Arlington's Military Memorials: Marine Corps War Memorial, Air Force Memorial and the Pentagon Memorial

Most visitors meet Washington's memorials on the National Mall. Across the Potomac in Arlington, within a short drive of Reagan National, stand three more that many travelers miss: the Marine Corps War Memorial, the U.S. Air Force Memorial and the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial. They are close to one another but spread out enough that walking between them is impractical for most people, and each has its own access and parking quirks. Here is how to see all three in one outing.

The Marine Corps War Memorial

The Marine Corps War Memorial, widely known as the Iwo Jima Memorial, stands on high ground near Rosslyn at the northern edge of Arlington National Cemetery. Its bronze figures recreate Joe Rosenthal's photograph of Marines raising the flag on Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima in February 1945. Sculpted by Felix de Weldon and dedicated in November 1954, it honors all Marines who have given their lives in defense of the United States since 1775, with the names and dates of major Marine Corps engagements inscribed around the granite base.

The memorial is managed by the National Park Service as part of the George Washington Memorial Parkway. The grounds are open to walk around, and the lawn offers views across the river toward the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument and the Capitol. The Netherlands Carillon, a gift from the Dutch people after World War II, stands just south.

On summer evenings, the Marines have traditionally performed a Sunset Parade at the memorial. Schedules and access rules for it change, so check the Marine Barracks Washington website before planning around one.

Access: parking near the memorial is limited and fills on summer evenings and holiday weekends. The nearest Metro stations, Rosslyn and Arlington Cemetery, are each a walk of some distance, with hills involved.

The U.S. Air Force Memorial

The U.S. Air Force Memorial sits on a promontory above Columbia Pike, overlooking the Pentagon. It is impossible to mistake: three curving stainless-steel spires rise from the hilltop, evoking the contrails of the Air Force Thunderbirds' "bomb burst" maneuver. Designed by architect James Ingo Freed and dedicated in October 2006, it honors the service and sacrifice of the men and women of the U.S. Air Force and its predecessor organizations.

Around the spires you will find a bronze honor guard statue, inscription walls and a glass contemplation wall. On a clear day the views reach from the Pentagon to the National Mall, and the memorial is striking at dusk when the spires catch the light.

Access: the Air Force Memorial's official guidance describes free but limited parking, first come, first served, in a lot just down the hill, and notes that Columbia Pike is the sole entrance, with traffic patterns that have shifted during nearby construction. Check the memorial's site for current directions.

The National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial

The Pentagon Memorial sits on the building's southwest side, close to where American Airlines Flight 77 struck on September 11, 2001. Opened on September 11, 2008, it honors the 184 people who died at the Pentagon and aboard the plane. Each is represented by a cantilevered bench over a shallow reflecting pool, arranged by the victims' ages; the direction a bench faces indicates whether that person was aboard the aircraft or inside the building.

The memorial is open around the clock, and at night the pools beneath the benches are lit. It is a quiet, contemplative place, and visitors are asked to treat it that way.

Access: there is no general visitor parking lot for the memorial itself. The memorial's own visitor guidance lists a small number of accessible parking spaces in the Pentagon South parking area for visitors with disabilities. Most visitors arrive on foot from the Pentagon Metro station or from Pentagon City, where paid garages serve the shopping and hotel area. Photography is restricted on the Pentagon reservation outside the memorial, so follow posted signs and instructions from Pentagon Force Protection Agency officers.

Tours of the Pentagon building itself are a separate matter, arranged in advance through the official Pentagon tours program, with identification and screening requirements; check its website for the current process.

Linking the Three, Plus the Cemetery

On a map, the three memorials form a rough arc along the edge of Arlington National Cemetery. On foot, the distances and elevation add up quickly, roads separate them, and walking routes are not always direct. By car, each hop takes a few minutes. A sensible order for a morning or afternoon:

1. Marine Corps War Memorial first, ideally early, before tour buses and the midday heat.
2. Arlington National Cemetery, if you are including it, via the main visitor entrance off Memorial Avenue. Our Arlington National Cemetery transportation page covers drop-off at the Welcome Center and how visitors get around the grounds.
3. U.S. Air Force Memorial, approached from Columbia Pike.
4. Pentagon Memorial last, with lunch or dinner afterward in Pentagon City or nearby Crystal City.

Visiting all three memorials alone fits comfortably in a few hours. Adding the cemetery, especially if you walk to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and other sites inside, stretches the outing toward a half day. An hourly booking lets the vehicle follow you from stop to stop without anyone hunting for parking at each one.

Timing and Practical Tips

• Heat and exposure: all three memorials are largely unshaded. Summer afternoons can be brutal; mornings and evenings are far more comfortable.
• Special dates: anniversaries, Memorial Day, Veterans Day and service birthdays can bring ceremonies, closures and large crowds. Check each memorial's site before visiting on or near those dates.
• Accessibility: paths at the memorials are paved, but distances from parking and transit vary, and the Marine Corps War Memorial and Air Force Memorial both sit on high ground. A drop-off close to each entrance helps visitors with limited mobility.
• Respect: these are places of remembrance. Keep voices down, especially at the Pentagon Memorial.

For Military Families and Visitors

Many people who visit these memorials have a personal connection: a parent who served, a family member stationed at the Pentagon, or a new assignment to the area. If you are relocating for a Pentagon or Fort Belvoir posting, our PCS move transportation guide covers the airport and housing-search side of the move.

Booking Your Arlington Memorials Visit

Reagan National is only minutes from all three memorials, so this outing works well on an arrival or departure day too. See our DCA to Arlington page for the standard airport transfer, or call (877) 609-1919 or book online to plan an hourly visit.