Arlington, VA Road Trips

Arlington and "Old Town" Alexandria form part of the original "ten miles square" which the U.S. Constitution dedicated as the District of Columbia, the nation's capital. It was one of the District's original two counties; Alexandria County was the part on the Virginia side of the Potomac River, and Washington County (present day Washington, D.C.) was the part on the Maryland side. The law creating the District prohibited building government buildings on the Virginia side, leaving it to be used for gambling and other vices. In 1846, as a result of issues relating to congressional representation, worries by Arlington residents that D.C would ban slavery, and an economic downturn as a result of the fact that Federal government offices were located on the northern side of the Potomac River, the U.S. Congress returned Arlington and Alexandria to Virginia. While no longer part of the capital proper, Arlington's proximity to it has made it home to various national monuments and federal installations. Most travelers to Arlington will visit both Washington, D.C. and Arlington, and the two cities are seamlessly linked together by the Metro system. Whatever your purpose in coming to Arlington, you'll find the area a friendly and convenient place to visit and explore. While Arlington is legally a county (hence why it's often called Arlington County), maps and this article refer to the area as a city. Most tourists come to the D.C. area during spring and summer weekends. If you want to avoid the crowds, consider visiting between November and March.

Many people come to Arlington as part of a trip to Washington, D.C. Still, Arlington itself is home to several destinations.

You won't go hungry in Arlington. Arlington has over 1,000 restaurants to fit every budget and taste. Arlington's diverse, well educated population has led to a plethora of ethnic restaurants. The Clarendon neighborhood probably has the largest concentration of restaurants. Within a few blocks of the metro station you can find all types of restaurants—from hole in the wall establishments to pubs to casual dining restaurants. It used to be considered the little Saigon of Arlington and still has some amazing Vietnamese restaurants. For a slightly less crowded area, try the Shirlington neighborhood, which has about two dozen restaurants ranging from Thai to contemporary American. Note that Shirlington is not served by a Metro rail line. Crystal City has many fine restaurants for every budget. Some choices include Hamburger Hamlet, Bailey's, and Tapas. Make sure to venture west of Jefferson Davis Avenue on 23rd street to get a few smaller but equally as good choices. Some shopping malls, such as The Underground, also have full-service restaurants, as well as food courts.

In Arlington, the drinks can get pricey, but the bars are plentiful. Ballston Quarter has several pubs, while the Clarendon-to-Courthouse corridor has enough watering holes for a bar crawl. The entire area also has a high density of coffee houses.

Many people visiting Washington, D.C. choose to stay in Arlington. Arlington hotels located along the Metro lines are just as convenient— indeed, sometimes more convenient— than hotels in Washington proper, and often more reasonable in price. If you are staying in Arlington primarily to see Washington sights such as the Smithsonian, it would be more convenient to leave your car parked at your hotel and ride the Metro to Washington.

1 Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA IATA) (is in South Arlington). The airport is served by most major domestic airlines. Just across the river from Washington on the George Washington Memorial Parkway, and served by its own Metro station on the Blue and Yellow Lines, DCA is by far the most convenient airport for visiting the area. As the most common landing path follows the Potomac River, flying right past the National Mall, it is also the most scenic. Due to restrictions, however, the majority of flights are under 1,500 mi (2,400 km) long. Dulles International Airport (IAD IATA) is in Dulles, Loudoun County approximately 15 miles (24 km) (a 45 minute drive during rush hour) outside of Arlington. The airport has a Metrorail station on the Silver Line. Greyhound and several other companies serve Washington, D.C. Vamoose Bus and Tripper Bus operate direct service between New York City and Arlington. Pickup/drop-off points are near the Rosslyn Metro Station. The closest intercity train station is Union Station in Washington, DC, located 10–15 minutes away by taxi or about 30 minutes by Metro. One of the busiest passenger rail terminals in the U.S., Union Station is serviced by Amtrak, VRE, and MARC. For southbound trips, Amtrak and VRE serve the smaller Alexandria Station, 3 mi (4.8 km) south near the King Street Metrorail station on the western edge Old Town Alexandria. Both VRE lines serve Crystal City, a surface station on Crystal Drive about one block from the Crystal City Metro station at the north end of Crystal City Water Park.

If you plan to stick to the urban areas, park your car and only travel on foot and public transport. Arlington has an excellent public transportation system, which includes 4 Metrorail lines, a public bikeshare program, and 2 bus systems. Driving an automobile can bring more troubles than it is worth, as many of Arlington's attractions suffer from a dearth of parking spaces, and the area is notorious for expensive parking tickets. Most destinations in suburban Arlington are accessible by bus, but a car is viable option. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) is the regional transit operator. For more information on riding the Metrorail and other DC-area public transportation, see Washington D.C.#By public transportation. Washington DC Metrorail. The Orange, Silver, Blue, and Yellow lines of the Metrorail serve the major commercial districts in Arlington as well as most major attractions in Washington, D.C. Fares start at $2 and are based on distance and time of day. All the public bus systems serving Arlington accept WMATA's SmarTrip card, which allows free bus-to-bus transfers (excepting certain express commuter routes). Metrobus. Metrobus operates in Arlington. Arlington Transit Buses (ART). Arlington operates its own bus system, filling in some gaps in Metrobus coverage. Arlington uses natural gas powered buses painted distinctive green. Seven taxi companies are licensed to operate in Arlington. Arlington taxis are available at taxi stands around the city, by phoning the taxi company directly, and by mobile app.

Arlington is a very safe city with considerably less crime than its neighbor, Washington, D.C. While you are unlikely to be the victim of a crime here, you should take normal precautions that you would in any urban area, such as keeping your car and hotel room locked at all times. If you have a problem, dial 911 to contact the Arlington Police.