How to Watch the Arlington National Cemetery Ceremony

Arlington National Cemetery is a military cemetery located in Virginia across the Potomac from Washington, D.C. Many ceremonies occur at Arlington National Cemetery, but one of the more notable ceremonies is the Memorial Day ceremony.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Decide which of the two different ceremonies held to commemorate the Memorial Day holiday you want to watch. There is a wreath-laying ceremony held at the Tomb of the Unknowns and a separate ceremony held at the Memorial Amphitheater. The ceremonies are scheduled such that it's impossible for the general public to attend both.
2. Travel to Arlington National Cemetery the morning of Memorial Day. The Cemetery is located in Arlington, Virginia near the Pentagon. You can take the Metro train to the Arlington National Cemetery stop on the Blue line.
3. Park in the Visitor Center parking lot if you arrive by car. Parking is free until 1 p.m. for the Memorial Day ceremonies.
4. Arrive early to get a good seat or standing room spot. The wreath ceremony has standing room only, but there are 4500 first-come, first-serve seats for the amphitheater ceremony. The cemetery opens to the public at 8 a.m., and admission to the Memorial Day ceremonies is free to the general public.
5. Take the free shuttle from the Visitor Center to the Tomb of the Unknowns or the Memorial Amphitheater.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have friends or family members buried in Arlington National Cemetery, the Visitor Center can help you locate the gravesite. With over 300,000 people buried in the cemetery, you may have a bit of a hike to find the grave you're looking for, however.
• If you attend the wreath-laying ceremony, you can watch the President lay the wreath.
• If you stick around to explore the cemetery after the Memorial Day ceremonies end, you can watch the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns. The Third United States Infantry (The Old Guard) changes guard every 30 minutes in the spring and summer.
• Arlington National Cemetery is the home to many of the country's most notable gravesites including President John F. Kennedy's and others from the Kennedy family. The Space Shuttle Challenger Memorial, the Nurses Memorial and the Coast Guard Memorial are just a few of the other sites of interest you may want to visit while at the cemetery. Stop by the Visitor's Center or visit the official website for more information about the monuments and memorials located at Arlington National Cemetery (see Resources below).