//
Photo: John Collier, FSA/OWI, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
Just as the name says, this tomb sited on a picturesque hill overlooking Washington, D.C., is the resting place of one soldier each from World War I, World War II, and the Korean War whose bodies could not be identified. (Due to advances in DNA testing, a soldier from the Vietnam War formerly entombed here was identified and reinterred, and it's likely that there will be no more unidentified soldiers from now on.) Guards in pristine dress uniforms maintain a 24/7 patrol in a meticulous back-and-forth pattern: 21 steps, turn and shoulder arms, pause for 21 seconds, and repeat. Even inclement weather does not stop them (although there is a shelter used very occasionally in extreme conditions). The prestigious post is not entirely ceremonial; the guards are armed and will interrupt their routine to silence loud or disrespectful visitors or stop anyone (including children and tourists with cameras) who approaches too close. A formal Changing of the Guard ceremony is held half-hourly in summer and hourly in winter. The solemn ceremony is a popular sight to watch, but if you want to spend some time in quiet contemplation you may find the crowd and their cameras disruptive; instead, aim to arrive just after the ceremony when the crowd thins out until the next one.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, United States is the burial site of a World War I soldier whose remains were unidentifiable. After a design competition was held in 1928, the winning project was completed in 1932. The site now also includes the gravesites of two other unknown soldiers, one from World War II and one from the Korean War, who were buried beneath two slabs between the tomb and the Memorial Amphitheater behind it.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
The plantation house of Robert E. Lee and his ancestors. Guided tours are available and the grounds have great views looking down into Washington, D.C.
Final resting place of President John F. Kennedy and many other members of the Kennedy family
The memorial honors the contribution of women to America's military. In 1932, McKim, Mead and White designed a gateway to Arlington Cemetery, and in 1997 a mostly underground museum opened behind that historic structure. It features informational displays and historic artifacts and uniforms. A national parks passport stamp is available at the gift shop's checkout.
Contains information about the cemetery and the tomb of the unknown solder. There is also a large parking garage which can be a good place to dump your car before catching the subway into D.C.
A private tour company which provides hop on/off tram to get around the cemetery provides a way to explore the entire cemetery (which is enormous and hilly) in a short amount of time.
A monument dedicated in Fall 2006 to the U.S. Air Force. The monument consists of three soaring spires signifying the Thunderbird's bomb-burst formation. Also on the site are a few statues and information about various airborne campaigns the U.S. Air Force has participated in. The monument is on a hilltop with an excellent view of Arlington Cemetery, the Pentagon, and Washington DC. Limited parking is available in the lot across the street from the memorial.