You’ll have no shortage of attractions to visit on a walking tour of the National Mall, which is centrally nestled in the city. Museums and art galleries line the wide grassy lawn considered “America’s Front Yard.” The entire Mall is flanked and crisscrossed with broad, paved pedestrian pathways, so getting around is easy. For navigation, note that Independence Avenue is the main east-west roadway along the south side of the Mall, while Constitution Avenue lines the north side of the Mall. To the east, the Mall is bookended by the U.S. Capitol Building and, to the west, by the Lincoln Memorial.
It’s only about two miles from one end of the Mall to the other, but you can add on significant mileage within the attractions you visit, so be sure to wear comfortable shoes. And, if you start getting tired, look for the red and gray buses of the DC Circulator, which operates a National Mall route. While biking the pathways is technically an option, they do get pretty crowded with pedestrians, especially in the spring and summer, which make for difficult going.
With limited parking options, most visitors take Metro to reach the area; there are several train stations within a few blocks of the Mall, but we’ll start our tour at the closet one, the Smithsonian Station, on the Orange, Blue and Silver lines. You’ll pop out of the subterranean station just north of Jefferson Drive, closer to the south side of the Mall.
From the Metro station, we suggest you walk east to hit the museums during operating hours, which are generally 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily, though many stay open later in the summer. That way, at the end of the day, as the buildings are closing their doors, you can explore the area’s many outdoor monuments and memorials at your leisure; they’re lit up at night and look especially beautiful against an inky sky.
With so many attractions bordering the Mall, the tough decision is which ones to choose. Each museum offers so much to see and do, you’ll need to resist the temptation to try and visit them all, especially since they are free admission. We suggest you pick just two and spend a few hours in each to really appreciate all of the exhibits and activities. To get started, make your way to the Smithsonian Castle, which houses a visitors center. You can’t miss it; it’s just a block from the Metro and the only thing that looks like a bonafide castle on the grounds. In addition to the tourist information, inside you’ll find restrooms, a souvenir shop and the Castle Café, where you can grab a cup coffee and a bite to eat.
Three of the most popular options are the National Air and Space Museum (about 2 blocks east of the Castle), the National Museum of Natural History (directly across the Mall from the Castle) and the National Museum of American History (located northwest from the Castle). Slightly farther away is the Mall’s newest addition, the National Museum of African American History and Culture. To reach it from the Castle, cross the Mall to its north side, then go 2 blocks west (toward the towering structure of the Washington Monument). On the opposite end of the Mall (toward the U.S. Capitol Building), you can visit the National Museum of the American Indian and the lesser-visited-but-no-less-worthy United States Botanic Garden just beyond.
If you like art, you’ll have several great options nearby. Behind the Castle is a well-manicured garden worth strolling through; on the west side of the garden is the Sackler Gallery, which showcases Asian art, and, to the east, is the National Museum of African Art. Farther east, you’ll easily spot the cylindrical shape of the Hirshhorn Museum, which showcases modern art and includes a sculpture garden, and the pair of buildings comprising the National Gallery of Art, which has a collection spanning the Middle Ages to the modern era, where you’ll see works by da Vinci, Picasso, Matisse, Pollock and Calder, among other renowned artists.
Hungry? Standout lunch options include the Sweet Home Café (in the National Museum of African American History and Culture) and the Mitsitam Café (in the National Museum of the American Indian). If you’ve brought the kids, you also can’t go wrong with the McDonald’s in the National Air and Space Museum.
Now that you’ve had your fill of history, culture and art, it’s time to see what else the Mall has to offer. Head toward the tallest structure in the city, the Washington Monument, which stands 555 feet high. Continue walking along the paved elliptical pathway around the monument, taking the loop’s southern arc if you want to swing by the park’s restrooms. Heading west, you’ll cross 17th Street at the crosswalk and approach the National World War II Memorial with its central fountain ringed in granite pillars. Continue west along the rectangular Reflecting Pool to reach the Lincoln Memorial. Walking along the north side of the pool will put you closer to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, while following the south side, you’ll pass the Korean War Veterans Memorial.
After exploring the Lincoln Memorial, walk a block south, then turn back east and follow the pathway paralleling Independence Avenue. Shortly, you’ll cross West Basin Drive and see the white stone gateway to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. The memorial includes a 30-foot-tall sculpture of King and several inspirational quotes carved in stone. On the other side of the memorial is the Tidal Basin, ringed by the famed cherry trees that turn the area into a riot of pink blossoms each spring. Head south, curving around the basin to the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial and then the domed Thomas Jefferson Memorial.
From the Jefferson Memorial, curve around the basin heading north this time, making your way back to Independence Avenue, which you’ll follow on the pathway back to your starting point at the Smithsonian Metro. On the way to Independence, you’ll be near the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (which you can tour to see how paper currency is made); follow signs directing you to those attractions if you want to detour and visit them.
If you’re ready for a well-earned dinner, there are several options located just a few blocks north of the Mall, including Old Ebbitt Grill (a D.C. classic founded in 1856), Rasika (a four-star Indian restaurant) and Carmine’s (Italian cuisine), plus any number of fast food, fast casual and food trucks nearby.
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Take a tour through this museum to learn how our paper currency is made.
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This moving museum is memorial to the Holocaust.
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Established in 1820 and one of the oldest botanic gardens in the country, this is a worthwhile attraction located on the east end of the National Mall.
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This National Mall museum presents an extensive collection of Asian art.
This National Mall museum presents an extensive collection of Asian art.
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This museum on the National Mall showcases modern art and includes an outdoor sculpture garden.
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This Smithsonian museum¿s collection showcases traditional and contemporary artwork from Africa.
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See iconic American treasures here, like the Star-Spangled Banner, Dorothy¿s ruby slippers, the gowns of the First Ladies and the Edison lightbulb.
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This powerful museum documents generations of the African American experience from slavery to the civil rights movement to the pioneering artists, politicians, sports figures and others of the modern...
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Centrally located on the National Mall, the Castle (circa 1855) serves as a visitor center and gift shop for all the Smithsonian museums.
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This Italian restaurant can be found just 3 blocks north of the National Mall.
This Italian restaurant can be found just 3 blocks north of the National Mall.
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This D.C. classic, founded in 1856 and located near the White House, serves upscale American food.
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This four-star Indian restaurant is located in D.C.'s PennQuarter.
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Located inside the National Museum of the American Indian, this cafe features Native foods from the Western Hemisphere, including the Northern Woodlands, South America, the Northwest Coast, Meso...
Located inside the National Museum of the American Indian, this cafe features Native foods from the Western Hemisphere, including the Northern Woodlands, South America, the Northwest Coast, Meso America and the Great Plains.
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Housed inside the National Museum of African American History and Culture, this cafe serves authentic African-American cuisine from different regions of the country, including the Agricultural South,...
Housed inside the National Museum of African American History and Culture, this cafe serves authentic African-American cuisine from different regions of the country, including the Agricultural South, Creole Coast, North States and the Western Range.
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