Arlington Cemetery Tour with Guard Ceremony and Iwo Jima Memorial
Description
Experience a 2.5-hour early access guided tour of Arlington National Cemetery, America’s largest and most renowned military cemetery. This tour highlights the Changing of the Guard Ceremony, the gravesite of President JFK, and the iconic Iwo Jima Memorial, along with many other significant landmarks. Gain exclusive insight from your expert guide and explore the most important sites for a truly memorable visit to Arlington National Cemetery. Start by witnessing the Changing of the Guard Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a solemn and moving tribute to the nation's fallen soldiers. This iconic ritual is a must-see, capturing the honor and precision of the military in a breathtakingly quiet setting. You'll then visit the gravesite of President John F. Kennedy, where you can reflect at the Eternal Flame that continues to burn in his memory. As your guide shares stories and insights, you'll gain a deeper understanding of the significance of this site in American history.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Enjoy a comprehensive exterior tour of the Whitehouse including the north and south side facades. Also see the Executive building the largest office in DC outside of the Pentagon
Walk through the Presidential Park South (commonly called the Ellipse) is a 52 acres (21 ha) park located just south of the White House fence
Visit the Space Shuttle Challenger Memorial dedicated to the crew who on February 1, 2003, were headed home after a 16-day scientific mission, its 28th venture into space. As Columbia re-entered Earth's atmosphere, it suddenly burst into flames, killing all seven crew members. In addition to the memorial, three Columbia Space Suttle astronauts lay rest at individual gravesites in the same area.
Visit the Memorial Grave of Audie Murphy – who is one of the nation's most-decorated soldiers and heroes, earning an unparalleled 28 medals (including three from France and one from Belgium). Murphy had been wounded three times during the war. In May 1945, when victory was declared in Europe, he had still not reached his 21st birthday.
Visit the USA’s principal Navy Memorial which was built to honor who have served or currently serving in the Navi, Marine, Coast Guard and the Merchant Marine.
Stop at the Memorial Grave of the 27th President of the USA - President William Howard Taft.
See and enjoy your guides narration of Arlington House, the historic family residence of Robert E. Lee, commanding general of the Confederate Army during the American Civil War in Arlington County, Virginia.
Visit the gravesite of President JFK and other family members. The John F. Kennedy Eternal Flame is a presidential memorial at the gravesite of JFK.
Visit one of the most poignant memorials in the United States. Walk around the inspiring tribute to one of the most important events to take place in WWII.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- All visitors 16 years of age and older (pedestrians, drivers and passengers) must present a valid photo ID (valid passport or U.S. State Department-issued photo identification for non US citizens) upon entering the cemetery.
- Please wear comfortable shoes as this tour involves a fair amount of walking, including over uneven surfaces, cobblestones, hills, inclines, declines and stairs.
- Participants should be in good health - consult first with your doctor if you have any medical condition or are not used to regular exercise.
- Wheelchairs, motorised scooters or any other device to assist mobility are not recommended, as we cannot guarantee: that all footpaths/sidewalks/curbs will have suitable ramps.
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately.
- Anybody under the age of 18 years must be accompanied by somebody aged 18 years or older.
- Not recommended for travellers with limited mobility
Reviews(12)
Your tour guide never showed up We booked an on off tour with Arlington Cemetery, cause your guy never showed
My family was very pleased with our guide's knowledge of Arlington. Our guide, Christina, made the effort to taylor our experience. She asked questions about what we wanted to see and what we wanted to explore. This was well worth the money.
I need my money back. I was at the site 30 minutes before the start of the event and I had to contact the agency a few times to find out where my tour guide is. I was walking around for an hour trying to locate my tour guide. I also called the company and.the company rep did a poor job informing customer about meeting time and place.
Indra, thank you for your feedback, and we’re very sorry to hear that you missed the tour. We would like to kindly clarify that our local expert guide was at the correct meeting point. This is a well-established location that we have been using successfully for over 10 years, and it has not changed. As noted on your voucher, it is very important to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time and to ensure in advance that you are familiar with the exact meeting point details provided. This helps ensure a smooth and stress-free start to the experience. We’re truly sorry that you were unable to join us on what is an award-winning tour, and as a gesture of goodwill, we would be delighted to invite you to join us on another occasion. Please do reach out to us directly so we can assist in arranging this for you. Warm regards,
Lots, and lots of walking. Lots of uphill walking. Well worth it, but only for in shape people. We did enjoy.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! We’re glad to hear you enjoyed the tour and found it worthwhile — even with all that uphill walking! It certainly can be a bit of a workout, but the views and experiences along the way make it all worth it. We appreciate you joining us and hope to see you again soon on another one of our tours — perhaps one that’s a little easier on the legs next time!
