Arlington National Cemetery is a profound piece of American Heritage.  This walking tour starts at the Visitor Center. Here you’ll discover how a Virginia plantation owned by George Washington’s descendants became the nation’s most prestigious military burial ground. Over 400,000 American heroes were laid to rest here, from unknown soldiers to Supreme Court justices.
 
Along your way to the Military Women’s Memorial, where the tour ends, you’ll have a chance to:
• Witness the precision of the Changing of the Guard ceremony performed every 30 minutes in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
• Visit JFK’s gravesite with its eternal flame and sweeping view of Washington, DC
• Explore Arlington House, the Greek Revival mansion where America’s first First Family made landscaping decisions that affected the course of history.
• Learn about Joe Louis, the heavyweight boxing champion whose matches against Nazi Germany’s Max Schmeling made him a national hero
• Discover Justice Corner, where Supreme Court justices like Thurgood Marshall and Ruth Bader Ginsburg are buried
• Walk through Mrs. Lee’s reconstructed rose garden, where the first military burials were deliberately placed as an act of wartime revenge
• Hear the stories behind memorial trees, plaques, and monuments that honor everyone from war correspondents to space shuttle crews
• Understand military honor traditions, from coin-leaving customs to the silent presence of Arlington Ladies at every funeral
 
Experience the profound intersection of presidential legacy, military sacrifice, and national memory at America’s most revered cemetery.
 
This moderately challenging walk covers Arlington’s varied terrain, with several uphill climbs balanced by downhill stretches and plenty of rest stops. The tour includes indoor spaces with facilities and covers about two miles at a contemplative pace suitable for reflection and remembrance.