Everyone wants a picture yes, and I have a few of my own. I do sympathize with people who come to visit for a brief time because, I must warn you, the Reflecting Pool has a lot of maintenance issues. It often seems to be full of algae or to have been drained for some reason, and I can see why people are disappointed when this happens. I don't know why it's so hard to keep it in shape. Often enough though, you can still get that iconic shot. read more

The Reflecting Pool - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

In the middle of the washingron monument and lincoln memorial Views from every corner Nice to see read more

On a recent trip to D.C. I finally convinced my husband to do a little sightseeing so that I could visit some of the historical landmarks in our nation's capital. My husband is from D.C. so he was lucky enough to visit all of these sights as a child, but my closest encounter with the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was watching Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech and Forrest Gump. The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is located at the National Mall so you are able to visit multiple landmarks at the same time. The Lincoln Memorial is west of the reflecting pool and the Washington Monument is east of the reflecting pool. From here you can easily walk to the WW II Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and MLK Jr. Memorial. I did not realize how massive the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is until I saw it in person. (The pool spans over a third of a mile!) There was a $34 million restoration project in 2010 to add a water filtration system to the pool. I am sure this has dramatically reduced the algae, but the water still looked a bit murky along the edges so I would not recommend wading in the pool and recreating a Jenny and Forrest Gump reunion! Note: The reflecting pool is drained every winter for cleaning. Cleaning the pool can take 30-60 days so January and February are not good months to visit. read more

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You've seen all the beautiful pictures of The Reflecting Pool. Walking beside it and looking at the water? I'm saying it in my best Little Rascal Voice, nasty... The water has a funky, stagnate kinda look. Can you imagine Robin Wright crossing to the other side in Forest Gump? She probably needed a tetanus shot. Walking halfway and looking at the Washington Monument, seeing the National WWII Memorial up ahead is truly a sight to behold. If I worked and lived in this area, I'd truly find beauty in these monuments during all four of our American seasons. read more

The Reflecting Pool - Jenny!! - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The reflecting pool is a rectangular pool located at the National Mall and is in between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. It is directly east of the Lincoln Memorial, and the Washington Monument is to the east of the reflecting pool. I found myself walking next to the reflecting pool as I was going towards Lincoln Memorial. The pathway to the side is big and broad and found it be a good spot to walk. Once you're at the Lincoln Memorial, the reflecting pool with the Washington Monument as the backdrop, is quite a sight and a good photo op. read more

The Reflecting Pool - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This is a very simple attraction, normally leading to another attraction, either the Lincoln Memorial or Washington Monument normally. The Lincoln Memorial, Korean War Memorial, Washington Monument, Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the MLK Memorial are all in close walking distance. This place is not tough to get to. There is metered street parking within walking distance and paid parking garages a little bit further of a walk. If you are looking at parking in a garage. I highly recommend planning a head and giving one of the parking apps a try. I was able to get $10 parking for an entire day (9AM to 6PM). The pool is very shallow and needs a good cleaning, but it is still iconic and worth a visit. It is a very peaceful place and very picturesque. There is no place to sit there that I saw and not a lot of time is spent there, but it is still a cool place. This place has a vast history. It is the site of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" speech in 1963 and President Obama's inauguration in 2009 to name a few. It is also home of the iconic scene in Forest Gump where Tom Hanks wades through the water yelling Jenny after returning home from the Vietnam. read more

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Beautiful views and so much history! We loved this area of DC, very accessible to the Smithsonian museums, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, and White House. Of course, I had to be one of those tourists who takes pictures of the Washington Monument! When you're an NBC American Ninja Warrior, need to capture these moments for my next appearance on the show! Best, Charlie read more

The Reflecting Pool - Peacock posin! - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The photos are actually pretty sick and the pool actually reflects. What you don't see on the photos is is that the water and its surroundings it's super dirty and full of trash. Still a good photo spot though. read more

