Washington DC Tourist Question

[welovedisneyx4]

What is the best way to get to the Jefferson Memorial w/ out a car? (From the Mall area) I know the Metro rail doesn't go there, but are there any buses? Or would it be best to take a cab? I have seen some routes w/ the Metro rail and bus, but I don't know how close they get you to it and if you are walking along a main road or what?

TIA!

 

[sk8belle]

You can take the Metro to the Smithsonian stop and then walk. It's probably a 15 - 20 min. walk. Or you can park on one of the streets (either Jefferson or Madison) that parallels the Mall and run in front of the Smithsonians or on Ohio Drive (which runs along the Potomac River and is close to both the Jefferson and FDR Memorials) and walk from there. OH Dr. is probably your better bet as fewer people know about it, and you'll have better luck finding a place.

Let me know if you have any other questions. I'm a local to the area.

 

[Amapola]

Check out www.wmata.com . Click on "Maps and schedules" and it will give you all the routes, or you can input your departure and destination in the Trip Planner and it will give you several options.

If you don't mind a long walk, get off at L'Enfant Plaza or Smithsonian and walk, walk, walk west (towards the Washington Monument) and you'll see signs pointing to the Tidal Basin and the Jefferson Memorial. It's a beautiful walk, all on proper sidewalks, but it's a bit far.

HTH. Washington DC is a wonderful tourist destination!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

We walked it. I think it takes about 20-30 minutes. Not to shabby if you can handle walking that amount of time. It was the 4th of July--so I don't know exactly how we went. We crossed over to the parking area along the basin from just behind the Washington Monument (with that just to our left and Lincoln Memorial to our right). Then walked along the Tidal Basin (I think that is what it is called) until we got to the memorial.

 

[DancingBear]

I agree with the above. Distances are deceiving around the Mall. But, it's a pleasant walk toward the Washington Monument, then down along the Tidal Basin behind the Holocaust Museum and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. Then after the Jefferson Memorial if you keep going around the Tidal Basin you will come to the lovely FDR Memorial (although you'll be entering at FDR's death and progressing backward through his four terms in office). Then if you keep going around the Tidal Basin you can cross Indepedence and enter the WWII Memorial. Then up the hill to the Washington Monument and back to the Smithsonian Metro stop.

 

[sk8belle]

I completely forgot about the two parking lots over by the Jefferson. If you take 15th St. in the direction of the Jeff, you'll pass the Holocaust Museum and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. At the light at the bottom of the hill, turn left, then bear right. Go past the Jeff and where all the buses are. At the stop sign before the little bridge, turn left. The Potomac will be on your right. You'll see signs for the parking lots which will be on your left. It's easy walking distance from there.

 

[welovedisneyx4]

Thanks all! I wasn't exactly sure if the roads were safe for walking or not. They looked like busy roads when we were there this summer. I had checked out the Metro schedule, but I was concerned about the walking part--safety mainly.

I'm tossing around the idea of a trip over Easter break. (I know it will be busy, but we'll handle it. It would be in the days after Easter.) We still have so many things to see that we missed from our trip this summer.

I think we will take the train this time if we go. It's only about 150.00 round trip for the 4 of us!!