Washington Monument Alternative
 

Ok I blew it and did not reserve tickets for the monument well enough in advance and they are sold out (we will be in DC starting this Thursday). Somewhere I read that there is another building you could go to the top of and see the view just as good as you would if you were at the top of the Washington Monument. Now I can't find where I read that. Does anyone know?

Maybe the top of the Old Post Office? Pretty nearby, and there are lots of store and restaurants, very handy when you're at museums on the mall
http://www.oldpostofficedc.com/clock_tower.html

sweetnis, I don't think there is another building in DC with views as good as the Washington Monument - the tallest buildings in DC are only about 13 stories. It's because no building in DC is allowed to exceed the height of the Capitol dome - and the Washington Monument is the sole exception. The Old Post Office bell tower, as nyer mentioned, has a very nice view of The Mall - I don't know of any place that would be better, though others may.

Always prefer the Old Post Office bell tower -- easier to get to and closer to many signif. sites so you see more. Have done the Wash Monumnet once -- worth doing once in your life on a good day with plenty of time -- but for you, sweetnis, the bell tower will be fine!

Thanks everyone.

If you want to cross the river to Crystal City, there is a revolving bar on top of the Doubletree. It's called the Skydome Lounge. Pricey and mediocre in terms of food/drinks, but a real, cheese-tastic, old-time, revolving bar with great views.

Another place with a cool view acoss the river and over National Airport is the Crystal City Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. Sooo expensive, but great steaks and chic atmosphere.

It isn't really the building code that no building in DC is allowed to be taller than the Capitol, that law was abolished about 100 years ago. DC is a low-lying city and there are city codes on height restrictions that keep buildings low, in general, though but that isn't the current law.

The National Cathedral is higher than the Wash Monument, for one, because it is built on a point higher versus sea level than the Capitol or the Wash Monument, even though the building itself is not as tall as the monument.

The Old Post office is about the highest other building in that area, but maybe you heard about a bar with a great view at the top of a hotel, I'd suggest that. The Hotel Washington has a roof bar. It won't be as good a view as the Wash Monument, though.

Here's what the "height restriction" is actually based on excerpt from a "Washington Post" article written in 2006):

"In 1899, Congress passed the Heights of Buildings Act in response to the 14-story Cairo apartment tower, which at the time was reviled as a monstrosity overshadowing its Dupont Circle neighborhood. (It is now admired as one of Washington's most beautiful residential buildings.) The original law limited buildings to the height of the Capitol, but was amended in 1910 to the width of the adjacent street plus 20 feet, so a building facing a 90-foot-wide street could be only 110 feet tall. The basic intent was the same: No skyscrapers."

The view from The Old Postoffice is great.It was uncrowded the summer I was there. There are no windows, it is open to the breeze and it was wonderfully cool. The Ranger on duty told me he closes when thunder storms approach.
There was a good Indian take-out place in the lobby.

I agree that the Old Post Office is probably your best bet.

Please don't go to the rooftop bar at the Hotel Washington! The Sky Terrace bar there did have a good view of the White House and Mall, but the entire hotel closed for renovations last December and will be closed at least through the end of this year, if not longer.

It's probably too late for sweetnis unless she looks at this while on vacation, but the park service only distributes half the available tickets online...the others are distributed for free at the Monument Lodge on 15th Street each morning (for that day only). They recommend getting there as early as 6:30 and are usually gone by just after 7. They are timed. I just talked to the park service to confirm this.

Of course I meant to say the tickets are gone by just after 7.

Hotel Washington is no more. It's not just renovation, it's being gutted to become a W, scheduled to open next May

Ditto Old Post Office.
More open viewing and 360 degree views.