National Mall
#16 of 100 things to do in Washington DC
The National Mall is an open-area national park in downtown Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. The National Park Service administers the National Mall, which is part of its National Mall and Memorial Parks unit. Wikipedia
Area: 146 acres (59 ha)
Address: Washington, DC 20565
Phone: (202) 426-6841
Management: U.S. National Park Service
Each year, millions of people visit the National Mall and Memorial Parks to recreate, to commemorate presidential legacies, to honor our nation’s veterans, to make their voices heard, and to celebrate our nation’s commitment to freedom and equality.
National Mall and Memorial Parks preserves federal parkland envisioned in 1791 by Federal City planner Pierre L’Enfant and brought to fruition by District Commissioners and L’Enfant’s successor Andrew Ellicott. The park encompasses more than one thousand acres and includes the Mall area itself; many of the uptown circles, squares, and triangular parcels of land; and East and West Potomac Parks.
The public may visit the park 24 hours a day. However Rangers are on duty at the Memorial Sites to answer questions from 9:30 A.M. to 11:30 P.M. daily.
The park itself has no fees or reservations associated with a visit. However for planned events dependent upon the activity and number of participants a permit may be required. Please refer to the permits section to find out more information.
Park Regulations: Federal laws prohibit smoking, bicycling or skating, eating, drinking, and certain other activities inside memorial spaces. Pets are excluded from most memorials. Feeding wildlife is prohibited.
Parking: Street and lot parking in the National Mall and Memorial Parks is unable to accommodate all the visitors the park receives. Thoughout downtown Washington, D.C., parking is at a premium. Parking garages are available off the National Mall throughout downtown.
Public Transportation: A variety of public transportation options including Metro rail and bus are the recommended means to travel to the National Mall and Memorial Parks. For most heavily-trafficked areas of the National Mall, Smithsonian metro station is the nearest, but several other stations are useful.
Walking: Many visitors are surprised by the amount of walking they do in the park. Plan to wear appropriate shoes for standing for long periods and walking long distances.
website: http://www.nps.gov/nacc/