A riddle trail along the National Mall, from the Capitol dome to Lincoln's steps
The Washington DC scavenger hunt is a self-guided city game you play on your phone: you walk from monument to monument across the National Mall, solve a riddle at each stop by looking closely at what is in front of you, and unlock the stories behind it. Expect about 3 hours overall, of which some 71 minutes are spent walking the 5 km of the National Mall between the 10 stops, from Capitol Hill to the Lincoln Memorial, and the start time is yours to choose.
Highlights include the United States Capitol, the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, the National Gallery of Art, the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. Most of the route runs across the open grounds of the National Mall, so the walk feels like one long open-air tour of American history.
- Durationabout 3 hours
- Walkingabout 71 min · 5 km
- Stops10
- LanguagesEnglish, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
What you work out between Capitol Hill and the Reflecting Pool
A statue on a dome and 87 steps
The riddles rest on what you can see in the open: the bronze Statue of Freedom on top of the Capitol dome, the aluminium tip of the Washington Monument, the 56 pillars around the Rainbow Pool and the steps leading up to Lincoln. Count, compare and look up, and the answers appear.
Moon capsules, ruby slippers and a famous flag
Solved riddles unlock what the museums along the Mall are famous for: the Wright Flyer and the Apollo 11 command module Columbia at Air and Space, the flag that inspired The Star-Spangled Banner and the ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz at American History. With the audio narration on, your eyes can stay on the dome or the obelisk while the story plays.
Five kilometres of open Mall
Google Maps guides you through around 71 minutes of walking, 5 km in all, along the gravel paths and lawns of the National Mall. It is level all the way, but long, so the pace you set matters more than any hill.
Museum breaks are allowed
Nothing in the game is timed, so step into a museum between riddles or rest on a bench by the Washington Monument and resume afterwards. Run out of daylight, and Lincoln simply waits for you on his chair until tomorrow.
See the route and attractions →
How it works
- Book online Choose the number of players. Your booking reference arrives by email straight away.
- Get the app Download the World City Trail app from the App Store or Google Play and enter your booking reference.
- Play when you like Start whenever you are ready, walk at your own pace and pause any time. No guide, no fixed schedule.
Who gets the most from a walk of monuments, dome to memorial
First-time visitors to Washington
The Capitol, the Library of Congress, the big museums and the main memorials sit along one long axis, and the game walks you down it in about 3 hours. You leave knowing what is where and which museum to come back to.
Families and school classes
A statue on a dome, 19 soldiers on patrol, 56 pillars and the steps of the Lincoln Memorial turn a history lesson into a search. Pupils and children walk the Mall in teams that always include a grown-up.
Groups ending with a view
Teams of up to 5, each player on their own phone, start at the Capitol a few minutes apart and meet again on the Lincoln Memorial steps, looking back over the Reflecting Pool towards the Washington Monument. Colleagues and clubs like that finale.
Good to know
- Bring a charged smartphone with mobile data; a power bank helps.
- No entry tickets needed: everything happens outside the buildings. Going inside is optional and paid separately.
- Family friendly; children must be accompanied by an adult.
- Not suitable for wheelchair users and difficult with strollers.
- Teams of up to 5 work best; bigger groups split into several teams, one ticket per player.
- Every purchase helps support stray cats and dogs in Greece.
The route: the Capitol, the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian museums, the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial
10 stops · about 71 min walking · start: United States Capitol · finish: Lincoln Memorial
The hunt starts at the United States Capitol and continues to the Library of Congress, then passes the Air and Space Museum on the way to the National Gallery of Art. From there you follow the Mall past the Natural History and American History museums to the Washington Monument, continue to the World War II Memorial and the Korean War Veterans Memorial, and finish at the Lincoln Memorial. If you would rather finish at the Capitol, the app can just as well open the game at the Lincoln Memorial and put the stops in a different order, and since every riddle is read from monuments, façades and the open Mall, the game never needs an entry ticket.
Open the route map ↗
1United States CapitolStart
The United States Capitol is the seat of Congress, and construction began in 1793 to a design by William Thornton. Its cast-iron dome was finished in the 1860s, and the bronze Statue of Freedom stands on top. Look up from the grounds to see the figure.
2Library of Congress (Thomas Jefferson Building)
The Thomas Jefferson Building opened to the public in 1897 and is the first building of the Library of Congress. Its Beaux-Arts interior is decorated with gold leaf and paintings, and the circular Main Reading Room sits beneath the great dome. Look for the statues of women that line the reading room.
3National Air and Space Museum
The National Air and Space Museum opened on the National Mall on July 1, 1976. Its galleries display the Wright Flyer, the Spirit of St Louis and the Apollo 11 command module Columbia. These three objects are among the most famous in the museum.
4National Gallery of Art
The National Gallery of Art was established in 1937 by a joint resolution of Congress for the American people. Its West Building, completed in 1941 to designs by John Russell Pope, is built of pink Tennessee marble and has a domed rotunda modelled on the Pantheon in Rome. Its European paintings include works by Rembrandt, Vermeer and Monet.
5National Museum of Natural History
The National Museum of Natural History displays dinosaurs, minerals and human evolution. It belongs to the Smithsonian Institution and has a large rotunda at its centre. Walk through the halls to see collections of the natural world.
6National Museum of American History
The National Museum of American History opened in January 1964 as the Museum of History and Technology. Its collection includes the flag that inspired The Star-Spangled Banner and the ruby slippers worn in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. It is also part of the Smithsonian Institution.
7Washington Monument
The Washington Monument is a marble obelisk designed by Robert Mills, 555 feet tall according to official figures. The stone structure was finished in 1884, dedicated in 1885 and opened to visitors in 1888. Its aluminum tip, placed in December 1884, was then the largest single piece of aluminum ever cast.
8National World War II Memorial
The National World War II Memorial was dedicated on May 29, 2004, beside the Rainbow Pool between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. Its two pavilions are framed by 56 pillars, one for each state and territory of the time.
9Korean War Veterans Memorial
The Korean War Veterans Memorial was dedicated on July 27, 1995. Frank Gaylord's 19 larger-than-life stainless steel statues show a patrol in full combat gear. Beside them, a 164-foot granite wall is etched with more than 2,500 photographic images of soldiers.
10Lincoln MemorialFinish
The Lincoln Memorial was dedicated on May 30, 1922, and designed by Henry Bacon. Inside, Daniel Chester French's marble statue of Abraham Lincoln stands about 19 feet tall, and the Gettysburg Address and Second Inaugural Address are inscribed on the walls. Count the 87 steps, a nod to the opening words of the Gettysburg Address.
Only logged in customers who have purchased this product may leave a review.
Maurice (verified owner) –
Zachary (verified owner) –
The app was easy to use, the route and flexibility was great, and the facts with each stop were fun. We did not like the puzzles and riddles as they were way too easy and did not require visiting each location. The facts could have been read aloud or had an option to be read aloud with the group and we had some group access timing issues.
Anonymous (verified owner) –
Excellent way to explore the city ! We saw all the must attractions within 2 hours!