Right Travels

Welcome to the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC. The Memorial, which honors the men from all branches of the military that served in the Korean War, is a must-see for DC sight seers. Read all about it and see photos and a quick guide below.

The Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC, was authorized by Congress on October 28, 1986. President George H. W. Bush conducted the groundbreaking on June 14, 1992 (Flag Day), and it was dedicated on July 27, 1995, the 42nd anniversary of the armistice that ended the war, by President Bill Clinton and Kim Young Sam, President of the Republic of Korea.

The Memorial consists of 19 stainless steel statues designed by Frank Gaylord. Each statue is between 7 feet 3 inches and 7 feet 6 inches tall. The figures, which represent a squad on patrol, are drawn from each branch of the armed forces: fifteen of the figures are from the U.S. Army, two are from the Marine Corps, one is a Navy Corpsman, and one is an Air Force Forward Air Observer. To the south of the soldiers is a 164 foot-long black granite wall, created by Louis Nelson, with photographic images sandblasted into it depicting soldiers, equipment and people involved in the war. To the north of the statues is the United Nations Wall, a low wall that lists the 22 members of the United Nations that contributed troops or medical support to the Korean war effort.

The Korean Memorial also consists of the Pool of Remembrance, which is a shallow 30-foot granite lined pool. Inscriptions list the numbers killed, wounded, missing in action, and held as prisoners of war, and a nearby plaque is inscribed: “Our nation honors her sons and daughters who answered the call to defend a country they never knew and a people they never met.” Another granite wall by the pool bears the simple message, inlaid in silver: “Freedom Is Not Free”. This area also contains a grove of trees and benches, a flag pole flying the American flag and POW flag, and three bushes of the Rose of Sharon hibiscus plant, South Korea’s national flower.

Getting there: Parking is always scarce in DC, so I would recommend using the Metro system. You can use either the Foggy Bottom or Smithsonian stops (Foggy Bottom is a bit closer), although each are a bit of a walk. Completely worth it, though. For those of you who want to drive, the Memorial is located in West Potomac Park on French Drive, SW.

Hours: Open Daily 8 a.m. to midnight. Closed: Dec. 25

Cost: Free!

Facilities: The Korean Memorial has a nearby bookstore, restroom, and concessions.

What’s Nearby: The Korean is located near numerous other memorials. The Lincoln Memorial is the closest, and the Vietnam Memorial is practically next door as well. On the other end of the Reflecting Pool, you can visit the World War II Memorial.

More photos of the Korean War Veterans Memorial are below.

Photos and Video

Welcome to the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, DC. This monument, dedicated to the third president of the United States, stands on the Tidal Basin and should top the list of anyone visiting the District. Read all about it, and see photos, a video, and a quick guide below.

Jefferson Memorial and Tidal Basin

The Jefferson Memorial is located on the Tidal Basin, which is to the South of the National Mall between the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial. The building itself was designed by John Russell Pope, and incorporates elements of the Roman Pantheon and Jefferson’s Rotunda at the University of Virginia.

President Franklin Roosevelt, an admirer of Jefferson, commissioned the memorial, and construction began on December 15, 1938 with the cornerstone being laid on November 15, 1939. The Jefferson Memorial was officially dedicated by President Roosevelt on April 13, 1943, the 200th anniversary of Jefferson’s birthday. At this time, the interior bronze statue of Jefferson had not been completed due to materials shortage caused by World War II. A plaster cast sculptor Rudulph Evans had created to make the finished product was installed in the meantime, and the permanent bronze statue was installed in 1947.

The statue of Jefferson is 19 feet tall and weights 10,000 lbs. The four solid interior walls (which alternate with open columns) are engraved with some of Jefferson’s most famous writings, including excerpts from the Declaration of Independence. Encircling the entire interior under the dome is “I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man,” which was taken from a letter Jefferson wrote to Dr. Benjamin Rush on September 23, 1800.

Getting there: Parking is always scarce in DC, and is even more limited around the Jefferson. Metro is your best option, although it is a decent walk to and around the Tidal Basin from the Smithsonian stop on the Mall. Don’t let that deter you, though! It’s well worth the trip.

Hours: The Jefferson Memorial is open 24 hours a day, and is spectacularly lit up at night. It is staffed by Rangers who can answer questions about the Memorial from 9:30 am – 11:30 pm daily.

Cost: Free!

Restrictions: While pets are allowed around the Memorial, your four legged friend cannot accompany you up the steps and inside. Also, no food or drink is allowed in the interior.

