Arlington National Cemetery - A Visitor's Guide

Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, serves as a cemetery and a memorial to America's war heroes. More than four million people visit Arlington National Cemetery each year, attending graveside services and special ceremonies to pay tribute to veterans and historical figures.

Arlington National Cemetery Address:

Across the Potomac River from Washington at the west end of the Memorial Bridge, Arlington, Virginia. (703) 607-8052. See a Map

The best way to get to the cemetery is to take Metro to the Arlington National Cemetery Station or walk in across the Memorial Bridge. The cemetery is also a stop on most Washington, DC sightseeing tours.

Arlington National Cemetery Hours :

Open daily except December 25. April through September hours are 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. October through March hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Admission:

Free

Tours of Arlington National Cemetery:

Guided tours are available for $6 or visitors can walk the grounds on their own. The tourbus allows you to hop on and off at the most popular sites, so this is a good option for those who want to avoid too much walking. Allow several hours to explore the grounds. Driving into the cemetery is only allowed for handicapped visitors and those attending a burial or visiting a private gravesite. A special permit is required.

Photos:

See photos of Arlington National Cemetery

Official Website:

http://www.arlingtoncemetery.org

About Arlington National Cemetery:

More than 250,000 American servicemen as well as many famous Americans are buried at the 612 acre national cemetery. Among the notable Americans buried here are Presidents William Howard Taft and John F. Kennedy, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, and Robert Kennedy. More than four million people visit the cemetery each year and approximately 20 graveside funerals are held here each day.

Special memorial services are held in the Arlington National Amphitheater on Easter, Memorial Day and Veterans Day and are sponsored by the U.S. Army Military District of Washington. Many military organizations conduct other annual memorial services throughout the year.

The main entrance, also known as the Memorial Gate, was recently modified to house the Women in Military Service for America Memorial. The Visitors Center is located here and is a resource for maps and guidebooks.

The Tomb of the Unknowns, also known as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, stands on a hill overlooking Washington, DC. The tomb was dedicated in 1921 and contains the remains of soldiers from WWI, WWII, Korea and Vietnam. The tomb is guarded 24 hours a day and each hour (each half-hour in summer) there is a changing of the guard ceremony with a special march and salute.

Arlington House, the former home of Robert E. Lee and his family is located atop a hill, providing one of the best views of Washington, DC. George Washington Parke Custis, Lee’s father-in-law, originally built the house as his own home as well as a memorial to George Washington, his step-grandfather. Arlington House is now preserved as a memorial to Robert E. Lee, who helped heal the nation following the Civil War.

Arlington House is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Arlington House grounds are open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. between April and September and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. between October and March.