Washington DC Old Post office lamp pole.

Even though there has not been a lot of traveling for us in the last year and a half, it’s fun to look back at some of the wonderful vacations we have taken over the years. In fact, it almost makes it even more fun. After every vacation I have very good intentions of coming home and reflecting on the previous days’ adventures. But more often than not, I’m too exhausted, and then life and all its to-do lists keep me from actually following through. Thank goodness we have the pictures to remind us. Below are a few of my favorite snapshots from a trip we took to Washington DC in the summer of 2013. Although we did go by it, there are no photos of the White House in this collection. Rather, some moments that made this trip one of my top five vacations of all time. Enjoy!

On our first full day of exploring DC, Andrew and I stumbled upon the Old Post Office. The site itself is a historic landmark, as it was the location of the first official Post Office in Washington DC. As part of the Old Post Office is the Old Clock Tower. Tourists can go up the tower to an observation deck that boasts the third tallest vantage point in the city. What a treat!

View from atop the Clock Tower observation deck.

We like to stay in hotels in the heart of downtowns, but for this trip, we were at a Marriott more on the Northwest part of the city. Within scooting distance of our hotel was the National Cathedral. Now, I don’t typically make it a point to seek out historic churches on my vacations, but this one I couldn’t resist. Built in 1792, the Neo-Gothic style is both strong and delicate at the same time. President Woodrow Wilson and his wife Edith are entombed at the church.

Exterior image of the National Cathedral featuring its Neo-Gothic style.

You can’t go to Washington DC and not tour the National Mall. I think it is in the visitor’s rule book or something. Anchoring the Mall is the Washington Monument. As you can see by the picture, it wasn’t the prettiest thing to look at this trip. There was a small earthquake in Virginia, yes, I said Virginia, in 2011, and the monument was damaged. But hey, who needs to get up close when you can hold it in the palm of your hand. ;)

Me “holding” the Washington Monument in the palm of my hand.

There are two monuments I was most excited to see on this trip: the Martin Luther King Jr., and Franklin D. Roosevelt’s. Pictures cannot fully capture the humble grandness of the MLK monument. As I approached it I was overwhelmed by its magnitude. Yes, monuments are supposed to dwarf people in scale. But somehow this was different. It wasn’t just purely a size thing. I think part of it was the way that he is etched out of the side of massive stone behind him. Additional parts of the monument include water and lighting features, as well as some of Dr. King’s most iconic quotes from his civil rights speeches.

What self-respecting journalist would I be if I didn’t go to the national museum for News, the Newseum!? Yes, you read that right, there was, a seven-story complex dedicated to everything that is fit to print. Sadly, I say was, because it is no longer open. The Newseum had to close its doors in December 2019 after years of financial losses. I am so glad that I went. It was a dedicated space whose exhibits included everything from the history of the printing press, rotating installations of significant historical events, and an overall emphasis on the preservation of the freedom of the press, both nationally and globally.

Me in front of a quote about democracy on the wall of the Newseum building.

One thing everyone told me prior to our trip was, “You have to see the monuments at night.” I wasn’t sure if we would be able to make that one happen, being so far from our hotel, but I knew I wanted to try. One of the traditions Andrew and I have is that we like to try to go to one “fancier” dinner out at a local restaurant. A restaurant that is less for tourists and more for the folks who actually live in the city. We chose the iconic Old Ebbit’s Grill. The fact that it is so iconic should’ve probably disqualified it from our list, but I just couldn’t pass up having dinner at a place where so many of DC’s movers and shakers have tipped back a glass or enjoyed a good meal. Sometimes the ambiance does make the meal. Because I don’t remember how the food was, but I do remember eating there.

Oh yes, but back to the monuments. So on our way back from dinner, we made our way to as many monuments as we could. And for even those we couldn’t get to up close, like the Lincoln Memorial below, seeing it lit up from a distance, was magnificent.

The Lincoln Memorial illuminated at night.

There are very few photos of Franklin D. Roosevelt in his wheelchair. He contracted polio as a young teen, and used leg splints and a wheelchair for the rest of his life. Talk of Roosevelt’s disability is often overlooked when discussing his presidency. You hear the name Roosevelt and you think New Deal, World War II, the Great Depression, and Fireside Chats. I know I’m biased, but I wish disabled and wheelchair where in that mix too. But I understand those times were different. Which is why the fact that the monument developers purposeful inclusion of his disability means so much to me. They recognized that the monument honoring FDR is about more than just his life and time. And that times change. For future generations to be able to learn about and connect with this president in such an honestly transparent way will only serve to honor his greatness and his legacy even greater still.

Andrew and I posing with the bronze statue of Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Much like the Washington Monument itself, another hallmark of the DC tourist checklist is the Reflecting Pool on the National Mall. As it’s name implies, reflecting the Monument on one side, and watched over by a sitting Abraham Lincoln on the other, the Reflecting Pool offers at least the appearance of a refreshing reprieve from the city’s sweltering summer heat.

Tourists bustling in front of the Reflecting Pool.

I am what you would call a hard-core tourist. If I am in a city I know I won’t get to but once every several years, or especially a new place I’ve never explored, I’m down for the long haul. I will go as far and as long as my scooter batteries will take me. Andrew and I had just finished touring the main area where most of the moments are located: the Lincoln Memorial, the WW II Memorial, the Vietnam Wall, etc. But I really wanted to go to the Jefferson Memorial. It’s kind of a distance away from the others, however, and that is kind of what made me want to go see it all the more. The Jefferson Memorial sits on the other side of the Tidal Basin, a man-made reservoir that sits between the Potomac River and the Washington Channel. Most tourists are guided on wider walking paths between the monuments that are a further distance than this path that runs along the Basin. I happened along this path somewhat by accident, and I quickly realized this must be a route only the locals know. I am sure this is going to sound overstated or odd, but this short trip I took scooting to the Jefferson Memorial was not only a highlight of this vacation, but probably any vacation I’ve taken in my life. What I remember most is how calm and quiet it was. Yes, it was hot out, but the shade from the trees and the breeze off the water made the temperature such a pleasure.

If you are ever in Washington DC I highly, highly recommend you explore your way down to the walking paths around the Tidal Basin. Another thing I loved about it was seeing people out in the water on paddle boats. I am sure there are boat rentals for tourists, but I think a lot of locals use the water for recreation as well. I think it is easy to think as a tourist that everything in the city you are staying at is temporary or borrowed. But the Tidal Basin reminded me that DC is home to those who live and work there. Not everyone needs a tourist map to get around.

People out on the water enjoying recreation on the Tidal Basin.

I look forward to going back to DC one day. Even during our week visiting, there were so many places I didn’t get to see. Top on my list for next time is definitely the African-American Museum, the National Art Gallery, and an interior tour of the White House.

Leave a comment below if you have been to Washington DC and what tops your tourist checklist!