Arlington cemetery walking times

Question

I am planning on visiting the cemetery next week, the memorials I want to see are:

JFK, Pan Am, Columbia & Challenger and Pentagon.

I’m not sure if it’s worth doing the hop on hop off tram for those or if I’m better off walking, it will be a weekday so only the short tram route is available. But I’m finding it hard to work out walking times between them and I’m nervous of the heat.

My teens aren’t interesting in joining me for this, so I’m planning to get there just before it opens at 8. Any ideas of a timescale I need so that they can plan to do something else that morning and I’ll meet up with them later.

Thank you

Answer

Visiting Arlington National Cemetery and the memorials you mentioned can be a manageable walking tour, especially if you arrive early before the crowds and the heat build up. Since your focus is on JFK, Pan Am, Columbia & Challenger, and the Pentagon memorials, here's a detailed breakdown.

Walking distances and times:

JFK Gravesite to Pan Am Memorial: Approximately 0.5 miles, around 10–12 minutes at a leisurely pace.
Pan Am Memorial to Columbia & Challenger Memorial: About 0.4 miles, roughly 8–10 minutes walking.
Columbia & Challenger Memorial to Pentagon Memorial: Around 0.6 miles, about 12–15 minutes on foot.

Total walking time without stopping is roughly 30–35 minutes, but you should factor in time at each memorial for reading plaques, taking photos, and resting in shaded areas. Realistically, budgeting about 1.5–2 hours will allow a relaxed pace and short breaks.

Tram considerations:

Weekday short-route tram may not cover all of these memorials directly. If you only take the tram, you might still need to walk between some sites.
If the heat is a concern, taking the tram for one or two legs could save energy, especially the walk from Columbia & Challenger to the Pentagon Memorial, which is the longest stretch.
Arriving just before 8 AM is smart, as the cemetery opens then and the morning tends to be cooler with fewer visitors.

Suggested plan:

Arrive around 7:50 AM and enter at the main visitor entrance.
Walk first to JFK Gravesite, spend 15–20 minutes there.
Head to Pan Am Memorial, allow 10–15 minutes.
Proceed to Columbia & Challenger Memorial, plan 10–15 minutes.
Optionally take the tram or walk to the Pentagon Memorial, allow 15–20 minutes there.

Overall, you can comfortably see all four memorials in 1.5–2 hours at a relaxed pace. This will give your teens enough time to do another activity nearby before you meet up with them later in the morning.

Arlington cemetery walking times

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