Night Tours Of Washington D. C. Guide

By Cornelia Reyes


Night tours of Washington D. C. Are far more enjoyable than tramping around by day. The brightly lit monuments bathed in moonlight are ethereally beautiful, and even more stunning than they look by day. From Capitol Hill to the White House at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue, these are not just historical structures but living monuments where history was and is being made.

There are so many sights that it can be hard to decide what to see and how to plan the itinerary. Visiting tourists do have the choice of selecting from among a range of different tour options and itineraries. Some take a guided moonlight walking tour, while others prefer buses that offer audio narrations. Yet others may like the novelty of riding around the city in a trolley.

The best and most efficient way to take this tour is to begin at either the White House or the U. S. Capitol. Note that visitors won't be able to get a tour from the inside of either one. This is not just because it's after-dark, but also because U. S. Capitol visitor center tickets or White House group visits must be arranged well in advance, and it has to be done through the proper channels.

Inside or out, a good close look at these majestic monuments is more than enough to feel the thrill and awe that comes with being surrounded by greatness. A tour that sets off from the Old Post Office or the Capitol will then continue to the WW II Memorial. Next up is the Vietnam War Memorial, and then on to see Lincoln. It's a tradition to take pictures on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, with a larger-than-life Honest Abe providing the backdrop.

After Lincoln comes the Korean War Memorial, and then on to the Potomac Tidal Basin's south bank for a stop at the Jefferson Memorial. Famed as one of the best architectural specimens in the nation, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial was built based on ancient inspiration from the Pantheon in Rome and from the third President's own home in Virginia. The stunning 19-foot statue of Jefferson, the columns and the dome above are all a must-see spectacle for DC visitors.

After Jefferson comes FDR, whose memorial is rather more touristy than the rest. Each of President Roosevelt's four "rooms" has a different kind of waterfall. From the Great Depression to the Second World War, the waterfalls are symbolic of the different challenges FDR faced in his four terms.

The tour will also stop at the Iowa-Jima Memorial and then the Martin Luther King Memorial. It is technically part of the area that comes under the National Mall. Note that the address of the MLK Memorial (1964 Independence Ave) matches the year that Civil Rights legislation finally became law and Dr. King's dream was at least legally made possible.

The final stop on the tour is the White House, still closed to visitors at nighttime but surely worth a good look anyway. Night tours of Washington D. C. Can and do include many more sights, and there's a whole lot more that tourists can do on their own too. The beautiful waterfront in Georgetown, for example, is the perfect place for a nice long walk.




About the Author: