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Things to Do in Arlington (2026)
ποΈ National Landmarks
Start at Arlington National Cemetery, where the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier happens every hour on the hour from October to March and every half hβ¦ ποΈ National Landmarks
Start at Arlington National Cemetery, where the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier happens every hour on the hour from October to March and every half hour from April to September. The cemetery is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the free Arlington Cemetery Metro station on the Blue Line drops you right at the entrance. For a different perspective, visit the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima) just north of the cemetery; it's especially striking at dusk when the flags are lowered.
π³ Parks and Trails
The Mount Vernon Trail offers 18 miles of paved path along the Potomac, perfect for biking or jogging, with rental stations from Capital Bikeshare at Gravelly Point and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Gravelly Point is a local favorite for plane spotting, as jets land just a few hundred feet overhead. For a quieter escape, head to Long Branch Nature Center at 625 S Carlin Springs Rd, which has free admission and trails through mature forest.
π Arts and Culture
The Arlington Arts Center at 3550 Wilson Blvd in Virginia Square showcases contemporary art from regional artists; admission is free, and it's open Wednesday to Sunday from 12 to 5 p.m. Check the schedule at the Synetic Theater, known for its physical, wordless adaptations of Shakespeare, often staged at the Gunston Arts Center. In summer, the Rosslyn Jazz Fest draws crowds to Gateway Park for free outdoor concerts.
π½οΈ Local Food Scene
Clarendon's stretch of Wilson and Clarendon Boulevards is packed with restaurants; try the Liberty Tavern at 3195 Wilson Blvd for seasonal American dishes, or Northside Social at 3211 Wilson Blvd for a casual coffee and pastry. For a taste of Arlington's Vietnamese community, head to the Eden Center at 6751 Wilson Blvd in Falls Church (just over the Arlington border), where you'll find pho shops and bakeries. Don't miss the weekend farmers market at Courthouse Plaza on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon.
π Getting Around
Arlington is well served by Metro's Orange, Silver, and Blue lines, with stations at Rosslyn, Court House, Clarendon, Virginia Square, Ballston, and Pentagon City. A SmarTrip card costs $2 and a single ride is $2 to $6 depending on distance; day passes are available for $8. Capital Bikeshare has dozens of stations across the county, and the Arlington Transit (ART) buses fill in gaps with routes like the 42 to Ballston.
ποΈ Shopping Districts
The Fashion Centre at Pentagon City (1100 S Hayes St) is a major mall with over 170 stores, open Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. For independent boutiques, explore the shops along Wilson Blvd in Clarendon, including the family-owned One More Page Books at 2200 N Westmoreland St. The Ballston Quarter market offers a mix of local vendors and pop-ups, open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
π Evening Entertainment
Catch a movie at the AMC Courthouse Plaza 8 (2150 Clarendon Blvd), which often shows indie films alongside blockbusters. For live music, the State Theatre at 220 N Washington St in Falls Church (a short drive from Arlington) hosts tribute bands and national acts. On warm evenings, the rooftop bar at the Hyatt Centric Arlington (1325 Wilson Blvd) offers skyline views and craft cocktails until midnight on weekends.
π Educational Spots
The Drug Enforcement Administration Museum (700 Army Navy Dr) offers a free, eye-opening look at drug enforcement history; it's open Tuesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. by appointment. At the Arlington Historical Museum (1805 S Arlington Ridge Rd), you can explore local history in a former schoolhouse, open weekends from 1 to 4 p.m. with a suggested donation of $2. Both are lesser-known stops that add depth to a visit.
Start at Arlington National Cemetery, where the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier happens every hour on the hour from October to March and every half hβ¦ ποΈ National Landmarks
Start at Arlington National Cemetery, where the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier happens every hour on the hour from October to March and every half hour from April to September. The cemetery is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the free Arlington Cemetery Metro station on the Blue Line drops you right at the entrance. For a different perspective, visit the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima) just north of the cemetery; it's especially striking at dusk when the flags are lowered.
π³ Parks and Trails
The Mount Vernon Trail offers 18 miles of paved path along the Potomac, perfect for biking or jogging, with rental stations from Capital Bikeshare at Gravelly Point and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Gravelly Point is a local favorite for plane spotting, as jets land just a few hundred feet overhead. For a quieter escape, head to Long Branch Nature Center at 625 S Carlin Springs Rd, which has free admission and trails through mature forest.
