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Walking Tour: African American Military Heroes

Learn about the lives of Tuskegee Airmen, members of the 369th Infantry Infantry Regiment (the “Harlem Hellfighters”), Medal of Honor recipients and more. 
Throughout U.S. history, African Americans have fought bravely for the United States and distinguished themselves in combat. This walking tour includes gravesites and memorials that honor the service of these heroic individuals. 
  • Length: 5 miles
  • Starting point: Section 40 (0.4 miles from Welcome Center)
  • Because this walking tour is quite long, we recommend completing it in smaller sections.

Walking Tour: Segregation and Civil Rights

Explore Arlington’s past as a plantation, learn about the Freedman's Village built on this property during the Civil War, and meet some trailblazers of the civil rights movement.
The history of African Americans at Arlington National Cemetery parallels and reflects the history of African Americans in the United States. This walking tour includes sites related to slavery, Reconstruction, segregation, the civil rights movement, and the continuing contributions of African Americans to the U.S. military and society.
  • Length: 5 miles
  • Starting point: Section 36 (0.2 miles from Welcome Center)
  • Because this walking tour is quite long, we recommend completing it in smaller sections.

Walking Tour: Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Visit the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the gravesites of individuals related to the Tomb's history.
On November 11, 1921, an unknown American soldier who died in World War I was laid to rest at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. On this walking tour, you will visit the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the gravesites of several individuals who took part in the Unknown’s 1921 burial ceremony. You will also explore other sites in the cemetery that invite reflection on the sacrifices of those who gave not only their lives, but also their names and identities in the service of the United States.
  • Length: 2 miles
  • Starting point: Section 5 (.3 miles from Welcome Center)

Walking Tour: The Cold War

The history of the Cold War is imprinted onto the landscape of Arlington National Cemetery. Learn about the remarkable lives of thsoe who served in, and led, the Cold War—from service members who fought in Korea and Vietnam to key policymakers. 
  • Distance: ~2 miles
  • Exertion Level: Moderate
  • Starting point: Section 31 (.3 miles from Welcome Center) 

Walking Tour: Memorial Arboretum

Arlington National Cemetery's 639 acres of rolling green hills, with nearly 9,000 trees, serve as a living tribute to the veterans and their family members laid to rest here. Our walking tours explore highlights of Memorial Arboretum.
In 2014, to commemorate its 150th anniversary, Arlington National Cemetery established this historic landscape as Memorial Arboretum. In 2018, Memorial Arboretum was accredited as a Level III Arboretum--one of only 24 institutions worldwide to maintain this prestigious accreditation. While strolling through these hallowed grounds, consider how the landscape contributes to Arlington's mission to honor and remember the service and sacrifice of individuals buried here. 
  • Distance: 2.5 miles for regular walking tour; 2 miles for school group walking tour
  • Exertion Level: Moderate
  • Starting point: Section 31 (.2 miles from Welcome Center) 
 

Walking Tour: Freedman's Village

The southern sections of Arlington National Cemetery contain the former site of Freedman’s Village — a community of formerly enslaved African Americans, established in 1863. Freedman’s Village evolved into a unique and thriving community, and it had a lasting legacy. Learn more and explore other nearby Civil War gravesites.
  • Distance: ~.6 miles
  • Exertion Level: Moderate
  • Starting point: Section 3 (1.5 miles from Welcome Center) 

Walking Tour: Arts and Culture

This walking tour honors a selection of artists buried at Arlington: writers, actors, photographers, musicians, and more. They created for different reasons, at different times, and with different backgrounds, but they all shared a need to create and express who they were and how they saw the world through their work.
  • Distance: ~3 miles 
  • Exertion Level: Moderate
  • Starting point: Section 2 (.4 miles from Welcome Center) 

Walking Tour: The Spanish-American War

Arlington National Cemetery contains more monuments and burial sites related to the Spanish-American War than any other location in the continental United States.
Learn about the historical significance of the Spanish-American War by visiting the gravesites of individuals who played prominent roles in it, as well as the USS Maine Memorial, the Spanish-American War Memorial and other monuments.
  • Length: 1.2 miles
  • Starting point: Section 24 (1 mile from Welcome Center)

Walking Tours: World War II

These six walking tours share some of the diverse experiences and individual stories of those who fought abroad or worked on the home front during World War II. The main walking tour includes stops across the entire cemetery, while the four cluster tours only include stops in one of the four main sections of the cemetery. The school tour is an abridged version of the main tour.

Walking Tours: The Civil War

Thousands of Civil War service members are buried at Arlington National Cemetery — which itself originated during the Civil War. On this tour, you will explore some of their stories; learn why the U.S. Army first occupied the property in 1861; and discover the histories of enslavement and emancipation that this land also embodies.
  • Distance: ~5 miles (full tour); ~2.5 miles (student tour)/li>
  • Exertion Level: High
  • Starting point: Section 27 (.5 miles from Welcome Center)