Arlington National Cemetery Exit Gates

Question

Greetings TA friends. We’re visiting Arlington National Cemetery in April. I know entrances are controlled entry.

Can you exit through the Service Complex gate? We’re going to visit the Air Force Memorial and Pentagon Memorial and didn’t want to double back to the main gate. Thanks.

Answer

Arlington National Cemetery has very strict access control, and while there are multiple internal gates, only one of them is open to the public for both entry and exit: the Main Entrance at Memorial Avenue.

The Service Complex Gate (sometimes called the Service/Administration Gate on the south side of the cemetery near Route 27) is used only for:

authorized vehicles
funeral processions
cemetery staff
military and administrative access

Visitors cannot exit through the Service Complex gate. It is locked to the public, and security personnel will turn away anyone who is not authorized.

So how do you get from Arlington National Cemetery to the Air Force Memorial and Pentagon Memorial without doubling back unnecessarily?

You still must exit through the Main Entrance, but from there, the walking routes and transit options are simple and direct.

Air Force Memorial walking route: From the Main Entrance, it’s roughly a 15–20 minute walk via Memorial Avenue → through the Route 110 underpass → up the hill to the Memorial. This is the most common walking path.
Pentagon Memorial walking route: From the Main Entrance, walk along Memorial Avenue toward the Pentagon, then use the pedestrian paths to the 9/11 Pentagon Memorial. The walk takes around 20–25 minutes.
If walking is too much: Arlington Cemetery Metro Station is right at the main gate. You can ride one stop to Pentagon Station (Blue Line) for the Pentagon Memorial, or take a short rideshare to the Air Force Memorial.

Recommended strategy for your visit