REAL ID Requirements

Beginning May 7, 2025, all individuals over the age of 18 who are authorized to drive onto Arlington National Cemetery should be prepared to present a REAL ID at the security checkpoint.

Published on: Tuesday, April 29, 2025 read more ...

Wreaths Across America Day: Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024

On Saturday, Dec. 14, members of the general public can take part in this year’s National Wreaths Across America Day, beginning at 8 a.m. Arlington National Cemetery will be one of more than 4,600 participating locations nationwide. Volunteers may place wreaths at the base of a veteran’s headstone or columbarium niche to honor their legacy and remember their sacrifice.

Registration is not required. However, we recommend that visitors participating in Wreaths Across America at Arlington National Cemetery on Dec. 14 register with WAA to ensure they receive the most up-to-date information about volunteering. Register at www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/arling.

Please note: If the volume of visitors into Arlington National Cemetery exceeds our capacity to conduct a safe event, we will suspend entry into the cemetery. Visitors may wish to consider visiting one of the more than 4,600 participating locations across the country held on National Wreaths Across America Day on Dec. 14 or volunteer to help remove wreaths during our annual “Wreaths Out” event on Saturday, Jan. 11.

There will be no tram or gravesite shuttle service on Saturday, Dec. 14. See below for instructions on driving, parking and Metro/pedestrian access.

Access Points

• We encourage volunteers to use all four entrances to access Arlington National Cemetery on Saturday, Dec. 14. The Memorial Avenue entrance, Ord and Weitzel Gate, Service Complex Gate and Old Post Chapel Gate on Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall (DoD ID card holders only) will open to the public at 8 a.m.

• Despite ongoing construction, the Service Complex gate will be open.

• The main entrance to ANC (1 Memorial Ave.) is located at the end of Memorial Avenue, just west of Memorial Bridge and Potomac Park. It is a 5-minute walk from the Arlington Cemetery Metro stop; walk west on Memorial Avenue (away from the bridge).

• The Ord and Weitzel Gate is located on the cemetery's north side, near the U.S. Marine Corps Memorial (Iwo Jima). It is a 15-minute walk from the Rosslyn Metro stop. Walk south on North Meade Street, across Arlington Boulevard and through the U.S. Marine Corps Memorial Park.

• DoD ID card holders must present their DoD ID to go through the specially-marked DoD screening lanes at all entrance points.

Metro and Pedestrian Access

• We encourage volunteers to use Metro transportation. Click map to enlarge for a PDF that can downloaded and printed.

• To avoid congestion at the Arlington Cemetery Metro stop (Blue line), we recommend exiting via the Rosslyn (Orange/Blue/Silver lines) or Pentagon (Blue/Yellow lines) stations. Each station is an approximately 15-minute walk to one of the cemetery entrances. 

• The best option is to take the Metro stop closest to the gate you plan to enter: Pentagon for the Service Complex Gate; Arlington Cemetery for the main entrance; and Rosslyn Metro for the Ord & Weitzel gate.

• If exiting at Rosslyn, you must enter the cemetery via the Ord & Weitzel gate by walking along the North Meade Street sidewalks. If exiting at the Pentagon, you must enter through the cemetery’s Service Complex gate entrance by walking along North Rotary Road.

On Wreaths Across America Day, there will be no tram or gravesite shuttle service on Saturday, Dec. 14.

ADA Accessibility

• Those with handicapped plates/placards will need to go to Pentagon North Parking, where their pass will be verified. They will then be directed to the ANC Welcome Center parking garage. The ANC Welcome Center parking garage will be available for those with a handicapped plate/placard from 6 to 7 a.m.on a first-come-first-serve basis. After 7 a.m., drivers will be directed to other parking options. Please do not arrive earlier than 6 a.m.

• The ANC Welcome Center parking garage is reserved for those with a handicapped plate/placard from 6-7 a.m. or until full. After 7 a.m., no more vehicles will be allowed to park in the parking garage.

• Only those with handicapped plates/placards are permitted to park in the ANC Welcome Center parking garage. All others will be directed to the Pentagon North and South parking lots and the Hayes parking lot.

• If the ANC parking garage is full, ADA-accessible volunteers should park in the Pentagon North Parking lot. WAA shuttles will run from the Pentagon North Parking lot to the east of the Service Complex gate.

DoD ID Cardholders

• Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall will be accessible to DoD ID card holders only. Parking will be limited to the Tri-Services parking lot located across from the Spates Community Center. The sole entry point to the cemetery from Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall will be the Old Post Chapel gate. 

• This year, all other gates to the cemetery (Memorial Avenue, Ord and Weitzel, and Service Complex) will have designated DoD ID card holder lanes for security screening. 

Driving/Parking

• Click map to enlarge for a PDF that can downloaded and printed.

• To ensure a safe and secure environment for our visitors and employees, NO vehicular traffic will be permitted inside the cemetery for the duration of the event on Dec. 14.

• WAA will provide shuttle bus transportation from Pentagon North to drop-off locations east of the Service Complex gate.

• Limited public parking will be available at the Pentagon North and South Parking and Hayes Parking. Wreaths Across America volunteers and signage will be positioned in the parking lots, guiding visitors to walk to the nearest cemetery entrances.

• For those parking in Pentagon South Parking, we recommend walking to the cemetery’s Service Complex entrance for screening and entry to the grounds. For those parking in Pentagon North Parking, we recommend walking to the cemetery’s main entrance on Memorial Ave. using the Route 27 pedestrian walkway.

Ride Share

• For volunteers who plan to arrive via a ride-share (e.g., Uber, Lyft), the drop-off location is the Hayes lot in Pentagon City (880 Army Navy Dr.). From this point, volunteers must walk to the cemetery’s Service Complex gate entrance.