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Home » Travel » Virginia » Northern Virginia » 9 of the Best Things to Do in Arlington VA

9 of the Best Things to Do in Arlington VA

By: Liz  /  Published: March 9, 2022  /  Updated: March 9, 2022  /   Leave a comment

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It’s not hard to find fun things to do in Arlington, VA. With its proximity to Washington DC (just across the Potomac River,) Arlington offers a wealth of historical and cultural opportunities, vibrant neighborhoods, great restaurants, unique public art, and a surprisingly lush and green landscape.

When planning your itinerary of things to do in Arlington, VA, this list of sightseeing musts is sure to help you enjoy the area to its fullest.

Since Arlington is on the Metro, it makes an excellent hub for exploring the nation’s capital and its many historic buildings, memorials, and monuments.

Visit Arlington National Cemetery

Arlington National Cemetery tombstones and trees

Visiting the nation’s largest military burial ground is an experience you’ll never forget and one of the very best things to do in Arlington, VA. As you gaze over the seemingly endless rolling green hills lined with century-old trees and dotted with white tombstones—the final resting place for over 400,000 veterans—you can’t help but get a bit choked up.

Visitors could easily spend an entire day exploring the many points of interest along the walking paths inside Arlington National Cemetery. I highly recommend seeing the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (every hour on the hour) and John F. Kennedy’s Gravesite, where an Eternal Flame burns as a memorial.

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns

Tip: Purchase a ticket for the hop-on/hop-off tram tour. It makes four stops—President John F. Kennedy’s gravesite, John J. Pershing’s gravesite, Memorial Amphitheater (Tomb of the Unknown Soldier), and Arlington Hous—and provides live narration during the short drive.

Remember to be quiet and respectful throughout your visit.

Tour the Pentagon and Pentagon Memorial

(As of March 2022, tours of the Pentagon are still suspended but the Memorial is open.)

Pentagon Memorial - Arlington VA

Visits to the Pentagon must be scheduled in advance (14-90 days ahead of visit) for one-hour tours Monday-Friday. You’ll need to arrive 60 minutes early to allow for security screening, and no photos are allowed once the tour begins.

There is no public parking at the Pentagon, but there is a dedicated Metro stop.

After your tour, visit the Pentagon Memorial, which honors the 184 victims who died in the Pentagon or on American Airlines flight 77.

Listen to the Netherlands Carillon Bells

Netherlands Carillon

Also near Arlington National Cemetery is the Netherlands Carillon, where 50 bells suspended in a 127-foot tall steel tower play in automated concerts daily at noon and 6:00 PM.

The grounds of Arlington Ridge Park are lush and beautiful, with sweeping views of Washington DC, making it a prime location and popular spot for picnics.

Bike the Mount Vernon Trail

lady riding bike on Mt Vernon Trail
Beautiful views of the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall

This scenic 18-mile paved multi-use trail winds along the banks of the Potomac River from Theodore Roosevelt Island Park to George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate with sweeping panoramic views of the Washington DC skyline. It’s a nature lover’s paradise.

Bikes can be rented and dropped off at any number of Capital Bikeshare locations using an app, making it super easy for visitors to enjoy the miles of trails.

bikes_Capital BikeShare

We rented our bikes in town and entered the Mount Vernon Trail near Theodore Roosevelt Island Park. There are hundreds of bike stations (some have e-bikes) throughout the DC area, so it’s effortless to pick up and drop off bikes almost anywhere.

entrance to Mt. Vernon Trail

The trail passes through Rosslyn and Old Town Alexandria and connects with many regional trails, so you can take as long or as short a bike ride as you’d like.

lady biking the Mount Vernon Trail

Stop at the Navy and Merchant Marine Memorial

Make sure to stop by the Navy and Merchant Marine Memorial at the south end of Lady Bird Johnson Park while on your bike ride. It’s one of the few places inaccessible to cars.

Navy and Merchant Marine Memorial
“Waves and Gulls” – depicts seven gulls over the crest of a wave

Not far from the “Waves and Gulls” sculpture is the Lyndon B. Johnson Memorial Grove and Columbia Island Marina, a great place to take in views of Arlington’s skyline.

view of marina park

Check out the Public Art in Rosslyn

Cupid's Garden public art in Arlington
Cupid’s Garden at the intersection of Wilson and Clarendon Blvds.

Grab a bite at Open Road, one of the many local favorite dining options in downtown Arlington, and then stroll through Arlington’s lively Rosslyn neighborhood for a great view of the many eye-catching sculptures in the area.

Anna and David
Anna and David
Arlington Public Art - Liquid Pixels
Liquid Pixels
Fire Station 10 “Fire Lines” by David & Eli Hess
Fire Lines
entrance to Open Road restaurant
Open Road restaurant

Visit the Air Force Memorial

US Air Force Memorial

The US Air Force Memorial’s three stainless steel spires reach skyward in a simulation of the Air Force Thunderbirds bomb burst maneuver and pay homage to the nation’s long aviation history.

statues at US Air Force Memorial
Standing watch over the Memorial grounds is an 8-foot tall bronze United States Air Force Honor Guard sculpture.

The memorial is free to visit and open daily, except for Christmas.

Visit the Iwo Jima Memorial

Iwo Jima Memorial - Marine Corps War Memorial

The U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial is an iconic statue of the afternoon flag-raising on Iwo Jima, a tiny island south of Tokyo, and a key objective during the Pacific campaign of WWII.

The moment was captured in a famous photograph by Bill Rosenthal and then translated into this bronze sculpture with thirty-two-foot high figures and a 60-foot flagpole with a permanently flying flag.

Go Planespotting at Gravelly Point Park

Gravelly Point Park with airplane in sky

This is one of the most memorable things to do in Arlington, VA, and it’s something the entire family will love.

Airplanes landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) approach over the Potomac River then fly across Gravelly Point Park in Arlington before landing, making this park one of the best places for planespotting in the United States.

airplane view in sky
Southwest Airlines plane coming in for a landing

Since DCA is such a busy airport, there is a seemingly endless flow of planes arriving, and it’s an extraordinary sight. It’s entertaining when you recognize the airline and when they’re zooming just 100-200 feet above you, it’s not hard to do. If you’re sensitive to noise, you may want to use earplugs to muffle the sound intensity.

The park is free and accessible by car from the George Washington Memorial Parkway or Mount Vernon Trail by bike or foot. Picnic areas with tables are available here as well.

airplane landing from Gravelly Point Park

For more information on things to do in Arlington, VA, and where to stay, visit stayarlington.com, and for details on the entire Northern Virginia area, visit northernva.org

Other Fun Things to Do in Virginia

  • Things to Do in Alexandria VA
  • Brighten Up the Holidays in Northern VA
  • Biking the Virginia Creeper Trail
  • Charlottesville VA Girlfriend Getaway

Related topics
Northern Virginia Travel Virginia

About Liz

Liz is a midwestern mom gone southern (accent in transition). She lives in North Carolina and loves cooking, baking, traveling, movies, crafts, hot and cold tea, wine, pizza and the occasional nap. She also revels in the fact she's a crazy cat lady.

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