Arlington visit

**PCSD722** · 08-10-07, 11:10 AM

I have to go to Arlington in September for a class, I am going to be there a couple of days and want to see a few things while I am there, the Law Enforcement Wall for one, I have never been to it. Just wondering if anyone here is from the Arlington area or near that can give me any ideas on getting around, what to see etc...

**gozling** · 08-10-07, 11:31 AM

there is so much to see... but to eat....

go to Bilbo Baggins in Old Town one night... you will not regret it

It depends on what you like? Ask if you like art? history? stuff like that... the museums are amazing.. the hall of presidents was pretty cool... the outside stuff ROCKS... touring the house and senate stuff... the list goes on and on...

I have to say my favorite outside monument was FDR.. it is a journey through neat water monuments and creates a history... i found it very creative.

Really though.. ask yourself what you like most to do.. inside stuff or outside stuff... art stuff or history stuff...
lol sounds silly but it worked for me.

have a great time

**rob84** · 08-10-07, 01:15 PM

I would suggest the Metro for getting around. Gozzy is right, olde town is awesome for food. I work 10 miles from Arlington, and I grew up in the area.

**Hannibal** · 08-10-07, 01:34 PM

+1 on the Metro.

Take the time to visit the Law Enforcement Memorial.

Arlington is a must see for every American in my opinion. While you are there be sure to watch the changing of the guards.

**Pretty Boring Civi** · 08-10-07, 02:37 PM

Hi there!

One outing I take people on, especially if they're short on time, is a meal in Old Town, followed by a monument cruise that runs from the harbor at Old Town to the harbor at Georgetown. You get to spend about 45 minutes on the water on a guided tour of quite a few monuments in one fell swoop. Then, if you have time, you can get off at Georgetown and take a look around that historic area, then catch a later boat back to Old Town. One roudtrip ticket on the tour boat lets you take the second half of the trip at any time that same day.

There's a similar service with the red buses that run through downtown (you can get off and back on as you need to).

The metro is great for getting downtown or to the Mall. It doesn't go directly into Old Town, though. So you can either take it to the King Street stop, then walk the mile or so to Old Town (I'm not sure exactly how far), or cab it. A cab from the metro to Old Town should be pretty cheap.

It also doesn't go directly into Georgetown. But you can easily walk from the Rosslyn stop (a stop in Arlington) across Key Bridge into Georgetown. That's a very nice stroll.

Also from the Rosslyn stop, just a few blocks in the opposite direction from the bridge, you'll find the Marine Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. The Marines do a public show with their band and their "gun twirlers" (sorry, can't remember what that's called right now) one evening during the week (I think it's Tuesday, but you should check.)

When are you coming? If I know you're coming a particular week, I'll keep an eye on this site, and you can PM me if you need anything while you're here.

Best,

Kathy

**PCSD722** · 08-10-07, 05:24 PM

I am coming the 11-13 of september, I have a class at the Hyatt Crystal Springs. I wont have a lot of time to look around but I do want to see the Law Enforcement Memorial and the changing of the guard before I leave. I hope to come back maybe later and take the little one on a tour and to the zoo.

**wanna_b_trooper** · 09-13-07, 12:29 PM

Make it a point to go to Arlington Cemetary and watch a Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns. The guard changes every half-hour. I stayed for 2 hours and watched four changes. Very inspiring.

**Pretty Boring Civi** · 09-18-07, 11:13 AM

I hope you had a nice visit.

**depusm12** · 09-18-07, 09:21 PM

Defiantly visit the National Law Enforcement Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery, Vietnam Memorial if you can.

**PCSD722** · 09-21-07, 08:17 AM

I went to Arlington for my class, actually drove right to the motel with no troube at all, was pretty proud of myself. I had some free time after class so we, better half and little one went with me, went to see some things. We took a bus from the hotel to the metro station. This was our first time on the metro so it was interesting.We rode into DC and walked a couple of blocks to the Law Enforcement Memorial. It was my first trip to it. Unfortunately it was not my better halfs first trip. Her first husband was placed on the wall in 1999, he is the father of our little one, she never got to her know her father because he was kiled the day after they found out that they were going to have her, I took her to the wall and helped her find her fathers name and copy it....it was a moment that was just...calm, is the best way I can describe it. We spent some time there and walked back to the metro bust decided to look around a little bit and ended up in front of the white house before walking back to the metro. We left the next morning and stoped at the National Cemetary and got to see the changing of the guard, someday I will go back.

One of the guys I work with had gone to a ballgame in Maryland and he and a trooper we know stopped at the wall the day after I was there, it was his first trip too, he told me later that after seeing all of the names and realizing just how many were on it another thing dawned on him.....there is still a lot of room on the wall, he said that was real sad to him just seeing that much room for so many more names. Anyway it was a great trip, too short to see a lot and way too many people for this country boy.