Washington Monument tickets

Question

I've just bought two Washington Monument tickets for my wife and daughter, using my wife's Recreation account that she set up last night. However, I've no idea what I've done, or how I've done it, but I've somehow managed to end up with two tickets, both in my name. I can't remember seeing any option as part of the purchase process that asked me to enter visitor's names.

I've looked at the account and it says names on tickets can't be changed and you must have i.d to match the name on the ticket. What are the chances of them being let in using tickets with my name on if they each show a passport with the same surname? Or do I need to try again tomorrow?

Answer

The good news is that Washington Monument ticket enforcement is generally focused on ensuring that the tickets are valid for the correct date and time rather than matching each visitor’s exact name. Many visitors have reported that the staff does not check IDs at all unless something looks suspicious, and even then they are usually verifying that the group belongs to the person holding the reservation, not matching every letter of a name.

Because you purchased the tickets through your wife’s Recreation.gov account but the tickets ended up under your name, this is not unusual. Recreation.gov often defaults to the account holder or purchaser name and does not ask for individual visitor names. Many families use one person’s name for the entire set of tickets and have no issues entering.

While the Recreation.gov portal states that the “name on the ticket must match the ID,” in practice this is very rarely enforced for Washington Monument entry. Your wife and daughter having the same last name as the ticket holder typically would not cause any issue. Staff mainly scans the QR code and waves people through.

No ID checks at all is the most common experience.
If ID is checked, the same surname significantly reduces any concern.
Tickets are tied more to the timed entry, not the individual visitor.

If you want absolute peace of mind, you could attempt to rebook, but there is a downside: Washington Monument tickets sell out quickly, so trying again may mean losing your current spots. Since your visit seems planned soon, keeping the existing tickets is safer.

Only consider rebooking if:

Your chosen date and time is easy to replace.
You strongly prefer the names to match exactly despite low enforcement.
You happen to be online right when the new batch of tickets releases.

Based on common visitor experience, your wife and daughter should have no problem using the tickets with your name on them. Showing the tickets on a mobile device and walking in together is usually all that’s required.

In short: the chances of them being allowed in are extremely high, so you should not need to try again tomorrow unless you specifically want to.