The Reflecting Pool is a great place to reflect on what freedom means to you. Yet, it also inspires you to fight for those that aren't currently free. #FreeBritney read more

The Reflecting Pool - Pink haired lady stand in front of Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool with an umbrella that says #FreeBritney. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The history that occurred hear is breath-taking. Too bad the water was green, but I'll chalk that up to COVID-related problems the National Parks has had to deal with. read more

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The actual name of this beautiful feature is the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. It was completed a year after the Lincoln Memorial in 1923. On the far end is the World War 2 Memorial and the Washington Monument can be seen from and reflected in it. It's a beautiful part of your visit to the wonderful monuments in this incredible city and a great place to take some photos. read more

The Reflecting Pool - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The yards are clean. Great spectacle of American history. Love to visit. Go in the morning and it's not too busy. read more

The Reflecting Pool - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

There's not much to see at the Reflecting Pool necessarily, but it's a place I had seen in so many photographs and it's played such an important role in the history of this country as a place for protests and marches and famous speeches. We walked from the Lincoln Memorial to the Washington Monument, and on the way we enjoyed walking along the Reflecting Pool. It's moving to be in a place where so much history has taken place. Also, they had baby ducks, so there's that (squeal)! read more

The Reflecting Pool - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

It isn't really possible to provide a detail about the reflecting pool that isn't available in a travel book, article on DC tourism or from any brochure you could pick up from the park service. All I can do is share what we tell our friends who want to visit DC and enjoy our company while exploring the city. If you are visiting the Lincoln Memorial, you will see the reflecting pool. It is beautiful during the day and extra special at night. There are usually less people at night. The view of the Washington Monument and US Capital are beautiful from The Reflecting Pool. The Trust for the National Mall repaired several issues, including the water supply and making the bottom of the pool even more "reflective." There are several ways to reach TRP (The Reflecting Pool). One of my favorite ways is to start at Union Station and take the Circulator Bus that is directly across the street. I exit at The Lincoln Memorial stop. Sometimes we pack a picnic and enjoy the views in the area. TRP is wonderful during the day when the sun is shining and you can take wonderful pictures from many angles. If you are visiting DC, this location is a "to do" item I highly suggest. read more

STILLWATER A notable D.C. landmark that's witnessed some amazing historical events. Over a third of a mile long, anyone who's ever visited our great nation's capital -- or seen a movie with Washington D.C. as the setting -- knows about this massive reflection pool. It holds 6.75 million gallons of water but at a depth of only 1-1/2 feet (which deepens to 2-1/2 feet at the center). Martin Luther King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech here, on 8/28/63, in front of an estimated quarter of a million people. 46 years later, President Barack Obama held his "We Are One" inaugural celebration here before nearly 400,000 Americans. Fun fact: Maxwell Smart (Steve Carrell) walked across this shallow pond to enter the secret bunker of CONTROL by activating a decoy duck. This is the same scene that sees Agent 13 (Bill Murray) hiding in a tree directly adjacent to the pond. But perhaps most famously, Forrest Gump waded into the water to give his hippie-loving, black-panther-banging girlfriend Jenn-nayy a big ol' hug on 7/1/68. Dawwww I'd give the reflecting pool 5* were it not for the excessive amount of goose poop floating in the water #gross. That, and the unsightly amount of algae towards the end near the Lincoln Memorial made me think twice. Avoidable? Perhaps not. Still nasty, though. read more

Beautiful. 1) You got several landmarks surrounding it. 2) Very nice to walk around and take pics. 3) Must visit. read more

