Washington Sightseeing
 

We will be spending a weekend at the end of September in Washington with my 80 year old mother. We will only have one day (Saturday) for sightseeing, so want to maximize what we see, but do as little walking as possible given her age. We would like to go to Arlington in the morning to visit a gravesite, and do a city tour in the afternoon. We will be staying in Arlington VA.

We are considering three alternatives, and would like to know which one is best.

1. Driving to Arlington and then after visiting the gravesite, driving to a metrorail station and taking a train into town for the city tour.
2. Park at the metrorail station first, and take the train to Arlington and then on to the city. Is there public transportation available within Arlington to take you to gravesites?
3. Going directly into the city and taking a city tour that stops at Arlington. Of course, for this to work, there would have to be transportation available within the cemetery.

Any ideas which way is the best to go? Is this too much to do in one day?

One correction - we will be staying in Alexandria Virginia.

Wally, If the primary purpose of your visit to Arlington Cemetery is to visit the gravesite of a friend or relative, I'd suggest going there first. Go to the Visitor's Center (both it and the grounds open at 8 am) and a staff member will give you a map with directions to the gravesite and a temporary pass allowing you to drive into the cemetery.

You can drive to Arlington (plenty of parking, small fee) or take the Metro from Alexandria. Sorry, I don't recall if it's much of a walk from the Metro to the Visitor's Center.

If your city tour is the TourMobile, you can purchase tickets and begin your ride from Arlington. Their website (tourmobile.com) has the info about the itinerary, prices and mobility/accessibility issues. Were you thinking about something like this or a self guided tour?

I have loads of elderly relatives and I put them in a wheelchair when I take them shopping or sightseeing. Everbody has a better time that way.

Thanks, obxgirl. I guess we will drive to Arlington to visit the grave and then on to the city. I guess there isn't any transportation within the cemetery that takes you to the gravesites. Is there anything else worth seeing at Arlington.

For the city, we were planning on taking one of the trolley-type tours. Are any especially recommended?

Tourmobile can be used as transportation in the cemetery- www.tourmobile.com.

You can purchase tickets at the Visitor's Center.

I think they also have tours in Washington, DC as well.

At Arlington, the Tomb of the Unknowns is a can't miss.

Actually, Tourmobile does operate a tour within the cemetery. I think it's the only commercial organization that is licensed to do so. Here is a link (you may have to cut and paste to your web browser): http://www.tourmobile.com/tour/arlington.html
We are planning a trip in November and plan to do this, too.

momotx, Tourmobile operates a guided tour within Arlington Cemetery but Wally was asking about public transportation to a specific person's gravesite. The cemetery is huge and I wouldn't advise someone (particularly with an 80 year old visitor) to rely on the Tourmobile to get you to a private gravesite. You can, however, get a pass to drive directly to the spot where a friend or family member is buried.

Wally, as others have mentioned there are some very interesting and moving things to see in AC. Check out the website arlingtoncemetery.org for details. Regardless, if you choose Tourmobile (which is one of those trolley type tours), you can pick it up at Arlington Cemetery and see more of Arlington C (or not) before heading across the river into the District.

Sorry - I guess I didn't read Wally's post too carefully. obxgirl, you're right - it would not be a good idea to use Tourmobile if you're visiting one gravesite in particular. Thanks for the info about the special pass - it's always good to know these things.

If your relative is buried there you are entitled to a pass that allows you to drive your vehicle directly to the gravesite.you can get it via the mail and use it for any future visits.

Thanks, everyone for your advice. I guess we will get a visitor pass to Arlington so we can drive directly to the gravesite. We will then pick up tourmobile in Arlington for our tour of the cemetery and the city.

Why not just go to Mt. Vernon, George Washington's home? It is such a grand and lovely place. You can easily spend a whole day there walking around the grounds, your Mother could sit on a rocking chair on the front porch and view the Potomac. There is a walk though tour of the home and then a restaurant just outside the Mt. Vernon entrance. To me that would be alot easier than parking at Metro stops.