What’s Nearby: Due to the swampland that Washington, DC used to be, the Jefferson Memorial is situated a bit on its own. It’s on the Tidal Basin, which is lined by countless Japanese cherry blossom trees. When they bloom in early spring, it is a spectacular site. There are paddle boats for rent on the Tidal Basin, giving visitors a unique view of part of the city (as well as sites across the Potomac in Virginia). The Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial is a short walk from the Jefferson.

More photos and a video of the Jefferson Memorial are below.

Photos and Video

Welcome to the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC. Dedicated to the memory of the 16th President of the United States, the Lincoln Memorial is a must-see on any trip to the District. Read all about it, and see photos, a map, and a quick guide below.

Lincoln Memorial

Capping the west end of the National Mall, the Lincoln Memorial stands majestically as a tribute to Abraham Lincoln. Made out of limestone and marble, the building was designed by architect Henry Beacon. The US Congress commissioned the memorial in March 1867, however a site was not chosen until 1901. Congress formally authorized the building on Feb. 9, 1911, and the cornerstone was laid on Lincoln’s birthday three years later. The building was dedicated by former President and Chief Justice William Taft on May 30, 1922, and the event was attended by Lincoln’s only surviving child, Robert Todd.

The outside of the memorial consists of 36 columns, each 37 feet high. As an afterthought, the powers that be decided that each column represented the 25 states that were part of the Union during Lincoln’s presidency, as well as the 11 states that had seceded, and their names were inscribed above each column. At the completion of the memorial, the names of the 48 continental states were engraved around the outer part of the building above all the columns. Later, a plaque was added to commemorate Hawaii and Alaska.

Drawing from its inspiration, the Temple of Zeus, the interior of the memorial is dominated by a large marble statue of the president seated in a chair, which measures 19 ft 9 in tall by 19 ft wide. There are several interesting stories about this statue. One is that the face of Robert E Lee is hidden in Lincoln’s hair, and was put there to watch over Arlington House, which is located across the Potomac River from the memorial, and is Lee’s former residence and the location of Arlington Cemetery. Another urban legend is that the sculptor, Daniel Chester French, purposefully carved Lincoln’s hands to look like they were forming the sign language letters “A” and “L” – his initials. It is said French had a deaf son and was familiar with sign language, and may have done it as a tribute to the president, who signed the federal legislation giving Gallaudet University, a university for the deaf, the authority to grant college degrees.

On either side of Lincoln, through a wall of large columns, two of his most famous speeches are engraved on the wall. The Gettysburg Address is on the south wall, and Lincoln’s second inaugural speech is on the north. Each is topped with a different painted fresco.

Getting there: Parking is always scarce in DC, so your best bet is to use the metro system. You can access the memorial from the Foggy Bottom and Smithsonian metro stops, although it is a decent walk from both.

Hours: The Lincoln Memorial is open 24 hours a day, and is spectacularly lit up at night. It is staffed by Rangers who can answer questions about the Memorial from 9:30 am – 11:30 pm daily. There is also a visitor’s center below the memorial with a video and restrooms.

Cost: Free!

Restrictions: While pets are allowed around the Memorial, your four legged friend cannot accompany you up the steps and inside. Also, no food or drink is allowed in the interior.

What’s Nearby: The Lincoln is at the end of the National Mall. It stands in front of the Reflecting Pool, and offers a beautiful view of the Washington Monument and the US Capital Building in the distance. You can also see the WWII Memorial in front of the Washington Monument. The Vietnam and Korean War Memorials are nearby.

More photos, and a map of Lincoln Memorial are below.

Photos

Bandelier National Monument is a delightful day trip for anyone visiting Santa Fe or Los Alamos, New Mexico. Its an trip into the ancient past. Read about it below and see photos, videos, maps and more.

Bandelier National Monument

Bandelier National Monument boasts some of the most unusual and interesting ancient ruins in the Southwest. It is located just outside of Los Alamos and not far from Santa Fe, New Mexico. The ruins offer plentiful wildlife, a diverse ecosystem, steep narrow canyons, mountains rising to 10,000 feet and almost 40,000 acres of land that includes part of the Rio Grande river valley.

I highly recommend visiting Bandelier.

Bandelier was designated a National Monument on February 11, 1916. It was named after anthropologist Adolph Bandelier. The surrounding wilderness area was designated a national monument in October 1976.

Attractions, Maps, Photos and Videos

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