Arlington National Cemetery Visitor Guide

More than 400,000 service members, veterans, and their eligible family members rest across Arlington National Cemetery's 639 rolling acres — a burial ground that has grown, since the Civil War, into the nation's most significant military cemetery and one of the most visited memorial sites in the country. This guide covers what to see, how to plan your time, and the etiquette that matters most at a cemetery that remains, every weekday, an active site of military honors and burial.

A Brief History

Arlington National Cemetery occupies land that once belonged to the family of Mary Anna Custis Lee, wife of Confederate General Robert E. Lee — the estate's mansion, Arlington House, sits on a hill overlooking the grounds and now operates as a memorial to Lee. During the Civil War, Union forces occupied the estate and began burying the war dead there in 1864, partly as a deliberate wartime decision to make the land permanently unusable as a private residence again. What began as wartime necessity became the nation's preeminent military cemetery, expanding across the 20th and 21st centuries to accommodate veterans and service members from every American conflict since.

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

The single most-visited site within the cemetery, and for many veterans and families the emotional centerpiece of any Arlington trip. The white marble sarcophagus honors unidentified American dead from World War I, World War II, and the Korean War (a Vietnam War unknown, once interred here, was later identified through DNA testing and returned to his family, and that crypt now remains empty as a symbol).

The Changing of the Guard is the ceremony most visitors specifically travel to see: a sentinel from the U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Regiment ("The Old Guard") performs a precise, sustained ritual — 21 measured steps down a black mat, a 21-second pause, a sharp turn, repeat — echoing the 21-gun salute, the country's highest military honor. The tomb has been guarded continuously, in all weather, without a single missed minute, since 1937.

Ceremony timing: every half hour from April through September, every hour from October through March. Visitors are asked to stand and remain silent throughout. Arrive a few minutes early to secure a clear viewing spot, particularly during the more frequent summer schedule when crowds are heaviest.

Other Essential Sites

John F. Kennedy Gravesite. Marked by an eternal flame lit by Jacqueline Kennedy at his 1963 funeral and still burning today. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and two of the couple's children are buried alongside the president, and the site includes low walls inscribed with excerpts from Kennedy's inaugural address.

Arlington House. The Greek Revival mansion overlooking the cemetery, once home to Robert E. Lee's family, now preserved and interpreted by the National Park Service as a historic site addressing both the Lee family's history and the enslaved people who lived and worked on the property before the war.

Section 60. The primary burial section for many service members killed in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan — a section that remains, unlike most of the cemetery's older ground, an active and frequently visited site for families whose loss is comparatively recent. Visitors should exercise particular care and restraint here.

Memorial Amphitheater. Adjacent to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, this large open-air venue hosts major ceremonies, including the annual Memorial Day and Veterans Day observances attended by the sitting president in most years.

Notable individual graves. Beyond Kennedy, Arlington holds an extraordinary range of notable Americans — Audie Murphy, the most decorated American soldier of WWII and later a film actor; memorials to the Space Shuttle Challenger and Columbia crews; graves connected to nearly every American conflict since the Civil War. Staff at the Welcome Center can help locate specific notable sites if that's part of your visit.

Planning Your Visit

Getting there. Arlington has its own Metro station — Arlington Cemetery, on the Blue Line — putting the Welcome Center a short walk from the platform. This is generally the easiest way to arrive, avoiding the cemetery's limited and often full parking.

Hours. Generally 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. October through March, and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. April through September. The cemetery is open every day of the year.

How long to budget. Plan for at least two to three hours. The grounds are large and genuinely hilly, and the highlights — the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Kennedy gravesite, Arlington House — are spread across real walking distance. A guided tour typically covers the essentials in around two hours; independent visitors covering the same ground on foot should budget more.

Guided options. An interpretive bus tour operates daily, with stops at the cemetery's major sites — a strong option for visitors with mobility concerns or limited time, given the hilly terrain. Tickets are modestly priced, with military personnel in uniform typically admitted free; check current pricing before you go. Independent walking tours and licensed guides are also available for a more personalized, in-depth visit.

