Public Transportation

Nearby Metro Stations

National Mall and Memorial Parks (NAMA) contains much of the original parkland created by the 1791-1792 Federal City plan, including the Mall and many of the uptown circles and squares; NAMA also includes West and East Potomac Parks. The National Mall itself stretches west from the foot of Capitol Hill at the Ulysses S. Grant Memorial to encompass the original Mall area, the Washington Monument Grounds, the Tidal Basin area, and West Potomac Park before terminating at the Watergate Steps behind the Lincoln Memorial. Since the park covers such an extensive area, several Metro stations provide ready access to the National Mall and Memorial Parks.

The Mall area on the east can be reached using the following Metro stations: Federal Center at 3rd and D Streets, SW; L'Enfant Plaza at Maryland Avenue and 7th Street, SW; Archives-Navy Memorial at Pennsylvania Avenue and 7th Street, NW; Smithsonian at 12th Street on the Mall, SW; and Federal Triangle along 12th Street between Pennsylvania and Constitution Avenues, NW.

The west end of the National Mall can be accessed using any of the following stations: Farragut West at 17th and I or 18th and I Streets, NW; Foggy Bottom/George Washington University at 23rd and I Streets, NW; and Arlington Cemetery across Arlington Memorial Bridge over the Potomac River.

Convenient Metro access to the uptown memorial parks is through the following stations: Foggy Bottom/George Washington University; Dupont Circle; Farragut West; Farragut North; U Street/African American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo; Shaw-Howard U; McPherson Square; Metro Center; Mt. Vernon Square/7th Street/Convention Center; Gallery Place/Chinatown; Judiciary Court; Union Station; Federal Center SW; L'Enfant Plaza; and Waterfront.

Consult the Metro map page for a better understanding of the above.

Parking/Public Transportation

Parking throughout the District of Columbia is restricted generally (see individual area signs for site specific closures/restrictions) from 12:00 A.M. to 6:00 A.M. to facilitate cleaning and maintenance.

Washington, D.C. is a very busy metropolitan area. Parking is at a premium throughout the entire city. Private paid parking garages and lots can be found downtown north of the National Mall. Free on street parking is generally restricted to two hours (ticketing/towing enforced). Limited free day long parking is available along Ohio Drive, SW which is along the Potomac River south of the Lincoln Memorial or in Lots A, B & C south of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial.

It is highly recommended that you make use of the efficient public transit system (Metro rail and Metro bus). Information and schedules for Metro can be found at www.wmata.com.

Tour Bus Parking

As you plan your visit, please consider that there is limited tour bus parking and loading/unloading in the National Mall and Memorial Parks. The park does provide limited tour bus parking in the Hains Point parking lot and on designated sections of Independence Avenue. Tour bus loading/unloading is located in designated drop-off and pick-up zones that are indicated by appropriate signage throughout the park.
A full listing of tour bus parking and loading and unloading locations throughout Washington, D.C. is available here. Within the park boundaries look at our Parking Metered Map tour buses may park in the Orange and Yellow Sections only. Cars may park in the Blue and Orange only.