On my second night in the District, I spent time with my family taking a night tour of the monuments. The tour last approximately two and a half hours and provided a view of the monuments different than the one most see.
Our group started the tour at the Washington Monument. Our tour guide spoke to us about the recent earthquake and how the monument was now under repair and was the reason for the scaffolding. We blew by this monument fairly quickly, having our guide point out the red flashing light used to alert any helicopters or airplanes in the area of the structure.
From there, we traveled to the Vietnam Memorial. At the Vietnam Memorial, our guide described the structure and also talked about the different markings that could be associated with names. The symbols are for soldiers whose death have been confirmed and for those still missing. The names are organized on the memorial in alphabetical order, but in chronological according to passing.
From there, we traveled to the World War II Memorial and the Korean War Memorial. The WWII Memorial is one of my personal favorites. It brings together not only all of the participating states and territories from the United States and does so uniting them around a beautifully lit fountain. There are also wreaths on the front and back of each pillar, something that represents the fact that states gave men and resources to the war. The Korean War Memorial we didn't spend too much time at, because we were in a hurry and late to get to the Lincoln.
At the Lincoln Memorial, we talked about Lincoln's life and personality. One of the largely discussed points about the monument is on the body language of Lincoln. His hands and their placement and degree of openness are frequently the most debated. One of the coolest aspects of the Lincoln is the view you have from the reflection pool down towards the Washington Monument.
The night tour was great and a good way to spend a nice night in D.C. I highly suggest it to anyone who has family or friends in town, as it was free! (The company did suggest tips for the guide).
-Matt Deptola
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