Finding a specific grave. Arlington's ANC Explorer tool (available on the cemetery's official website) lets you search by name for exact section and plot information before you arrive — the single best way to avoid a frustrating on-site search, particularly given the size of the grounds.

A Note on Ongoing Burials

Unlike most historic cemeteries, Arlington remains an active burial ground — multiple funerals with full military honors are conducted here on most weekdays. It's entirely possible to encounter a funeral procession or graveside service during your visit. If this happens, give the family and procession wide berth, remain quiet, and do not photograph the ceremony. This is, more than almost any other site in American military memorial travel, a place where visitors and grieving families share the same ground at the same time — and the respect that calls for should shape every part of your visit, not just your time at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Etiquette Essentials

• Keep voices low throughout the grounds, not just at the Tomb or specific gravesites

• Stand and remain silent during the Changing of the Guard and any funeral processions you encounter

• Avoid posed or celebratory photography, particularly near Section 60 and other areas with recent burials

• Stay on paved paths where marked, and avoid walking directly across grave markers

• Dress respectfully — this is not a casual tourist stop, whatever else it shares in common with the Mall's more open, public memorials

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Arlington National Cemetery free to visit? Yes — entry to the cemetery grounds is free for all visitors. The optional interpretive bus tour carries a modest fee, though active duty military personnel in uniform are typically admitted free; walking the grounds independently costs nothing.

How does Arlington decide who is eligible for burial? Eligibility is governed by specific military service and honor criteria set by the Department of the Army — generally including current and former service members who meet minimum service and discharge requirements, along with their eligible spouses and dependent children. Not every veteran qualifies, and the cemetery's available space has become an increasing consideration in eligibility policy over time. This guide covers visiting, not eligibility for burial; those planning ahead for themselves or a family member should consult Arlington's official eligibility resources directly.

Can I request a specific time to visit a family member's grave privately? Yes — while the cemetery doesn't require an appointment for general visitation, families wanting a quieter, more private moment at a specific grave (particularly in more recently active sections like Section 60) can contact cemetery staff in advance for guidance on timing and any available accommodations.

Is Arlington appropriate for children? Generally yes, particularly for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and Kennedy gravesite, both of which are well-suited to family visits and often genuinely moving for younger visitors old enough to understand the setting. Parents should use judgment around Section 60 and any funeral processions encountered, where the same quiet, respectful behavior expected of adults applies.

What happens if it's raining or extremely hot the day I visit? The Changing of the Guard ceremony proceeds in all weather without exception — the sentinels guard the tomb continuously regardless of conditions, which is itself part of what makes the ceremony significant to witness. Visitors should dress for the weather, since much of the cemetery involves outdoor walking with limited shelter between major sites.

Can I combine an Arlington visit with the Marine Corps War Memorial on the same trip? Easily, and it's one of the most natural pairings in D.C. memorial travel — the Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima Memorial) sits just outside Arlington's walls in Arlington Ridge Park, an easy walk or short drive from the cemetery's main entrance, and offers some of the best skyline views of the National Mall available anywhere in the area.

How does Arlington compare to overseas ABMC cemeteries in terms of what to expect? Arlington is considerably larger and more visited than any single ABMC overseas cemetery, and it holds Americans from every conflict since the Civil War rather than a single war's dead, giving it a broader, more layered history. Overseas ABMC cemeteries, covered in our dedicated guide, tend to offer a more singular, focused experience tied to one specific campaign or war, often in a quieter, less-visited setting.

Hours, tour pricing, and ceremony schedules change over time. Always verify current information directly with Arlington National Cemetery (arlingtoncemetery.mil) before finalizing your visit.

Related in this section: Military Memorials & Monuments Travel Guide (cornerstone) | Washington, D.C. Military Memorials Guide | How to Plan a Meaningful Memorial Visit | Military Memorial Visit Planner (PDF download)