Washington Monument
Not only is the Washington Monument one of the most identifiable landmarks in Washington, D.C., but it is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the world. Visitors are able to take elevators to the top of the monument and look out windows on the east, west, north and south sides to get a panoramic view of the city. If you look closely at the monument from the outside, you will notice the monument is two different colors of white, with the change in color occurring less than halfway up the monument. Admission to the monument is free, however you must have a ticket. The Washington Monument is less than three miles from the East Potomac Golf Course, which is a nine-hole, par-31 course.
National Mall and Memorial Parks
900 Ohio Drive SW
Washington, DC 20024
(202) 426-6841
Nps.gov/wamo
International Spy Museum
Unlike many attractions around Washington, D.C., this museum is not government owned and it is not free. However, it may be one of the most interesting places to visit in the city. Upon entering the museum, guests are told to choose a cover as if they were spies. Throughout the museum, there are places where visitors must remember their cover. Sometimes there are interactive quizzes that test the knowledge of your cover, but you could be questioned by security guards as well. The museum features some of the spy gear that was used in the Cold War. It also has videos and documents relating to some of history's most notorious spies. This museum is less than five miles from the Army Navy Country Club, which has an 18-hole, 6,473-yard, par-71 course.
International Spy Museum
800 F St. Northwest
Washington, D.C.
(202) Eye-SpyU
Spymuseum.org
U.S. Marine Corps Memorial
This is the official name for the Iwo Jima Memorial is the United States Marine Corps War Memorial. This memorial is one of the most recognizable memorials in Washington, D.C. It is a statue of a group of marines raising a flag after a victorious battle in Iwo Jima during World War II. If you have never seen this memorial up close, you may be surprised by its size. The soldiers are 32 feet tall and they are erecting a flag that rests atop a 60-foot flagpole. The memorial, which was built in 1954, cost $850,000 to construct. No public funds were used to construct the memorial as current and former marines at the time donated a large portion of the funds needed to build it. This memorial is about five miles from the 18-hole Fort Dupont Golf Course.
U.S. Marine Corps Memorial
Arlington Blvd. and Meade Street
Washington, DC 20004
(703) 289-2500
Nps.gov/archive/gwmp/usmc.htm
About The Author
Chad Buleen is a Society of Professional Journalists-award winning newspaper and magazine writer and editor with more than 10 years' experience. He has been published in "Utah Spirit," "Charleston Gazette," "Idaho Falls Post Register" and numerous other publications. Buleen holds a Bachelor of Arts in communications with an emphasis in print journalism from Brigham Young University-Idaho.
