Arlington is a county in northern Virginia, directly across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. Though often considered part of the capital's orbit, Arlington has its own distinct character — a mix of monumental landmarks, walkable urban neighborhoods, and one of the best Metro connections in the region.
The most visited site is Arlington National Cemetery, one of the most hallowed grounds in the United States. Spread across 639 acres of rolling hills, it holds the graves of soldiers from every American war, plus the tomb of John F. Kennedy with its eternal flame, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with its famous changing-of-the-guard ceremony. Adjacent to the cemetery is Arlington House, the antebellum mansion of Robert E. Lee's family, which offers sweeping views across the Potomac to Washington. Near the cemetery's north gate, the Netherlands Carillon — a 127-foot bell tower given by the Dutch in thanks for wartime liberation — stands beside the Iwo Jima Memorial.
The Pentagon, the world's largest office building by floor space, sits in the south of Arlington. The Pentagon Memorial outside its walls honors the 184 people killed on September 11, 2001.
The rest of Arlington divides into distinct neighborhoods, each with its own feel. Rosslyn, just across Key Bridge from Georgetown, has a dense cluster of high-rises and the best views of the DC skyline from the Virginia side. Clarendon and Courthouse are the liveliest neighborhoods — tree-lined streets, farmers markets, independent restaurants, and bars. Pentagon City in the south clusters around Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Gravelly Point Park just north of the airport offers the oddly satisfying spectacle of jets landing directly overhead at picnic-blanket height. And tucked into Rosslyn, Dark Star Park is a sculptural oddity worth finding.