Clift was an excellent tour guide. Lots of information on the ride there & on the way back. He provided very detailed (& printed) itineraries for our 2 stops (USS ARIZONA as well as the USS MISSOURI). Lots of walking (so glad we had comfortable shoes). Wear sunscreen & stay hydrated. There is TSA-like security. Be advised that clear purses are allowed, but nothing larger than a wallet (or phone) is going through (there are bag drop-offs ($7)) the entry. Definitely could have used extra time at the USS ARIZONA grounds (not Memorial). So much to see & read that there just wasn't enough time to read & see t all. The ferry boat to the Memorial has active duty personnel driving the boat & giving safety & protocol instructions. For such a somber place (USS ARIZONA Memorial) (voices no louder than a whisper, no cell phone rings or conversations), visitors are not asked to remove their hats (ball caps, straw hats, etc). Since it is a Memorial & Burial Ground, this should not be just a tourist spot for all the "Oooohs" & "Aaaaahs" that it has to offer. This is a place to pay our respects to those who have fallen. USS MISSOURI also has guided & self-guided tours. We took the guided (which is just for the beginning, rest you can do on your own), Lots of ascending & descending stairs (ladders).
Thank you so much for taking the time to share such a detailed and thoughtful review. We’re thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your tour with Clift — he truly takes pride in making the experience informative and well-organized, and he’ll be delighted to know you appreciated his efforts. Your helpful notes about the walking, security process, and respect for the memorial are spot on and will be invaluable to future guests. It’s wonderful that you were able to take in both the USS Arizona and the USS Missouri — two incredibly meaningful sites. We hope the experience left a lasting impression, and we’d be honored to welcome you again on another one of our tours across the USA or Europe.
Couldn’t find the guide even though we were over 20 min early. Ended up wandering by ourselves. Very disappointed
Stacey, thank you for your feedback. Our guide was at the exact meeting point and time listed on your Viator voucher, and all other guests joined without issue. Unfortunately, we can’t take responsibility if a guest arrives at the wrong location—it's essential to follow the meeting details provided. We hope to welcome you again for the full experience.
Loved the information Charles gave! The tour was great, and so was he! It was a great experience that we will never forget!
Thank you so much for your wonderful 5-star review! We’re thrilled to hear that you loved the tour and that Charles made the experience so memorable. He’s one of our most knowledgeable and engaging guides, passionate about bringing history and culture to life for every guest. It’s fantastic to know that you found the tour both enjoyable and unforgettable — exactly the kind of experience we aim to deliver every time. We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you again soon on another LetzGo City Tour in one of our amazing destinations across Europe or the USA! Warm regards, The LetzGo City Tours Team
This was a tour for my significant other & I who had not previously visited. We opted for this tour & had to contact Dublin, Ireland to ask a question. Response came via e-mail (there is a 5-hr time difference), but was rather quick (I'm glad I checked my e-mail b/c I was expecting a phone call or a text msg). Wayne was our tour guide & we were his only 2 for the tour. He was very personable. Since my significant other & I are both retired military (Navy), we wanted to see just about everything. I caught sight of the Women's Memorial Building (which has not outside markings (engraving) on the building) & wanted to visit. So the 3 of us walk up to the door & discover that it doesn't open until 0930 (our 2.5 hr tour started at 0815). Wayne was not aware of this since he's not used to doing such early tours. Then we walked to the cemetary, JFK's grave (saw the eternal flame), Robert E. Lee's house (which wasn't open yet & we had to wait on that too), caught the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (absolutely breath-taking). We then walked back to the Women's Memorial Building where Wayne parted ways with us. We were already about 10 min past our 2.5 hr tour & never got to the IWO JIMA Memorial (which was a bummer). The sights we did see were amazing. Time went by fast & 2.5 hrs is not enough. Lots of walking (unless you do actually get to the IWO JIMA Memorial (which we did not get to)). Stay hydrated (OK to bring water).
Thank you so much for sharing your detailed experience! We’re glad to hear Wayne provided such a personable and memorable tour, especially for you and your significant other as retired Navy—what an honor to explore these meaningful sites together. We appreciate your feedback about the timing and access to some locations like the Women’s Memorial and Robert E. Lee’s house. Tours can sometimes be limited by opening hours and time constraints, and we’re sorry you missed the IWO JIMA Memorial. It’s great advice to stay hydrated and bring water, especially with all the walking involved! If you ever want to explore more, we also offer amazing tours across Europe—and soon in New York and Miami—with a variety of experiences, including incredible food tours. We’d love to welcome you back for another adventure! Warm regards,
Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and engaging. Learned so much more! Make sure to find meet up spot!
Thank you for your great feedback! We're so happy to hear that your guide was knowledgeable and engaging, helping you learn so much more. And yes, the meetup spot is key—glad you found it! If you enjoyed this tour, you might also love our fantastic food tours across Europe, soon coming to New York and Miami too. Looking forward to welcoming you again!
Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. The changing of the guards was awesome to watch. The grounds were immaculate.
Thank you for sharing your experience! We’re glad to hear your guide was both knowledgeable and friendly, and that you enjoyed the impressive Changing of the Guard ceremony along with the beautiful grounds. If you loved this, don’t forget to check out our amazing food tours throughout Europe—and soon in New York and Miami—for more unforgettable moments. Best wishes,