The Reflecting Pool - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This is a large, rectangular shaped pool of water that is situated between the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument. It's also behind the WWII Memorial. You can see the reflection of the Lincoln Memorial from one side, and the Washington Monument from another. On a bright and sunny day, you may even see a reflection from the sun. We came here after exploring the WWII Memorial, since it was right behind. When we got there, we did see the sun's reflection. But then the sky remained cloudy during the remainder of our experience. However, the daylight was bright enough for us to see the reflection of the Lincoln Memorial and the trees that were parallel to the pool on the other side. This was nice. Trees ran parallel to the pool on both sides. A pathway was available on the right side for those who wanted to walk all the way to the Lincoln Memorial. Due to unfortunate time constraints, we didn't walk all the way down to the Lincoln Memorial in favor of viewing the reflections from that side. Benches were available for those who wanted to sit down and relax. The pool itself was quite dirty when looking more closely. It would be nice if it was cleaned up. Also, flies started coming out near the water when the day became a lot more cloudy. If it hadn't been for that, we may have stayed just a bit longer. It would be best to come here on a bright and sunny day so you can get more appealing views of the reflections. It's also best to walk over to the Lincoln Memorial side if you don't have any time constraints. There's no Metro stop nearby, and we came from the Smithsonian one. Overall, this was just okay. read more

The Reflecting Pool - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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A beautiful addition to the memorials and monuments with the reflection of the sky and monuments mirroring. While it looks beautiful, you can see the buildup of algae on the bottom. I guess it would be best to not look too deep but enjoy the reflection and body of water in the midst of the picturesque view. read more

The Reflecting Pool - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Amazing place to watch the sunset. The monument lights up and it becomes all the colors of the sky... reflecting on the pool. Right there is also the Lincoln memorial which is amazing as well. The architecture is mind blowing. Very busy but you can definitely snap a few good shots. read more

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I like to save the end pieces of my bread in the freezer. Then, when I accumulate a bunch of them, I'll load up my purse with the stale bread and go to the reflecting pool to feed the ducks. It's such a nice way to spend the afternoon. Beware of the geese. Once the geese catch on that there's food, they will not hesitate to attack you. While ducks maintain a healthy fear of humans, geese are like terrorists. They will climb right out of the pool and try to steal the bread from your hand. If you run, they will chase you. There's one in particular that appears to be diseased. It runs really fast, but it can't run straight, so it's more like a quick hobble, and massive amounts of drool drip and fly out of its mouth. The tourists really seem to enjoy these pictures, so it's kind of like my good deed for the day. Thankfully, the ducks and geese tend to stay apart.... read more

Who was that painter, the impressionist with the water lilies that from afar his painting were impressive and beautiful to look at but if you stood close enough you would see all the duck poop and sludge filled water? It does it's job but I wish I could dip my toes into it without the fear of losing them read more

Ebbing in an enclosed pool of water as you stare down to the Washington Monument at the far end with the Lincoln Memorial behind you; this pool ends at the base of the National WWII Memorial and absolutely beautiful all hours of the day: from sunrise to daytime to nighttime shots. The Washington Monument is so tall that it casts a reflection in its water when the sit hits it in the right spot. Peaceful to look at and definitely relaxing especially when a slight breeze blows by. Definitely a must visit to capture the beautiful reflection shot of the Washington Monument at any time of the day or night. Open 24/7. read more

The Reflecting Pool - Night shot - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Rats... Under contruction until 2014 according to the sign. Lots of heavy equipment moving around so it really distracts you while youre at the Lincoln Memorial. I'm wondering why they decided to start construction right before the 100th year Cherry Blossom celebration. It was such a huge deal for the festival this year that perhaps contruction of this could have held off until end of April. read more

The Reflecting Pool - Reflecting Pool under construction - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Breathtaking views of the Washington Monument! COME HERE AT NIGHT!!!!!! Well worth the reflections that can be seen in the pool! its absolutely beautiful! read more

