I visited one of my sisters, Sara, in Maryland between November 6th-10th. She had moved there earlier in the fall and wanted some visitors, so of course I took her up on that offer. She also wanted pictures for Holiday cards, and as I’m always the go-to family photographer, I was thankful I could say it was a “work trip.” During that time we did many things including doing a day tour of the National Mall and Memorial Parks in Washington, DC.
I hadn’t been to D.C. since I was in 8th grade. It was truly a different experience as a grown adult. I understood so much more of the history, I appreciated the stories and the legacies being memorialized, and I took everything in in an entirely new way. We also were touring right after the 2020 election. The atmosphere was definitely different, and we were slightly worried about the tensions that were palpable on the news between each political party; however, the entire National Mall and Memorial Parks areas were respectful and polite.
We started around mid-day after having brunch at a downtown spot. We enjoyed our eggs and pancakes before leaving our vehicle in the lot (since parking was hard to find) and walking a few blocks to start our Tour or the National Mall near the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
When doing our research about how we were going to plan this tour, I found a guide on the Apple Maps app. Sara and I had never used the Apple Maps guide, but I can say we truly loved it. Not only did it help us map out how we would walk from place to place and what the best route to take would be, but it also included little blurbs about each memorial. Besides seeing the statues, monuments, fountains, etc. we were able to take out our phones and use this guide to read a little bit more about each thing without googling anything.
Lincoln Memorial
The Lincoln Memorial was packed. Most were wearing masks, and Sara and I kept them on in big crowds and always handy when we were walking around (because at this time we were still in the height of the virus). Given that it was mid-day, a lot of people were resting in the shade of the yard or on the steps leading up to Lincoln’s statue.
From our guide: “Starting on the west side of the Mall on the Potomac River, the Lincoln Memorial looks out on the iconic Reflecting Pool. A tribute to America’s 16th president, the memorial has served as the backdrop for countless milestones in our nation’s history, including a 1939 convert from African American opera singer Marion Anderson. Make sure to find the inscription on the steps where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963.”
Washington Monument
We could see the Washington Monument everywhere that we went. It’s the centerpiece of the National Mall. The sun was shining bright, the sky was perfectly clear and blue, so I often took pictures of it from every direction. Technically at the time of visiting it was closed, so we were unable to go inside (which is something that I didn’t realize you could do), but we enjoyed walking around it and seeing it from all the angles. Reading about it in our guide we learned that if we did have the opportunity to head on up to the top of the obelisk in an elevator we would have been able to see the best views of the area.
World War II Memorial
To be honest, it took us quite a while to figure out what this Memorial was for. The fountain was nice and seeing all of the states laid out on pillars was intriguing, but we didn’t realize this was a dedication to World War II until finding a plaque near the center. It is just in line with the Lincoln Memorial and Reflection Pool and honors the millions who served during WWII. One of the most impactful parts of the memorial is when you see a wall of stars that are meant to remind you of the price Americans paid to win the war—the ultimate sacrifice of 400,000 Americans.
Constitution Gardens
We buckled back a little bit to check out the Constitution Gardens and Carp Pond. We used the beautiful scenery as a backdrop to a quick photoshoot. While the changing fall colors made this area beautiful, I can’t even imagine the beauty of this area during the spring or summer months. Our guide states: “Continuing down the length of the Reflecting Pool towards the Washington Monument, take a moment to stop and smell the flowers nestled in Constitution Gardens. A living legacy to the founding of the republic, an artificial lake hosts a memorial island with stones bearing the names and signatures of the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence. Fun fact: the 50 acres of the park were originally beneath the Potomac River.”
After finally reaching the base of the Washington Monument, the next thing on our guide was supposed to be President’s Park where we could see the White House. Unfortunately though, do to the election and the recent announcement of our new president, this area was almost entirely blocked off. So much so that I couldn’t even get a decent picture. This is where there were protestors, people living in tents, signs, etc. blocking the way of tourists like us. Sara and I chose to simply avoid this area and continue on our walk towards the Thomas Jefferson Memorial.
Thomas Jefferson Memorial
This was the longest walk from one monument to another for us. As we walked around Tidal Basin we got to see what is normally the location for the city’s annual Cherry Blossom Festival. These Cherry Blossom trees looked like normal trees with no leaves, but imagining them in the spring made us realize how beautiful this area would be at that time.
The sun was starting to set as we approached the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, and we realized also that this memorial was under construction. It was covered in scaffolding and we thought that we would not be able to enter; however, when standing at the base of the stairs we noticed a small walkway that they had left open for tourists to enter.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
Continuing our walk along the Tidal Basin led us to the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial. This one was really unique and something that I actually remembered pretty clearly from my trip long ago in 8th grade. It is a memorial to both FDR and his wife, Elenor Roosevelt, and it is a winding path that functions as a timeline of major elements of FDR’s four terms of office through a sequence of outdoor “rooms.”
We were vlogging our entire trip, and during this time I had handed the camera over to Sara to do some camera work. From her shaky footage you can tell just how dehydrated and quite exhausted we were at this point. We didn’t realize how long the tour would take us and how silly we were for not bring snacks or bottles of water.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
Rounding out our tour before leading back to where we all started was our final stop at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. This was an amazing monument to see because of the gravity that it held in the world at that current moment. So many important cultural things were happening during this year previously so you could definitely tell that there was a different weight about you when you were in the area. The monument was also built and opened to the public in 2011 meaning this did not exist during my original 8th grade trip making this something entirely new for me to see.
From our guide: “The first memorial on the National Mall to honor an African American, the memorial honors the legacy of Dr. King and the struggle for freedom, equality, and justice. Featuring a striking likeness of Dr. King carved in a “Stone of Hope,” opposite a “Mountain of Despair,” the memorial references Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech and symbolizes a victory borne from disappointment.”
Our tour ended back where it began at the Lincoln Memorial. After snapping a few pictures of his in the setting sun, we continued our walk back to our vehicles in the downtown DC area. Sara and I absolutely loved seeing everything that DC had to offer especially now as grown adults who could really take in the meaning and importance behind these historical events. I also loved taking pictures of everything and suddenly had a new found love for documenting something other than weddings and families (which is all I primarily do within my business).
I can’t wait for more vacations and life moments to capture with my camera. I hope you enjoyed reliving this day with me and witnessing all of the amazing things we saw while on our tour in DC during the 2020 election.