π Arts and Culture
The Arlington Arts Center at 3550 Wilson Blvd in Virginia Square showcases contemporary art from regional artists; admission is free, and it's open Wednesday to Sunday from 12 to 5 p.m. Check the schedule at the Synetic Theater, known for its physical, wordless adaptations of Shakespeare, often staged at the Gunston Arts Center. In summer, the Rosslyn Jazz Fest draws crowds to Gateway Park for free outdoor concerts.
π½οΈ Local Food Scene
Clarendon's stretch of Wilson and Clarendon Boulevards is packed with restaurants; try the Liberty Tavern at 3195 Wilson Blvd for seasonal American dishes, or Northside Social at 3211 Wilson Blvd for a casual coffee and pastry. For a taste of Arlington's Vietnamese community, head to the Eden Center at 6751 Wilson Blvd in Falls Church (just over the Arlington border), where you'll find pho shops and bakeries. Don't miss the weekend farmers market at Courthouse Plaza on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon.
π Getting Around
Arlington is well served by Metro's Orange, Silver, and Blue lines, with stations at Rosslyn, Court House, Clarendon, Virginia Square, Ballston, and Pentagon City. A SmarTrip card costs $2 and a single ride is $2 to $6 depending on distance; day passes are available for $8. Capital Bikeshare has dozens of stations across the county, and the Arlington Transit (ART) buses fill in gaps with routes like the 42 to Ballston.
ποΈ Shopping Districts
The Fashion Centre at Pentagon City (1100 S Hayes St) is a major mall with over 170 stores, open Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. For independent boutiques, explore the shops along Wilson Blvd in Clarendon, including the family-owned One More Page Books at 2200 N Westmoreland St. The Ballston Quarter market offers a mix of local vendors and pop-ups, open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
π Evening Entertainment
Catch a movie at the AMC Courthouse Plaza 8 (2150 Clarendon Blvd), which often shows indie films alongside blockbusters. For live music, the State Theatre at 220 N Washington St in Falls Church (a short drive from Arlington) hosts tribute bands and national acts. On warm evenings, the rooftop bar at the Hyatt Centric Arlington (1325 Wilson Blvd) offers skyline views and craft cocktails until midnight on weekends.
π Educational Spots
The Drug Enforcement Administration Museum (700 Army Navy Dr) offers a free, eye-opening look at drug enforcement history; it's open Tuesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. by appointment. At the Arlington Historical Museum (1805 S Arlington Ridge Rd), you can explore local history in a former schoolhouse, open weekends from 1 to 4 p.m. with a suggested donation of $2. Both are lesser-known stops that add depth to a visit.
Become a Local Guide
in Arlington to earn up to $50.00/hour by helping travelers that are interested in Arlington and want to connect to learn about the current climate, discover hidden gems, or get help planning their itinerary.
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For a rainy afternoon, the Planet Word museum near Dupont is free and genuinely fun, though technically DC not Arlington.
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Good rundown. One thing I'd add: the view from the Netherlands Carillon, right next to Iwo Jima, is arguably better than the memorial itself, and the carillon concerts on Saturday evenings in summer are free. Also, if you're doing the cemetery, the Metro stop drops you at the bottom of a decent hill, so budget extra time walking up to the Tomb rather than expecting to roll straight in.
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3 Days in Arlington: Itinerary 2026
πΊοΈ Plan Your Route
Arlington is compact but spread across several distinct neighborhoods, so grouping your days by area saves time and transit hassle. This three-day plan divides the county into nβ¦ πΊοΈ Plan Your Route
Arlington is compact but spread across several distinct neighborhoods, so grouping your days by area saves time and transit hassle. This three-day plan divides the county into north Arlington (Rosslyn to Ballston), central Arlington (Clarendon and Virginia Square), and south Arlington (Crystal City and Pentagon City). Each day is walkable within itself, with realistic transit times noted between stops. Use a reloadable SmarTrip card or contactless payment for Metrorail and buses; a one-way fare is $2.00 to $2.50 depending on distance.
