I'm looking to rent bikes. Can I bike around the mall or the memorials??

where?????

It depends on where you would like to rent it from. You do not say from where in your post. I am sure E.T. wold let you use his. All you have to do is ask.

Very funny. OK, you got me, this is my first time post. Since I was posting from the Washington DC subject area, and since my posting ENDED UP in the Washington DC subject area,....mall, memorials? Anyone like puzzles?

Yes, you can bike around the mall and the memorials. There are a number of places to rent bikes around the city. You can check the yellow pages, or check on-line before you leave home. If you stick to the mall area, you will not be crossing too many streets, distances are not far, and it is all flat, so you should have no problem. If youa re use to biking in city traffic, you can even bike from your hotel if is not too far. Also, if you want to go a bit farther afield, there are some excelent bike trails around. A couple of recommended easy ones - the Mt. Vernon trail goes along the Potomac River on the Virginia side. Rock Creek Park trail goes thru the city, up to the zoo and beyond, the C&O canal trail goes from Georgetown up the Potomac and into Maryland.

topper

I highly recommend seeing DC's sites on a bike. I've lived here for 10 years and am surprised more people don't do the city this way. DC's main area is just spread out enough to make a long day's walk and compact enough to see it all in a day on a bike.

Big Wheel Bikes in Georgetown is an idea. The ride from Georgetown is really nice - hugs the Potomac.

Make sure you get a lock. You're not supposed to take bikes (even if you walk them) through the Vietnam and Korean memorials. And FDR probably has the same restrictions.

And you'll need a way to stash the bike if you want to pop into one of the Smithsonian museums. Good quick stops -- the Hope Diamond (Natural History), the only Leonardo da Vinci in the US (Nat'l Gallery West Bldg), the first ladies' dresses (American History)

Pack a picnic lunch to eat near the tidal basin near the Jefferson memorial!

just a note for the future...people CAN access your post from the US area only, and have no idea that it's in a particular subject area such as DC, so best to put all the info in the actual post...

Joan,
Last July, we rented bikes in Georgetown and took them up to Harper's Ferry and rode down the C&O
Canal towpath, as Howard mentions earlier, and had a blast.

We spent the final part of the trip tooling around Cap Mall and hitting some memorials.

Some tips: Keep your head on a swivel when it's crowded. We saw Ped vs bike, cars vs. bike and bike vs bike collisions.

And, if you see where someone who was flying a kite on the Mall leaves a big mess of balled up string on the ground, do not pedal thru it!
Thank goodness I had my Swiss Army knife or my bro in law would still be walking his bike!

Wear a helmut and good sunscreen.
Kal