Arlington National Cemetery, Washington DC: How to Visit and What to Do Nearby

Arlington National Cemetery covers 253 hectares on a hillside across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., established as a military burial ground in 1864 on the former estate of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. Over 400,000 active-duty service members, veterans, and their dependents are interred here. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, guarded 24 hours a day by sentinels of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment since 1937, sits on a hilltop overlooking the cemetery. President John F. Kennedy's grave is marked by an eternal flame lit by Jacqueline Kennedy at the 1963 funeral. is just one of many options in Washington DC. Major attractions worth considering include Ford's Theatre, Georgetown, and International Spy Museum.