The best camping near General Grant National Memorial

The old joke goes that nobody is buried under Grant’s Tomb. That’s because this national memorial to the Civil War hero is actually a mausoleum. Inside are the sarcophagi of President Ulysses S. Grant and his wife. (He’s not buried. Get it?)

The grey granite monument is in New York City, overlooking the Hudson River. Standing at 150-feet tall, the structure is a stunning example of Neo-classical architecture. It is modeled after the mausoleum of Halicarnassus, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

Grant’s only burial wish was to rest beside his wife. However, at the time women could not be buried at military cemeteries. This posed a problem for the former President and Commanding General of the Union Army. After Grant died in 1885, Americans dug into their own pockets to fund a memorial. Over 90,000 individuals and corporations contributed, making it the largest such effort in history.

Many visitors are surprised to learn that you can actually go inside Grant’s Tomb. Better still, it’s free. The bronze doors open from Wednesday through Sunday. However, the hours are rather peculiar. The mausoleum operates on a one-hour on, one-hour off schedule between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Save your cab fare and ride the subway instead. The 116th station on the #1 line is the closest stop.