sAside from being the nation’s capital, Washington, DC is known as the home to a number of magnificent and meaningful monuments and memorials. While a typical trip to DC might take you over the bridge to the Arlington National Cemetery, there are a handful of other sites to take in while on the other side of the Potomac.
Arlington National Cemetery
The Arlington National Cemetery is a grand and somber memorial and resting site for U.S. Military personnel dating back to the Civil War. On these expansive grounds, there are a number of memorials to see including the Tomb of the Unknowns, the USS Maine Mast Memorial, the Space Shuttle Challenger Memorial, the Women In Military Service For America Memorial. Notable burials throughout history include those of President John F. Kennedy, his brothers Robert F. Kennedy and Edward “Ted” Kennedy, President William Howard Taft, and American astronaut John Glenn.
Air Force Memorial
Dedicated in 2006, this memorial dedicated the past, present and future members of the U.S. Air Force is a striking sculpture you can see from many high-points in DC. 3 impressive arcs bend upward toward the sky as a reference to the flight path of jet and space vehicles. While you can spot this one from a distance, there’s nothing quite like taking in the grandeur up close.
Marine Corps War Memorial
Perhaps one of the more famous visuals of our time, this iconic image turned statue of the second flag raising on the island of Iwo Jima during World War II is a must-see when in the DC area. This, like many DC statues and memorials, is particularly striking to see at night!
National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial
Located just outside of the Pentagon itself, this touching memorial to those lives lost on-site on 9/11 is a lesser-known dedication worth visiting. 184 “memorial unit” benches are surrounded by 85 Crape Myrtle trees, and an “Age Wall” grows and inch each year relative to the ages of the victims. Your best bet for getting here is to take the Metro as parking is limited and restricted.