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How can this get less than 5 stars. It's the reflection pool people! It is absolutely beautiful in every way! Came here about 10 years ago when I was in 8th grade and then again 2 years so with a group of friends. The first time I came, I was here at night...and it was honestly the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. When I went back 2 years ago, it was during the day and it was pouring...and I still found it to be just as gorgeous...it also made some fun/cute memorable pictures with our umbrellas. Yes the water is a little dirty and smells weird but think about how old it is, and I'm Pretty sure there would be many unhappy tourist is they came here and found the pool being "worked on"...so suck it up I would suggest everyone to come here. read more

Bottom Line: A historic landscape architecture feature that enhances the viewing of the National Mall, Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial. There are two reflecting pools on the National Mall. The Capital Reflecting Pool and the long and skinny reflecting pool between the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial. This review and Yelp page is for the latter. Frankly, despite walking past the Reflecting Pool many times, I've never thought to Yelp it until now. To me, the Reflecting Pool has always been part of the National Mall but I hadn't previously given much thought to the value it adds to the federal city and the efforts by NPS to keep it in good shape. The pool is about 1/3 of a mile long and is 167 feet wide. The Reflecting Pool most notably reflects the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial. Whether day or night, you can expect crowds to gather at the west end of the pool near the steps to the Lincoln Memorial. Daytime offers a great photo op of the Washington Monument. At night the pool is a deep black and is a lovely juxtaposition to the white, glowing, serene marble memorials. In a few years the Reflecting Pool will turn 100 years old. It was built in the 1920s after the completion of the Lincoln Memorial and provides a nice transition between the monuments of the 1st and 16th presidents. There is also a path along the pool which was put in as part of the total renovation of this pool in 2012. read more

Prior to visiting DC, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. I knew I was wanting to do all of the tourist activities including checking out the Reflecting Pool. It seemed so magnificent in all of the pics I have seen and I couldn't wait to stand next to it. I was surprised to see how dirty it was though, cigarette butts, food wrappers, algae, etc. However, this did not take away from the experience, and it is still a magnificent sight to see. Don't plan on taking a dip in here; the water is nasty. read more

The Reflecting Pool - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Warning - they empty all the water out during winter. It was sad that all the water effects are off and drained for winter. The pool is very shallow once drained. Will return when it is warmer and the water has been turned on again. read more

I had a huge grin on my face as the camera snapped. The gorgeous sun was beaming down on my skin giving me some much needed Vitamin D. Good thing I had put on sunscreen before I left the house. There was barely a breeze and I sipped on my iced tea in a plastic cup with no straw or cover (per National Park guidelines) from the local pavilion. As I got my camera back from my friend, I reviewed the last photo. The chain linked fence and dirt dug up pond was behind me and complemented the tall Washington memorial. It was like I was at a construction site or in jail. I was still happy to be there but wished my friend who was visiting DC for the first time could have enjoyed the blue reflecting pool. It's been under construction since Oct 2010 and it is one HUGE pool. They're fixing the leaks and are giving it and entire do-over. If this is a must see, check back with the National Park website before you come out or just be happy to be in our Nation's capital even with our grand pool of dug up earth. read more

Even in it's current state of disrepair, there's something quite magical in this space between the Washington M. and the Lincoln M. Is it because it's held witness to awesome historical moments? or Has it somehow absorbed our quiet veneration? The Reflecting Pool adds to the romance and grandeur of our capital and I can't wait for it's construction to be completed this time next year. read more

The Reflecting Pool - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Oooohhh, I am excited! I think I am the 100th review for the Reflecting Pool. Such a beautiful sight in Washington DC and a definitely must see. Looking back in history, this has been the site for many impactful events that has shaped our nation. Nestled beautifully between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. I have been able to see it several times, but this last visit was the first time I have seen it frozen rock solid! Yes, it was so cold that the Reflecting Pool looked like a scene from the movie "Frozen". I saw many people standing on the ice, but of course it was strongly discouraged by a signage to not stand on the ice. As much as I wanted to stand out there and admire this landmark, it was just too darn cold. You'll notice our pics because we are all covered tightly from head to toe. It even means a great deal to me that I have been able to bring my daughter here twice already and let her experience this really important piece of history. So, during your visit to our nation's capital, don't miss coming here, please! read more

