Mall, and the Smithsonian Institute museums. You’ll even learn a bit about the history of the city!
