Looking for the best things to do in Arlington? Just across the Potomac from Washington, Arlington pairs solemn national landmarks with a lively, walkable urban scene. Locals point to Arlington National Cemetery, the Marine Corps (Iwo Jima) Memorial, the dining and nightlife of the Clarendon-Ballston corridor, and Potomac views.

Things to do in Arlington

Arlington National Cemetery

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and its Changing of the Guard, President Kennedy’s grave and eternal flame, and sweeping views back toward DC.

Memorials & Views

The U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima), the Air Force Memorial, and the skyline-and-monument views from Rosslyn.

Clarendon & Ballston

Arlington’s walkable, Metro-linked corridor — restaurants, bars, shops and nightlife in Clarendon, Courthouse and Ballston.

Along the Potomac

Theodore Roosevelt Island, the Mount Vernon Trail, Gravelly Point (planespotting by the airport), and Long Bridge Park.

Things to do in Arlington at night

Clarendon leads for bars and dining, with Ballston and Pentagon City close behind — a lively, young-professional nightlife scene, and all of DC one Metro stop away.

Free things to do in Arlington

• Arlington National Cemetery and the memorials
• Theodore Roosevelt Island and the Mount Vernon Trail
• Planespotting at Gravelly Point

What Arlington locals actually recommend

The best Clarendon spots, quiet trail corners, the timing for the Changing of the Guard — that comes from people who live here. On Neighborhood Nurturers’ Arlington community, real neighbors answer “what should I actually do this weekend?” Join your Arlington neighbors free →

Where this fits in Arlington

The best days here mix the well-known spots with the places only locals frequent. The picks in this guide make the most sense once you know how Arlington is laid out. Arlington National Cemetery and Theodore Roosevelt Island sit at the center of where locals actually spend their time, so planning a full day out around one of them rarely goes wrong. When you want something calmer, Gravelly Point plane-watching pulls you away from the busiest blocks, and the Mount Vernon Trail is the kind of spot regulars mention but visitors miss. Anchor your plan to one of those and the rest of the day in Arlington tends to fall into place.

More Arlington guides

Arlington rewards people who dig a little deeper. These related guides map the same neighborhoods from different starting points: Free things to do in Arlington, Best restaurants in Arlington, undefined Arlington — enough to plan a whole day or two.

Ask a Arlington neighbor

The best tips never make the guidebooks — they come from neighbors who know which spot is worth it this week. That is what the Arlington community on Neighborhood Nurturers is for. Ask Arlington locals what they would do, or join free and get honest answers from people who actually know Arlington.

Iconic memorials and history

Arlington is home to some of the nation’s most significant landmarks. Arlington National Cemetery is the country’s most sacred military cemetery, where visitors can witness the solemn Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and visit President Kennedy’s Eternal Flame. Nearby, the Marine Corps War Memorial — the famous Iwo Jima statue — is free and open 24 hours, and in summer the U.S. Marine Drum and Bugle Corps performs free Sunset Parades on Tuesday evenings. The Air Force Memorial, with its soaring stainless-steel spires, offers some of the best skyline views in the region.

Parks, trails, and the riverfront

Arlington is one of the most walkable, trail-rich areas near Washington, DC. Gravelly Point, just north of Reagan National Airport, is a famous spot to watch jets roar overhead as they land, and it connects to the Mount Vernon Trail along the Potomac. Theodore Roosevelt Island is a wooded island nature preserve with walking trails right in the river, and the W&OD Trail and Custis Trail give cyclists and runners miles of paved paths. Big green spaces like Bluemont Park round out an impressive amount of outdoor options for an urban county.

Neighborhoods to explore

Half the fun of Arlington is exploring its urban villages. Clarendon is the dining and nightlife hub, packed with restaurants, bars, and cafes; Ballston blends shopping at Ballston Quarter with tech energy and nearby parks; and Rosslyn offers high-rise skyline views and quick access across the river to Georgetown. The walkable Village at Shirlington pairs restaurants with the acclaimed Signature Theatre, while Crystal City and Pentagon City — now branded National Landing — are rapidly growing dining and shopping destinations anchored by Amazon’s new presence.

