Best Things to Do in Arlington: Must-See Attractions in Virginia

Just beyond the border of Washington, DC, is a fantastic city that beckons visitors. Embarking on things to do in Arlington is one of our favorite best-kept secrets of the DC metro area because there is plenty to do, and it’s very easily accessible by public transportation or car.

A sense of national pride swept over us as we stared at the National Mall in the United States capital from 30 floors above ground level at one of the best Arlington, VA attractions. We thanked our fallen soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. Delighted in an incredible meal at a Balkan restaurant. We share the things to do in Arlington to assure you’ll have a fantastic visit.

Man and woman holding hands looking at a sculpture of Theodore Roosevelt on his island in Arlington and DC.

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Morning at Theodore Roosevelt Island

There’s an entire island reserved to honor one of the nation’s most influential presidents. It has great views and is very easy to walk to if you’re staying in Arlington. (Gotta get those steps in for exercise anyway!)

I was happy to photograph some fall foliage on a somber morning with grey skies, looking towards the Georgetown waterfront from the bridge that connects Arlington to the island. You may see crew practicing on the water or a paddleboarder like we did. We also saw a couple of people fishing.

Looking for things to do in Arlington, Virginia, whether traveling to this United States city just outside Washington DC, or living there? We have Arlington VA attractions covered, from downtown art to sites like Theodore Roosevelt Island the monument to the Unknown Solider at Arlington National Cemetery. Click through to read the article details and view beautiful photography to see exactly what things to do! #ArlingtonVA #Arlington #WashingtonDC #VisitVirginia #Virginia #TeddyRoosevelt

The island’s centerpiece is a monument to Theodore Roosevelt (or Teddy, if you were friends, of course), with the stoic man as its main attraction. Lovely reflecting pools surround the circularly designed space that beckons reflection with oneself and nature. Dan and I read all his quotes engraved on four towering granite walls around the memorial. The quotes about character and nature particularly resonated with us.

Note there’s only one set of restrooms on the island, and parking is limited (though not impossible), with about twenty spots just before the bridge. The island itself is pedestrian-only.

Dine in Arlington

Arlington’s melting pot of ethnicities is worthy of celebration. We jumped at the chance to have many meals in the area and experience the local cuisine. It’s truly a piece of Arlington’s outstanding culture, with its great food and drinks.

Our absolute favorite restaurant in Arlington is Ambar, which serves Balkan cuisine. It’s packed with flavors, and the chefs know how to craft a delicious dish! Be sure to investigate the top Arlington restaurants, pick one befitting your taste, and set aside at least two hours for a great meal.

Wood table with a small flatbread and two small bowls of food.

Visiting Arlington National Cemetery

I can’t count how many times I’ve passed this cemetery while driving on highways in Arlington and DC. But we had never visited one of the most popular Arlington. VA attractions until recently. Now we’re looking forward to going back because you can’t possibly see it all in one visit, though you can get a great overview.

The cemetery is free to visit and open daily between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm. You can pay for a trolley tour if you wish to have transportation throughout the property and a guided tour. Another option is to book a guided walking tour.

How Much Time to Allot to Visit Arlington National Cemetery

People think, “Oh, it’s just a cemetery,” and follow up with, “How much time could it possibly take to see? An hour?” That estimation would be wrong! You can spend all day there!

➜ Reserve Your Space for a Highlights of Arlington National Cemetery During a Guided Walking

You could easily spend the better part of half a day here. You need at least two hours if not three or four to see the cemetery. It’s an incredibly vast cemetery with many points of interest.

Getting Around Arlington National Cemetery

I enjoyed the hop-on/off shuttle (which you need a ticket for), which allows you to cover much more ground in less time. (Note: the paid trolley shuttles only come around about every 15-20 minutes.)

An additional bonus of taking the shuttle was the driver narrated while he was driving. I enjoyed learning about the cemetery’s different sections, who was buried there, and in what time frame. Or about the various memorials around the cemetery, including one for Space Shuttle Challenger and another for 9/11.

Who is Buried at Arlington National Cemetery

We thought it is a cemetery strictly for Armed Forces members, but that’s also incorrect! While that is its primary purpose, many other notable people are buried at Arlington National Cemetery, including Presidents John F. Kennedy and William Taft, Supreme Court Justices, famous athletes, explorers, and even astronauts.

It was also interesting to learn that the well-recognized white headstones aren’t a cemetery requirement. Rather, they’re government-issued if families don’t want to choose or cannot afford a different option. Hence, in the photo below on the left, you’ll notice various types of gravestones in the distance.

Other Points of Interest at Arlington National Cemetery

Other areas that were of particular interest were the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (pictured below) and the Changing of the Guard that occurs there, and the grandiose Memorial Amphitheater.

The amphitheater was dedicated in May of 1920. Three major ceremonies are held here annually, in addition to smaller memorials throughout the year:

Easter
Memorial Day
Veterans Day

Visit the Pentagon Memorial

I tend to get emotional over war movies, controversial historical events or monuments dedicated to times of strife, including memorials. However, I can’t remember the last time I cried at a memorial.

