During our last visit to America we headed to one of the most iconic monuments in the country, the Lincoln Memorial. Appearing in countless movies and TV dramas the memorial was a place that we had wanted to visit for some time and so making the trip was really rewarding.
We approached the Lincoln Memorial from the back having walked from the Jefferson Memorial. This approach offered an amazing view down to the Washington Monument.
Walking closer to the memorial you get a real sense of scale – the pillars surrounding the building are enormous!
When we arrived at the front of the memorial it was quite late in the afternoon so luckily it wasn’t too busy. If you visit during the middle of the day however you may find the endless tourists a little unbearable so really consider what time to head here. We timed our visit well as we could explore the memorial at our own pace.
Although there’s quite a few steps to climb it’s perfectly do-able for people of all ages as the steps are shallow – plenty of old folk were making their way up anyways!
At the top of the steps you are faced with the man himself, Abraham Lincoln, immortalised through the memorial. During the peak hours of the day you’ll stand next to no chance of getting a good photo here however again with the late afternoon visit it was more than easy.
It’s easy to forget how much history surrounds the memorial too. It’s not just stood there for the Simpsons to feature, for Forest Gump to shout at Jenny running through the reflection pool or for you to take selfies at – it’s been the site of one of the most famous speeches in history by Martin Luther King Jr. – “I have a dream”, on 28th August 1963.
Sitting on the steps of the memorial looking at the reflecting pool really is something quite special – we could have sat there in our own thoughts for some time.
With the sun setting we made our way along the reflecting pool and up to the Washington Monument before making our way back to the hotel for the night.
The Lincoln Memorial is a pretty special place indeed. It houses so much history in America and is one of the key destinations in the city. If you’re heading to Washington D.C. make sure you stop by the memorial, pay your respects and take in everything that the site has to offer.
Have you already visited the Lincoln Memorial or are planning a trip? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.