Planning your visit

Arlington is compact and remarkably transit-friendly: the Metro’s Orange, Silver, and Blue lines connect nearly all of its highlights, so you can see the memorials, explore the corridor neighborhoods, and reach the parks without much driving. A classic first-timer’s day might pair Arlington National Cemetery and the Iwo Jima Memorial in the morning with an afternoon exploring Clarendon or the waterfront trails, capped by dinner in one of the urban villages. Because so much of what makes Arlington special is free — the memorials, the trails, the plane-spotting at Gravelly Point — you can fill a rewarding day on almost any budget. And since seasonal events and pop-ups change constantly, the best plans leave room to follow a local tip.

Rainy days, seasons, and family fun

Arlington works in any weather and for any group. On a rainy day, you can duck into the shops and cafes of Ballston Quarter, catch a show at the Signature Theatre in Shirlington, or explore the museums and monuments just across the river in DC, all a short Metro ride away. Families have it especially easy: the trails and parks give kids room to run, Gravelly Point is a genuinely thrilling free outing for plane-loving children, and the memorials offer accessible, meaningful history lessons. In summer, the free Marine Corps Sunset Parades and outdoor festivals fill the calendar; fall brings crisp trail walks and neighborhood events like Clarendon Day; and the holidays add markets and seasonal lights across the urban villages. Teens and young adults gravitate to Clarendon’s dining and nightlife, while the parks and riverfront suit anyone looking for a quieter day outdoors.

What ties Arlington together is how much it packs into a small, walkable footprint. In a single day you can stand at one of the nation’s most solemn memorials, watch jets skim overhead along the Potomac, wander a buzzy urban village, hike a wooded island in the middle of the river, and end with dinner from nearly any cuisine in the world — all without straying far from a Metro station. That combination of history, green space, walkable neighborhoods, and genuine diversity is what makes the county such a rewarding place to explore, whether you are a first-time visitor or a longtime resident rediscovering your own backyard. Because the seasonal events, new openings, and neighborhood happenings change all the time, the surest way to catch the best of it is to hear what neighbors are doing right now.

It is also worth remembering that Arlington makes a superb base for exploring the wider region. With DC’s monuments, museums, and neighborhoods just across the Potomac and reachable in minutes by Metro, you get the best of two worlds: the walkable, livable energy of Arlington’s own villages and instant access to the capital’s attractions. Many visitors find that staying or spending time in Arlington gives them a more relaxed, local experience than staying in the heart of the tourist zone, without giving up any of the access. Whether you have an afternoon or a long weekend, the county gives you far more to do than you might expect — and the neighbors are always happy to help you find the corners of it that never make the guidebooks.

From solemn memorials to skyline views to a plate of pupusas on Columbia Pike, Arlington offers far more than a single visit can hold — which is exactly why so many people who come once keep finding reasons to return.

Frequently asked questions

What are the top things to do in Arlington, VA?

Visit Arlington National Cemetery and the Changing of the Guard, see the Marine Corps (Iwo Jima) Memorial, enjoy the dining and nightlife of the Clarendon-Ballston corridor, and walk Theodore Roosevelt Island and the Mount Vernon Trail.

What is Arlington, Virginia known for?

Arlington National Cemetery and the Pentagon, its national memorials, and the walkable, Metro-linked Rosslyn-Ballston corridor just across the Potomac from DC.

What are free things to do in Arlington?

Arlington National Cemetery and the memorials, Theodore Roosevelt Island and the Mount Vernon Trail, and planespotting at Gravelly Point are all free.

Is Arlington worth visiting near DC?

Yes — for Arlington National Cemetery, the memorials, and the lively Clarendon scene, all a quick Metro ride across the river from Washington.