The 9/11 Pentagon Memorial is so moving and incredibly meaningful you’d be missing a sincerely beautiful tribute if you skipped it. It’s also not something you’d normally come across as you walked around the area – it’s a true destination.

You have to specifically travel to the Pentagon building to see it. (Which, by the way, is called the Pentagon because it’s literally the shape of a pentagon when you view it from the sky.)

How to Get to the Pentagon Memorial

Luckily, this popular Arlington, VA attraction is conveniently located off the metro’s “Pentagon” station, on the yellow or blue line. It’s approximately a five to ten-minute walk to the memorial from where you exit the station, depending on how fast you walk.

A Must-Listen-to Audio Guide that will Vastly Enhance Your Visit

If you can’t take a scheduled guided tour, there is an incredible audio guide on their website. Be sure to bring headphones and a charged cell phone to listen to it. It’s not to miss and explains what happened that dreadful day in 2001 and how the memorial design winners carefully commemorated each life that was lost.

Some things I learned from the audio guide were that benches face towards or away from the building depending on if it was someone who died in the building or on the flight that crashed.

The end of the bench indicates the name of the deceased, and any names underneath it adjacent to the water are the victim’s family members who also died that day.

A concrete wall (pictured above, right) is low at the memorial’s entrance and rises with increasing ages of the deceased as you walk through the space. In other words, the youngest victim’s bench is located in the area where you first enter the memorial, and as you walk towards the back of the memorial (though it doesn’t feel like “the back”), the wall rises with the increase in ages of the victims.

That’s because the benches are organized by birth year. The further you walk, the further from present-day the birth year is. I photographed one from 1936, as seen above, while the first date marker towards the entrance is from the 1990s for a child. People often place things like toys and drawings on the memorial bench of Dana Falkenberg, who was three years old when she died in the tragedy.

The audio guide explains everything better than I ever could. It also has audio from first-hand survivors of the attack who were at the Pentagon that day.

Give it a listen and visit the Pentagon Memorial. You won’t regret it.

Rosslyn Sculptures

Art is truly made accessible to anyone in Rosslyn, a booming neighborhood in Arlington. As soon as you arrive – no matter your mode of transportation – you’ll begin to see sculptures dotting the area’s primary roads.

Take a moment to really notice them. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen the pieces I “discovered” for the first time on my intentional trip. This Arlington, VA attraction may be less in-your-face, yet inspiring sculptures are all around for your enjoyment. And ironically, most of them are right in front of your eyes.

There’s a self-guided tour you can take. It includes a map of the area, sculpture locations, and a bit of info about each one. It also provides some information about some of the artists and the meaning behind their creations.

Two that stuck out in my mind were the arrows I took a photo with below, named Cupid’s Garden, by Chris Gardner, and the colorful man and woman called Anna and David, by Miriam Shapiro. (They are numbers 10 and 5 on the self-guided tour.)

Also, just in case you need to get your bearings as you walk through Rosslyn, there are maps at various points throughout the city you’ll stumble upon that help you navigate.

Practical Information for Your Arlington, Virginia Visit

Getting Around Arlington with a Metro Pass

One of the best things about Arlington and the DC Metro area is the public transportation the city (and tax dollars) has provided residents and tourists with. Get a Smart Card metro pass at the start of your trip to efficiently navigate the area. You’ll thank me as soon as you realize how much more you can get done if you ride the subway system.

You can also add a Smart Pass to your mobile phone under “Transit Cards” if you want to go digital for your Metro pass. If so, make sure you have a portable charger on you, so your phone battery doesn’t deplete over the course of your day touring Arlington. We love the Clutch charger because it’s so light and compact.

It’s one of the nicest, cleanest train systems I’ve seen in any city. The rail map and color-coded train lines make it really simple to navigate. There are even digital boards with countdown times to train arrivals once you’re on the platform awaiting your transportation.

Metro Prices and Using your Metro Card

Unlike the NYC subway, Metro prices vary based on the stations you travel between. One ride may cost $2.00, and the next $1.70. You can pre-load your Smart Card with a value you determine by using cash or credit card at any station. The easiest thing to do is to add a transit card to your iPhone or Android wallet. Luckily “Smart Trip” is an option!

If you run out of money before exiting the Metro, you can reload within the station, past the turn-styles, as well. Also, unlike the NYC subway system, you need the card to enter and exit the station, so be sure you don’t forget where you put it before you reach your destination! You’ll need it to leave.

Metro App

This free app is handy to have on your phone during your visit and allows you to find the bus and rail system locations and schedules. (If you’re in the app, you can switch between bus/rail info by clicking either icon on the bottom navigation bar.)

How to Find Metro Stations in Arlington from Above Ground

Be sure to look for an “M” like the one pictured below when you’re nearing the cross streets of the station you’re looking for. The colored lines beneath the icon indicate the lines available at that station, like the silver, yellow and blue at Rosslyn.

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