How to Beat the Crowds at Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery is a popular destination for visitors of Washington, D.C., especially during the summer months. Because of the hilly terrain, however, a tour mobile provides rides up to the more memorable cemetery destinations, like the Tomb of the Unknowns and the Kennedy grave site. The mobile begins 30 minutes after the cemetery opens at 8 a.m. It costs a nominal fee and usually by noon, crowds are lined up waiting for to take the tour. But if you want to escape the crowds and experience the solemn and tranquil setting while honoring the nation’s fallen heroes, arrive before the crowds, walk to the notable sites, and leave before the heat of the day.
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Instructions
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Locate Arlington National Cemetery on the map and arrive about 30 minutes before it opens. The objective is to be the first through the gates and well ahead of the first group of visitors waiting for the tour mobile.
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Note that the tour mobile starts running approximately 30 minutes after the cemetery opens. Also, be aware that the walk up to the Tomb of the Unknowns is about 1/2 mile up a steep hill.
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Stop at the Kennedy site first. Using the cemetery map, you can see that the Kennedy site is located off of Roosevelt Drive. Once there visit the Eternal Flame at the grave of John and Jacqueline. Note the signs that requests quiet and respect.
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Read the inscriptions at the memorial and follow the walk to the right, noticing the Robert Kennedy reflecting pool with the words to some of his more famous speeches etched in granite above. A single white cross marks his grave.
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Return to Roosevelt Drive and walk southwest toward Wilson Drive. Walk up the hill on Wilson; this is the most demanding part of the walk. By this point, the first tour mobile will probably just be leaving the station and heading for the Kennedy site.
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Turn left onto Memorial Drive and walk around the Memorial Amphitheater to the Tomb of the Unknowns. Guard changing occurs every 30 minutes during the summer, whether the cemetery is open or not. Wait for the guard change. Pay respect by standing for the occasion.
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Locate Lee Drive on the map and follow the drive to the Custis-Lee House. Confederate General Robert E. Lee once owned the estate but lost it to the Union after the Civil War. Free tours are given daily, and generally the house is scheduled to open upon the arrival of the first tour mobile. Waiting for the Lee House to open means waiting for the first tour mobile, so this strategy isn’t fool proof, but by this point, your visit to Arlington is almost over. Relax and enjoy the sweeping views of the cemetery, the Potomac and the National Mall, from the Lincoln Memorial to the U.S. Capitol.
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Leave the Custis-Lee House by taking the Custis Walk, which descends back toward Schley Drive and the entrance and is surrounded by well-groomed lawns and beautiful flower gardens. The grave site of William Howard Taft, defined by a single monolith and well-manicured shrubbery, is just to the left. The main entrance and the Metro sign are to the right.
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Resources
- Photo Credit James Barnett
