The US National Park Service operates many historic sites, monuments, parks and national memorials in the Washington, DC area. The National Mall itself is operated by the US National Park Service. At most visitor centres and ranger stations you can collect National Park Passport Stamps (cancellation stamps) – there is no area in the United States where you can collect more of these stamps than at the National Mall.
I was really looking forward to seeing all these things that I’ve seen so many times on TV. How many times have I seen the Washington Monument? Or the US Capitol Building? Well now we’ve On the East side of the National Mall is the US Capitol Building. Although tours are available I’m not sure if Canadians are able to get tours because that seemed like no fun at all with two small kids.
Look, there we are! In real life!
Stepen told Gordie to walk back to Mommy. So he walked backwards going ‘beep beep beep’.
This is the Navy Memorial On Pennsylvania Avenue just off the National Mall
The Washington Monument is the Centrepiece of the National Mall. It was being repaired after some earthquake damage so we weren’t able to go up. 
To the North of the Washington Monument is the White House. We had intended to go see the area around the White House but this was as close as we got.
We were in Washington, DC in February and it was unseasonably cold. And windy. We had hoped to walk the National Mall on a warm day, but we ended up trying to walk it on a cold and windy day as there were no warm days coming. We didn’t get to explore the whole area as much as I had hoped but I’m really glad we were able to see what we did.
This is one of the two National Parks Buildings – this one is to the SW of the Washington Monument, the other is just to the East of the Monument. The one above is the one you want to go to. I should have taken a picture of all the cancellation stamps you can get here, but I didn’t. It is a lot. For the National Mall area, it is your one stop for passport stamps.
The World War II Memorial with the Lincoln Memorial in the background
World War II Memorial
Walk towards the Lincoln Memorial
Jefferson Memorial across the Tidal Basin
That was as far as we got before it just got too miserable with the kids. I hadn’t realized just how windy it was and Nicky’s hat wouldn’t stay on so we just couldn’t keep going. There were also lots of tears at this point. Stephen ran ahead and the kids and I hid in the nice warm bathroom until he got back. Well, after a well meaning park ranger made me feel bad because it was cold and Nicky’s head wasn’t covered.
The Korean War Memorial
Reflection of the Memorial soldiers in the wall
The reflecting pool with the Washington Monument and Capitol Building in the background
The Lincoln Memorial
Lincoln inside the Lincoln Memorial
Stephen had a friend who lives just outside DC who took us on a tour of Washington, DC at night. So the kids and I were able to see the Western area of the National Mall after all.
The Vietnam War Memorial
I had seen pictures of the Vietnam War Memorial before but I was surprised to see what I low profile it actually has. It looks like a scar in the Earth. It has the names of all the US soldiers that died in the war and there are books that you can use to look up people you know.
Vietnam War Memorial
US Capitol Building at night
The Einstein Memorial which is just across the street from the Lincoln Memorial was really cool to see too. If you stand just in the right spot there is a cool little trick too. If you are ever going to be in the area, let me know and I’ll give you a hint.
Lincoln Memorial – Lincoln up close
View of the Washington Monument from the Lincoln Memorial at night
I was thrilled to be able to see these landmarks in person and I hope to return one day so I can see the whole area when the weather is a bit nicer.
I just visited the mall today. You can not get the stamps at that building. After visit in many places for four hours with the kids, we were very disappointed. We ended up with two stamps and lots of memories.
Hi Lyn,
I’m sorry you had a frustrating experience. I don’t find they do a great job of explaining where to get the stamps. I definitely found it confusing when we were there. I’m not sure which building you are referring to, but the Survey Lodge Ranger Station to the South West of the Washington Monument was where all the stamps for the area were while we were there. The stamps are usually located at visitor centres or ranger stations. I can’t find any information about the stamps moving to a different location.
The cancellation stamps are normally just ones for that specific site. The Metro Kiosk (a National Park Service information booth that sits just south of the Mall Entrance to the Smithsonian Metro (subway) Station has two … National Mall and Washington Monument. I have heard that many more can be found in the Monument Lodge … this is the white stone building at the eastern foot of the hill that sits the Washington Monument.
We were just in DC last week for spring break. Is here a web site where I can order the passport stamps? We forgot to get them while there!
Hello blogger, i must say you have very interesting content here.
Your page can go viral. You need initial traffic only.
How to get it? Search for; Mertiso’s tips go viral