So apparently the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is the largest of the many reflecting pools in Washington, D.C. It's definitely a nice size and I think best viewed from the center steps, on the tippy top of the Lincoln Memorial itself where you can view this pool in all its glory with the Washington Monument perfectly in the line of vision. It's a beautiful place and ties together an amazing collection of memorials that are all within walking proximity. Some local ducks even call this reflecting pool, home. I was so lucky that on the day I visited it (for my first time, no less!) it was a beautiful day with perfect blue skies, bright sunny sun and fluffy white clouds which reflected beautifully off the water's surface. But, the actual water here is pretty filthy (especially in the corners) and definitely needs to be taken care of better. C'mon Murrica' - respect and take pride in your memorials. read more

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As we wandered DC we wanted to see all the historic and iconic landmarks in the city, so we decided to walk from the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial. As part of our walk we made it a point to pass by the Reflecting Pool. The pool itself is massive and it is a gorgeous view. It is great so stand at either end and take pictured of both the memorials. The only issue we had with the pool is that when we traveled to DC in October the pool was dirty. It had a strange green color to it, it smelled bad, and the ducks in the pool were obviously making it their own. Beyond the cleanliness of the pool, it was a great stop on our trip and we were happy that we got to see it in person. read more

The Reflecting Pool - The Reflecting Pool and the Washington Monument. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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My wife & I did plenty of sightseeing while in Washington D.C. this past weekend. But to actually stand on the spot where Martin Luther King made his " I have a dream speech"was absolutely one of the highlights of our weekend. His speech was made on August 28,1963,with an estimated crowd of 250,000 people in attendance.It started the change of the civil rights movement in our great country as we know it. With the Lincoln Memorial behind us & Washington Monument ahead,it was an awesome sight.Not to be missed if your in the area. read more

The Reflecting Pool - Washington Monument in the background 4/29/13. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Love the reflecting pool. Awesome photo ops. I really can't think of another reflecting pool that beats this one ;) read more

I couldn't help but remember MLK's speech gazing upon the pool from the Lincoln Monument. A truly powerful moment in history. I could picture all the people gathered around it listening to MLK's speech. Just gazing upon that pool/duckpond from afar, it still retained all its glory. But judging from the previous reviews about it being murky and whatnot, good thing my son and I didn't walk any closer to it. Hehehe. Still, it is an iconic thing to behold. You should at least set your eyes on it at least once when you're in the DC area. read more

Yes, the pool is gorgeous and huge and sometimes does reflect very well. However, if you are coming at night and in the early fall - be warned that you will be attacked by mosquitos/gnats. They will fly into your face. It will happen. read more

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I have to preface this review by saying that I didn't really like that movie about the slow Alabaman with a heart of gold. I don't care that he exceeded his potential. He wasn't that interesting. And yet... That scene where he is standing at the reflecting pool during that Vietnam War protest in his Army dress uniform, going "Jen-naee-h!" right before he plods into the water to go hug her was so pitch perfect. I specifically wanted to visit the reflecting pool after seeing that scene. (Sadly, it was covered in murky stillwater and moss when I visited.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOK02nyH56A&feature=related read more

The Reflecting Pool - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Ok you obviously have to do this! When your in Washington I mean it is a must! Make sure to go into the park and not walk around the park. It will take longer and you miss out on so much!! The reflection pool is really dirty so just a heads up! Photos don't show it like that! But make a stop because this place is majestic! So amazing! read more

The Reflecting Pool - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I am sorry to give it only 3 stars, not that I dismiss the role this monumental pool plays within the city, but honest to be truthful!? I was very disappointed, the water was on a low level, and it was dirty, Man! was it dirty. See, if it was a one time thing okay, my bad....but I've been here more than three times in a row and there was still no improvement. read more