Across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., one of the most compelling and thought-provoking places in the capital region is Arlington National Cemetery (daily; free), a 600-acre hillside that contains the mortal remains of over 250,000 U.S. soldiers, sailors, and public servants. Row after row of nearly identical, unadorned white tablets cover most of the cemetery, but special plots are dedicated to the most prominent people, such as John F. and Jacqueline Kennedy, who are buried together beneath an eternal flame, 200 yards straight beyond the main gate. Bobby Kennedy’s grave is adjacent.
Located high on a ridge at the top of Arlington Cemetery, the neoclassical mansion of Arlington House was the antebellum home of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. Besides providing great views of the Mall and the heart of monumental Washington, the house serves as a vivid reminder of the deep rift caused by the Civil War. During the war, the grounds of the house were made into a cemetery for war dead, which formed the basis for Arlington National Cemetery. Washington, D.C.’s French-born designer, Pierre L’Enfant, lies in front of the mansion in a tomb marked by his plan for the city. The somber Tomb of the Unknowns is a quarter-mile south of Arlington House, where a U.S. Army honor guard is formally “changed” every half hour during hot summer days, every two hours on cold winter nights.
To explore the cemetery more completely, stop first at the visitors center (703/607-8000) near the cemetery entrance for a map of the grounds that identifies the gravesites of many other famous people interred here, including boxer Joe Louis, explorer Robert Peary, civil rights martyr Medgar Evers, and writer Dashiell Hammett. Arlington is ideal for wandering around, but if it’s hot and humid (as it often is in D.C.’s swampy summers), you might want to hop on a Tourmobile tram (unlimited rides for $6; free for those over 65) and take a guided ride up the hill.
