Welcome to the Washington Monuments Tour

This walking tour of Washington, D.C. begins next to Pershing Park, right across from the White House south lawn. From here, you’ll make your way to the White House itself, where you can admire the seat of American power and learn some fascinating tidbits about its construction. Did you know the entire East Wing was built as a distraction?

About the tour

Head south toward Constitution Gardens and pick up some insight into D.C.’s complicated history along the way. Through the gardens, you’ll find what was once the city’s most controversial monument: The Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Next, you’ll head to the Lincoln Memorial, one of the most iconic memorials on your self-guided walking tour, Washington DC.

The Korean War Veterans Memorial is next, where you’ll hear about the fraught political struggle which wracked the White House during this bloody conflict. As you continue east, you’ll be filled in on the aftermath of the War of 1812, and how D.C. grew into what it is today.

Next up on your Washington DC Monument tour you’ll arrive at will be the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, honoring the nation’s most revered civil rights leader. Then you’ll cross the Kutz Bridge and learn why the Potomac River is so significant to this city’s history. From this bridge, you’ll also be able to see the impressive Thomas Jefferson Memorial.

Then, you’ll reach the National Mall, which you’ve definitely seen on TV plenty of times. Here’s where you’ll get an up-close look at the Washington Monument, and learn the history of George Washington’s connection to this important city.

If you like museums, the next stretch of the tour is absolutely for you. Along this route, you’ll pass the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, and the National Gallery of Art. There’s a reason D.C. is known as the number one place to go for museums!

On the final leg of the Washington Monuments tour, you’ll arrive at three of the most crucial buildings in the city: The Library of Congress, the Capitol Building, and the Supreme Court of the United States. The tour will conclude here, amid these three awe-inspiring structures.

Starting point: White House Visitor Center, 1450 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230, USA