Visiting Arlington National Cemetery

About Arlington National Cemetery

Across the Potomac, rows of white headstones cover the hillsides of the nation's best-known military cemetery. Visitors come for the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the eternal flame at John F. Kennedy's grave and the view back over the river to the Lincoln Memorial from Arlington House.

Tip: The Changing of the Guard takes place every hour or half-hour depending on the season; the walk up from the Metro is steep, so allow 20 minutes.

Plan your visit

• Time needed: 2–3 hours.
• Cost: Free — no ticket needed for the main area.
• Book ahead: not usually needed; buy on arrival.
• Where: Arlington, Virginia.

Best time to visit Arlington National Cemetery

To avoid the biggest crowds, aim for the quietest of the good months:

• September: 27°C (81°F) highs, about 8 rainy days, moderate crowds.
• November: 14°C (57°F) highs, about 9 rainy days, moderate crowds.
• October: 21°C (70°F) highs, about 8 rainy days, busy crowds.

For the view at golden hour: in mid-September the sun sets at about 19:17 local time (calculated for Washington, D.C.).

When to visit Washington, D.C. has the full month-by-month picture.

Fit it into your trip

Arlington National Cemetery is not on our short itineraries, so plan it as an extra once you have seen National Mall and Lincoln Memorial.

• No. 13 of the 20 sights in our Washington, D.C. things-to-do list.
• Listed in free things to do in Washington, D.C..

If you like Arlington National Cemetery

• National Mall — National Mall, Half a day
• Lincoln Memorial — National Mall, 45 minutes
• Washington Monument — National Mall, 1 hour
• United States Capitol — Capitol Hill, 1.5–2 hours

Staying near Arlington National Cemetery

Where to stay in Washington, D.C. compares every area by price and who it suits.

Questions travellers ask