Visiting Washington, D.C. on Memorial Day, 2009

dcIt’s not too late to plan a patriotic visit to Washington, D.C. for Memorial Day weekend.

Airfare and hotel rates are the lowest they’ve been since 2006. If you want to take in all that Washington, D.C. has to offer this Memorial Day be sure to get there by Sunday, May 24th.


Touring Washington, D.C.
The best way to see Washington, D.C. is to hop on a tour bus for a riding tour through Arlington National Cemetery and major sights of Washington DC. The Arlington Cemetery tour aboard the Tourmobile is $7.50 and you get a hop-on, hop-off tour with a free all-day re-boarding pass to see Arlington National Cemetery, Kennedy Gravesites, Tomb of the Unknowns, and Arlington House, the Robert E. Lee Memorial.

There is so much to see in Washington DC, and with heavy traffic and extremely limited parking, taking a guided riding tour is the best way to go and will save a lot of aimless walking. You can hop off the shuttle at each stop and spend as much time as you want at the site.

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Arlington House
In May 1861, the vacated home of Robert E. Lee and his family was occupied by the union army. The mansion was used as a headquarters building and in a matter of days the Arlington House and estate was changed forever. Robert E. Lee and his family never returned to the Arlington estate. It wasn’t until 1955 the mansion was designated as a memorial to Robert E. Lee. A major restoration began in 2008 and is not expected to end until 2010 when the mansion will be restored to its pre- Civil War appearance. You can still tour Arlington House from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. most days.

cemetery2Arlington National Cemetery
In May 1864 the U.S. Army began burying dead soldiers on the northern portion of the Arlington estate and by June of that year was designated a national cemetery. Many funerals are held during the week at Arlington Cemetery. During a military funeral the honor detail will perform a ceremony that includes the folding and presenting of the American flag to the next of kin and the playing of Taps.
unknowns

Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers
The Tomb of the Unknowns is one of the more visited sites at Arlington National Cemetery and is guarded 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The Changing of the Guard is an emotional sight to see and occurs every hour on the hour during the winter months and every half hour during summer. Click here to listen to “Taps”

Memorial Day Concert
End Sunday with the Memorial Day concert on the west lawn of the U.S. Capitol Building. The free concert has an all-star line-up of dignitaries, actors and musical artists. What makes this concert so meaningful are the moving tributes to all who have given their lives for our country.

Our National Memorial Day parade begins at 2 p.m. Monday May 25th
It’s difficult to believe that for nearly 70 years our nation was without a National Memorial Day parade. It wasn’t until 1971 that Memorial Day was declared a national holiday to be held on the last Monday in May. Now an annual event, the Memorial Day parade in Washington, D.C. pays tribute to the courageous sacrifices of our many veterans who died in defense of our country. This year’s parade will feature Ernest Borgnine, Lee Greenwood, Edith Shane, and Gary Sinise.

I hope to make it to Washington, D.C. this year for Memorial Day. I take the Arlington tour each time I go, but this year I might expand my horizons and take the American Heritage tour. It has a tour of Washington DC with Arlington Cemetery included.

How will you spend your Memorial Day weekend?

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