π Day 1 Morning: Rosslyn
Start at 8:30 a.m. at the Rosslyn Metro station (Blue, Orange, and Silver lines) and walk five minutes to the Marine Corps War Memorial, open daily from 6 a.m. to midnight with free admission. From there, follow the Mount Vernon Trail south for a 20-minute walk to Theodore Roosevelt Island, a wooded memorial with free entry and trails open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Grab coffee and a pastry at Compass Coffee (1201 Wilson Blvd) around 10:30 a.m. before heading back to the metro.
ποΈ Day 1 Afternoon: Courthouse
Take the Orange or Silver line one stop to Courthouse (about 3 minutes) and visit the Arlington Historical Museum (1805 S Arlington Ridge Rd), open Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. with free admission. For lunch, stop by the Courthouse Farmers Market on Saturdays (8 a.m. to noon) or grab a sandwich at Earl's Sandwiches (2605 Wilson Blvd) for around $10. In the afternoon, walk 15 minutes to the Netherlands Carillon for free views of the DC skyline, then head back to Rosslyn for dinner at Guajillo (1727 Wilson Blvd), a casual Mexican spot with mains around $15.
π³ Day 2 Morning: Clarendon
Begin at 9 a.m. with breakfast at The Liberty Tavern (3195 Wilson Blvd), where weekend brunch runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and plates average $14. After eating, explore the Clarendon shops along Wilson and Clarendon boulevards, including the weekly Clarendon Farmers Market on Wednesdays from 3 to 7 p.m. (seasonal). Walk 10 minutes to the Clarendon Metro station and take the Orange Line one stop to Virginia Square (about 2 minutes) for the next stop.
π¨ Day 2 Afternoon: Virginia Square
Visit the Arlington Arts Center (3550 Wilson Blvd), a free contemporary art gallery open Tuesday to Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Next door, the Central Library (1015 N Quincy St) offers a quiet break and free Wi-Fi. For lunch, try Pupatella (5100 Wilson Blvd) for Neapolitan pizza around $12 to $15, a 12-minute walk from the arts center. In the late afternoon, walk 15 minutes to Ballston Quarter for shopping and a look at the indoor food hall.
π½οΈ Day 2 Evening: Ballston
Stay in Ballston for dinner at True Food Kitchen (4238 Wilson Blvd), with mains around $18 to $24, or opt for happy hour at Rustico (4075 Wilson Blvd) from 4 to 7 p.m. on weekdays. After dinner, catch a movie at the Ballston Quarter AMC or take a 10-minute walk to the Ballston Metro station. From there, the Orange and Silver lines connect you back to Rosslyn in about 12 minutes.
π« Day 3 Morning: Crystal City
Start at 9 a.m. at the Crystal City Metro station (Blue and Yellow lines) and walk five minutes to the Crystal City Water Park for a morning stroll. Then head to the Underground, a network of shops and eateries, for breakfast at Good Stuff Eatery (2110 Crystal Dr) with burgers around $10. Around 11 a.m., walk 10 minutes to the Long Bridge Park for riverfront views and free access to the esplanade.
ποΈ Day 3 Afternoon: Pentagon City
Take the Blue or Yellow line one stop to Pentagon City (about 3 minutes) and spend the early afternoon at the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City mall, open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. For lunch, visit the food court or sit down at Matchbox (1100 S Hayes St) for pizza around $14. Before you leave, walk 10 minutes to the Air Force Memorial for panoramic views and free entry from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
π Transit Tips
Metrorail runs frequently, but allow 5 to 10 minutes for platform waits and use the Trip Planner on wmata.com for real-time updates. Buses like the 38B and 42 connect neighborhoods when the metro is less direct, and a one-way bus fare is $2.00 with SmarTrip. For late nights, ride-hailing from Clarendon to Rosslyn costs about $10 to $15. Walking between most stops in this itinerary takes 10 to 20 minutes, so comfortable shoes are essential.
Arlington is compact but spread across several distinct neighborhoods, so grouping your days by area saves time and transit hassle. This three-day plan divides the county into nβ¦ πΊοΈ Plan Your Route
Arlington is compact but spread across several distinct neighborhoods, so grouping your days by area saves time and transit hassle. This three-day plan divides the county into north Arlington (Rosslyn to Ballston), central Arlington (Clarendon and Virginia Square), and south Arlington (Crystal City and Pentagon City). Each day is walkable within itself, with realistic transit times noted between stops. Use a reloadable SmarTrip card or contactless payment for Metrorail and buses; a one-way fare is $2.00 to $2.50 depending on distance.
