National Mall Transportation Tips

The National Mall in Washington D.C. is bigger and more spread out than many first-time visitors expect.

While seeing the sights usually means a lot of walking, you may want to switch it up at some point. Here are a few other transportation options.

Car

Traffic often gets very congested as you get close to the Mall. However, it can be an even bigger challenge to find parking once you get there.

Sights around the Mall tend not to have designated parking.
You may be able to find street parking, but it’s tricky.
There are several parking garages in the area with varying rates.

Car + Metro

To avoid the traffic, leave your car at your hotel and take the Metro in.
You can also park in Metro lots for about $5/day and pay with your SmarTrip Card.
Metro lots are free on weekends and federal holidays!

If you’re still in the trip planning stage, be aware that many of the hotels closer to the Mall charge guests for parking.

Metrorail

Washington D.C.’s Metro (subway/underground) system is a really convenient way to get to and from the National Mall.

Get a SmarTrip Card (used for paying fares) at Metro station fare machines or order online ahead of time.
Fare: $2-6, depending on time of day and how far you’re traveling.
All six of D.C.’s Metro lines have stops on or near the Mall. (PDF map and info.)
More information for new riders.

Bus

DC Circulator

The National Mall route goes from the Lincoln Memorial to Union Station, then around the other side of the Mall and Tidal Basin, back to the Lincoln Memorial.
Route maps are available online, as a printable PDF, or via mail. There’s also an interactive map for finding the stop closest to you.
Frequency: Every 10 minutes from 7am to 8pm (9am start time on weekends).
Fare: $1 per ride. Pay with cash or a SmarTrip Card.
Order in advance for a 1-day pass ($3) or 3-day pass ($7).
Not a guided tour, just a (cheap) transportation option – although it might be a good way to get at least a visual overview of the Mall.

Big Bus Tours

Commentary via recording or live tour guide.
3 different hop-on/hop-off routes available.
Tickets: $39-49 for 1 day.
Wifi on board.
Sightseeing bus recommended by Destination DC.

Bicycle

There are bike racks throughout the Mall to lock up your bike while you visit a museum, monument, or gallery.

Rental

You can rent a bike for short rides via Capital Bikeshare.

Day passes are $8.
The station map shows real-time bike availability.

Have you been to D.C.? How did you get around?

– Resources for Finding Your Way in D.C. –

December 1, 2016May 23, 2023

National Christmas tree

The U.S. National Christmas Tree in Washington D.C. isn’t seasonal. The decorations are. But the tree itself is a living thing, planted in the President’s Park, permanent enough to be a dot on National Mall maps.

It’s located in the middle of the Ellipse (a big lawn south of the White House), surrounded by the “Pathway of Peace.” During the holiday season, it’s lit up like….well, you know…with model trains and miniature buildings at its base and 57 smaller trees decorated for each U.S. state and territory (plus the District of Columbia) with handmade ornaments from schoolchildren and artists.

– Visiting The National Christmas Tree –

The National Christmas Tree lights are on nightly from approximately 4:30-10pm during the month of December.
The Pathway of Peace is open 10am-10pm.
30-minute music and dance performances take place on a nearby stage for 2 weeks in December.
It’s free to see the tree and watch performances.
There’s an annual lighting ceremony and concert. Watch the 2015 lighting online. (The 2016 ceremony will be televised later this week.)
The National Tree has a Twitter account. It loves Christmas, music, and, apparently, Gilmore Girls.

Getting There

Transit: The closest stops are the same ones you’d use for the White House – either Federal Triangle (blue, orange, and silver lines) or Metro Center (red, blue, orange, and silver lines).
Parking: There’s a parking garage at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. Rates vary but plan for about $10/hour weekdays, $15 for weekday evenings or all day on weekends and holidays. Access via 13½ Street (off Pennsylvania Avenue) or 14th Street. Open to the public but visitors and vehicles are screened upon entry.
Street parking is limited.
We ended up walking from our hotel.

April 21, 2016June 2, 2021

A Strategically Located Embassy

You’ve got some pretty impressive neighbors when you’re staying at the Embassy Suites Washington DC Convention Center. The President, for example, lives just down the street. The first night we were in town, we were wandering around after dinner and ended up strolling by the White House.

We actually stayed there twice (at the hotel, not the White House), since we were flying in and out of Washington DC with the Charlottesville portion of the trip sandwiched in the middle.

As the name would suggest, all of the rooms at the Embassy Suites are suites with 2 or 3 rooms. So the living room and kitchenette/wet bar is separate from the bedroom(s).

For our second stay, our room was a large corner suite with its own conference table. It felt like I should call a meeting. Or at least spread out a craft project.

While there is a microwave, coffeemaker, and mini fridge in all rooms, a hot, made-to-order breakfast in the adjoining Finn & Porter restaurant is included in your stay.

You pick out your ingredients, and they whip you up an omelet right there in front of you. They’ll also serve diced potatoes, bacon, etc. on the side, and you can help yourself to fruit and pastries. It was really good, and the restaurant has a nice warm atmosphere.

One morning, I finished breakfast and just sat next to the fireplace with my coffee for a bit, while outside the windows DC dwellers were rushing off to work.

Meanwhile, I didn’t even have to bus my own table. They take care of that. In fact, I was looking for a trash can to toss something on my way out and instead a server just held out his hand to take it for me.

In the evenings, there is a reception with snacks and beverages (alcohol is available with ID).

Really, the only thing that was a hassle was parking. And that’s a DC-wide issue. While there was only valet parking at the hotel, stopping to drop the car off or check in when you arrive had the triple-parked confusion of a busy airport’s arrivals curb.

Another strategy is to skip renting a car altogether, especially if you’ll be in DC during a peak season (like summer or National Cherry Blossom Festival). And especially if you stay somewhere centrally located enough for walking and transit access.

The Embassy Suites where we stayed is near the Metro and bus lines, the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, and the majority of Washington DC’s main sights.

A few of the places we walked to from our hotel:

See what I mean about great neighbors?

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We received a media discount from Embassy Suites.

January 16, 2016January 17, 2016

Seeing DC and C-ville

Charlottesville

We spent New Year’s Eve at a winery in Charlottesville, Virginia celebrating my cousin’s wedding.

Charlottesville (a.k.a. “C-ville”) is where Thomas Jefferson built his famed home, Monticello, which we were able to visit the day we got into town.

It’s also home to an extensive network of studios and galleries, known as the Monticello Artisan Trail and a historic downtown pedestrian mall with stores, restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and a skating rink.

You could walk right out on to the mall from the lush atrium of the Omni Hotel Charlottesville, where we stayed.

Washington D.C.

We flew in and out of DC. With our limited time there, we were able to catch a few museums, some of the monuments, and the still-decorated National Christmas Tree, as well as finding some good food and even doing a little crafting.

And we were able to walk to almost all of that from our DC hotel, Embassy Suites by Hilton Washington DC Convention Center.

There’s more to come about what we saw, where we ate, and where we stayed. In the meantime, I’ve been posting photos on Instagram tagged #dccville.

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We received media rates for our stays at the Omni Hotel Charlottesville and Embassy Suites by Hilton Washington DC Convention Center. We also received assistance and Monticello passes from Visit Charlottesville and Destination DC.

January 11, 2016May 23, 2023

View of the Lincoln Memorial

The day we drove back to DC from Charlottesville, Virginia, we took a little time to explore one corner of the National Mall with the Vietnam Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, and a great view of the Washington Monument across the water, right as the sun was setting.

The statue of Lincoln has sat across from the reflecting pool for nearly a century. I wish he could tell us stories about all the things he’s witnessed there.

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