Tour these Iconic Landmarks in Virginia—the Arlington National Cemetery, Marine Corps War Memorial, and Air Force Memorial—just a stone's throw away from Washington DC's most popular tourist sites.
If seeing ALL the DC’s area’s most important monuments is on your wish list there are some monuments NOT on the National Mall - located in nearby Northern Virginia - that are world-famous!
Open from 8AM to 5PM.
(600 + acres) is located directly across the Potomac River from the Lincoln Memorial on hilly terrain. At the cemetery, there are 400,000+ gravesites. Visitors must pass through to airport type security. There is a tram with an historical narrator onboard that runs approximately every 15 minutes- tickets sold on site. Most visitors stop at the gravesites of John Fitzgerald Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy plus visit the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers where they watch the Changing of Guard. The times of the Changing of the Guard ceremony depend on time of year. From approximately October 15 to March 15 the ceremony is held on the hour. From March 16 to October 14 the changing of the Guard Ceremony is on the hour and half hour. There are restrooms at Arlington National Cemetery Visitors Centers as well as a Gift Shop and ample paid parking.
Open 24-7
This heroic statue by Felix De Weldon created between 1945 and 1954 features six Marines in combat gear raising the American flag at Mount Suribachi located on Iwo Jima, a tiny but strategic Pacific Island located just 700 miles from Toyoko. It is based on the Pulitzer Prize winning photo of that moment captured by AP photographer Joe Rosenthal. Iwo Jima was a critically important 36-day battle towards the end of World War II. The Marine Corps Memorial depicts the second American flag raising on Iwo Jim that day. There is a circular park area surrounding the Memorial - but don’t just drive around this colossal statue! There is parking nearby, and the memorial is an amazing sight up-close with well lit Park Service displays explaining many details.
Open 8AM to 8PM
It contains three main features: there are three 200+ foot tall arcs that are visible from the surrounding area. These arcs are artistic representations of the contrails of the US Air Force’s Thunderbirds as they fly in the “Bomb Burst” formation. There is also a statue of an Honor Guard from the US Air Force – don’t miss the female soldier in the Honor Guard. Also, there is an engraving on a glass wall depicting the “Missing Man Formation” flown by the Air Force to honor fallen pilots. This memorial sits atop a ridge and views of the city are spectacular. There are restrooms; a guard will allow visitors to park temporarily in a lot that runs alongside the Air Force Memorial.
If you’re looking for a way to explore the most iconic sites and monuments of Washington, DC, then taking a DC tour is the way to go. Check out this guided tour and make sure to see all of what Washington DC has to offer!
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