π Day 1 Morning: Rosslyn
Start at 8:30 a.m. at the Rosslyn Metro station (Blue, Orange, and Silver lines) and walk five minutes to the Marine Corps War Memorial, open daily from 6 a.m. to midnight with free admission. From there, follow the Mount Vernon Trail south for a 20-minute walk to Theodore Roosevelt Island, a wooded memorial with free entry and trails open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Grab coffee and a pastry at Compass Coffee (1201 Wilson Blvd) around 10:30 a.m. before heading back to the metro.
ποΈ Day 1 Afternoon: Courthouse
Take the Orange or Silver line one stop to Courthouse (about 3 minutes) and visit the Arlington Historical Museum (1805 S Arlington Ridge Rd), open Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. with free admission. For lunch, stop by the Courthouse Farmers Market on Saturdays (8 a.m. to noon) or grab a sandwich at Earl's Sandwiches (2605 Wilson Blvd) for around $10. In the afternoon, walk 15 minutes to the Netherlands Carillon for free views of the DC skyline, then head back to Rosslyn for dinner at Guajillo (1727 Wilson Blvd), a casual Mexican spot with mains around $15.
π³ Day 2 Morning: Clarendon
Begin at 9 a.m. with breakfast at The Liberty Tavern (3195 Wilson Blvd), where weekend brunch runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and plates average $14. After eating, explore the Clarendon shops along Wilson and Clarendon boulevards, including the weekly Clarendon Farmers Market on Wednesdays from 3 to 7 p.m. (seasonal). Walk 10 minutes to the Clarendon Metro station and take the Orange Line one stop to Virginia Square (about 2 minutes) for the next stop.
π¨ Day 2 Afternoon: Virginia Square
Visit the Arlington Arts Center (3550 Wilson Blvd), a free contemporary art gallery open Tuesday to Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Next door, the Central Library (1015 N Quincy St) offers a quiet break and free Wi-Fi. For lunch, try Pupatella (5100 Wilson Blvd) for Neapolitan pizza around $12 to $15, a 12-minute walk from the arts center. In the late afternoon, walk 15 minutes to Ballston Quarter for shopping and a look at the indoor food hall.
π½οΈ Day 2 Evening: Ballston
Stay in Ballston for dinner at True Food Kitchen (4238 Wilson Blvd), with mains around $18 to $24, or opt for happy hour at Rustico (4075 Wilson Blvd) from 4 to 7 p.m. on weekdays. After dinner, catch a movie at the Ballston Quarter AMC or take a 10-minute walk to the Ballston Metro station. From there, the Orange and Silver lines connect you back to Rosslyn in about 12 minutes.
π« Day 3 Morning: Crystal City
Start at 9 a.m. at the Crystal City Metro station (Blue and Yellow lines) and walk five minutes to the Crystal City Water Park for a morning stroll. Then head to the Underground, a network of shops and eateries, for breakfast at Good Stuff Eatery (2110 Crystal Dr) with burgers around $10. Around 11 a.m., walk 10 minutes to the Long Bridge Park for riverfront views and free access to the esplanade.
ποΈ Day 3 Afternoon: Pentagon City
Take the Blue or Yellow line one stop to Pentagon City (about 3 minutes) and spend the early afternoon at the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City mall, open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. For lunch, visit the food court or sit down at Matchbox (1100 S Hayes St) for pizza around $14. Before you leave, walk 10 minutes to the Air Force Memorial for panoramic views and free entry from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
π Transit Tips
Metrorail runs frequently, but allow 5 to 10 minutes for platform waits and use the Trip Planner on wmata.com for real-time updates. Buses like the 38B and 42 connect neighborhoods when the metro is less direct, and a one-way bus fare is $2.00 with SmarTrip. For late nights, ride-hailing from Clarendon to Rosslyn costs about $10 to $15. Walking between most stops in this itinerary takes 10 to 20 minutes, so comfortable shoes are essential.
Become a Local Guide
in Arlington to earn up to $50.00/hour by helping travelers that are interested in Arlington and want to connect to learn about the current climate, discover hidden gems, or get help planning their itinerary.
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One thing the guide misses is the view from the Virginia Square area at sunset, the Ballston highrises go orange and it's free. Also Guajillo gets loud after 7 so ask for the patio if it's open.
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Netherlands Carillon, weekday mornings for fewer crowds.
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