Vietnam Veterans Memorial
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial, commonly called the Vietnam Memorial, is a U.S. national memorial in Washington, D.C., honoring service members of the United States Armed Forces who served in the Vietnam War. It comes under the National Park Service. Add White House, 0.8 mi away, to a visit.
A national memorial inside Washington
May is the busiest month
May averages about 675,532 visitors, 4.3 times January. When to go ↓
One of the most looked-up attractions in the U.S.
About 97K people a year read its Wikipedia article, more than for 97% of the 7,770 attractions we track.
Best month: Sep
September is mild and quieter than average, with a high of 80°. When to go ↓
You can stay in Washington
Vietnam Veterans Memorial is inside Washington, which has 247 places to stay, so you won’t need a base farther out. Where to stay ↓
A day trip from Baltimore
Baltimore is about 37 miles northeast (straight-line). Where to stay ↓
Written from National Park Service visitor counts, NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia. Updated when the Park Service posts a new month.
Crowds and weather by month
Plan a visit to Vietnam Veterans Memorial around the crowds and weather below.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial, commonly called the Vietnam Memorial, is a U.S. national memorial in Washington, D.C., honoring service members of the United States Armed Forces who served in the Vietnam War. The two-acre (8,100 m2) site is dominated by two black granite walls engraved with the names of those service members who died or remain missing as a result of their service in Vietnam and South East Asia during the war. The Memorial Wall was designed by American architect Maya Lin and is an example of minimalist architecture. The Wall, completed in 1982, has since been supplemented with the statue Three Soldiers in 1984 and the Vietnam Women's Memorial in 1993.
- Type
- National Memorial
- Run by
- National Park Service
- Listed
- National Register of Historic Places (1982)
- Wikipedia readers
- 97K a year
- Official site
- nps.gov/vive
When it is open
Nights near Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Rooms are nearest in Washington (247) and Arlington (58).
- 1White House
- 2Washington Monument
- 3United States Triumphal Arch
- 4Arlington National Cemetery
- 5Smithsonian Institution
- 6Lincoln Memorial
- 7Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
- 8Ford's Theatre
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Vietnam Veterans Memorial | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | in town | — | 247 201 hotels · 2 motels · 24 inns & B&Bs · 6 lodges & cabins · 12 hostels · 2 campgrounds | 693,645 | $737K | D− |
| Arlington | 3 mi west | 5 min | 58 54 hotels · 1 motel · 1 inn or B&B · 2 lodges & cabins | 236,254 | $895K | — |
| Alexandria | 5 mi south | 10 min | 44 41 hotels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins | 160,662 | $735K | C |
| Bethesda | 8 mi northwest | 10 min | 26 23 hotels · 1 inn or B&B · 2 lodges & cabins | 69,397 | $1,170K | — |
| Tysons | 10 mi west | 15 min | 25 25 hotels | 28,936 | $640K | — |
| College Park | 9 mi northeast | 15 min | 17 16 hotels · 1 motel | 35,418 | $438K | — |
| National Harbor | 8 mi south | 10 min | 10 9 hotels · 1 inn or B&B | 4,454 | $473K | — |
| Springfield | 11 mi southwest | 15 min | 13 13 hotels | 31,154 | $640K | — |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Worth adding to a visit
These well-known sights sit within 2 miles.
Big draw1in town National park siteWhite House311K visitors a year
Big draw2in town National MemorialWashington Monument204K visitors a year
Big draw3in town LandmarkUnited States Triumphal Arch
Big draw4in town LandmarkArlington National Cemetery
Big draw5in town MuseumSmithsonian Institution30.0M visitors a year
Big draw6in town National MemorialLincoln Memorial7.7M visitors a year
Big draw72 mi LandmarkTomb of the Unknown Soldier
Big draw8in town National Historic SiteFord's Theatre National Historic Site394K visitors a yearPhoto credits
White House: This image or media was taken or created by Matt H. Wade. To see his entire port, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Washington Monument: Oren Rozen, CC BY-SA 4.0 · United States Triumphal Arch: Hstoops, CC0 · Arlington National Cemetery: Protoant, Public domain · Smithsonian Institution: Highsmith, Carol M., 1946-, photographer, Public domain · Lincoln Memorial: Aerial_view_of_Lincoln_Memorial_-_east_side.jpg: Carol M. Highsmith derivative w, Public domain · Tomb of the Unknown Soldier: Arlington National Cemetery, Public domain · Ford's Theatre National Historic Site: Ingfbruno, CC BY-SA 3.0
2025: 4,848,112 visitors
The count runs from 2016 up to 2025.
Good to know about Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Is Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington?
Yes. It’s inside Washington, DC. The address is 5 Henry Bacon Drive NW, Washington, DC 20002.
When is the best time to visit Vietnam Veterans Memorial?
September, with a high of 80°. May is the busiest month (about 675,532 visitors).
How many people visit Vietnam Veterans Memorial each year?
4,848,112 in 2025, according to the National Park Service. The record is 5,299,713, set in 2016.
How far is Vietnam Veterans Memorial from Baltimore?
About 37 miles northeast of Baltimore, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Vietnam Veterans Memorial?
Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA), about 3 miles away.
Where should I stay near Vietnam Veterans Memorial?
Washington (in town, 247 places to stay), Arlington (3 mi, 58 places to stay) and Alexandria (5 mi, 44 places to stay).
What locals in Washington say
Tips will appear here once someone posts in Washington’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · National Park Service visitor use statistics · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.