Visit sites in the Washington, DC area that honor service members or connect to military activities.
This three-day itinerary can easily be slowed down to a four- or five-day schedule by including our partners at Visit Fairfax, Visit Prince William, Virginia and Visit Alexandria. It can also easily be combined with area Veteran’s Day ceremonies.
Day 1
Morning
Start your first morning with a tribute to the sacrifices of American citizens at one of the war memorials on the National Mall. These include the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Vietnam Women’s Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial and the National World War II Memorial. All of these are located between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. Head north of the Mall to 15th Street to check out the latest site to honor American soldiers: the National World War I Memorial. The Pershing Park display has a 58-foot bronze sculpture entitled A Soldier’s Journey.
Afternoon
For lunch, head north to the Chinatown area where you can find a number of group-friendly lunch options, including Carmine’s, Fogo de Chão and Chick-fil-A Chinatown. After your dining break, meander down 7th Street to the Clara Barton Missing Soldiers Office Museum. Here, you can discover how Barton, after caring for ill and wounded Union Civil War soldiers, came to Washington and helped comb through hundreds of pieces of mail to connect soldiers with their loved ones back home. After the museum, continue south on 7th Street to the U.S. Navy Memorial. Originally part of Pierre L’Enfant’s plan for the city, the memorial was dedicated in 1987; it includes a visitor center and exhibits as well as public programs and events on its beautiful plaza, which faces the National Archives and is built to suggest the form of a ship on the ocean.
Evening
Crossing the National Mall, take time for reflection at the National Native American Veterans Memorial. Erected in 2020 outside of the National Museum of the American Indian, the memorial comprises a stainless-steel circle, symbolizing a warrior’s circle of honor, and four lances where veterans, tribal leaders and others can tie prayer and healing cloths. East of this tribute and south of the United States Botanic Garden sits the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial. The serene, 2.5-acre space honors those disabled in the line of duty across all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces.
Finish your evening at veteran-owned Bluejacket in the Navy Yard neighborhood. The brewery and restaurant offers American fare and craft brews, many of which are only available on-site.
Day 2
Morning
Begin your second day with breakfast at Georgetown’s Dog Tag Bakery, a bakeshop that bursts with sweet and savory items. Proceeds support the military and veteran community. Next, explore the Gilded Age as well as the American Revolution at the Anderson House – The American Revolution Institute of the Society of the Cincinnati. This site honors America’s war for independence and the nation’s oldest patriotic organization, which has included such luminaries as Marquis de Lafayette, Alexander Hamilton and George Washington. Also in Dupont Circle sits the National Museum of American Jewish Military History. The museum examines the role of Jewish people in the U.S. military from the colonial era through today. One of its permanent exhibits in the Hall of Heroes presents Jewish recipients of the Medal of Honor.
Afternoon
Mary McLeod Bethune Council House
Grab lunch in Dupont Circle, Adams Morgan or along U Street. Choices include Agora, Fava Pot, Elfegne Ethiopian Cuisine or Ben’s Chili Bowl. After lunch, head to the Mary McLeod Bethune Council House. Not only was this the home of the renowned educator, but a headquarters for civil rights activists. At this site, the National Council of Negro Women worked with a postal battalion during World War II to ensure Black service members received their mail. Continue north to the U Street neighborhood for a memorial dedicated to the Black soldiers who fought for freedom and the abolition of slavery, known as the African American Civil War Memorial. The statue and corresponding wall record the names of the United States Colored Troops.
Evening
Twilight Tattoo makes for a great evening activity for groups in the summertime. Run by the U.S. Military District of Washington Public Affairs, these shows honor the story of the Army through music, dramatic vignettes and ceremonial demonstrations. For a more mysterious nighttime journey, try a DC Ghosts tour and witness some of the city’s most haunted sites. You can also take on the job of a DC police officer on the hunt for President Lincoln’s conspirators with a Detective McDevitt Walking Tour provided by Ford’s Theatre.
Day 3
Morning
This third day brings us into Virginia for important military sites and museums. First, the U.S. Air Force Memorial: perched high above the Arlington skyline, the three steel spires, bronze Honor Guard statues and inscribed walls salute aviation pioneers and the organizations that later became the Air Force.
Adjacent to the memorial you’ll find Arlington National Cemetery, the nation’s largest military cemetery. Points of interest in the cemetery include the grave of John F. Kennedy, Arlington House and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. While entering Arlington National Cemetery is free and open daily (excepting a special event or funeral), there is a cost associated with the tram tours provided on the property. However, it’s one of the best ways for your group to reach the Marine Corps War Memorial, commonly referred to as the Iwo Jima Memorial. This striking sculpture depicts the raising of the flag on the Japanese island during WWII, accompanied by sunset parades on Tuesday evenings in the summer.
Afternoon
For the afternoon, we suggest picking up some box lunches from groups like the veteran-owned Apple Spice Box Lunch Delivery & Catering Company. Your group can eat on the road while you make your way to George Washington’s Mount Vernon. Learn of our first president’s experiences as an officer in the French and Indian War and as leader of the Continental Army during the American Revolution and explore the estate’s museum, mansion and grounds.
Nearby, the National Museum of the United States Army awaits. Free general admission tickets are required to enter the museum, but walk-up tickets are available. Your group can also reserve time in the Experiential Learning Center or in the virtual reality or ride simulators (payment is required for the latter). Take a 30-minute drive south and you’ll hit the National Museum of the Marine Corps. Near the Quantico, Va. Marine Corps base sits a striking museum visible from the interstate. Like the Army Museum, this self-guided site covers the history of its branch of the armed forces.
Evening
National Museum of the Marine Corps
Once back in DC, spend the evening on a veteran-owned Embark DC boat tour. Contemplate the memorials you visited on your first day, beautifully illuminated at night with a narrative tour (if requested) for a small group. Larger groups can combine dinner with a cruise aboard one of the vessels operated by City Cruises.
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