After 16 months in DC, I finally made it up the Washington Monument. A very impressive structure with some amazing views. I’m sure I already have more pictures including this structure than anything else in DC.
After working through the logistics of getting tickets, standing in line, then going through security, an elevator takes you up 500 feet to the top in about 70 seconds. On all four sides, there are two sets of fairly small windows looking out N, S, E, W. The altitude give beautiful views of the mall, the monuments, the government buildings, and all of downtown. To the east is a beautiful view down the mall towards the capitol where you can see Robert Kennedy stadium in the distance. I could even see my bedroom window. 
To the north is a beautiful overview of the White House and the ellipse. To the west is an amazing view including the World War II memorial and the Lincoln memorial, and to the south you can see the Jefferson memorial, tidal basin, across the Potomac into Virginia, and the Pentagon (from an elevation that you can actually see it’s a pentagon). I was sufficiently high and the windows low enough that I actually got a bit of vertigo at first, somewhat enhanced by the ranger telling us how there’s no concrete or steel, and it’s all just held together by gravity. This was a great visit, and I’m glad I finally did it.