Arlington, Virginia is a vibrant city located just across the Potomac River from Washington, DC. It is home to the famous Arlington National Cemetery, established as a U. S. military cemetery during the Civil War.
The cemetery is located on the grounds of the Confederate general Robert E. Lee's house, Arlington House, and is the final resting place of veterans from all of the country's wars, from the American Revolution to the War on Terror in Iraq. The Eternal Flame marks President John F. Kennedy's grave, and other monuments include The Tomb of the Strangers and the Iwo Jima Memorial.
Bikers can enjoy a 23-mile self-guided tour of Arlington with 12 stops to learn about its history along the way. The W&O, D. Railroad trail cuts through the urban heart and countryside of Northern Virginia, making it a great place for walking and biking. Food and drink options from around the world, specialty desserts, and world-renowned chefs create a truly memorable dining experience in Alexandria and Arlington. Just across the Potomac River from Washington, DC, Arlington is famous for being home to the Arlington National Cemetery and the Pentagon.
But this densely populated county (oddly enough, it's not officially considered a city) has a lot more places to see. We recommend that you call attractions and restaurants before your visit to confirm current opening hours. Arlington National Cemetery is a United States military cemetery located in Arlington. It consists of 624 acres of land containing the graves of soldiers who died in the country's wars that began with the American Civil War. Bus tours are offered that stop at important places in the cemetery, such as President John F.
Kennedy's grave, The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, The Marine Corps Memorial to the Fallen and much more. The Air Force Monument consists of three stainless steel needles that range in height from 201 feet (61 meters) to 270 feet (82 meters). The design of the three steel arches is similar to the pattern that the Air Force Thunderbirds made during their famous “bomb explosion” maneuver. The Memorial to Women in the Military Service of the United States is located on Memorial Avenue at the entrance to Arlington National Cemetery. It is the first major monument in the U.
created to honor the role of women in the United States Armed Forces. Inaugurated in 1997, it is housed in a structure that was originally built in 1932 and is known as “The Hemicycle”. The design is a mix of modern and neoclassical architecture and largely conserves The Hemicycle's original structure. A skylight was added to its terrace, as well as a circular reflecting pool and a paved square. The Lee Memorial is a historic home located on Sherman Drive in Arlington.
Formerly known as The Custis-Lee Mansion, it is a Greek Renaissance-style mansion with views of both The National Mall in Washington DC and The Potomac River. After The American Civil War ended, it was decided that its land would be used for Arlington National Cemetery so that Robert E Lee could never return to his home. Later, The United States made it a national monument to Lee. Arlington House is located inside Arlington National Cemetery. The Mount Vernon Trail is a 17-mile (27 km) paved trail in Northern Virginia that travels between George Washington's home in Mount Vernon and Rosslyn.
The southern part of this trail is more forested and offers views of The Potomac River at times. The Pentagon is an immense building located on Long Bridge Drive that serves as headquarters for The United States Department of Defense. It is also known as being the largest low-rise office building in the world. Pentagon Tours offer one-hour tours that include a one-and-a-half mile walk through this building where visitors learn about various branches of The Military, The Joint Chiefs of Staff, The Office of The Secretary of Defense and much more. The Signature Theater is a regional professional theater located on Campbell Avenue in Arlington. Founded in 1990, it presents contemporary and classic plays and musicals as well as new works by librettists and composers who are creating new musical plays. Theodore Roosevelt Island Park is an 88.5-acre island park located on The Potomac River that was given to The American people in memory of Theodore Roosevelt, our twenty-sixth president.
Maintained by The National Park Service, it forms part of George Washington Memorial Parkway and cars or bicycles are not allowed on this nature park which features walking trails and a memorial square with a statue of Roosevelt. Tours for Humanity is an Arlington based travel company that offers walking tours that help people learn about our nation's history, heroes, presidents and more! Their Arlington National Cemetery tour includes visits to The Tomb of The Unknown Soldier, Lee Mansion and Kennedy Tomb while their Tidal Basin tour includes visits to all Tidal Basin memorials and their National Mall tour takes visitors to places like Washington Monument, White House and Lincoln Memorial. Long Bridge Park is another popular public park north of Crystal City located on Long Bridge Drive which features green spaces with views over DC!.
