Fun Fact: Celebrities who once lived in Arlington County include Warren Beatty, Sandra Bullock, Katie Couric, Roberta Flack, Shirley MacLaine, and Jim Morrison

We are no strangers to Arlington County. In fact, Mack grew up there. Recently, we visited Mack’s old stomping grounds during two separate day trips: one trip without the dogs to Arlington National Cemetery, the other trip with the dogs to search out dog-friendly options.

Arlington County Rates 5 out of 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

We rated our impressions below. Ratings are based on diversity and quality of each category and all categories received 5 out of 5 stars.

• History ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• Recreation ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• Sightseeing ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• Restaurants ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• Dog Friendly ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• Accommodations ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Arlington National Cemetery

Before you visit Arlington National Cemetery, download the app.

This famous final resting place for members of the nation’s armed forces holds special significance for us. On previous visits we attended funerals of loved ones. My Uncle Fred’s tombstone is shown below.

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

The Changing of the Guard ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier occurs hourly from October through March and every half-hour from April through September. Each ceremony links together an unbroken chain of Sentinels who began guarding this tomb in 1948. Our video below features one of these dedicated and highly trained guards.

Eternal Flame

The eternal flame lights the graves of John F. Kennedy, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, and two of their children who died in infancy.

Other Famous Gravesites

Visitors may see the graves of a number of other famous individuals, such as John Glenn, Audie Murphy, Colin Powell, Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Thurgood Marshall, as well as Senator Bobby Kennedy (shown below),

Arlington House

Once the home of General Robert E. Lee and his family, Arlington House became a Union Army facility at the start of the Civil War. In 1864 the federal government officially acquired Arlington House and its grounds, and this property became Arlington National Cemetery.

Dog Friendly Digs

Theodore Roosevelt Island

Go fishing. Hike the trails. Look out for the drop in elevation where the Fall Line (separating Virginia’s piedmont region from its coastal plain region) runs directly through Theodore Roosevelt Island.

Netherlands Carillon

Tell everyone that you took your dog to a heavy metal concert.

Following World War II, the Netherlands gifted the United States with this Carillon. At 127 feet, the Netherlands Carillon houses 53 bronze bells and symbolizes freedom and friendship between the United States and the Netherlands.

Visitors can hear automated concerts and chimes throughout the day, as well as live concerts on select days.

Marine Corps War Memorial

The Marine Corps War Memorial, Arlington, Virginia

“The Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II was a turning point in the global conflict. Lasting over a month, the casualties were great: 6,800 Marines and sailors were killed in action. Veterans of the battle were awarded 27 Medals of Honor for courage in the battle, with most awarded posthumously. On February 23, 1945, the American flag was raised at Iwo Jima by six United States Marines, three of whom were subsequently killed in the battle to gain the island. Joe Rosenthal was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for his iconic photograph of the raising of the flag and President Franklin Delano Roosevelt used the image to boost morale in the US homefront.”

From the Battle of Iwo Jima, C-SPAN Classroom

Columbia Island Marina

Columbia Island Marina is a great place to kayak with your dog, fish for invasive snakehead, and grab a bite to eat at the Marina’s Island Time Bar and Grill. (Try the lobster roll!)

Gravelly Point Park

The dogs did not seem impressed by all the airplanes flying directly overhead, but this was my favorite part of the trip.

Have a picnic. Walk your dog. Go fishing. All while watching planes from Ronald Reagan National Airport fly directly above Gravelly Point Park, formerly the site of Abingdon Plantation. Weirdly enough, the plantation’s ruins can be visited from an area inside the airport.

Glen Carlyn Dog Park

Arlington seems like an odd place to find an old growth forest, but that’s exactly what you will find at Glen Carlyn Park according to the Old Growth Forest Network. At the dog park Fido can go off leash in both the woods and the creek.

Dining

Arlington County is a foodie’s dream. I could write a blog entirely about Arlington’s restaurants. Here are some resources to help narrow down the vast dining selection:

• Northern Virginia Magazine highlights Arlington County’s best restaurants.
• BringFido.com lists many dog friendly restaurants in Arlington County.
• Wanderlog.com features the best bars in Arlington County. I can vouch for Spider Kelly’s.

Know before You Go

Resources

• County map of Arlington
• Arlington Visitor’s Guide
• Arlington Hotels (& BringFido.com for dog friendly options

Trails

Should my dog play in the stream?

• Four Mile Run Park This dog friendly trail is 6.2 miles long
• Potomac Overlook Regional Park In addition to miles of trails, family oriented activities include a nature center and educational gardens.
• Mount Vernon Trail Bent on Bikes YouTube channel takes us on a tour of this popular trail in their video.

No bike? No worries! Rent a bike from Capital Bikeshare

Fishing

In addition to the fishing spots we visited (Theodore Roosevelt Island, Columbia Island Marina, and Gravelly Point) be sure to check out Roaches Run Waterfowl Sanctuary.

Museums

• Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington See the exhibits and take a yoga flow class in the gallery.
• Black Heritage Museum Learn about the African American Journey to Freedom, including Arlington’s Freedman’s Village, a community for previously enslaved people.
• Drug Enforcement Agency Museum Discover the history of the DEA through interactive, hands-on activities, and a trove of artifacts.

Entertainment

• Signature Theatre See a bold musical production at this Tony Award®-winning regional theater.
• Twilight Tattoo Visiting in the summer? Learn the history of the Army from the soldier’s viewpoint in a 60-minute live show that features the Army’s premier ceremonial units.
• Arlington Cinema and Drafthouse See a movie or a comedy show in this 1930s theater that serves beer and cocktails. (Listen to the Arlington Drafthouse podcast.)

Every year, the Arlington Cinema and Drafthouse teams up with the Animal Welfare League of Arlington for a screening of the New York Cat Film Festival (not a dog friendly activity—literally or figuratively—but so much fun & for a great cause).

Tours

• Arlington County features more than 70 works of public art which can be viewed on self-guided tours.
• Tour the Ball-Sellers House Built in 1750 by farmer John Ball, this house is the oldest structure in Arlington County.
• Tour the Pentagon This edifice serves as headquarters to the U.S. Department of Defense and is one of the world’s largest office buildings. (Its advanced research projects agency DARPA, located separately at at 675 North Randolph Street, does not allow public tours. However, you can listen to its podcast.)

& a Hidden Gem

Need to hold a clandestine meeting? There’s no better spot than the Watergate Deep Throat parking garage at 1401 Wilson Blvd.

LOVEworks

Arlington County does not have a permanent LOVEworks display but does set up temporary LOVEworks, such as for National Pet Day (April 11th).

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Animal Welfare League of Arlington

We stopped by the Animal Welfare League of Arlington and said hello to sweetie pie Wilbur who is looking for his forever home. Donations to the Animal Welfare League help keep pets and people together.

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Road Trip Reads

These books each provide information about a different and fascinating segment of Arlington County. Audible offers each of these books for easy road trip listening.

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