Washington Monument Tours and Tickets

There are plenty of ways to experience the Washington Monument. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:

• National Mall Monuments Night Tour With 10+ Stops, Entry Tickets

• Washington DC Monuments by Moonlight Tour by Trolley

• DC Monuments and Capitol Hill Tour by Electric Cart

• Washington DC Moonlight Tour by Electric Cart

• National Mall Night-Time Sightseeing Tour With 10+ Attractions

While timed reservations to ascend the Washington Monument are required, they are free, except for a US$1 online reservation fee. Several affordable tours can help you learn more. Self-led packages with a guidebook start at US$25, while city sightseeing tours that stop by begin at US$49.

Yes, the Washington Monument is worth visiting. Towering 555 feet (169 meters) over the National Mall, the obelisk is Washington DC's tallest structure, and one of its most iconic attractions. It is a highlight of most sightseeing tours of the nation's capital as a result, and if you manage to get tickets, you'll be rewarded with top-notch panoramic views. Booking in advance online helps you secure those coveted tickets.

Per one customer who booked the No-Wait Washington Monument Direct Entry Tickets & Guidebook, "Really organized and nice experience. The staff at the monument are really nice especially the Rangers. The monument itself was really cool and well worth the experience!"

Yes, the Washington Monument is open for tours. The landmark is open daily from 9am to 5pm, with the last admission at 4:30pm. However, the monument closes every year on Christmas Day and the Fourth of July. It also closes once per month for maintenance.

Same-day tickets to the Washington Monument are available on a first-come, first-served basis from 8:45am every day. Arrive early to guarantee your admission. A limited number of 24-hour advance tickets are available online from 10am the day before admission. Also, 30-day advance reservation tickets are offered online.

That depends. Once inside the Washington Monument, it’s a 70-second elevator ride to the top. While there are no time limits on the observation deck, visits typically last between 20 and 30 minutes and include time to admire the views and browse the shop and museum before descending.

Wait times at the Washington Monument can vary—and are particularly long during summer and school holidays—but visitors often line up at 8am (or earlier) to guarantee their entry. Same-day tickets are offered on a first-come, first-served basis from the on-site ticket office, which opens at 8:45am.

There are tons of fun things to do when you're done visiting the Washington Monument. According to travelers, these are some of the top attractions in Washington DC:

• The White House

• Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial

• U.S. Capitol

• Lincoln Memorial

• Vietnam Veterans Memorial

View Viator's guide to all the best attractions in Washington DC.